USA > New York > History of the state of New York, for the use of common schools, academies, normal and high schools, and other seminaries of instruction > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
Agency of Burr in the contest. - Re-election of Governor Clinton and Lieutenant-Governor Van Rensselaer. - State elections. - Proceedings of the Convention. - Appointment of Chancellor. - Meeting of the Legislature. - Ambrose Spencer appointed Attorney-General.
.
160
SIXTH PERIOD.
fixed by the amended Constitution at one hundred, was madr. and a resolution adopted on motion of Mr. Clinton, proposin. ' an amendment to the United States Constitution, providing for the choice of electors of President and Vice-President by sing !. electoral districts, and requiring such electors to designate ca their ballots the person voted for by them for each office.
7. On the 9th of February, DE WITT CLINTON was elected United States Senator in place of General Armstrong, resigned. The spring elections resulted in another Democratic triumph. including every member of the Senate and a large majority in the House. Soon after this period an imbittered personal and political warfare sprang up between the friends of Colonel Burr and those of De Witt Clinton, carried on through the columns of the American Citizen, edited by James Cheetham, in the interest of the latter, and the Morning Chronicle, edited by Dr. Irving, in that of the former, and resulting in a duel be- tween Mr. Clinton and Mr. Swartwout.
8. When the Legislature convened in January of the succeed- ing year, it speedily became apparent that a large majority of its members disapproved of the conduct of Colonel Burr, and that he and his friends no longer possessed the confidence of the Re- publican party. The latter obtained a signal and decisive tri- umph at the April elections. DE WITT CLINTON was appointed Mayor of the city of New York in place of Edward Livingston. who had been appointed, by the President, United States District Attorney ; and AMBROSE SPENCER was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court in place of Jacob Radcliff, resigned.
9. On the 31st of January, 1804, the Legislature again 1804. assembled. The Governor communicated to both Houses the amendment of the Constitution recently adopted, requiring the presidential electors to designate the candidates voted for respectively as President and Vice-President. Governor GEORGE CLINTON was placed in nomination by the democracy of the na-
De Witt Clinton appointed United States Senator. - Proposed amendment to the national Constitution. - Controversy between the friends of Clinton and Burr. - Duel between Clinton and Swartwout. - Parties in the Legis- lature. - Triumph of the democracy. - Appointments and removals. - Proceedings of the Legislature. - Amendment of the United States Consti- tution in reference to presidential electors.
161
STATE ELECTIONS.
tion as a candidate for Vice-President at the ensuing presiden- tial election in place of Colonel Burr, who had forfeited their confidence. The latter was, however, placed in nomination by his friends for the office of Governor.
10. At the February term of the Supreme Court, Chief-Jus- tice Lewis presiding, Harry Croswell, editor of a leading Federal paper published at Hudson, was indicted and convicted, under the provisions of the English common law, for a libel against the President, notwithstanding the offer on his part to prove the truth of the allegations. His counsel, General Hamilton, made an eloquent defence in his behalf ; and in the succeeding year the law in this respect was changed, and the truth of any alleged libel was thenceforth permitted to be given in evidence. This was the last and most brilliant forensic effort of Hamilton.
11. MORGAN LEWIS and JOHN BROOME were respectively elected - Governor and Lieutenant-Governor by a large majority at the April elections, together with a majority of Democrats in both branches of the Legislature. Mr. Tompkins was elected to Con- gress from the city and county of New York. The defeat of Burr rendered him desperate, and in his mortification and cha- grin, in view of the disappointment of all his political pros- pects, he seems to have availed himself of every opportunity of revenging himself against those whose influence he had reason to suspect had contributed to the result.
12. Of these individuals he had chosen to regard HAMILTON as the most prominent. His opposition had been felt in the contest for the presidency. against Jefferson ; and in his recent. struggle for political ascendency, Burr had reason to suspect his active hostility. Burning for revenge, he had determined to call his great and powerful adversary to a stern and severe account ; and for this purpose had watched for an opportunity when he could safely accomplish his nefarious purpose.
13. During the February term of the Supreme Court at Albany, some expressions of political hostility towards Burr had fallen from Hamilton, in a social conversation with one of his friends, with whom he was dining. The report of this coming to the ear
Election of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor. - Trial of Croswell for libel. - Election of Governor Lewis and Lieutenant-Governor Broome. - Democratic triumph. - Hostility between Burr and Hamilton.
11
162
SIXTH PERIOD.
of Burr in a distorted form, was construed by him as involving a personal charge, and a prompt acknowledgment or denial (: the offensive terms demanded on the 18th of June. On the. 20th Hamilton declined complying with this demand on account of the vagueness and indefiniteness of the charge, at the same time expressing his willingness to do so whenever it should be made more explicit, or to abide the consequences of his present refusal. In a subsequent note, through his friend, Mr. Pendleton, in reply to an offensive answer from Burr, Hamilton repeated in distinct terms his willingness, in response to any specific inquiry, to disclaim having at any time cast an imputation upon the private character or personal conduct of the former.
14. Burr, notwithstanding this candid and explicit disclaimer. persisted in regarding it as a mere evasion, and demanded im- mediate satisfaction. A hostile meeting was arranged on the 27th, which took place at Weehawken, on the Jersey shore, on the morning of the 11th of July. Hamilton was mortally wounded on the first exchange of shots, discharging his pistol in the air. He was conveyed from the field to the house of a friend on the opposite shore, where he expired on the afternoon of the next day. On the 14th his remains were conveyed to Trinity Church, when, after an eloquent discourse pronounced by his friend Gouverneur Morris, they were deposited, with military honors, in the adjoining churchyard.
15. The death of Hamilton, and the unfortunate circum- stances which led to the melancholy catastrophe, cast a deep shade of gloom over the whole community. His military ser- vices, splendid talents, the high positions occupied by him in the civil departments of government, and his unexceptionable character in all the relations of life, had secured for him the warm affections and regard of his fellow-citizens generally ; and his premature death by violence, in the maturity of his powers and the fulness of his fame, was universally lamented.
16. By the election of Governor Lewis a vacancy had occurred in the office of Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court, which was soon afterwards filled by the appointment of JAMES KENT and the promotion of DANIEL D. TOMPKINS to the position of Asso-
Correspondence, duel, and death of Hamilton. - Funeral obsequies. - Character of Hamilton.
-
---
-
-
163
THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
ciate Justice. The Legislature assembled in November for the choice of presidential electors, and after the transaction of the special business for which they were convened, and the election of Dr. SAMUEL L. MITCHELL as United States Senator in place of General Armstrong, appointed Minister to France, an adjourn- ment to the ensuing January took place. At the meeting of the several electoral colleges in December, Mr. JEFFERSON was re- elected President, and GEORGE CLINTON, of New York, chosen Vice-President by a majority of one hundred and sixty electoral votes.
CHAPTER V.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR LEWIS. - COMMON-SCHOOL FOND. - FREE-SCHOOL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. - ELECTION OF GOVERNOR TOMPKINS. - BURR'S CONSPIRACY. - STEAM NAVIGATION. - ERIE CANAL.
1. THE State Legislature reassembled on the 22d of 1805. January, and a special message was received from Gover- nor LEWIS strongly urging the importance of encouraging popu- lar education by the elevation and improvement of the common schools of the State, and recommending the exclusive appropri- ation of the avails of the public lands, now consisting of a million and a half acres, to this end.
2. In accordance with this recommendation an act was intro- duced and passed, appropriating the net proceeds of five hun- dred thousand acres of the public lands to the support of com- mon schools, the interest, when amounting to fifty thousand dollars, to be annually apportioned to these institutions for the payment of teachers' wages. The foundations of a permanent school fund were thus judiciously provided. The FREE-SCHOOL SOCIETY of the city of New York for the education of destitute children was also incorporated, with DE WITT CLINTON as its
Choice of presidential electors. - Appointment of United States Senator. - Re-election of President . ferson, and election of Vice-President Canton.
- Meeting of the Legislature. - Special message of the Governor relative to common-school education. - Common-school fund. - Free-School Sekty of New York.
164
SIXTH PERIOD.
President, chiefly through his exertions and those of the Solely of Friends ; and the first school was opened on Tryon Row December, 1809.
-
3. At this time WILLIAM W. VAN NESS, of Columbia, in the Senate, and OBADIAH GERMAN, of Chenango, in the House, were the recognized leaders of the Federal and Democratic partyes respectively. The preponderance of public sentiment through- out the State was strongly in favor of the Democrats, and the result of the spring elections of this year only served to confirm this result. Manifest indications, however, had recently a peared, of irreconcilable dissensions among the majority, which threatened for a period seriously to disturb their harmony, if not to interrupt their predominance. Mr. Clinton and M/s friends, in connection with the late political adherents of Colorel Burr, ranged themselves in opposition to the administration ( : Governor Lewis, and a deadly political feud seemed imminent.
4. At the succeeding session of the Legislature in 1806. 1806. the sentence of death against Stephen Arnold, a teacher of Otsego County, for causing the death of a child by whipping for a venial offence, was, on the recommendation of the Gover- nor, commuted to imprisonment for life, - a proceeding which created great popular indignation throughout the State. . 1 recommendation was also submitted for the improvement of the discipline of the militia ; the Governor, in his capacity of com- mander-in-chief, having, during the preceding autumn, made an official tour of inspection and review. Preparations for an appre- hended war with Great Britain were also strongly urged. During this session, ARCHIBALD MCINTYRE of Montgomery was appointed Comptroller. The Federalists, as a body, transferred their sup- port to Governor Lewis in the approaching contest between his friends and those of Mr. Clinton ; and, aided by this coalition, a majority of the members of the Legislature in favor of the ad- ministration were returned at the ensuing spring elections.
5. In April of the ensuing year, the regular Republican
1807. ticket, headed by DANIEL D. TOMPKINS as Governor and
State of parties. - Political feud between the friends of Mr. Clinton and Governor Lewis. - Proceedings of the Legislature. - Stephen Arnold. - Appointment of Comptroller. - Coalition of Federalists and Republicans. - Results of the election.
165
AARON BURR.
John Broome as Lieutenant-Governor, was successful by a majority of about four thousand votes, carrying with it a majority of both branches of the Legislature. WILLIAM W. VAN NESS was promoted to the bench of the Supreme Court, by the Council chosen during Governor Lewis's administra- tion, in place of Brockholst Livingston, appointed an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
6. Colonel Burr was, in May, placed on his trial for treason, before Chief-Justice Marshall of the United States Supreme Court at Richmond, Virginia, charged with an attempt to pro- cure a severance of the States west of the Alleghany Mountains, and with them, in conjunction with Mexico, to establish an inde- pendent government. He had been driven from New York by the public indignation created by the death of Hamilton, and since that occurrence had traversed the Southern and Western States and territories, engaging in treasonable intrigues with the disaffected, and other suspicious undertakings which had excited the vigilance of the government and produced his arrest as a criminal. No sufficient proof, however, of his complicity having been presented, he was acquitted and discharged.
7. On the 7th of August the first STEAMBOAT, the Clermont, was completed by ROBERT FULTON, of New York, and launched from Jersey City, on its trial trip up the Hudson for Albany, where it arrived on the next day, after a successful voyage of thirty-two hours. Chancellor Robert R. Livingston had, in 1798, obtained from the Legislature the exclusive right of steam navigation in the waters of the State for twenty years, on coil- dition of building a boat, within one year, of an average speed of four miles per hour. Failing in the accomplishment of this ob- ject, and having made the acquaintance of Fulton in France, he obtained a renewal of the grant in 1803, when the former joined him in New York, and in four years thereafter their joint efforts were crowned with a brilliant success.
8. In November of the preceding year the British Government, now engaged in a war with the French Empire under Napoleon
Election of Daniel D. Tompkins as Governor, and Lientenant-Governor Broome. - Trial and acquittal of Burr at Richmond for treason. - Launch and successful trip of the first steamboat on the Hudson by Fulton. - His- tory of the enterprise.
166
SIXTH PERIOD.
Bonaparte, had issued a series of "Orders in Council " prohibit. ing all trade with France or her allies by the vessels of neutr ..! nations. In retaliation, the Emperor proclaimed the celebrated Milan decree, forbidding all trade with England and ber colonies. thereby effectually cutting off all American commerce, in neutral ships, with either of the belligerents. On the 23d of Septem- ber, 1807, Congress laid an embargo on all vessels in the harbors of the United States, the results of which were exceedingly dis- astrous to the entire mercantile interest of the country.
9. The Federalists, as a body, together with that section of the Democrats heretofore acting in concert with Mr. Clinton, ranged themselves in determined opposition to this measure of the government ; while Mr. Clinton himself, and the great ma- jority of the Democratic party, were its advocates. The lead- ers of the former contended that the British Orders in Council were rendered necessary by the supplies constantly furnished to the French by American vessels, and which were not needed by the English ; while the latter justified the Milan and Berlin de- crees as a necessary measure of retaliation on the part of the French, and the embargo as the sole means of procuring a repeal of both ordinances.
10. The practicability of the construction of a canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson River had, to a greater or less extent. occupied the attention of reflecting and scientific minds since the failure of the efforts towards the close of the preceding cen- tury to improve the navigation of the Mohawk, and connect its waters, by means of small canals and lockage, with Lake Ontario. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, JESSE HAWLEY, and JAMES GEDDES had recently directed public attention to this subject through the press and other channels, and the time seemed auspicious for its more mature consideration.
11. During the session of the Legislature of the suc- 1808. ceeding year, Mr. JOSHUA FORMAN. of Onondaga, proposed in the Assembly a concurrent resolution, which was subsequently adopted by the Senate on motion of Mr. GOULD, directing the Surveyor-General to cause a survey to be made "of the most
British Orders in Council. - Berlin and Milan decrees. - State of par- tics. - Proposed canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson. - Survey of the route.
167
THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
ekgible and direct route of a canal to open a communication between the tide-waters of the Hudson River and Lake Erie." The sum of six hundred dollars was appropriated for this pur- pose, and JAMES GEDDES, of Onondaga, employed to make the survey. His report in favor of the practicability of the under- taking was submitted to the Surveyor-General, and communi- cated by him to the Legislature at its ensuing session.
12. The strength of the Federalists in the Legislature was somewhat increased by the result of the spring elections, al- though the Democrats still retained a decided preponderance in both branches. During the summer, Colonel Burr sailed for Europe, where he remained for several years engaged in fruitless efforts to secure the co-operation of the English and French Gov- ernments in an expedition against Mexico.
13. On the Ist of November the Legislature reassembled for the choice of presidential electors. The electors appointed were uncommitted to any candidates, but, on their meeting, cast the vote of the State for JAMES MADISON as President and GEORGE CLINTON as Vice-President, who were subsequently elected by a large majority.
14. The Legislature reassembled on the 27th of Janu- 1809. ary, 1809. Resolutions were introduced in the Senate by Mr. Clinton, and adopted, after an exciting debate, by a large majority of both Houses, approving of the measures of the gen- eral government and pledging the State to their support. Gen- eral OBADIAH GERMAN, of Chenango, was elected United States Senator as the successor of Dr. Samuel L. Mitchell, whose term had expired. The representative of the English Government at Washington, in pursuance of an understanding with the French Emperor, had consented in April to a repeal of the obnoxious Orders in Council, which was to be followed by a similar abro- gation of the Milan and Berlin decrees on the part of the French, and of the embargo and other restrictive regulations on the part of the American Government.
15. In the mean time, however, the Federalists, strengthened
Report of Mr. Geddes. - Results of the spring elections. - Departure of Colonel Burr for Europe. - Election of President Madison and Vice-Presi- dent Clinton. - Proceedings of the Legislature. - Negotiations for a repeal of the English and French decrees.
168
SIXTII PERIOD.
by the popular discontent induced by the pressure of the em- bargo upon the mercantile and agricultural interests of the country, had again, after an interval of ten years, obtained the ascendeney at the spring elections. The 10th of June, the day on which the repeal of the embargo was to take effect, was cele- brated by public rejoicings throughout the State; but these festivities were speedily damped by the disavowal of the treaty by the English Government, and its peremptory refusal to repeal the Orders in Council. These proceedings created a feeling of intense indignation against the British authorities which the Federalists were powerless to assuage.
16. On the 13th of March of the ensuing year, the sub- 1810. ject of the construction of a canal from the Western lakes to the Hudson River was brought up in the Senate by the report of JAMES GEDDES, of Onondaga, the surveyor of the pro- posed route. Through the influence of Mr. CLINTON and JONAS PLATT, of Oneida, the project was favorably received, and a Board of Commissioners, consisting of GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, STE- PHEN VAN RENSSELAER, WILLIAM NORTH, THOMAS EDDY, and PETER B. PORTER, appointed to make an additional exploration of the entire route, and report the results to the Legislature at its next session.
17. At the April elections, Governor TOMPKINS and Lieutenant- Governor BROOME were re-elected by a large majority, together with a decided Democratic Legislature. This result was due in a great measure to the effect of public sentiment produced by the refusal of Great Britain to sanction the treaty for the repeal of the Orders of Council, by the growing feeling of hostility to- wards that nation, the substitution of the non-intercourse sys- tem by the general government for that of the embargo, and the increasing popularity both of the general and State administra- tions. The country was rapidly drifting into another war with its ancient enemy, and the people of the State of New York es- pecially were with great unanimity preparing for the impending contest.
Triumph of the Democrats at the spring elections. - Refusal of the Eng- lish Government. - Erie and Champlain Canal. - Report of surveyor. - Appointment of commissioners. - Re-election of Governor Tompkins and Lieutenant-Governor Broome. - Preparations for war with England.
Lewiston Landing in 1840.
CHAPTER VI.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR TOMPKINS. - COMMON SCHOOLS. - SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN. - COLONEL BURR. - BATTLE OP QUEENSTOWN HEIGHTS.
1. THE right of searching American vessels for British 1811. soldiers or sailors, claimed and exercised by England in addition to her other encroachments on our national rights, had at this period become so obnoxious as to demand from the United States Government the most decided measures for their repression. So strong was this feeling throughout the country, that a very large party in New York and other States, distrust- ing the energy of President. Madison, presented the name of DE WITT CLINTON as a candidate for that office at the ensuing election.
2. During the session of the Legislature of this year, a bill was passed for the appointment of five commissioners to report
Condition of national affairs. - Nomination of Mr. Clinton for the pres- idency.
170
SIXTH PERIOD.
. a system for the establishment and organization of Common Schools ; and under this act, JEDEDIAHI PECK, of Otsego; John Murray, Jr., of New York ; Samuel Russell, Roger Skinner, and Samuel Macomb, - were appointed.
3. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, in behalf of the commissioners ap- pointed for the exploration and survey of the proposed canal from the Hudson to Lake Erie, submitted a report, accompanied by a finely executed map of the entire route ; and an act was passed on the 8th of April, drawn up by Mr. CLINTON, adding the names of ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON and ROBERT FULTON to the commission, and giving full authority to the Board for the con- struction of this great work.
4. The commissioners were also empowered to make applica- tion to Congress, to the legislatures of the several States, and to individuals, for pecuniary aid in the prosecution of the euter- prise ; but beyond these appeals, which were strongly urged by Mr. CLINTON and Mr. MORRIS in person, no further progress was made until after the close of the pending war.
5. The general results of the spring elections were favorable to the Democratic party ; in consequence of the death of Lieu- tenant-Governor Broome, a new election was ordered to fill the vacancy, which resulted in the choice of NICHOLAS FISH, of New York, the Federal candidate, over Mr. CLINTON, the can- didate of the Democrats. Both branches of the Legislature were, however, strongly Democratic.
6. Governor TOMPKINS, in his speech to the Legislature 1812. at the opening of the session of 1812, took occasion to pro- test in strong terms against the increase of a paper currency, through the growing tendency to the multiplication of banks of issue. On the 14th of February the commissioners appointed for the organization of a common-school system made an elaborate and able report, accompanied by a bill for that pur- pose, which was subsequently passed into a law.
7. Early in the session a bill was introduced for the charter
Appointment of commissioners for the establishment of common schools. - Bill for the construction of the canal: - Application to Congress and State legislatures. - Spring elections. - Democratic triumphs. - Death of Lieutenant-Governor Broome, and election of Nicholas Fish. - Organiza- tion of the common-school system.
- --
171
AARON BURR.
of the BANK OF AMERICA in the city of New York, with a capital of six millions of dollars, - four hundred thousand to be paid over for the benefit of the common-school fund ; one hundred thousand to the literature fund, for the support of colleges and academies ; another hundred thousand to the State treasury, at the expiration of twenty years, provided no other bank should during that period receive a charter ; one million of dollars to be loaned to the State for the construction of the canals ; and another million to farmers and others throughout the State, for the promotion of agriculture and manufactures.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.