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 9
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Attack on the fort. - Riotous proceedings. - Governor Colden delivers up the stamps. - General non-intercourse agreement. - Articles of confed- eration proposed.
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THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Crown, and providing for the assembling of a general Congress in the event of persistence in these measures. These articles were also unanimously approved and adopted.
14. A new supply of stamps soon after arrived in the prov- ince, with the new Governor, Sir HENRY MOORE, and Peter De Lancey, Jr., who had been appointed stamp distributor in the place of McEvers. The Governor having peremptorily declined any interference with the obnoxious stamps, they were depos- ited with the others in the City Hall, and De Lancey advised by a committee of the Sons of Liberty to follow the prudent example of his predecessor, with which he was fain publicly to comply. A similar course was pursued towards a Maryland official who had sought the protection of Governor Colden, and taken shelter on Long Island.
15. The new Governor met with a favorable reception from the citizens and the public authorities, who were highly pleased with his liberal views and ready concessions to the popular sentiment. The Assembly which convened on his arrival con- firmed the proceedings of their delegates in the Colonial Congress, and adopted resolutions in favor of the policy inaugurated by that body. About the same time, Captain Christian Jacobsen, of the ship Hope, arrived from Holland, having refused to bring over additional stamps.
16. The Sons of Liberty, on information that stamps designed for Connecticut were concealed on board the vessel bringing over the Governor, instituted a vigilant search ; but finding that they had been transferred to another vessel, repaired on board and took ten packages from the hold, which they conveyed to the ship-yards and burnt. They also resorted to the most vigorous measures for the repression of all sales of stamped paper within the province.
17. So odious had the act become in all the colonies, 1766. and so determined and effective was the opposition to its enforcement, that its repeal was procured on the 20th of February of the ensuing year, at the instance of the Marquis of
Arrival of Sir Henry Moore as Governor .- New supply of stamps. - Proceedings of the Sons of Liberty. - Reception of the Governor. - Pro- ceedings of the Assembly. - Vigilance of the Sons of Liberty. - Repeal of the Stamp Act.
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FIFTH PERIOD.
Rockingham, accompanied, however, by a declaratory act affirm- ing the right of Parliament to tax the colonies for any purpose whatsoever. Its repeal was hailed in the city with acclamations of delight, and received with the utmost satisfaction by all the colonies.
18. Bells were rung, cannon fired, bonfires kindled, a public dinner given by the civic authorities, and the city illuminated in honor of the event. On the 4th of June following, the pa- triots again assembled on the Commons in honor of the King's birthday, and, after the most enthusiastic manifestations of loyalty, raised, near where the present City Hall stands, a LIBERTY POLE, on which were inscribed the words, " The King, Pitt, and Liberty." In defence of this standard, the first blood of the Revolution was soon destined to be shed.
CHAPTER II.
TAX ON TEA. - THE LIBERTY POLE. - SONS OF LIBERTY. - GOV- ERNOR COLDEN. - JOHN LAMB AND ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL.
1. DURING the month of June a sharp controversy was main- tained between the Governor and the Assembly in ref-
1766. erence to the supplies required to be furnished by the citi- zens of New York to the troops under the command of General Gage, stationed in the city, nominally for its protection. The spirit of opposition manifested by the Assembly to the demands of the Governor was vigorously seconded by the people, and frequent collisions from time to time occurred between the occu- pants of the barracks on the Commons and the more violent of the patriotic leaders.
2. On the night of the 10th of August a party of soldiers from the barracks cut down the Liberty Pole erected on the Commons, and on the succeeding day attacked and dispersed a party of the citizens who had assembled to replace it, seriously
Rejoicings in the colonies. - Patriotic celebrations. - Erection of Liberty Pole. - Controversies between the Governor and Assembly. - The Liberty Pole cut down. - Disturbances between the soldiery and citizens.
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THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
wounding several of their number, among whom were Isaac Sears and John Berrien, prominent members of the Sons of Liberty. Although this violent proceeding of the soldiers was justified by their officers, the patriots were allowed to replace the pole a few days afterwards, without further molestation at that time.
3. On the 23d of September, however, the pole was again cut down, and again replaced on the next day by the inhabitants. This persistent determination of the citizens induced the Gover- nor to prohibit all future attempts of the like nature on the part of the soldiery, and the most stringent measures were adopted by both the civil and military authorities to prevent their repetition.
4. The refusal of the Assembly to comply with the requisi- tions of the Governor for the provision of supplies for the mil- itary brought down upon them a severe censure from the Crown ; and a spirited reply on their part was followed by a temporary prorogation. Rumors, however, of warlike prepara- tion in England, and the menaces and persuasions of the Gover- nor, induced them finally to consent to an additional appropria- tion, which, while it incurred the strong disapprobation of the patriotic party, failed to conciliate the Government. The legis- lative powers of the Assembly were suspended by Parliament, and instructions forwarded to the Governor prohibiting his assent to any act passed by them until a full compliance with the demands of the Crown should be obtained.
5. That body, however, disregarding the injunctions 1767. of the English Government, and supported by the gen- eral approval of the popular voice in their own and the neigh- boring colonies, continued their sessions as usual, and adopted strong resolutions declaring the arbitrary proceedings of Parlia- ment suspending their legislative functions unconstitutional and void. Meanwhile Parliament, on the motion of Charles Towns- hend, Chancellor of the Exchequer, had unanimously passed a bill, early in 1767, imposing duties on all tea, glass, paper. painters' colors, and lead imported into the colonies.
Proceedings of the authorities. - Proceedings of the Assembly. - Sus- pension of legislative powers. - Resistance of the Assembly. - Tax on tea, &c.
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FIFTH PERIOD.
6. This fresh invasion of their rights and privileges created a renewed excitement in all the colonies. Committees of corre- spondence were established throughout the provinces by the en- ergetic and vigilant Sons of Liberty in New York, and the mer- chants of thai city again assembled and unanimously renewed the non-importation agreement, pledging themselves to its strict observance during the continuance of the obnoxious duties.
7. On the 18th of March, previous to the arrival of intelli- gence of the proceedings of Parliament, the anniversary of the repeal of the Stamp Act was celebrated by the citizens with the utmost enthusiasm. On the succeeding night, however, the Liberty Pole on the Commons was again levelled to the ground by the soldiery. Another and a more substantial one, secured by iron bands, was on the next day set up in its place by the Sons of Liberty. Several ineffectual efforts were made for its de- struction, all of which were counteracted by the vigilance of its patriotic defenders. The officers of the garrison finally in- terfered, and prevented the further continuance of these demon- strations.
8. The Assembly having been formally dissolved by 1768. the Governor in February, 1768, a new election was or- dered, resulting in the return of representatives little less dis- posed to compliance with the demands of the government than their predecessors. On their meeting in October, in utter dis- regard of the royal injunction, they opened a correspondence with the Massachusetts Assembly, warmly sympathizing with their misfortunes ; and after voting a liberal appropriation for supplies to the troops quartered in the city, coupled with a series of resolutions strongly declaratory of their rights, and denouncing their repeated infringement by Parliament, were dissolved.
9. On the 4th of April, 1769, another new Assembly 1769. was convened, and after renewing, at the earnest solici- tation of the Governor, the appropriation for military sup- plies to the garrison, was prorogued. The Governor continued to exert his influence to the extent of his power for the repres-
Indignation of the colonies. - Proceedings of the Sons of Liberty. - Renewal of non-importation agreement. - Renewed efforts for the destruc- tion of the Liberty Pole. - Proceedings of the new Assembly.
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POPULAR EXCITEMENT IN NEW YORK.
sion of all disloyal manifestations on the part of the inhabi- tants of the province and city ; but his well-meant efforts at conciliation were suddenly ended by his death, which took place on the 11th of September, devolving the government again upon Cadwallader Colden.
10. The Assembly was again convened on the 21st of Novem- ber; and through a coalition between the Governor and his former inveterate opponent, De Lancey, an additional appro- priation of money for supplies was obtained. Inflammatory handbills were immediately circulated by the leaders of the popular party, openly charging the Assembly with a betrayal of the trust reposed in them by their constituents ; and a large assemblage of citizens gathered on the Commons on the 18th of December, presided over by John Lamb, denounced the pro- ceedings of the Assembly, and so far alarmed the members of that body and the Governor, that it was found necessary at the close of the session to force through, by a close vote, a bill for the issue of colonial bills of credit to the amount of one hundred and twenty thousand pounds, the interest to be applied to the support of the colonial government, which, early in January, 1770, received the prompt approval of the Governor.
11. In the mean time the Assembly, by a nearly 1770. unanimous vote, denounced the handbills as libellous, and offered a reward of one hundred and fifty pounds for the discovery of their authors. Lamb was arrested and brought be- fore the House, where he boldly avowed the part he had taken in the proceedings of the public meeting, and justified it as the exercise of a right which, in common with every Englishman, he possessed. His associates among the Sons of Liberty fear- lessly seconded his appeal, and avowed their approval of, and participation in, his acts, and their readiness to meet the con- sequences. This spirited behavior procured their discharge. Alexander McDougall, to whom the authorship of the handbills
Death of Governor Moore. - Colden resumes the government. - Coali- tion with De Lancey. - Vote of supplies to the troops. - Indignation of the people. - Inflammatory handbills. - Public meeting. - Passage of bill for issue of colonial bills of credit. - Arrest of Lamb. - Imprisonment of MeDougall.
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FIFTH PERIOD.
was traced, was arrested and imprisoned, when, for nearly two months, he was daily visited by crowds of his friends of both sexes, who regarded him as a martyr to the cause of liberty, and where he remained until, on indictment by the grand jury, he was admitted to bail in the ensuing April.
CHAPTER III.
BATTLE OF GOLDEN HILL. - DEMOLITION OF THE LIBERTY POLE. - NON-IMPORTATION AGREEMENT. - LORD DENMORE. - BILLS OF CRED- IT. - MCDOUGALL AND GEORGE CLINTON.
1. Ox the evening of the 13th of January a renewed attack 1770. was made upon the Liberty Pole by a party of soldiers belonging to the garrison. Indignant at their failure to accomplish its overthrow before an alarm was given, and smart- ing under the lasses and jeers of the citizens gathered in front of Montagnie's tavern, the head-quarters of the Sons of Liberty in the immediate vicinity of the Commons, they commenced a furious attack upon the crowd, driving them into the house with their bayonets, and, sword in hand, proceeded to demolish the windows and furniture of the building, after which they retired.
2. An additional attempt was made on the evening of the 15th to effect the demolition of the popular standard, but again without success. The next evening, however, they accomplished their object, levelling the pole to the ground, sawing it into pieces, and piling them triumphantly in front of the hotel. The people were aroused by the discovery of this outrage, and a pub- lic meeting of the citizens was hastily convened at the Com- mons on the morning of the 17th.
3. Several thousands of the inhabitants of the city promptly responded to this call, and at noon the Commons were thronged by an excited multitude, while a party of seamen scoured the docks, piers, and warehouses, where the soldiers were employed as laborers, and compelled thein to abandon their occupation
Riotous proceedings of the soldiers. - Demolition of the Liberty Pole. -- Excitement of the people. - Public meeting of the citizens.
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THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
and return to their quarters. Resolutions were passed censur- ing in the strongest terms the riotous conduct of the soldiery, denouncing their presence in the city as unnecessary and dan- gerous, and discountenancing their employment by the citizens when off duty as detrimental to the interests of the laboring class. All soldiers appearing armed in the streets, or found out of their barracks after roll-call, were directed to be dealt with as enemies of the city.
4. On the ensuing day (January 18) two soldiers were ar- rested by Isaac Sears and another of the Sons of Liberty in the act of posting an inflammatory handbill prepared by their com- rades, and conducted to the Mayor's office, where they were immediately followed by a party of twenty soldiers armed with cutlasses and bayonets, who demanded the immediate release of the prisoners. This demand was promptly resisted by Captain Richardson and other citizens, who defended the entrance and ordered the return of the soldiers to their barracks.
5. The crowd collected in front of the Mayor's office had, in the mean time, provided themselves with stakes from the carts and sleighs in the vicinity, and seemed not indisposed to meas- ure their strength with their armed opponents in the impending contest. In apparent obedience to the orders of the Mayor the soldiers retired, closely followed by the citizens, as far as the summit of Golden Hill, as John Street was then called, between William and Cliff Streets. Here they were joined by a rein- forcement from the upper barracks on the Commons, headed by an officer in disguise. He immediately ordered a charge upon the people, who, with the exception of a few in possession of clubs, were entirely unarmed. They succeeded, however, by their numbers, in steadily resisting the furious attack of the soldiers, and impeding their apparent return down the hill to the Mayor's office, until they were hemmed in by another body of soldiers from the upper barracks, while a third approached to the relief of their comrades from the fort.
6. The three parties, consolidating their forces by the junc- tion of a portion of the assailants who had forced their way
Resolutions adopted. - Arrest of soldiers by the Sons of Liberty. - Pro- ceedings at the Mayor's office. - Attempt at recapture of the prisoners by their associates. - Battle of Golden Hill.
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FIFTH PERIOD.
through the unarmed crowd of citizens, commenced a furious attack upon the latter, severely wounding several of their num- ber. Others, including women and children, not participating in the affray, were cut down and bayoneted, though none were mortally injured, and it was not until some time had elapsed that the contest was arrested by the interference of the officers of the garrison.
7. On the ensuing day the soldiers recommenced their as- saults by thrusting a bayonet through the dress of a woman re- turning from market. About noon a party of sailors were attacked at the head of Chapel Street, now Park Row, opposite Beekman Street, and one of their number was run through the body. In the midst of the conflict the Mayor made his ap- pearance, and attempted, without success, to disperse the infu- riated soldiers. He then despatched a message to the officers at the barracks, but the messenger was intercepted by the troops, who refused to suffer him to proceed. A party of the Sons of Liberty, however, who had been engaged at playing ball in the neighborhood, came to the rescue and dispersed the soldiers.
8. In the afternoon another affray occurred between the sol- diery and citizens on the Commons. The "Liberty Boys " again appeared in force, and after a severe conflict succeeded in driv- ing the assailants to their barracks, after disarming a portion of their number, severely wounding others, and capturing and imprisoning one of the leaders in the affair of the preceding day.
9. Thus terminated the earliest contest in which blood was shed, which ushered in the American Revolution ; and although no lives are known to have been lost, yet the firm stand made by the mass of the citizens, unarmed and undisciplined, against an armed and trained foreign soldiery imposed upon them against their will, sufficiently served to indicate the irrepressible spirit which animated the colonists, and to warn their haughty oppressors of the danger of persistence in their fatal policy.
10. Governor Colden in his despatches to the English Govern- ment, detailing the events we have related, attributed their oc-
Renewal of the conflict. - Its termination by the Liberty Boys. - Gov- ernor Colden's despatches.
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. THE SONS OF LIBERTY.
currence to the violence of party faction, promoted by the ene- mies of the Crown, chiefly Dissenters or Independents from New England of republican principles, while the friends of Govern- ment were chiefly connected with the English, Lutheran, and Dutch churches, with a sprinkling of Presbyterians. The re- pugnance of the popular leaders to the demands of the Crown for the support of the soldiers is specially adverted to, and high commendation bestowed upon the officers and magistrates for their exertions in quelling the disturbances.
11. The petition of the Sons of Liberty for permission to erect another Liberty Pole in the place of the one cut down having been refused by the Common Council, Lamb and his associates purchased a site near the former one, and on the 6th of Febru- ary planted it firmly, with the inscription " Liberty . p.
erty," amid the acclamations of the people and the cheering strains of music. The Sons of Liberty established their head- quarters on the present site of the Herald office, in a building to which they gave the appropriate name of Hampden Hall.
12. On the 29th of March a final attack was made upon the Liberty Pole by the soldiers who were about embarking for Pensacola, whither they were desirous of transporting a portion of its timber as a trophy. The Liberty Boys speedily rallied to its defence, driving its assailants to their barracks. Reinforced, the party, fifteen in number, returned with forty of their com- rades, and charged the citizens, who retreated to their hall, which was immediately surrounded by the soldiers, and an en- trance by force attempted, with infuriated denunciations of ven- geance. The alarm-bell was rung, the citizens flew to arms, and, apprehensive of a recurrence of the conflict at Golden Hill, the officers of the garrison hastened to withdraw their forces. The troops embarked on the 3d of May without their coveted prize, which remained thenceforth unmolested until the occupa- tion of the city by the British in 1776, when it was again lev- elled by the orders of the infamous Provost-Marshal Cunning- ham.
13. Soon after the departure of the troops, the Sons of Lib- erty, learning of the visit of one Rogers, a Boston merchant,
Erection of a new Liberty Pole. - Hampden Hall. - Renewed attack upon the Pole. - Its successful defence. - Its final fate.
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FIFTH PERIOD.
who had been posted by his fellow-citizens for a violation of the non-importation agreement, and suspecting his intentions, pa- raded his effigy in procession through the streets, suspended on a gallows, and with four or five thousand citizens proceeded to his residence with the view of further honors. Finding him absent, and being informed of his contemplated departure for Philadel- phia, they apprised their brethren there of his intentions, re- questing at their hands a worthy welcome. Rogers, however, deferred his visit, and returned terrified to Boston.
14. The act of Parliament of 1767, imposing additional du- ties on the colonies, having been repealed with the exception of the tax on tea, a general committee of one hundred of the lead- ing inhabitants of the city and province was formed, and the non-importation agreement, so long and so faithfully adhered to by the merchants of New York at a heavy pecuniary sacrifice, was now restricted to the single article of tea. The patriotic Sons of Liberty, however, and their adherents among the popu- lar party, declined to sanction this compromise, and continued their opposition to the principle still involved in the act, not- withstanding the diminution of the pecuniary demand.
15. On the 25th of October, Colden was superseded by Lord Dunmore. The Assembly was informed of the royal approval of the bill for the issue of colonial bills of credit, and the re- newal of the required appropriations for the support of the troops. In January of the succeeding year, McDougall was brought before that body to answer to the indictment pending against him. On his refusal to acknowledge the au- thorship of the alleged libel, he was required by the Assembly to give a definitive answer. " The House has declared the paper a libel," he boldly replied, "and the law does not require me to criminate myself."
1771.
16. De Noyellis, the prosecutor, insisted that the House had power to extort an answer and to punish him for contumacy. " The House has power to throw the prisoner over the bar or out of the window," observed George Clinton, the future Gov-
Proceedings of the Sons of Liberty on the visit of a Boston merchant charged with violation of the non-importation agreement. - Repeal of duties except on tea. - Non-importation agreement. - Lord Dunmore. - Proceedings against MeDougall.
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THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
ernor of New York, " but the public will doubt the justice of the proceeding." A written answer having been refused, on the allegation that it reflected on the dignity of the body, the in- trepid Clinton indignantly exclaimed, " The dignity of the House would be better supported by justice than by overstrained au- thority." McDougall was recommitted to prison, where he re- mained but a short time before he obtained his release through the efforts of his friends.
CHAPTER IV.
GOVERNORS TRYON AND COLDEN. - TAX ON TEA. - THE " MOHAWKS" AND SONS OF LIBERTY. - BOARDING OF THE TEA.SHIPS.
1. LORD DUNMORE having been transferred to Virginia, 1771. WILLIAM TRYON was duly commissioned as Governor in his stead. On his arrival early in July, he was favorably received by the people, signalizing his accession, however, as did his prede- cessor, by a refusal to accept any income from the Assembly, preferring to rely for support exclusively upon his Majesty, and the disposition by the government of the colonial taxes. The quiet of the city and province remained undisturbed for a con- siderable period after Tryon's assumption of his duties, although the revolutionary spirit was rapidly increasing in depth and earnestness.
2. The persistent refusal on the part of the colonies 1773. to import, purchase, or in any manner to use tea, the only remaining commodity on which an impost was demanded by the British Government, induced Parliament, on the urgent representations of the East India Company, to remit all export duties payable by the Company in England, and to insist only upon a tax of threepence per pound payable on its arrival in America.
3. Large shipments of tea having been prepared for the colo- nies under the expectation that the trifling duties demanded by
Governor Tryon's administration. - Tax on tea.
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FIFTH PERIOD.
the new act would secure a ready sale, the irrepressible Sons of Liberty again rallied their forces, sternly prohibiting the in- troduction under any pretence of the obnoxious article, and delegating an association of their number, known as " Mo- hawks," to superintend the arrival of ships freighted wholly or in part with this cargo.
4. Alarmed at these decided demonstrations of the popular leaders, the Tea-Commissioners appointed for New York at once resigned their commissions ; and even the foreign tea- merchants began to doubt the expediency of shipments to the colonies ; but being reassured by a renegade merchant of New York that all opposition would be promptly quelled by the new Governor, who was a man of decision and energy, they deter- mined to venture upon the experiment.
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