USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. IV > Part 17
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An act was passed by the general assembly in March, 1797-8, for raising £2300 for securing the fronteers at Albany, and recruiting the three companies posted there. Also an act to enable the city of Albany to defray their necessary charge.
An act for raising £1500 for Gov. Bellomont, and £500 for the Lieut. Gov. Nanfan, assesses Albany £120, as its proportion of the same, was passed 1798-9.
An act was passed in the latter year for annulling several extravagant grants of land made by Col. Fletcher, while governor of the province. One of these was a grant "unto Mr. Godfrey Dellius, bearing date the 3d September, 1696, and registered in the secretary's office containing a certain tract of land lying upon the east side of Hudson's river, between the north most bounds of Sa- raghtoga and the Rock Rossian, containing about 70 miles in length, and goes back into the woods from the said Hud- son's river 12 miles, until it comes unto the wood back, and so far as it goes, be it 12 miles more or less from Hudson's river, on the east side, and from said creek by a line 12 miles distant from said river; to have and to hold said land and appurtenances unto him the said God- frey Dellius his heirs and assigns forever, under the rent reserved of one racoon skin per annum.
And whereas there is another extravagant grant of land made unto the said Godfrey Dellius, William Pin- horn, and Evert Banker, &c., sealed also with the seal of the province, and bearing date the 30th of July, 1697,
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containing a certain tract of vacant land lying upon Mo- haques river, above a place commonly known by the name of Orrakkee, beginning from a place called by the nation Owehdiere, and run up along the said river atout 50 miles more or less to a place called Arach Schone two miles on each side of the river as it runs; to have and to hold the said tract of land and appurtenances unto the said Godfrey Dellius, Evert Banker, W. Pinhorn, &c., their heirs and assigns forever, under the reserved rent of one beaver skin for the first seven years, and five beaver skins yearly forever thereafter. That it having ap- peared before the house of representatives that Mr. Godfrey Dellius has been a principal instrument in delud- ing the Mohaque Indians, and illegal and surreptitious obtaining of said grant, that he ought to be and is hereby suspended from the exercise of his ministerial functions in the city and county of Albany.
At the seventh legislative session, begun on the 19th August, 1701, it was enacted, by reason that the engi- neer was out of the province, and the necessity of put- ting the frontier in defense was immediate, a part of the money raised for building a fort in the Indian country should be used for repairing the forts at Albany and Sche- nectady, namely: £150 to be put into the hands of John Bleeker, Sen., Hendrick Hansen and Peter Van Brugh, for the immediate repair of the fort at Albany, and £50 to Ryer Schermerhorn and Isaac Switz for repairing the fort at Schenectady.
At the session of the General Assembly begun Octo- ber 20, 1702, the first year of Queen Anne. " Whereas by the great neglect of those who have lately exercised the powers of government in this colony, the fortifica- tions on the fronteers thereof have run to ruin and decay," and the safety of the colony greatly depended on making good and preserving the fortifications and out- posts, it was enacted that £1800 should be raised for maintaining 150 fuzileers for five months, and 30 men as scouts for 62 days; the fuzileers to be posted on the fron- teers at or near Albany, from the 15th November to the
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15th April. Of the above sum Albany, which for many years seems to have paid its tax by quartering the soldiers, was now apportioned £144.
An act was also passed at the same session for raising £2000 for Lord Cornbury, the city and county of Albany being assessed £120 towards the sum .
In order "that the breed of wolves in this colony may be wholly rooted out and extinguished," an act was passed fixing different rewards in different counties for the destruction of those animals. "In the county of Al- bany 10s. for a grown Wolf, killed either by Christians or Indians, and half that sum for a whelp."
At the session begun on the 13th April, 1703, an act was passed obliging persons to pay their arrears of £1000 tax " laid in the 12th year of William III., 1700," for building a fort in Onondage ;" in which it was directed that the arrears of the said sum of £1000, as well as what had already been raised for that purpose, should be applied towards carrying on the fortifications at Albany.
An act was also passed at this session to enable the justices of the peace of the city and county of Albany, to repair or rebuild a common jail, city and county hall, and to pay the arrears of their public charge. It au- thorized the raising by tax a sum not exceeding £400 for that purpose, during three years.
In 1704, an act was passed "to charge the several cities and counties of this colony with £143 10s. 10d. for fitting and furnishing a room for the general assembly, with a lobby, in the City Hall of New York." The share of this expense allotted to Albany was £9 19s. 5d.
In 1705 an act was passed "for defraying the common and necessary charges of the Mannor of Rensselaerwick in the county of Albany." It made it lawful for the in- habitants of the manor to elect yearly one supervisor, one assessor and collector; and directed that the wages of their representatives in the assembly should be the same as in the other cities and counties of the province, which was 10s. a day, and that the inhabitants of the
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manor should be liable only for the wages and charges of their own representative.
Also an act to raise £100 additional to the £400 pre- viously authorized to build the jail and city hall, the latter sum proving inadequate to the completion of the work. The manor of Rensselaerswyck was not to be chargeable with any portion of the £100 assessment.
Also " an act to prevent the running away of negro slaves out of the city and county of Albany to the French in Canada." "Whereas the city and county of Albany on the frontiers of this province towards the French of Canada, and that it is of great concerns to this colony, during this time of war with the French, that no intelli- gence be carried from the said city and county to the French at Canada; and whereas the justices of the peace for the said city and county at a court of sessions held at the city hall of the said city of Albany on the fifth day of June of this present year of our Lord, 1705, did re- commend to the representatives of the said city and county to lay before the assembly of this province, now convened, the fears and jealousies they have, that several negro slaves belonging to the inhabitants there, have a de- sign to leave their respective owners and go to the French at Canada, as some have already done, which has and would be to the great loss and detriment of the owner or owners of such negro slave or slaves, and also of very per- nicious consequence to the whole province
* be it .
enacted * * that all and every negro slave or slaves belonging to any of the inhabitants of the city and county of Albany, who shall from and after the first day of August, of this present year of our Lord, 1705, be found travel- ing forty miles above the city of Albany, at or above a certain place, called Sarachtoge, unless in company of his, her, or their master, mistress, or such employed by them, or either of them, and be thereof convicted by the oaths of two or more credible witnesses, before the court of sessions of the peace of this city and county, * shall suffer the pains of death as in cases of felony."
It was further enacted that any slave belonging to an inhabitant of the county, who should be found offending
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against this act after the first of August, should be conveyed to the next justice of the peace, and be by him committed to jail, without bail or mainprise. The justice was required to notify the owner, that he might appear and nominate one or more indifferent persons to appraise the value of the slave, the justice appointing as many more to meet with them for that purpose. The appraisers were to make their return within two days in order that if the slave should be convicted and executed, in order that the sum of such appraisement and the charges of prosecution might be levied and collected of all persons owning slaves ; and the valuation of the slave paid to the owner thereof. To avoid any difference concerning the value of any slave, it was enacted that any negro slave, male or female, above the age of fifteen years, fit for service, should be rated and assessed at thirty pounds, for the purpose of defraying the above charges. The law was to continue in force during the war with the French.
"An act for regulating slaves" was passed in the first year of Queen Anne, 1702, which forbade any person to trade with a slave, without the consent of his owner, under a penalty of £5 and treble the value of the article traded for. The owners of slaves were permitted to punish them for offences at discretion, "not extending to life or member." "And forasmuch as the number of slaves in the cities of New York and Albany, and also in other towns within . this province, doth daily increase, and that they have been found oftentimes guilty of confederating together in run- ning away, or other ill practices," it was enacted that there- after it should not be lawful for above three slaves to meet together except for some servile employment for their owners, under penalty of being whipt upon the naked back not exceeding forty lashes. A common whipper was to be appointed whose salary was to be raised by a tax upon slave owners not exceeding three shillings for every slave owned. In case any slave should presume to assault or strike any free man or woman professing Christianity, the justices of the peace were authorized to commit him to imprisonment for fourteen days, and inflict corporal punishment at discretion. Persons were prohibited from employing or harboring the slaves of
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others under heavy penalties. "And whereas slaves are the property of Christians, and can not, without great loss or detriment to their masters or mistresses, be subjected in all cases criminal, to the strict rules of the laws of England," it was enacted that if any slave by theft or other trespass, should damnify any person to the value of five pounds or under, his owner was liable to make satisfaction. No slave was allowed to be good evidence in any matter excepting in cases of plotting and confederacy among themselves, either to run away, kill or destroy their owner, or burning of houses or barns, or barracks of corn, or killing their owner's cattle, and that against one another, in which case the evidence of one slave was allowed to be good against another slave.
An act also passed for levying and collecting £1300 for the defence of the frontiers.
An act to enable the justices of the peace of the city and county of Albany to raise the sum of £100 for the rebuilding of a common jail and city hall.
In 1706 an act was passed, For the better raising, levy- ing and defraying the necessary charge of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck in the county of Albany.
An act for raising a fund of £983 10s. for the defence of the frontiers, &c.
In 1708, an act for raising a fund of £1200 for presents to the Five Nations, and for defence of the frontiers.
In 1709 a law was passed for raising £6000 towards defraying the charges of an expedition to Canada, of which £600 was assessed on the county of Albany. Another act was passed at the same session for raising £4000, of which £175 10s. was apportioned to Albany.
An act to revive the act prohibiting the selling or giv- ing of rum to the Indians of the county of Albany.
An act for the treasurer's issuing bills of credit to pay the present debt of the expedition to Canada, and other uses. Of the sums appropriated to Albany, were the fol- lowing. To Col. Killian Van Rensselaer, Maj. Derrick Wessels, and Mindert Schuyler, appointed commissioners
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for managing the affairs relating to the provisions and all other necessaries for the said expedition, as hath been sent to them at Albany, 375 oz. of plate, or 545} Lyon dollars. To Johannes Cuyler their clerk 75 oz. plate, or 109 Lyon dollars. To John and Abraham Schuyler and their attendants 125 oz. plate or 1815 Lyon dollars for their services and expenses in a journey to Onondaga and other Indians by order of the government. To the com- missioners for managing the Indian affairs at Albany, 1850 oz. plate 20184 dollars, 650 oz. (or 9453) to be paid such Christians and Indians as shall be employed for out-scouts for the defence of the frontiers this winter. 3623 oz. ($227 and 4 pwts.) for fire and candles for the garrisons of Albany and Schenectady. 151 oz. ($218) for necessary repairs of the blockhouses and building a new one for lodging the regular troops at Albany. To Da- vid Schuyler 371 oz. ($543), and to Lawrence Claessen 25 oz. plate ($361) for their journey to Onondage in May last.
An act for the better watching and guarding the city of Albany.
An act for the city and county of Albany to pay their arrears due to their representatives and for other uses.
In 1710, An act for repairing the blockhouses and other fortifications of the city of Albany and town of Schenectady.
Present necessity requiring that the act to prevent the selling or giving of rum or other strong liquors to the In- dians in the county of Albany, expired by limitation, it was reenacted to be in force until June next ensuing. "And whereas Mr. John Cuyler did farm the excise at Albany, for one whole year upon the 7th day of July last for the sum of £131 at which time the prohibition of selling rum and other strong liquors to the Indians in the county of Albany was limited by an act of General Assembly only for three months, which prohibition is now revived, whereby the said Cuyler will be a loser, in regard the Indians con- sumed a great deal of strong liquor," it was enacted, " that what damage the said John Cuyler shall sustain by
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the said prohibition shall at the expiration of the year be taken into consideration by the general assembly, and allow him as they shall think fit and reasonable.
An act for the better watching and guarding of the city of Albany. Forasmuch as divers officers, both civil and military, inhabiting in the city of Albany, the frontier of this colony, claim a privilegeto be exempted and free from watching, some upon pretence of law, and others by cus- tom, and it being now a time of danger, be it enacted, that all the civil officers, and all those that for- merly have had military commissions and are not now in immediate command, and others who are not listed in the city companies or troops inhabiting in the city of Albany (except ministers of the gospel), be obliged to list them- selves in a company which is to be commanded by a cap- tain and two lieutenants, as the governor shall appoint out of the said civil or military officers; which company is hereby directed and ordered to take its respective turn in mounting and keeping the night guards, in some conve- nient place in the city, as other companies of the militia of said city do. If any of the above named officers should refuse to accept such commission, they were to forfeit £ 20, one half to go to the prosecutor, and the other towards fortifying the city. Any citizen not a member of the military company who should not enlist in the space of 30 days after publication of the act, was to forfeit £6; and any one of said company refusing or neglecting to mount guard in his turn, and keep the night guard, or send a fit substitute, forfeited 3 shillings. In time of alarm all the inhabitants of Albany "except those of Schenectady," as well as those listed in the military com- pany as those not, were required upon the first warning to come into the city of Albany, with their arms, for its defence, under a penalty of £50. [Published Nov, 12, 1709.]
An act for the city and county of Albany to pay the arrears due to their representatives, and for other uses. This act sets forth that nothwithstanding several acts of the assembly to the contrary, sundry persons who had served as members for the city and county of Albany, had
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been kept out of their lawful allowance, while others who had served both before and after them had been duly paid; to prevent which for the future it was enacted that the su- pervisors, assessors and collectors for the city and county, except the manor of Rensselaerwyck, should within six weeks after notice given, raise by tax a sum not exceeding £200, for the payment of Myndert Schuyler's salary for the years 1702 to 1706 inclusive; and John Cuyler and Peter Van Brugh for the years 1705 and 1706; the said officers to see that the money was raised and paid over, under a penalty of £50, and to observe the punctual pay- ment of the same expenses in future under like penalty for omission.
And forasmuch as there was a want of public wells in the first and second wards for extinguishing fires, it was made lawful for the common council to raise money by tax not exceeding £30 in each ward for one or more stone wells in each ward for public use.
It was further enacted that forever thereafter upon the change of supervisors and treasurers, by annual election, those officers should deliver over to their successors their books of public accounts and other papers relating to their offices; and that citizens should have access to the same for a week previous to the day of election.
That the freeholders and inhabitants of Coxhacky and Catskill, and all those lying to the south of the manor of Rensselaerwyck, on the west side of Hudson's river, as far as the county of Albany extends, and the freeholders and inhabitants of that part of the manor of Livingston, living on the north side of Roeloffe Jansen's kill, and all the inhabitants to the northward of the manor of Rens- selaerwyck, if they thought fit might elect one supervisor, two assessors and one collector, for their respective ward or precinct.
In 1712 an act for the better repairing the fortifications of the city of Albany and town of Schenectady, and pro- viding their military watches with fire wood.
In 1713 an act for the treasurer's paying the sum of 125 oz. of plate unto Peter Van Brugh and Hendrick Hansen, Esq., late Commissioners at Albany.
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THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT-LIANCOURT* IN ALBANY, 1795.
[The Duke de la Rochefoucault Liancourt was one of the most amiable and best informed of the French no- bility who were exiled by the revolution. In the year 1795 he made a journey for philosophical and commercial observation throughout a great part of North America, and communicated his observations to the world in a valuable narrative, from which that portion relating to Albany and its vicinity is given below. He was a traveler of no ordinary discernment and diligence, in inquiry ; but falls into the customary errors of brief so- journers, who speak freely of persons and places which they do not have time and opportunity to become thorough- ly acquainted with.]
He set out from Philadelphia in May, and passed through the state of Pennsylvania into Canada. On the 25th of July he arrived at Oswego on his return from Canada, where he learned that American vessels sail- ed from that place less frequently during the harvest than at other times, which would probably occasion liim some delay. Being both impatient to quit the English
* FRANCOIS ALEXANDRE FREDERIC, DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT, born in 1747. was a member of the constituent assembly in 1789, after the dissolu- tion of which he took the military command at Rouen, in his capacity of lieuten- ant general (1792) After the 10th of August, the duke de Liancourt, as he was then styled, lefi France, and resided for eighteen months in England. He then travelled through the United States, whence he returned in 1798, and, after the 18th Brumaire,, returned to France, where he devoted himself to the promotion of the useful arts and to benevolent offices. It was through his influence that vaccina- tion was introduced into France. After the restoration, he was created a peer, but, on account of the liberality of his sentiments, was, in 1823 and 1824, excluded from the council of state, and removed from the several boards of which he was a member; among others, of that for the encouragement of vaccination This venerable philanthropist and patriot, whose last years were persecuted by the in- temperate zeal of political bigotry, died at Paris, in 1827, at the age of eighty-one years. His life, by his son, was published the same year. His principal work is his Voyage dans les Etats Unis, 8 vols., Svo [of which a translation was published in England in 2 vols. 4to.]-Encyclopedia Americana.
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Rochefoucault-Liancourt in Albany, 1795.
dominions, he says, and afraid to incur too great an ex- pense by hiring a whole ship for ourselves, we were walk- ing, in some degree of perplexity, on the bastion along the shore, when we discovered a vessel approaching. The soldiers, who have learned hatred and contempt of the Americans along with the manual exercise, perceiving the attention with which we observed her approach, said to us, " Why, gentlemen, that is nothing; she is but a vessel of the d-d Yankees ;" and it was exactly a vessel of the Yankees, we wished to obtain. Mr. VANALLEN, an American, who resides in the vicinity of Albany, com- manded the vessel; he came on shore shortly after, to procure some fresh provision, of which he stood in need, and to cure himself of an intermittent fever, that he had caught in the woods. From want of an inn, he had no opportunity of buying any at the fort; the officers might have easily supplied him with some vegetables; but in the opinion of a British officer, it is neither necessary nor decent to succor a Yankee.
Mr. Vanallen, although thus disappointed in his hope of finding in Oswego the necessary succor for his re- covery, yet promised us two places in his vessel. He could not however set sail for Albany sooner than the next day, or perhaps in two or three days, after having been joined by three other vessels, which he expected, and in quest of which he returned to a certain point on the lake.
Two whole days elapsed, and the third began to press heavy upon us, when, being alone in the fort, I at last descried two vessels with my telescope, which was con- stantly pointed to the coast, whence I expected my de- liverance; my effects were soon packed up and my stores collected. Whether these vessels belonged to Mr. Van- allen or any other person, we were determined to seize upon the first opportunity of departing from Oswego. It was Mr. Vanallen; he had been joined but by one of the vessels, and had resolved not to wait for the rest; yet as it was already noon, as his vessels were heavy laden, and the rapids two miles from Oswego, which he was obliged to pass, would have detained him too long to make much
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way the remainder of the day, he proposed to us, to fol- low him on foot, at four o'clock the next morning. We thought it better, to share his tent with him that very evening.
We set out at break of day, and yet were not able to advance more than ten miles, the whole day. The navi- gation of the river Oswego is extremely troublesome, as there is but very seldom sufficient water, even for pushing the vessel along. Each of our vessels, it is true, carried about one ton and a half, but each was worked too by three men.
Mr. Vanallen, in whose vessels we took our passage, is member of the congress for the county of Albany in the state of New York. He is also a geometer and surveyor. His age, and, no doubt, his talents, seem to have pro- cured him the confidence of his country. He is charged with the commission of surveying upwards of half a million of acres, situated on Lake Ontario and the River St. Lawrence. Mr. Vanallen is justice of the peace, and for this reason styled 'Squire by his people, if he do not swear at them. He is about fifty years old, is said to possess a tolerable share of information, and seems in fact to be a worthy and intelligent man.
After a navigation, which ran constantly between woods, and in the course of which we saw, in a tract of country of eleven miles in length, not one felled tree, we reached at last, partly by rowing, and partly by pushing the' vessel along, the rapids of the Three Rivers. All surperfluous people were here obliged to leave the vessel. Mr. Van- allen, therefore, as well as myself, went on shore, and repaired to a small cottage.
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