USA > New York > The documentary history of the state of New York, Vol. I pt 1 > Part 14
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Mr. Pretty is Sheriff of that County @ having a great deal of other concerns upon his hands for the King @ countreys service, that being a frontier County to Canada, soe that hee could not possibly attend the Surveyors place I put in William Shaw who had that place before in the time of Sr Edmond Andros @ as Mayor Brockhelles informs us behaved himself faithfully therein. And as to his allegation in his memorandums that Shaw was put in for satisfaction for two or three years pay due to him, it is wholly untrue as does appear by the testimony of Mayor Baxter, Mr Coker, @ by the receipt under Shaws own hand
To the THIRTEENTH concerning the deprivation of the Officers &c
This John Smith is a man that if hee were as honest as hee is able the King had had more justice done him @ Mr. Santen more money in his pocket. What account Sr Ben Bathurst gave mee of him I have already acquainted yr Lopps with, @ for what rea- sons hee was turned out of the Custom House is herein before given to your LoPs.
To the FOURTEENTH concerning the Pasture of Albany &c
As for this of the Pasture, he is mistaken, it was never yet in the King's hands, but hee that was the commander took some profits of it, which was a great grievance to the people it having been patented by governor Nicolls to several people @ by them built upon whose buildings have been since carried away by the overflowing of the river, It does not contain above fifteen or six- teen acres. I doubt not but I shall make it appear that I have done nothing in this to his Matys prejudice I conceive I have done the King very good service in Albany. The town of Albany lyes within the Ranslaers Colony, and to say truth the Ranslaers had the right to it for it was they settled the place, @ upon a petition of one of them to our present King about Albany the petitioner was referred to his Matys council at law who upon a perusal of the Ranslaers papers made their return that it was their opinion that it did belong to them Upon which there was an order sent over to Sr Edmund Andros that the Ranslaers should be put in possession of Albany, @ that every house should pay some two beavers, some more some less according to their dimensions pr
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GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
annum, for thirty years, @ afterwards the Ranslaers to put what rent upon them they could agree for-What reason Sr Edmond Andros has given for not putting these orders in execution I know not
The Ranslaers came @ brought me the same orders which I thought not convenient to execute judgeing it not for his Matys interest that the second town of the Goverment @ which brings his Maty soe great a Revenue should bee in the hands of any parti- cular men The town of itself is upon a barren sandy spot of land, @ the inhabitants live wholly upon trade with the Indians. By the meanes of Mr James Graham Judge Palmer @ Mr Cortlandt that have great influence on that people I got the Ranslears to re- lease their pretence to the town @ sixteen miles into the country for commons to the King with liberty to cut firewood within the Colony for one @ twenty years. After I had obtained this release of the Ranslaers I passed the patent for Albany wherein was in- cluded the afore mentioned pasture, to which the people appre- hended they had so good a right that they expressed themselves discontented at my reserving a small spot of it for a garden for the use of the Garrison
That the people of Albany has given me £700. is untrue I am but promised £300, which is not near my Prquisits, viz, ten shil- lings for every house @ the like for every hundred acres patented by me, established by a committee appointed by the Assembly for the establishing of all fees, where Capt Santen may remember himself was chairman, Alsoe what they have given to those other Gentlemen I know nothing of it @ upon my word in Gen! I have not got the fourth part of my Pquisits, chusing rather to wan' them than take from the poor people that cannot spare it To the FIFTEENTH concerning a farm at East Jersey belonging to
his Maty &c
Mr Santen might have given a better account of this if his malice had suffered him The Farm at East Jersey paid £10, pr annum to his Maty @ at a Rack-rent, the proprietors of East Jersey putting us to more trouble than the value of it, they con- stantly disturbing the Tenants on pretence that his Maty had granted that to them, soe that I conclude it would be more
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THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
inconvenient to keep it than to part with it. Therefore Judge Pal- mer having an interest in East-Jersey @ an influence with the Governor there, on his giving mee his obligation to pay as a fine the summ of £60. to the King in case hee should not think fit to forgive it @ the rent of twenty shillings pr ann. @ to defend the title, I gave him a lease of the Reversion of it
To the SIXTEENTH concerning Rockaway Neck &c
Mr Santen poor man neither understands his own nor others concerns, hee was one of the Council himself when Capt Palmer petitioned for licence to purchase this land, lying without the meers @ bounds of Hempsted @ when the same was granted, @ before hee had his patent granted, the people of Hempstead were summoned to appear to show cause, if they had any why it should not bee granted, Thereupon one person came to mee @ told mee that it was his land @ that it was within the meers @ bounds of Hempstead on which I ordered him to put a Caveat into the Secrys office against the passing of Judge Palmers patent, and then the Surveyor went to survey the lands accompanied by some of the Inhabitants of Hempsted, to show him their bounds who re- turning this lands to bee without their meers @ bounds the patent was passed in which Captn Palmer is expressly bounded where hee adjoins to Hempsted by their line, And, wherein hee says the Hempsted people were frighted to let their Suits fall, its quite otherwise, for this Pearsall, upon the granting of this Patent got into possession of this land, inasmuch as Judge Palmer was forcet to commence suits against him Where after it had sometime de- pended, Pearsall finding that to insist on his pretence would not avail him, suffered judgement to goe against him, and as for his being frighted into it by Capt" Palmers being Judge, there's noe such thing for on purpose he withdrew himself @ left the ma- nagement of that Court to his Collegue Judge Nicolls and as for the lands being the only pasture of the town its wholly false for its noe pasture at all, being all woodland, and that town having a plain of upwards of 40,000 acres of good pasture without a stick upon it @ as for its value I beleive Judge Palmer would think himself obliged to Capt Santen or any others that would give him £200. for it.
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GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
To the SEVENTEENTH concerning Mr Grahams insinuation
Mr Santen is in the right that Mr Graham is Attorney-general @) supervisor of all Patents @ soe made upon Mr Rudyard's going from this place to Barbadoes @ is a person understanding in the law, it being his whole business Wherefore I thought it not fit to pass any patents without his perusal least I might doe prejudice to the King. Its likewise true that I have called in former patents @ still continue to doe so, that I might see by what Tenure they hold their lands, which I find generally to be by none, they pay- ing noe acknowledgement to the King, Whereupon being con- vinced of that defect by the resolution of ye Judges the people for their own ease @ quiet @ that of their posterity which other- wise might have fallen under the lash of succeeding Governors, without the least murmuring have renewed their patents with a reservation of a certain Quit-Rent to the King to the noe small advancement of his Revenue, @ this done with general satisfac- tion @ of which none will in the least complain but on the con- trary express themselves thankful for it
Mr Santen sure when hee wrote this article against mee did not consider the obligation that was upon us both to advance the Kings interest in our several stations, far less how inconsistent it was with his office to bee the only pson aggreived at the advancement . of his Matys revenue, when the people themselves that are con- cerned are not only satisfied but pleased with it
Again hee forgets that hee was a member of the Council when they gave it for their opinion that those former patents were in- sufficient @ and were then dayly consenting to the passing of new ones. As for sums of mony exacted I own I have received £200 from Ranslaer, but its nothing to what my perquisits would have amounted to according to the aforementioned regulation hee hav- ing a vast tract of land
From Hempted I recd one hundred pound by forty @ that in Cattle which is far less than my pquisits they having upwards of 100.000 acres, I own alsoe I have received £300 from the citty of New York, @ have granted them nothing more than what they had from my predecessors, @ is now before his Maty for a confirmation
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THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
The land that Mr Santen complains of to bee such a grievance, is the Dock which the town at their own proper charge have taken from the sea, @ dayly are at vast expense to maintain, @ what use they make of it is not my business to inquire, but as to their selling to the value of £1500 for my use is wholly false, And as for those other sums of 50, 30 @ 20 pound, its not soe. I was never covetous to take from the poor people what they could not well spare, the Secretary is my witness, but if I had it . never amounted to my pquisits, according to the regulation afore- said
Answer to Capt Santens Mem'dums Besides the charge herein before answered were found several memorandums of what Mr Santen intended to complain against me. Among which there being some things not mentioned in the said charge, the same as I presume not being perfected, I presume furthur to trouble your Lops with what I have to say therein in my vindication
Cobbys Ship I am sorry Mr Santen has not a better memory. The Kings share of Cobbys Ship came by apprizement to £19 7 6d which was by Judge Palmer paid into Capt" Santens own hands as appears by the testimony of Capt Palmer
Merritts houso As to Mr Merritts house it does not pay soe much rent as Capt Santen pretends @ is too quite out of repaire, ready to drop down
The Farm And as to the Farm hee might have remembered that I showed him a letter from Sr B Bathurst wherein was intimated that his Royal Highness now his Maty was pleased I should have both the farm @ the house during the time of my government of this place
Coker's House For Coker's house I am glad Capt" Santen has found so considerable a rent, for my part I never received a peny for it, therefore I shall now charge £72, more, being four yeares rent to Capt Santens account for which he has not yet given the King credit There was a cooper liv'd in the next house to it and paid 12 or 15 pound pr ann for which I find no credit given to the King in Capt Santens books, since the cooper left the poorest p'son in town would not live in it it being ready to drop down @ Cokers is not in a better condition, soe bad they are that its a
-
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GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
wonder to every body that they stand yet, in soe much that when Dr Junes brought me my Lord Middletons order to let him have them @ I showed them to him hee would not live in them
Two or three years agoe Sr John Worden sent me an order to give a long lease of them to any that would take it, I have not met with any such person @ I am sure if rebuilt by the King, it will not give him the interest of his money @ Merritts house is in the same condition, as appears by the return of a Survey made by some of the Council and Carpenters sent to view it
Antills business As for the business between Mr Santen @ Mr Antill its a thing soe scandalous that I will not trouble your Lops with an account of it, only this I'll say that Mr Antill sent severall to him and I spake to him myself to let him know that Mr Antill would be satisfied with an acknowledgement that hee had done him wrong in speaking those scandalous words @ that it was the effects of drink, But Mr Santens pride was such that hee would not doe it, but continued to justify what hee had said. Where- upon Mr Antill took out the execution against him (he not being then of the Council) but before the serving sent him ye like message as before with the same effect whereupon the execution was served
Larkins Case As for Larkins case I refer to the orders of Council herewith sent
And as for the Kings concerns going in a right channel I am sure they never can where he has powers. As for desiring a list of his Maty Quit-Rents @ my denying it to him, its wholly untrue for he has a book with an acct of all the Quit- Rents that then were to bee found mentioned in the records of Patents kept in the Secretarys office, which I caused Coker to draw out on pur- pose for him
Smith kept the key of the Granary @ what corn I received for my own use or the use of the Garrison was taken out by Coker @ it was shown to Mr Smith where I gave credit to the King for it in my books. Afterwards finding that Santen gave no credit to the King for what corn came into the Granary I took the key from Smith @ gave it to James Larkens with order to him to give receipts for what should bee brought in @ to give an account of it to Smith that hee might enter it upon the books
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THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
Capt Palmer & Hee does Judge Palmer @ Mr Graham wrong for
Mr.Ja Graham they are psons look't upon by the Council as fittest for those employments they are in, viz. Palmer Judge @ Graham attorney for the King, And if Mr Santen would speak truth he must needs say they both have been very serviceable for the King in the advancement of his Revenue, @ that they still continue with their utmost endeavors soe to bee And though their way of living . is by the law, yet their management has been such by arbitration @ such other mild courses that were there was ten actions for- merly there is not one now. And the Council had soe good an opinion of Captn Palmer that hee was thought the fittest to bee the Judge of ye court for the Kings affairs
As for sloops &c going from this to Newfoundland, if it was against the act of navigation hee did ill to admit soe many to clear @ enter to @ from thence without soe much as taking no- tice of it, till hee @ Major Brockhelles falling out, hee took oc- casion to seize his sloop, which the Council @ I looking upon to bee only malicious discharged taking security from him till his Matys further pleasure were known Mr Mayne coming here @ shewing mee his instruction, noe vessel has gone from hence thi- ther since,
And had I not relyed soe much upon Capt Santen none had gone, @ for his sake I'll not trust to another soe much again
Mr Santen was in the right I was angry to find a cart-load of goods going off the bridge after shutting up the Custom House without entry @ demanding of the man how long they had been there, hee answered from seven in the morning, without any offi- cers taking notice of them, Upon my speaking to Mr. Santen he fell excusing his officers @ gave mee ill words. What thereupon happened I refer to My Lord Neal @ Mr Mayne's testimonies that were then witnesses of it
As for Woolsford's case I have already referred your Lops to the account given thereof to Sr Benjamin Bathurst.
The negro-story I refer to the record herewith sent I never did anything since I came into the government without the advice @ consent of the Council
The ship Charts was cleared upon trial Mr Santen had nothing to allege against her
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GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
The sloop Lancaster is the same with that of Gov. Heathcot be- fore mentioned
The Boat of D'Morez was condemned for going to the Mill with Corn without the Governmt @ seized by Capt Santen
The Sloop Fortune was condemned @ my own share as well as the Kings forgiven, the poor man having done what he did inno- cently
The Sloop Lewis came from Pettiquaves, @ brought here some of our people who had been taken by the Spaniards, in going to Jamaica with provisions @ had fled to Pettiquaves @ the sloop coming hither the master sent up word from Sandy Hook that hee would willingly come @ live here which I willingly granted him liberty to doe, @ in consideration of his service in bringing home our people I forgave the Kings @ my own part in the sloop after shee was condemned with the proviso that if his Maty did not ap- prove of it hee should pay that share according to appraizement for which Bond was accordingly taken, as will appear to yr LoPs by the attested copie herewith sent In short all that I'll say, hee's fitter for a retired life, than to bee the Kings Collector
To the three & Twentieth
What estimateyou can make touch- ing the estates &c.
The answer thereof is referred to the next
In answer to the tenth & four @ Twentieth querie
What persua- Every Town ought to have a Minister New York has
sions in Reli- gion &c first a Chaplain belonging to the Fort of the Church of England ; Secondly, a Dutch Calvinist, thirdly a French Calvin- ist, fourthly a Dutch Lutheran-Here bee not many of the Church of England; few Roman Catholicks; abundance of Quakers preachers men @ Women especially ; Singing Quakers, Ranting Quakers ; Sabbatarians ; Antisabbatarians ; Some Anabaptists some Independents ; some Jews ; in short of all sorts of opinions there are some, and the most part of none at all
The Church The Great Church which serves both the English @ the Dutch is within the Fort which is found to bee very inconve- nient therefore I desire that there may bee an order for their build- ing an other ground already being layd out for that purpose @ they wanting not money in Store wherewithall to build it
The most prevailing opinion is that of the Dutch Calvinists
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THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
To the five and twentieth
What course It is the endeavour of all Psons here to bring up their &c children @ servants in that opinion which themselves profess, but this I observe that they take no care of the conversion of their Slaves.
Every Town @ County are obliged to maintain their own poor, which makes them bee soe careful that noe Vagabonds, Beggars, nor Idle Persons are suffered to live here
But as for the Kings natural-born-subjects that live on long- Island @ other parts of the Government I find it a hard task to make them pay their Ministers.
THO. DONGAN.
MY LORDS
Since my writing of this, on Perusal of some Papers in the Secretary's office, I found some Memorandums of Sir Edmond An- dros whereby I understand that in the year 167g hee sent home Capt" Salisbury for England to let his Royal Highness now his Maty know how impossible it was, for this Government to subsist without the addition of Connecticut. And hee himself went with some soldiers to surprise them, intending when hee had done it to keep possession by a Fort hee designed to make at a place called Seabrook but was prevented by the opposition of two Company's of men then lodged there ready to goe out ag" the Indians with whom they were in Warr
Much less it can subsist now without it, being at more expense than in the time of Sir Edmond @ having lost Delaware @ soe con- sequently the Peltry Trade which is not much inferiour to that of the Beaver, besides much Quit-rents @ the Excise which would have been a very considerable Revenue . And too, what helps, hee had these from East @ West Jersey.
Weighing this with the reasons aforementioned, I hope his Maty will bee graciously pleased to add that Colony to this which is the Centre of all His Dominions in America. And the people thereof have been more inclined to his Matys service and have expressed upon all occasions more Loyalty than any other of these Parts
Likewise I am to give y" LoPs an account that since I received my Instructions, I caused a Vessel which came to Amboy to come
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hither @ enter-It being the opinion of the Council, that it was both agreeable to my Instructions and foriner practise especially in the time of Sir Edmd Andros
Pensilvania I am now informed that the people of Pensilvania have had last year from the Indians, upwards of 200 packs of Beaver down to the Skonshill @ will have more this, as I have reason to believe, which if not prevented, his Maty must not expect this Governmt can maintain itself, besides that it will wholy depopulate both this Town @ Albany
One Rogers the Weighmaster being found indebted to the King in £190-17-} I demanded the mony from him to which hee re- turned for answer ; that he was Mr. Santen's servant @ would live @ die by him @ would not pay it without his order. On which an Extent was made out against him @ hee taken thereupon @ put into Prison ; Where after many endeavors of Mr Saten to the con- trary as will appear by the Minutes of Council hee at last paid £140 of it which I was willing to take rather than lose the whole
I am afraid wee shall not have soe good an account of the rest of the debts
Being informed that Mr Smith has never accounted with Mr Santen @ having the opinion of Capta Palmer @ Mr Graham that he is accountable to the King at least for soe much of the mony as hee has received to his own use on pretence of Salary without any authority for the same. I have caused him to be arrested in an ac- tion of account at his Matys suit, upon which hee lies a prisoner to answer it at the Court appointed for the management of his Maty Revenue
Mr Santen since his commitmt hath been soe unruly @ abusive to mee and the Council that in our own defence, Wee are force't to send him home, threatning us with Chains at least for what wee have done.
Councilors The names of ye Councilors Major Anthony Brockhells Frederick Flipson Stephen V Courtlandt John Spragg Gervis Baxter
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THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
The Council thought fit not to give Mr. Santen his oath as ap- pears by the Minutes of Council
John Young had his oath given him but hee lives 150 miles from this, @ has no estate of his own and very old, that it is a thing im- possible for him to serve
There being a clause in my Instructions wherein I am limited not to act without five, therefore Mr John Spragg @ Major Jervis Baxter going for England, and there not being a sufficient number to make a quorum, I have by Vertue of a clause in my letters Pa- tents, impowring mee in case of absence out of the Goverment death or Suspension to add of the principal Freeholders) given the oath to Judge Palmer and Nicolas Bayard the present Mayor to serve in the Council until his Matys pleasure be known
And whereas there is a clause in my Instructions to send over the names of six persons more fitt to supply the vacancy of the Coun- cil six of the fittest I find in this Government are as followeth
Mathias Nichols Judge
James Graham
William Smith
Gabriel Minvielle
Francis Rumbouls
Major Nicolas Demvre
VII.
PAPERS
RELATING TO
M. de Denonville's Expedition 1
TO
THE GENESEE COUNTRY AND NIAGARA.
1687.
EXTRACT FROM THE KING'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE MARQUIS DE DENONVILLE, March 10, 1685.
[Paris Doc. III.]
His principal object ought to be to establish the repose of the Colony by a firm and solid peace. But to render this peace du- rable he must lower the pride of the Iroquois, support the Illi- nois and the other allies whom Sr de la Barre has abandoned, and by a firm and vigorous policy to let the said Iroquois know that they will have every thing to fear if they do not submit to the conditions which he intends to impose on them.
He will, then, first declare to them that he shall protect with all his power the allies of the French ; inform the Illinois, the Ou- taouacs, Miamis and others of the same thing, and should he deem it proper to back this declaration by troops and an expe- dition against the Senecas, His Majesty leaves it to him to adopt, in his regard, such resolutions as he shall deem most suitable, be- ing well persuaded that he will follow the best course, and that * his experience in war will place him in a position to bring that to a speedy conclusion if he be obliged to undertake it.
He ought to be informed that the Commandant of New York has pretended to aid the Iroquois and to extend the English do- mination even to the bank of the River St. Lawrence and over the whole extent of Country inhabited by those Savages. And though His Majesty doubts not but the King of England to whom he has made representations by his Ambassador, will give orders to his Commandant to put a stop to these unjust pretensions, he, notwithstanding, considers it necessary to explain to him that he ought to do every thing to maintain good understanding between the French and English : Yet should the latter, contrary to every appearance, rouse the Savages and afford them succor, he must'
13
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DENONVILLE'S EXPEDITION TO THE
act towards them as towards enemies, when he finds then: in the Indian Country, without, however, attempting any thing in the countries under the King of England's obedience.
FATHER LAMBERVILLE TO GOV. DONGAN.
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