USA > New York > Ulster County > Kingston > The history of Kingston, New York : from its early settlement to the year 1820 > Part 41
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 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
The discussion of the various provisions of the Constitution, and its alleged shortcomings, was continued in the convention, and various proposed amendments and a Bill of Rights adopted. Then by a majority of three votes a resolution was passed declaring the Constitution ratified by the convention " in full confidence" that a convention shall be called and convened for proposing amendments.
Believing that the true spirit of a convention and its members may be more readily and correctly ascertained through contem- poraneous and confidential written communications than simply by its reported proceedings, there are inserted here copies of some original letters in the possession of the writer, two of them written by a member of the convention to one of his political friends and constituents when the convention was in session, and extracts from another written by a gentleman of prominence residing in Kingston when in attendance for some days upon the sittings of the conven- tion :
" POUGHKEEPSIE (June) 25th 1788
"DEAR SIR
" When you left us yesterday we expected that on this day great and interesting debates would have taken place in the con- vention on the fourth section of the first article of the proposed Constitution-but I have the pleasure of informing you that the section was read, the amendment proposed to the clause by us was also read and is in the words following to wit 'Resolved as the opinion of this Committee that nothing in the Constitution, now under consideration, shall be construed to authorize the Congress to make or alter any regulation in any State respecting the times places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Repre- sentatives unless the Legislature of such State shall neglect or re- fuse to make laws or regulations for the purpose, or from any cir- cumstance be unable of making the same, and then only until the Legislature of such State shall make provision in the premises. And that nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prevent the Legislature of any State to pass laws, from time to time, to divide such State into as many convenient districts as the State shall be entitled to elect Representatives for Congress, nor to pre-
394
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
vent such Legislatures from making provision that the Electors in each district shall choose a citizen of the United States, who shall have been an inhabitant of the district for the term of one year immediately preceding the time of his election, for one of the Representatives of such State.' . The supporters of the Constitu- tion without any opposition worth mentioning acquiesced in our amendment. We then proceeded further in the consideration of the Constitution until we came to the first section of the second article which gives Congress power to levy and collect taxes duties imports excises etc. On this section I suppose much will be said to morrow
" Am Yours etc
" CORS C SCHOONMAKER " To Peter Van Gaasbeek."
" POUGHKEEPSIE July 19. 1788 "MY DEAR FRIEND * * * * * * * * *
" Since leaving you two other propositions have been brought forward one by Mr Hamilton for an unconditional adoption attended with recommendatory amendments, the other by Mr Smith for an adoption for a certain number of years (four was spoken of) at the end of which should a convention not have met to consider the proposed amendments this State should be at lib- erty to withdraw themselves from the Union ; so that three proposi- tions are now before the convention
*
*
*
*
"ABM B BANCKER
" Since writing I find our anti-Federal Party have determined to stick to their first plan. Of course Mr Smith withdrew his last proposition, and then the question stood between Mr Hamilton's unconditional and Mr Lansing's conditional ratification when upon a division there appeared 41 in favor of the latter and 18 against it. ... They are now proceeding to consider the bill of rights, and I expect will adopt part of both as may appear best. Which I expect will also be the case both with the explanatory and recom- mendatory amendments ; the conditional will be held to by a con- siderable majority. . .
" Peter Van Gaasbeek"
"ABB
" DEAR SIR
" POUGHKEEPSIE July 25. 1788
" After a long and tedious discussion of the proposed Constitu- tion by paragraphs and proposing of amendments thereto, the re- sult of the deliberation of the convention will be an adoption of the
395
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
Constitution on the principles of expediency-that ten States have adopted it, and the government will be put into operation, and therefore if the adoption is not speedily made in this State great difficulties and embarrassments will ensue etc, from these con- siderations being so strongly impressed on the minds of some of the members in the convention, (in whom we have had great con- fidence) by the weight and influence of the federal party. After having lost our security, intended by our first proposition against the exercise of certain powers by the General government in this State, until our amendments proposed to the Constitution were submitted to a convention of the States, being obliged to retreat from the same concluded that we should retain the restrictive clauses in confidence that the General Government will not exercise the power therein restricted until a convention shall meet to take them into consideration, which was yesterday agreed to by the con- vention. We then, as a farther security to obtain a convention, brought forward Mr Smith's plan for an adoption of the Constitu- tion for - years, and if the amendments proposed should not in that time be submitted to a convention of States this State should reserve a right to withdraw itself from the Union. This, although not supposed to be of great importance by us, has been very warmly opposed by the Federalists yesterday, and has this morn- ing been determined on by the convention ; the proposition was lost by a vote of 23 against 31 among which majority are Smith and Platt who have most strenuously heretofore advocated the principle, and are now convinced that it will not do at all.
" When you consider the manner in which we have lost both the propositions, which we considered as a restrictive, qualified condition in the adoption, you will readily perceive that the Fed- eralists have fought and beat us from our own ground with our own weapons. The greatest security we will retain in the adoption of the Constitution will, in my opinion, be our declaration of rights, and explanations of some ambiguities in the Constitution expressed and declared in strong terms. Upon the whole the con- vention are now about to read the whole of the ratification and amendments proposed to the Constitution for their approbation to be added to and reported. I believe it will be our duty and our wish to support and maintain the freedom and independence of the People of this State on the final question of the adoption of the Constitution. I must however add that altho' the Federalists have out manœuvred us, they do not think that they have got a great victory ; they come forward very freely to declare that they will join with us in applying to Congress, immediately after the organization of the government, to call a convention to take into consideration the amendments proposed by this as well as the other
396
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
States to the Constitution, which will I suppose be done before the convention rises. While I was writing the above the question on ratification was debated and is determined agreeably to the division enclosed
" Yours to serve " CORS C SCHOONMAKER " To P Van Gaasbeek"
The preference given by many of the statesmen of that period to amend the Articles of Confederation rather than the creation of a central federal government arose from their great anxiety for the full protection of the rights of the States and of the people, and their great fear of the absorbing and aggressive power of a central government untrammelled by strong restrictive clauses. They felt that the phraseology of the instrument, as proposed, gave room for liberal constructions, which might act oppressively upon the States and the people, and by legislative or judicial construction concede powers which never were intended to be granted.
It was in behalf of those endangered rights that. New York statesmen, in the Constitutional Convention, fought for the adop- tion of amendments and a declaration of rights. The action of those feeling thus was vindicated by the unanimous adoption in the New York Convention of a resolution recommending a general convention for the consideration of amendments, and the further recommendation of sundry amendments to that instrument by the first Congress under the Constitution and at its first session, pre- ceding the same with the following preamble :
" The conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of the powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extend- ing the ground of public confidence in the government will best insure the beneficent ends of the institution. Resolved," etc.
And finally the adoption by the different States of those pro- posed amendments, so that they now are a part of the federal Con- stitution, and form the grand bulwark in that instrument for the protection of the rights of the people and the States against central aggressive power. It is not believed that there is now a single statesman or man of intelligence in the land who would be willing to have those amendments blotted from that instrument. Their existence vindicates the wisdom and patriotism of. those through whose demand they were procured.
Ulster County stood by and sustained its representatives in the course taken by them in the convention, and signified its approval by re-electing them from time to time to posts of honor and dis-
397
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
tinction. Of George and James Clinton mention will be made hereafter ; of the others, four in number, particular mention will be made here.
John Cantine served his constituents as a member of Assembly from 1779 to 1780 inclusive, as a member of the State Senate from 1790 to 1797, and as a representative in the Eighth United States Congress under the Constitution.
Ebenezer Clark served as a member of Assembly from 1786 to 1790 inclusive, and of the State Senate from 1797 to 1801.
Gor: 6 Schoonmaken
Cornelius C. Schoonmaker was a representative in the Second United States Congress under the Constitution from 1791 to 1793, and he was continuously a member of the Assembly from 1777 to 1790, and again in 1795, until his death in 1796.
Derick Wynkoop, the other representative, served his constit- uents as judge of Ulster County from 1783 to 1793.
Notwithstanding the hesitancy with which the Constitution had been adopted, still, after its actual acceptance by the requisite number of States, including the State of New York, it was hailed
398
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
with satisfaction by the people. It was looked upon as the har- binger of a settled, stable government, and as security for the enjoyment of that liberty and freedom for which they had so freely fought, bled, and suffered. New York City was specially con- spicuous in its rejoicing. On the 23d day of July, 1788, its adop- tion was celebrated in New York by a wonderful pageant, com- prising over five thousand people in the procession, and in which many trades and mechanical appliances were represented on wheels, closing with a banquet at the country-seat of Nicholas Bayard, prepared for six thousand people, under a pavilion erected for the occasion, covering an area of six hundred by eight hundred feet. The wonderful enthusiasm is manifest from the fact that it was all arranged for and got up in the space of four days.
.
As previously suggested, the constitutional question and the differences of opinion in regard thereto led to the organization of the two great political parties in the Union. They first ranged as Federal and Anti-Federal. In a short time thereafter the Anti- Federals assumed the name of Republicans. After that the names of parties changed from time to time ; but in all those changes, in designation Clintonian and Bucktail, Loco-foco and Whig, Demo- cratic and Republican, or others arising from minor or temporary or local questions and issues, the fundamental principles of the division have remained the same.
Prior to the adoption of the federal Constitution George Clinton had been elected governor of this State for four successive terms substantially without opposition. Afterward in 1789 he was op- posed by Robert Yates, the nominee of the Federal Party, and Governor Clinton was re-elected by only 429 majority. The county of Ulster saved and secured his election by giving him 1039 votes against only 206 for his opponent. The majority of the Legisla- ture elected was Federal.
At the next election, in 1792, his Federal opponent was John Jay. The contest was very close. Governor Clinton was elected by a majority of only 108. The votes of Otsego, Clinton, and Tioga were rejected and thrown out of the canvass on account of - gross illegalities and informalities. In 1795 Governor Clinton declined to run again for governor, and then John Jay was elected, and was again re-elected in 1798.
George Clinton was again nominated in 1801, when he was elected over Stephen Van Rensselaer by a majority of nearly four thousand. In 1804, about the time his gubernatorial office expired, he was elected Vice President of the United States, receiving the same number of electoral votes as Thomas Jefferson received for the Presidency. He was re-elected for a second term, and died while in office and at Washington.
399
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
Thus terminated the public career of General George Clinton, the only citizen of Ulster County who has ever graced both the gubernatorial and Vice-Presidential chairs. He was born in the lower part of Ulster County ; a lawyer by profession, in 1759 he was appointed county clerk of the county of Ulster by the then colonial Governor Clinton, who was said to have been distantly connected. That office he retained during his entire military and gubernatorial career. The duties were principally discharged by his brother-in-law, Christopher Tappen, who was eventually desig- nated as his successor.
He was one of the earliest and firmest friends of the American cause. Hle withstood with all his powers the encroachments of royalty and tyranny, and early took the field in defence of the rights of his country and of liberty. During the long Revolu- tionary struggle he was untiring in the discharge of his duties, and commanded the confidence and approval of Washington: Pos- sessed of great decision of character, a clear mind, and great wisdom in counsel, he aided greatly in bringing his State and his country to the enjoyment of a fixed, wise, and noble government.
A great deal of his time when not absent on duty was spent in Kingston. He availed himself of the benefit of the Kingston schools for his rising issue. He was contemplated with pride by Kingstonians as no stranger, but a frequent visitor and an occa- sional resident of the place.
About the same moment that our celebrated Vice-President breathed his last his distinguished brother, a hero of the entire Revolutionary War, followed him to the last and eternal abode.
These two distinguished brothers were . the sons of Colonel James Clinton, who emigrated from Ireland about 1731 and settled in Hanover Precinct, located in the lower part of Ulster County, now Orange. Both those brothers early exhibited a predilection for mil- itary life ; both were men of talent and highly educated. Under their father as colonel they served in the expedition against the French which captured Montreal and accomplished the conquest of Canada. They both early entered the American contest for free- dom, and both served their country with great distinction. George, as we have seen, was early called to serve his country and his State in the more peaceful but not less important field of politics and civil administration. James continued in the military service dur- ing the entire Revolutionary struggle. As colonel of the Third Ulster Regiment he was with Montgomery when he fell, and par- ticipated in all the brilliant achievements, as well as hardships and sufferings, of that celebrated but unfortunate campaign. On his return he entered the Continental Army and was rewarded with the commission of brigadier-general in that service. He served
1
400
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
throughout the war with great distinction, and it was not until the final gun was fired and peace and liberty proclaimed throughout the land that he laid aside his war trappings and returned to the walks of peaceful life.
Early in life he married Mary, the only daughter of Egbert De Witt, of Wawarsing, Ulster County ; the only issue of that mar- riage was De Witt Clinton, whose name is a household word, whose fame is bounded by no county, State, or country, and is linked imperishably with the great internal improvements of our State.
James was occasionally called from his retirement by his fellow- citizens in different representative capacities. He was a member of the convention of this State to pass upon the adoption of the United States Constitution, and afterward served his constituents in the State Senate from 1789 to 1792, and in the Assembly from 1798 to 1801. Eventually, as above stated, he died as he had lived, honored by all who knew him.
Party feeling in the early days of the republic between the Republicans and Federalists became extremely bitter and personal. Many a fight in Kingston was the result of a canvass, and the Court House yard and the street, at the corner of Maiden Lane and Fair Street, were witnesses of many a bitter fray and pitched battle. The headquarters of the contending political parties were located at the opposite corners of those streets.
A story has frequently been told of the meeting of two citizens opposed in polities ; one was in the wagon returning home from a political gathering, and the other on foot. The footman asked the other "how it had went." The other, stopping his horses, re- plied, " Come here and I will tell you." He came, but as soon as he was within reach the rider up with his fist and knocked him - down, saying, "So it did went," and drove off.
This spirit had its ferment and explosion at the periodical re- turn of caucuses and elections ; at other times quiet reigned, and the citizens, in the even tenor of their way, pursued their ordinary avocations by the transaction of their customary business and the care of their small farms in the vicinity of the village. Although the Federalists, with their party, were opposed to a declaration of war against England, still when the time came that the administra- tion at Washington felt that the outrages committed by England against our country could no longer be endured, and that forbear- ance ceased to be a virtue, and declared war against England, the citizens of Kingston stood ready to support their government against the foreign foe, and to send forth their quota and what- ever might be necessary to maintain their country's rights, and they were soon called upon to furnish troops for the front.
A regiment under Colonel Hawkins, then a lawyer residing in
.
401
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
Kingston, was early mustered into the service and ordered to Staten Island to cover New York and the fortifications in the Narrows. That regiment was the color regiment in the brigade stationed there. The enemy made no approach to that point, and the troops were not drawn into any actual engagement.
This place had its quota of men on the ground for the protec- tion of New York during the entire contest, and some were on duty at Plattsburg.
In 1814, after the capture of Washington, great alarm was aroused throughout the country, and the administration deemed it necessary largely to increase the forces for the defence of New York and its harbor. This led to an order, dated the 29th of August, 1814, emanating from headquarters, directed to General Frederick Westbrook, of Ulster County, for an immediate levy of five hundred men from his command for the defence of that harbor. The order was promptly complied with, and on the 7th day of Sep- tember, 1814, in obedience thereto, between five and six hundred militia from General Westbrook's brigade embarked on board of the sloops at Kingston Landing, for their place of destination near New York. This call embraced all the citizens of Kingston liable to military duty, as alleged by the village newspapers of the day. The paper recording the embarkation adds, in reference to the sol- diers when leaving, that " their apparent cheerful obedience and devotion to their country's claim repressed all sorrow and struck dumb all grief."
The Kingston papers of September 6th, 1814, contain a notice calling upon " the inhabitants of Kingston and neighboring towns, who are exempt from military duty, to contribute one day's labor in cutting and preparing " fascines" to be forwarded to New York for the fortifications, and potatoes and other vegetables for the troops."
On the 8th of September, 1814, a meeting of the citizens of the town of Kingston was held at the Kingston Coffee House. Conrad Ed. Elmendorf was elected chairman, and Christopher Tappen, Jr., secretary. After some remarks by John Sudam, Esq., the chairman and secretary, together with Abraham Hoffman, Moses Yeomans, and Conrad J. Elmendorf, were appointed a committee on resolutions. After some deliberation they reported the follow- ing :
" Resolved That the safety and independence of our country in the present alarming crisis consists in union of sentiment and union of exertion.
" Resolved that John Sudam Daniel Brodhead Junior Henry Jansen Seth Couch Jacob Ten Broeck Moses Yeomans and Conrad J. Elmendorf be a committee of defence and correspondence for 26
402
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
the County of Ulster, to co-operate with similar committees in the Middle District. Also that they receive and transmit such dona- tions in money or vegetables as may be offered by towns or indi- viduals for the use of the Militia of Ulster County in service at New York."
They further recommended the appointment of relief committees in the several towns of the county.
The militia were discharged and returned home, December, 1814. The Plebeian of Tuesday, the 13th of December, says : " Capt Peter Van Gaasbeek's company returned here on Saturday morning last in the Steam Boat Paragon, in good health and spirits, from a tour of three months' service in the defence of New York. They were the last of the troops from this county who were discharged. The whole are now again with their families and their friends and well satisfied with the treatment they received from the public while on duty."
On Wednesday evening, the 17th day of February, 1815, the village of Kingston was elegantly illuminated, pursuant to the recommendation of the president of the village, " in demonstration of the general joy on the return of the blessings of Peace."
The early effect of the war was injurious, not to say disastrous, to the monetary interests of the country. It alike affected the national and State administrations, as well as the people. The United States Bank had ceased to exist, and there was no national bank currency. The limited amount of specie in the country was withdrawn from circulation and either hoarded up or exported to supply the demands of commercial transactions. The Government was unable to collect its revenue in specie, or procure it on loan either at home or abroad. Great Britain then controlled the money market of the world. Thus a financial crisis was produced, which necessitated the stoppage of specie payments by the banks and the flooding of the country with irredeemable promises to pay by the banks, and " shin plasters" for the fractional parts of a dollar were issued for convenience by merchants, shopmen, and traders of almost every description. To supply the place of such irresponsi- ble issues of fractional currency, the village directors authorized the issue, to be signed by their president, of a large amount of small bills, which soon became the fractional currency of the village and vicinity, and which were subsequently and promptly redeemed when a return to specie payments dispensed with their use and necessity.
403
CHAPTER XXIII.
IMPROVEMENTS-TURNPIKES AND TRAVELLING CONVENIENCES- NEWSPAPERS.
A FTER the close of the Revolution and the establishment of a permanent form of government, the citizens of Kingston settled down to their ordinary occupations, endeavoring to recover from the great losses they had sustained as the purchase price of liberty. Some had previously rebuilt their houses, others had done so only partially, making a portion only of the original build- ing tenantable, and others again, being entirely ruined financially, made no effort to rebuild, but left the ruins to crumble and waste away.
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.