USA > New York > The history of New York from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 18
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" The Virginia plan," which was the third, was calculated to conciliate the prejudices of both ex- tremes, by offering a frame of government partly national and partly federal. The constitution formed upon this plan was finally adopted, though not without many ominous misgivings on the part of those delegates who reluctantly voted for it.
The Anti-Federalists in New York immediately arrayed themselves in strong opposition. They denounced the new constitution as crippling the state sovereignties, and establishing a central government with powers so extensive as to en- danger the permanence of the republic. The Federalists, with Hamilton at their head, entered upon an able defence ; and at the legislative ses- sion of 1788 it was resolved upon to call a con- vention of delegates fresh from the people, for the purpose of ratifying or rejecting the new constitution.
The election took place at the appointed time,
309
1788.] THE CONSTITUTION ADOPTED.
and on the 18th of June, 1788, the convention was organized by the appointment of Governor Clinton as president. 'After a protracted dis- cussion, continued through three weeks, Mr. Jay, on the 11th of July, moved " that the constitu- tion be ratified ; and that whatever amendments might be deemed expedient should be recom- mended." The Anti-Federalists strongly ob- jected to the passage of any such resolution ; but, while the discussion was still warm, tidings were received that New Hampshire had ratified the constitution ; and as nine states, the number necessary to its adoption, had thus already sig- nified their assent, the action of New York was now a matter of but little moment. After enter- taining, briefly, the question whether they should ratify the instrument or recede from the Union, they came to the conclusion to accept Jay's re- solution, altered in such a manner as to express their "full confidence" that the amendments to the constitution, as recommended by the conven- tion, would be adopted by the national Congress.
So warm a contest between the Federalists and their opposers naturally engendered some bitter- ness of feeling, which the ratification of the con- stitution did not wholly allay. Governor Clinton, the most popular man in the state, was decidedly averse to the surrender of so much power to the general government, and his adherents pertina- ciously persisted in entertaining a similar opinion.
310
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1792.
At the October session of the legislature in 1788, Clinton, in his opening speech, recommended the assembly to favour a call for a second national convention, for the express purpose of revising the new constitution. But the feverish excite- ment gradually passed away. Washington had been elected President of the United States, and so long as he remained at the head of the gene- ral government, the people were well satisfied that their liberties were secure.
By the extraordinary force of his personal po- pularity, Clinton was re-elected governor in 1788, over Yates, the Federal candidate; and at the election of 1792, notwithstanding the growing strength of the Federal party, he triumphed in a similar manner over Mr. Jay, a gentleman greatly beloved, and of a moral character singularly pure. The election had, however, been very closely con- tested; so closely, indeed, that Clinton was said to have owed his re-election to the legislative committee to whom the votes for governor were referred, the voice of a majority of the state electors being in favour of Mr. Jay. This charge, publicly made, created a feeling of intense indig- nation throughout the state. Fierce party quar- rels ensued; and as the passion deepened, the consequences might have been of the most seri- ous character, had not the popular leaders on both sides exerted themselves with praiseworthy activity to moderate the fury and vehemence of
311
1795.]
JAY BURNED IN EFFIGY.
their respective partisans. Though at length the feud was allayed, it had not been without its ef- fect upon the fortunes of the Anti-Federal, or, as they now called themselves, the "Republican" party. At the subsequent state elections the Federalists were in the majority; and in 1795 they succeeded in electing Jay and Van Rensse- laer, as governor and lieutenant-governor, over Yates and Floyd, the Republican candidates.
Two days after his clection, Jay arrived at New York from his mission to England, where he had been sent, a year previous, for the pur- pose of negotiating a treaty with that power. This treaty soon became a most prolific source of contention. France, plunging into the san- guinary excesses which followed her successful revolution, had inoculated quite a number of those who belonged to the Republican party in America with a portion of her intensely-levelling and ultra-democratic principles. At the same time, the Federalists were accused of striving to promote a strong conservative policy, and of a still more obnoxious leaning toward the interests of Great Britain. .
Within a week after the arrival of Jay at New York, the publication of his treaty with Great Britain changed the rejoicings with which he had been welcomed into the bitterest denunciations. In Philadelphia he was burned in effigy; and throughout the confederated states, wherever the
312
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1795.
French or Republican party was predominant, meetings were held to protest against the condi- tions of the treaty, and to vent fierce and unjust accusations against the now unpopular commis- sioners. In New York, Hamilton attempted to address the multitude in defence of his friend, but a shower of stones compelled him to desist. ' The meeting, carried away by passion, assented to some angry resolutions, and then burned the obnoxious treaty in front of the governor's house.
Fortunately, violent passions are usually brief in their duration. Jay quietly bent to the storm, and when it passed away gradually rose again, if not to the height of his old popularity, yet so near it as to be again elected governor in 1798, over Judge Livingston, the strongest Republican candidate. But, though defeated, the Republi- can party were everywhere gaining strength. Encouraged by the number of their American adherents, the rulers of the French republic had been for some time disposed to regard with a feeling allied to contempt the repeated com- plaints and protests of the general government. The relations between the two countries at length became critical; and, in expectation of a war, Congress passed the well known Alien and Sedi- tion laws.
By the Alien law, no foreigner could become a citizen of the United States under a residence of fourteen years. Such as had not been in the
313
1798.] CLINTON ELECTED GOVERNOR.
country more than two years might be ordered to leave it, if the president believed their presence prejudicial to the peace of the commonwealth ; while all resident aliens, after a declaration of war, rendered themselves subject at any moment to be seized and incarcerated.
The Sedition law, though limited in its opera- tion to three years, was equally stringent. Each person unlawfully combining or conspiring with others to resist the measures of the general go- vernment, or to impede any law of the United States, or to control the legitimate acts of any government officer, was made liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and to a term of imprisonment ranging from six months to five years.
Scarcely any amount of provocation would have justified the rigorous harshness of these laws. The legislatures of Kentucky and Vir- ginia, at the instance of Jefferson, passed resolu- tions denouncing them with great acrimony. The assembly of New York avoided taking part in the controversy ; but the elections of 1800 and 1801 were doubtless affected by it. The power of the Federalists was everywhere completely broken. Jefferson and Burr were elected President and Vice-president of the United States ; while George Clinton and Jeremiah Van Rensselaer were cho- sen Governor and Lieutenant-governor of New York.
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314
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
[1804.
-
No marked political events occurred during the three succeeding years, although the excite- ment between the opposing parties was in no degree lessened. In 1804, Morgan Lewis, the Republican candidate for governor, was elected over Aaron Burr, who, being opposed by the Clintons and Livingstons, was rapidly losing his earlier political influence. It was at this period that the circumstances originated which led to the fatal duel between Hamilton and Burr.
Lying under the imputation of intriguing against Jefferson in order to secure his own elec- tion to the presidency, Burr had lost in a great measure the confidence of his party. Failing to procure the regular nomination for Governor of New York, he sought and obtained an independ- ent one. He lost his election, notwithstanding he was supported during the canvass by a num- ber of the Federalists, much to the chagrin of Hamilton, although he took no active part to prevent it.
Smarting under his recent defeat, which he attributed to the influence of Hamilton, Burr seized advantage of an expression in a letter written by Doctor Cooper of Albany, in which the latter assured his correspondent that Hamil- ton considered Burr as "a dangerous man, who ought not to be intrusted with the reins of go- vernment ;" adding-" I could detail a still more despicable opinion which Hamilton has expressed
315
TRIAL OF BURR.
1807.]
of Burr." Fastening on the word " despicable," Burr immediately despatched a note to Hamil- ton, which the latter finally answered by declar- ing his willingness, under respectful questioning, to show that the language he had used was ap- plied solely to Burr's political, and not at all to his private character. Burr treated the reply as " a mere evasion," and reiterated his demand for satisfaction. Reluctantly, and in defiance of his openly-avowed principles, Hamilton accepted the challenge. The parties met, and Hamilton fell.
From that moment the character of Burr was blasted for ever. Hated in New York, and in- dicted for murder in New Jersey, he proceeded to Philadelphia, where he took up his abode. In the spring of 1805 he started for the West, enve- loping his movements in great mystery. Return- ing to Philadelphia, he spent the winter of 1805 and part of the summer of 1806 in that city and in Washington ; but in August he again set out for the West. His treasonable designs eventually becoming apparent, he was arrested in the Tom- bigbee country on the 1st of March, 1807, and conveyed to Richmond for trial.
The charge preferred against Burr was that of treason against the United States, and of mis- demeanour in levying troops within a friendly territory for a revolutionary expedition against Mexico. No one doubted his guilt ; but as proof
316
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1807.
of an overt act, by two creditable witnesses, could not be produced, he was finally acquitted, and took passage the succeeding year for Europe. For four years he led a restless, wretched, wan- dering life, but in 1812 he suddenly reappeared in New York, and resumed the practice of the law. His death, at the age of eighty-one, took place on the 14th of September, 1836.
In 1807 Daniel Tompkins was elected governor, over Morgan Lewis-both the candidates belong- ing to the Republican party. For two years pre- vious to this, the current of party feeling had been greatly imbittered by the critical condition of our foreign relations. During the progress of the long and bloody European war carried on by the allied sovereigns against the power of Napoleon, the Americans, as neutrals, were rapidly acquiring commercial importance by the great extension of the carrying trade. To annihilate this lucra- tive business, Great Britain adopted orders in council suppressing all commercial relations be- tween America and France. Napoleon retaliated by issuing his celebrated Berlin and Milan de- crees, which rendered American vessels trading to England subject to seizure and condemnation.
These high-handed measures led to protests and remonstrances, which were received with cool indifference by both the belligerent parties. Depredations upon American commerce still continuing, an embargo was laid, for ninety
317
NAVAL ENGAGEMENT.
1811.]
days, upon all vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States. The militia and volunteers were at the same time called upon to hold them- selves in readiness for service. The great dis- tress brought upon the mercantile interests of the country by the operation of the Embargo, led to its suspension until the next meeting of Congress, in July, 1808. In this year Madison succeeded Jefferson as president, and an act was passed by Congress which prohibited all inter- course with England, France, or any of their dependencies.
The Federalists opposing a declaration of war, which the growing dislike to England seemed each day to render more inevitable, the Republi- can party again gained the ground they had previously lost by their support of the Embargo Act, and succeeded in 1810 in re-electing Tomp- kins for governor. Lieutenant-Governor Broome dying soon after, De Witt Clinton was appointed his successor.
Opinions directly antagonistic, in relation te the right of impressment, had already compli- cated the existing difficulties between the United States and Great Britain, when, on the 16th of May, 1811, the frigate President, commanded by Commodore Rodgers, was fired into by the English sloop-of-war Little Belt. In the action which ensued, the British lost thirty-two men in killed and wounded. From this time all thought
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318
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
[1812.
of preserving peace was abandoned ; the national indignation was fully aroused, and on the 20th of June, 1812, Congress authorized a declaration of war.
The campaign opened disastrously. An at- tempt to invade Canada proved not only signally unsuccessful, but was followed by retaliatory movements on the part of the British. Detroit, and all the military posts in Michigan, were oc- cupied by the enemy. Hull ignominiously sur- rendered the forces under his command on the 19th of August; and on the 13th of October an American detachment, one thousand strong, which had crossed the Niagara River, and at- tacked the British on the Heights of Queens- town, suffered a repulse; and not being supported by reinforcements from the American side, were compelled to surrender.
On the ocean, however, the navy of the United States proudly sustained the honour of the Ame- rican arms. Hull, in command of the Constitu- tion, captured, on the 10th of August, the Bri- tish frigate Guerriere. Three days afterward, Porter, in the Essex, captured the Alert. On the 17th of October the British brig Frolic sur- rendered to the Wasp, though both were retaken the same day by a British seventy-four. On the 25th of the same month the frigate Macedonian surrendered to the United States; and on the 29th of December the Java lowered her flag to
319
MILITARY OPERATIONS.
1813.]
the Constitution, on this occasion commanded by Bainbridge.
On the 4th of March, 1813, Madison was re- elected president. The operations on land still continued to terminate in the defeat of the Ame- rican forces. During the month of January they were signally defeated at Frenchtown, in the vicinity of the River Raisin, and many of those who had surrendered were subsequently massa- cred by the Indians. An invasion of Canada by General Dearborn was more successful. On the 27th of April, York, the capital of Upper Canada, was attacked by General Dearborn, supported by a small naval squadron under Commodore Chaun- cey. After a brief defence, the garrison capitu- lated. This success was speedily followed by another. On the 27th of May, Commodore Chauncey attacked Fort George ; and, after set- ting fire to their magazines, the British retreated to Queenstown. Fort Erie was next abandoned; but a detachment of Americans, five hundred and seventy in number, commanded by Colonel Boerstler, fell into an ambuscade, and were com- pelled to surrender to the enemy. In the mean while, the British under Prevost had been re- pulsed in an attack upon Sackett's Harbour; and on the 10th of September suffered a still severer disaster in the defeat and capture of their squadron on Lake Erie, by Commodore Perry.
320
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
[1814.
In the intermediate conflicts at sea, the re- sults had not been always fortunate. On the Ist of June the Chesapeake, commanded by the heroic Lawrence, had been taken by the frigate Shannon; and during the following August the Argus had been captured by the British armed vessel the Pelican; but the following month the British brig Boxer surrendered to the En- terprise.
The tide of battle now began to turn with a steady persistence in favour of the Americans .. General Harrison gained a decisive victory over Proctor at the battle of the Thames ; and during the summer of 1814 General Jackson defeated the Creeks in several pitched battles. On the 3d of July General Brown crossed into Canada, and captured Fort Erie. On the next day he successfully repulsed the British at Chippewa ; and on the 25th of October the Americans fought at Bridgewater the bloodiest battle of the war. The loss on both sides was equally severe, but the Americans remained masters of the field.
During the month of August, a British squad- ron sailed up the Potomac River, and disembarked six thousand men under Sir James Ross. Dis- persing the militia assembled at Bladensburg to obstruct his progress, Ross proceeded to Wash- ington, where he burned the Capitol. After committing various other excesses, which betray- ed more of the spirit of the Goth than of the
321
1815.] BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
chivalric generosity of the modern soldier, he retired to his ships.
On the 12th of September the fleet reappeared in the Chesapeake, and made preparations to at- tack Baltimore; but General Ross being killed in a skirmish at North Point, the detachment was recalled, and the project abandoned.
On the northern frontier, one day previous to the above repulse, Sir George Prevost, with a force of fourteen thousand men, made a vigorous assault upon the American works at Plattsburg. The defence was conducted by General Macomb with so much resolution, that the British finally retired with a loss of twenty-five hundred men. Simultaneously with the attack upon Plattsburg, an engagement took place on Lake Champlain between the British and American fleets. After an action continued for more than two hours, the fire of the enemy was silenced. One frigate, one brig, and two sloops-of-war fell into the hands of the Americans, who from that time until the close of the war held undisputed com- mand of the lake.
Hostilities between the two nations were finally terminated by the disastrous defeat of General Pakenham before New Orleans, on the 8th of January, 1815. The forces of the Bri- tish commander amounted to fifteen thousand men, while those of General Jackson did not number more than six thousand. These, how-
322
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
[1815.
ever, were judiciously covered by a breastwork of cotton bags, and otherwise strongly protected by the natural difficulties presented by the ground on each flank. In an attempt to storm these works, Sir Edward Pakenham fell mor- tally wounded. His troops, after three despe- rate efforts on the centre and each flank of the American line, fell back in disorder, with the loss of three thousand men.
Two weeks previous to this battle a treaty of peace had been signed at Ghent, and on the 17th of February it was ratified by the president and senate.
323
CLINTON'S ASPIRATIONS.
-
1811.]
CHAPTER XXIV.
Political aspirations of De Witt Clinton-The Tammany So- ciety-Its origin-Opposed to Clinton-Tompkins elected governor-Chosen vice-president-Clinton governor --- Con- struction of the Erie Canal authorized-Decline of the old Federal party -- Origin of the " Bucktails"-Clinton re-elected governor-Van Buren chosen United States Senator-Revi- sion of the state constitution-Principal amendments adopted -Yates elected governor-Division of the Democratic party -Organization of the " People's party"-Removal of Clinton as canal commissioner-Re-elected governor-Subversion of the old political parties-Abduction of Morgan-Masons and Anti-Masons -- New organizations-Formation of the Whig and Jackson parties-Death of Governor Clinton-Van Buren elected governor-Rise and decline of the " Workingman's party"-Throop elected governor-Marcy chosen -- " Equal rights" party organized-How designated by the Whigs- Merged with the Democratic party-Marcy re-elected go- vernor-Financial embarrassments-Increasing strength of the Whigs-Seward elected governor-Party fluctuations- Bouck elected governor-Election of Wright-Anti-Rent disturbances-Their origin-Progress of the disaffection- Tumults in Delaware county-Murder of the sheriff-Mili- tary called out-Arrest and imprisonment of the rioters- Breach in the Democratic party-" Hunkers" and "Barn- burners"-Revision of the constitution-Young elected go- vernor-Election of Fish-Conclusion.
BEFORE war was declared, many of Madison's friends regarded his cautious policy in relation to the dispute with Great Britain as indicating a feebleness of purpose unworthy of his high posi- tion. Prominent among these was De Witt Clinton, who himself aspired to become a candi-
324
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1816.
date for the next presidency. His party, how- ever, were not disposed to countenance his am- bitious views. Various combinations were formed against him; and, among others, he was opposed by the whole strength of the Tammany Society, a powerful association which was organized soon after the peace of 1783, in opposition to the Cincinnati Society. At first it was composed of prominent members of both political parties ; but it gradually took a more distinctive character, and in 1812, by a vigorous support of Madison against Clinton, materially contributed to the defeat of the latter. The members of the asso- ciation were, at this period, known as " Mart- ling's men," from holding their meetings in Martling's long room, since known as Tammany Hall.
At the gubernatorial canvass of 1813, Governor Tompkins was re-elected. De Witt Clinton, who sought the nomination for lieutenant-governor, was again defeated by the opposition of the Tammany Society. In 1816 Tompkins and Tay- lor were again elected governor and lieutenant- governor; but the former having been chosen Vice-president of the United States early in the following year, the choice of the Democratic party, to fill the vacancy thus occasioned, fell at length upon De Witt Clinton. A most import- ant measure, as bearing upon the future pros- perity of the state, was passed at the session of
..
325
CLINTON RE-ELECTED.
1820.]
1817. This was no other than the passage of an act authorizing the construction of the Erie and Champlain canals. To carry out this noble project a large loan was called for, the interest of which was provided for by certain specific taxes, and by appropriating to this particular use the rents of the valuable salt-springs at Onondaga.
From this period, the power of the old Fede- ral party was broken. The Republicans also underwent a change in their organization. From an order of the Tammany Society, who wore in their hats the tail of a decr, arose the Bucktail party. The most prominent leader of this new party was Martin Van Buren, then rapidly ris- ing into notice as a sagacious politician. The differences between the Bucktails and Clinton- ians arose partly from the opposition of the for- mer to the proposed schemes of internal im- provement, and partly from a personal dislike to Clinton, whom they represented as haughty and impracticable.
The elections of 1820 saw Clinton and Tomp- kins, both prominent Republicans, opposed to each other ; but although many of the old Fede- ralists supported the latter, Clinton, personally popular through his advocacy of internal im- provements, and further strengthened by the reiteration of certain charges improperly brought against Tompkins, was re-elected. It was never-
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326
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1824.
theless evident that the Bucktail party were rapidly gaining strength. Its leader, Martin Van Buren, was the following year elected to the senate of the United States. At the legis- lative session of the same year, the question of revising the state constitution was ordered to be laid before the people. A majority of over se- venty-four thousand voters being found in favour of a revision, the convention assembled at Albany on the 28th of August, 1821. Ex-Governor Tomp- kins was chosen president. The principal amend- ments adopted by the convention were,-the abo- lition of the old council of revision; turning over the veto power to the governor; the reduction of the governor's official term to two years ; the ex- tension of the franchise ; the remodelling of the judiciary ; the election of sheriffs and county clerks by the people; together with many other changes of less moment. In 1822 the new con- stitution of the state was ratified by a large ma- jority. In November of the same year, Judge Yates was elected governor, De Witt Clinton declining to become a candidate.
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