USA > New York > The history of the late province of New-York, from its discovery, to the appointment of Governor Colden, in 1762. Vol. I > Part 14
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
Among the several things recommended to their consideration, the affair of the revenue, which was to expire in May following, and the propriety of making presents to the Indians were the chief; the house were not insensible of the importance of the Indian interest, and of the infinite arts of the French to seduce them from our alliance, but suspicious that
191
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
his lordship, who heretofore had given himself little concern about that matter, was seeking a fresh op- portunity to defraud the public, they desired him to give them a list of the articles of which the presents were to consist, together with an estimate of the charge, before they would provide for that donation.
With respect to the revenue, his lordship was not so successful, for the assembly resolutely refused to continue it; though they consented to an act to dis- charge him from a contract of £250, and upwards, which he had made with one Hanson for the public service. Thomas Byerly was at that time collector and receiver-general, and by pretending that the treasury was exhausted, the debts of the government were unpaid. This gave rise to many petitions to the assembly to make provision for their discharge. Colonel Schuyler, who had expended large sums on the public credit, was among the principal sufferers, and joined with several others in an application to the house, that Byerly might be compelled to account. The disputes relating to this matter took up a considerable part of the session, and were liti- gated with great heat. Upon the whole an act was passed for refunding £700 which had been misap- plied.
The resolutions of the commitee of grievances, approved by the house, show the general objections of the people to his lordship's administration. These were made at the beginning of the session, and yet we find this haughty lord subdued by the opposition against him, and so dispirited through indigence, and the incessant solicitations of his creditors, that he not only omitted to justify himself, but to show
192
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
even an impotent resentment; for after all the censures of the house, he tamely thanked them for passing the bill to discharge him from a small debt, which they could not in justice have refused. The resolutions were in these words:
"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, that the appointing coroners in this colony, without their being chosen by the people, is a grievance and contrary to law .*
" Resolved, That it is and always has been the unquestionable right of every freeman in this colony, that he hath a perfect and entire property in his goods and estate.
" Resolved, That the imposing and levying of any moneys upon her majesty's subjects of this colony, under any pretence or colour whatsoever, without consent in general assembly, is a grievance and a violation of the people's property.
" Resolved, 'T'hat for any officer whatsoever to extort from the people extravagant and unlimited fees, or any money whatsoever, not positively esta- blished and regulated by consent in general assem- bly, is unreasonable and unlawful, a great grievance, and tending to the utter destruction of all property in this plantation.
" Resolved, That the erecting a court of equity without consent in general assembly, is contrary to law, without precedent, and of dangerous conse- quence to the liberty and property of the subjects.
" Resolved, That the raising of money for the government, or other necessary charge, by any tax,
* See lord Bacon's works, fol. edit. vol. II. 152 ; and yet the coroners in every county are still appointed by the governor.
193
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
impost, or burthen on goods imported, or exported, or any clog, or hindrance on traffic or commerce, is found by experience to be the expulsion of many, and the impoverishing of the rest of the planters, freeholders, and inhabitants of this colony ; of most pernicious consequence, which, if continued, will unavoidably prove the ruin of the colony.
" Resolved, That the excessive sums of money screwed from masters of vessels trading here under the notion of port charges, visiting the said vessels by supernumerary officers, and taking extraordinary fees, is the great discouragement of trade, and strangers coming amongst us, beyond the precedent of any other port, and without colour of law.
" Resolved, That the compelling any man, upon trial by a jury or otherwise, to pay any fees for his prosecution, or any thing whatsoever, unless the fees of the officers whom he employs for his necessary defence, is a great grievance, and contrary to justice."*
Lord Cornbury was no less obnoxious to the people of New-Jersey than to those of New-York. The assembly of that province, impatient of his tyranny, drew up a complaint against him, which they sent home to the queen.
Her majesty graciously listened to the cries of her injured subjects, divested him of his power, and appointed lord Lovelace in his stead, declaring that she would not countenance her nearest relations in oppressing her people.
As soon as my lord was superseded, his creditors
* This had a special relation to the late prosecution of Mr. M'Kemie.
VOL. I .- 25
194
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
threw him into the custody of the sheriff of New- York; and he remained here till the death of his father, when succeeding to the earldom of Claren- don, he returned to England.
We never had a governor so universally detested, nor any who so richly deserved the public abhor- rence. In spite of his noble descent, his behaviour was trifling, mean, and extravagant.
It was not uncommon for him to dress himself in a woman's habit, and then to patrole the fort in which he resided. Such freaks of low humour exposed him to the universal contempt of the people; but their indignation was kindled by his despotic rule, savage bigotry, insatiable avarice, and injustice not only to the public but even his private creditors ; for he left some of the lowest tradesmen in his em- ployment unsatisfied in their just demands.
John, lord Lovelace, baron of Hurley, was ap- pointed to this government in the spring, 1708, but did not arrive here till the 18th of December follow- ing. Lord Cornbury's oppressive, mean adminis- tration had long made the people very desirous of a change ; and therefore his successor was received with universal joy. Having dissolved the general assembly soon after his accession to the government, he convened a new one on the 5th of April, 1709, which consisting of members of the same interest with the last, re-elected William Nicoll, the former speaker, into the chair. His lordship told them at the beginning of the session, " That he had brought with him large supplies of soldiers and stores of war, as well as presents for the Indians," than which nothing could be more agreeable to the people. He
195
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
lamented the greatness of the provincial debts, and the decay of public credit ; but still recommended their raising a revenue, for the same term with that . established by the act in the 11th year of the last reign. He also pressed the discharge of the debts of the government, and their examination of the public accounts, "that it may be known (says he) what this debt is, and that it may appear hereafter to all the world, that it was not contracted in my time." This oblique reflection upon his predecessor, who was now ignominiously imprisoned by his creditors, was displeasing to no body.
Though the assembly in their answer, heartily congratulated his lordship's arrival, and thanked the queen for her care of the province, yet they suffi- ciently intimated their disinclination to raise the revenue, which the governor had requested. "Our earnest wishes (to use the words of the address) are, that suitable measures may be taken to encourage the few inhabitants left to stay in it, and others to come. The just freedom enjoyed by our neighbours, by the tender indulgence of the government, has extremely drained and exhausted us both of people and stock; whilst a different treatment, the wrong methods too long taken, and severities practised here, have averted and deterred the usual part of mankind from settling and coming hitherto." To- wards the close, they assure him, "that as the beginning of his government gave them a delightful prospect of tranquillity, so they were come with minds prepared to consult the good of the country and his satisfaction."
196
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
The principal matter which engaged the attention of the assembly, was the affair of the revenue. Lord Cornbury's conduct had rendered them utterly averse to a permanent support for the future, and yet they were unwilling to quarrel with the new governor. They however at last agreed on the 5th of May, to raise £2500 to defray the charges of the government to the 1st of May ensuing, £1600 of which was voted to his excellency, and the remaining sums towards a supply of fire wood and candles to the several forts in New-York, Albany, and Sche- nectady ; and for payment of small salaries to the printer, clerk of the council, and Indian interpreter.
This new project of providing annually for the support of government, was contrived to prevent the mischiefs to which the long revenues had for- merly exposed us. But as it rendered the governor and all the other servants of the crown dependent upon the assembly, a rupture between the several branches of the legislature would doubtless have ensued ; but the very day in which the vote passed the house, his lordship died of a disorder contracted in crossing the ferry at his first arrival in the city of New- York. His lady continued here long after his death, soliciting for the sum voted to her husband; but though the queen interposed by a letter in her behalf, nothing was allowed till several years after- wards.
THE
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
PART IV.
FROM THE CANADA EXPEDITION IN 1709, TO THE ARRIVAL OF GOVERNOR BURNET.
LORD Lovelace being dead, the chief command devolved upon Richard Ingoldsby, the lieutenant- governor, the same who had exercised the govern- ment several years before, upon the decease of colonel Sloughter. His short administration is remarkable, not for his extraordinary talents, for he was a heavy man, but for a second fruitless attempt against Canada. Colonel Vetch, who had been several years before at Quebec, and sounded the river St. Lawrence, was the first projector of this enterprise. The ministry approved of it, and Vetch arrived in Boston and prevailed upon the New- England colonies to join in the scheme. After that he came to New-York, and concerted the plan of operations with Francis Nicholson, formerly our lieutenant-governor, who at the request of Ingoldsby, the council, the assembly, Gurdon Saltonstal, the governor of Connecticut, and Charles Gookin, lieu- tenant-governor of Pennsylvania, accepted the chief
198
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
command of the provincial forces, intended to pene- trate into Canada by the way of Lake Champlain. Impoverished as we were, the assembly joined heartily in the enterprise It was at this juncture our first act for issuing bills of credit was passed, an expedient without which we could not have con- tributed to the expedition, the treasury being then totally exhausted. Universal joy now brightened every man's countenance, because all expected the complete reduction of Canada before the ensuing fall. Big with the pleasing prospect of an event which would put a period to all the ravages of an encroaching, merciless enemy, extend the British empire, and augment our trade, we exerted ourselves to the utmost for the success of the expedition. As soon as the design was made known to the house, twenty ship and house carpenters were impressed into the service for building batteaus ; commissioners also were appointed to purchase provisions and other necessaries, and empowered to break open houses for that purpose, and to impress men, vessels, horses, and wagons, for transporting the stores. Four hundred and eighty-seven men, besides the inde- pendent companies, were raised and despatched to Albany by the 27th of June, from whence they advanced with the main body to the wood creek. Three forts were built there, besides many block- houses and stores for the provisions, which were transported with great despatch. The province of New-York, all things considered, has the merit of having contributed more than any of her neighbours towards this expedition. Pennsylvania gave no kind of aid, and New-Jersey was only at the expense of
199
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
£3000. One hundred batteaus, as many birch canoes, and two of the forts were built entirely, and the other fort for the most part, at the charge of this government. All the provisions and stores for the army were transported at our expense ; and besides our quota of volunteers and the independent companies, we procured and maintained six hundred Indians, and victualed a thousand of their wives and children at Albany during the campaign.
The history of an infant country must consist of many events comparatively trivial: they were never- theless often characteristic. Some of our levies for the expedition were Dutchmen. General Nicholson applied to Mr. Dubois, a city minister, for a person to read prayers to the Dutch soldiery. Dubois, who, if one may so speak, was a presbyterian bishop among the Dutch churches, then supplied with pas- tors from Holland and other parts of the United Provinces, and under the care of the Classis of Am- sterdam, informed the assembly of this request. The house named a serious layman, of the name of Paulus Van Vlech, for this service, and ordered Mr. Dubois and two other Dutch ministers to examine him before two of the council and as many assem- blymen, "and if he was found orthodox, to ordain and qualify him for the ministerial function accord- ingly." Van Vlech urged their compliance, and had a second command upon the ministers. Two of them, Dubois and Antonides, signified by a me- morial, " That they were not empowered to ordain any person to the ministerial function in the Dutch churches, by the directions of the Classis of Amster- dam ; and therefore prayed they may not be ordered
200
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
to do any thing inconsistent with the constitution of the church to which they belong." Colonel Livings- ton presented this memorial, upon which no other step was taken.
The legislature was at that time chiefly composed of members of the Dutch churches, in which the ministers had great sway; and therefore the clergy were puzzled with no questions, respecting the divine rights of ordination, claimed by all presby- terian ministers ; nor a doubt started concerning the authority of the Classis of Amsterdam, under the capitulatory articles of 1664.
Having put ourselves to the expense of above twenty thousand pounds towards this enterprise, the delay of the arrival of the fleet spread a general discontent through the country ; and early in the fall, the assembly addressed the lieutenant-governor to recall our forces from the camp. Vetch and Nicholson soon after broke up the campaign, and retired to Newport in Rhode-Island, where there was a congress of governors. Ingoldsby, who was invited to it, did not appear in compliance with the inclination of the assembly, who incensed at the public disappointment, harboured great jealousies of all the first promoters of the design. As soon therefore, as lord Sunderland's letters, which arrived here on the 21st of October, were laid before the house, they resolved to send an address to the queen, to lay before her a true account of the manner in which this province had exerted itself in the late undertaking.
Had this expedition been vigorously carried on, doubtless it would have succeeded: the public affairs
201
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
at home were conducted by a wise ministry, the allied army triumphed in repeated successes in Flanders, and the court of France was in no condi- tion to give assistance to so distant a colony as Canada. The Indians of the Five Nations were engaged, through the indefatigable solicitations of colonel Schuyler, to join heartily in the attempt ; and the eastern colonies had nothing to fear from the Ouwenagungas, because those Indians had a little before concluded a peace with the confede- rates. In America every thing was ripe for the attack : at home, lord Sunderland, the secretary of state, had proceeded so far as to despatch orders to the queen's ships at Boston to hold themselves in readiness, and the British troops were upon the point of their embarkation. At this juncture, the news arrived of the defeat of the Portuguese, which reducing our allies to great straits, the forces intended for the American adventure were then ordered to their assistance, and the thoughts of the ministry entirely diverted from the Canada expe- dition.
As we had not a man in this province, who had more extended views of the importance of driving the French out of Canada than colonel Schuyler, so neither did any person more heartily engage in the late expedition. To preserve the friendship of the Five Nations, without which it would be impossible to prevent our frontiers from becoming a field of blood, he studied all the arts of insinuating himself into their favour: he gave them all possible encou- ragement and assistance, and very much impaired his own fortune by his liberality to their chiefs. VOL. I .- 26
202
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
They never came to Albany but they resorted to his house, and even dined at his table; and by this means he obtained an ascendency over them which was attended with very good consequences to the province, for he could always in a great degree, obviate or eradicate the prejudices and jealousies, by which the French jesuits were incessantly labour- ing to debauch their fidelity.
Impressed with a strong sense of the necesity of some vigorous measures against the French, colonel Schuyler was extremely discontented at the late disappointment, and resolved to make a voyage to England at his private expense, the better to incul- cate on the ministry the absolute necessity of re- ducing Canada to the crown of Great Britain. For that purpose he proposed to carry home with him five Indian chiefs. The house no sooner heard of his design than they came to a resolution, which in justice to his distinguished merit I ought not to sup- press. It was this: -
" Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That the hum- ble address of the lieutenant-governor, council, and general assembly of this colony to the queen, repre- senting the present state of this plantation, be com- mitted to his charge and care, to be presented by himself to her sacred majesty ; he being a person who not only in the last war, when he commanded the forces of this colony in chief at Canada, but also in the present, has performed faithful services to this and the neighbouring colonies, and behaved himself in the offices with which he has been in- trusted with good reputation, and the general satis- faction of the people in these parts."
208
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
· 'The address to the queen contains this ill-penned but interesting information: " We conceive it our indispensible duty to lay at your royal foot how dan- gerous the French are seated at Canada, and the maxims they follow for making themselves formi- dable there. It is well known they can go by water from Quebec to Montreal. From thence they can do the like, through rivers and lakes, at the back of all your majesty's plantations on this continent as far as Carolina ; and in this large tract of country live several nations of Indians who are vastly nume- rous: among those they constantly send emissaries and priests, with toys and trifles, to insinuate them- selves into their favour. Afterwards they send traders, then soldiers, and at last build forts among them; and the garisons are encouraged to inter- marry, cohabit, and incorporate among them; and it may easily be concluded, that upon a peace many of the disbanded soldiers will be sent thither for that purpose. They having already a fort and gar- rison at Tieughsaghrondie, being the chief hunting place of our Indians, and about five hundred miles from Canada; and other forts and settlements as many miles further: how pernicious this in time will prove to your majesty's subjects on this coast, we cannot think on but with the greatest concern ; for should they, having by degrees brought those vast nations to their devotions, fall on your majesty's said plantations, it would hardly be in the power of any forces that could be sent from Great Britain to reclaim or reduce them; it being impossible for Christians to pursue and overtake those Indians in
204
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
the woods, they being reputed to be swifter than any other nations."
The arrival of the five sachems in England made a great bruit throughout the whole kingdom. The mob followed wherever they went, and small cuts of them were sold among the people. The court was at that time in mourning for the death of the prince of Denmark: these American kings* were therefore dressed in black under cloths after the English manner; but, instead of a blanket, they had each a scarlet in-grain cloth mantle, edged with gold, thrown over all their other garments. - This dress was directed by the dressers of the playhouse, and given by the queen, who was advised to make a show of them. A more than ordinary solemnity attended the audience they had of her majesty. Sir Charles Cotterel conducted them in two coaches to St. James', and the lord chamberlain introduced them into the royal presence. Their speech, on the 19th of April, 1710, is preserved by Oldmixon, and was in these words :-
" Great Queen,
" We have undertaken a long voyage, which none of our predecessors could be prevailed upon to un- dertake, to see our great queen, and relate to her those things which we thought absolutely necessary for the good of her, and us her allies, on the other side the water.
" We doubt not but our great queen has been acquainted with our long and tedious war, in con- junction with her children, against her enemies the
* This title is commonly bestowed on the sachems, though the Indians have no such dignity or office amongst them.
205
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
French ; and that we have been as a strong wall for their security, even to the loss of our best men. We were mightily rejoiced when we heard our great queen had resolved to send an army to reduce Canada, and immediately, in token of friendship, we hung up the kettle and took up the hatchet, and with one consent assisted colonel Nicholson in making preparations on this side the lake ; but at length. we were told our great queen, by some important. affairs, was prevented in her design at present, which made us sorrowful, lest the French, who had hitherto dreaded us, should now think us unable to make war against them. The reduction of Canada is of great weight to our free hunting, so that if our great queen should not be mindful of us, we must, with our families, forsake our country and seek other habitations, or stand neuter, either of which will be much against our inclinations.
"In token of the sincerity of these nations, we do in their names, present our great queen with these belts of wampum, and in hopes of our great queen's favour, leave it to her most gracious consideration."
While colonel Schuyler was at the British court, captain Ingoldsby was displaced, and Gerardus Beekman exercised the powers of government, from the 10th of April, 1710, till the arrival of brigadier Hunter, on the 14th of June following. The council then present were,
MR. BEEKMAN, MR. MOMPESSON,
MR. VAN DAM,
MR. BARBARIE,
COLONEL BENSLAER, MR. PHILIPSE,
Hunter was a native of Scotland, and, when a boy, put apprentice to an apothecary. He left his
206
HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.
master and went into the army; and being a man of wit and personal beauty, recommended himself to lady Hay, whom he afterwards married. In the year 1707, he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Virginia, but being taken by the French in his voyage to that colony, he was carried into France, and upon his return to England, appointed to suc- ceed lord Lovelace in the government of this and the province of New-Jersey. Dean Swift's letter to him during his captivity, shows that he had the honour of an intimacy with Mr. Addison and others, who were distinguished for their good sense and learning ; and perhaps it was by their interest he was advanced to this profitable place.
Governor Hunter brought over with him near three thousand Palatines, who the year before fled to England from the rage of persecution in Ger- many. Many of these people seated themselves in the city of New-York, where they built a Lutheran church, which is now in a declining condition. Others settled on a tract of several thousand acres, in the manor of Livingston. Their village there, called the Camp, is one of the pleasantest situations on Hudson's river ; right opposite, on the west bank are many other families of them. Some went into Pennsylvania. and by the favourable accounts of the country, which they transmitted to Germany, were instrumental to the transmigration of many thou- sands of their countrymen into that province. Queen Anne's liberality to these people was not more beneficial to them than serviceable to this colony. They have behaved themselves peaceably, and lived with great industry. Many are rich ; all are pro-
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.