USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 2 > Part 35
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attitude. Several were killed, while others were captured, and sent to Montreal.
While the French endeavoured to make peace with the Ago- neaseah, the frontiers of the province of New-York enjoyed an un- disturbed repose.
On the 26th of March, 1694, a law passed for raising and pay- ing one hundred and seventy men, who were to be employed in the defence of the frontiers of the county of Albany.
In October the same year, provision was made to levy one hundred men, to strengthen the posts in the same county. The reader will keep in mind, that Albany then included all the country north of Dutchess and Ulster, and westwardly of New England. The few settlements were on the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, and these did not extend much beyond the limits of Albany and Schen- ectady.
Colonel Fletcher, and the assembly at this session, came to an open rupture. The seeds of the dispute had been sown some time before. His excellency was rash, passionate, and avaricious,
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and continually importuning the house for money, which it had not, and which it inclined not to raise. In the midst of his passions, he dissolved the house, and called another in June.
The count Frontenac was then repairing the old fort at Cadara- qui. His excellencey laid this matter before the house, and the king's assignment of the quotas of the several colonies. The list of the quotas stood thus :-
Massachusets -
£350
Rhode Island, and Providence Plantation
48
Connecticut
120
New-York
200
Pennsylvania -
· 80
Maryland -
168
Virginia
240
As a number of forces were now arrived, the assembly were in hopes the province would be relieved from raising any more men for the defence of the frontiers ; and to obtain this favour from the governor ordered one thousand pounds to be levied, one-half to be presented to him, and the other, to be distributed among the Eng- lish officers and soldiers ; but the governor disproved this gratuity, and so the law did not poss.
In September, colonel Fletcher went up to Albany with very considerable presents to the Agoneaseab, whom he censured for suffering the French to rebuild the fort at Cadaraqui, or Fron- tenac.
While these works were carrying on, the Dinondadies made over- tures of peace to the Agoneaseah, which were readily acceded to, because, so long as they were at war with them, they never dared to march all their forces against Canada. The Dinondadies lived on the shores, or in the vicinity of lake Michigan.
In July, 1695, the legislature voted one thousand pounds, for the purpose of employing an agent at the court of Great Britain. Hitherto no person of this description had been employed. . This colony, as well as the other colonies, were obliged to main- tain agents near the court of St. Jaines, in order to guard, and see to their several rights, and counteract the false representations, which were frequently made by the governors, and their minions.
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In after times, several colonies joined and appointed one agent, who attended to their separate concerns. Dr. Franklin resided ,many years in London in this capacity, and acquitted himself with distinguished honour. Fifteen hundred pounds were voted for the payment of a company of fuzileers, and to keep the troops in the service.
The French never had a governor in Canada, so vigilant and active as the count de Frontenac. He liad no sooner repaired the old fort called by his name, than he formed the design of invading . the country of the Agoneaseah. For this purpose, in 1696, he convened at Montreal, all the regulars and militia under his com- mand ; the' Owenagungas, Quatoghies, Adirondacks, Sokakies, Nipiciriniens, Caughnawagas, and some Utawawas. The forces were embarked on board of light barks, which were portable when- ever the rapidity of the stream, and the crossing of an isthmus rendered it necessary.
The count left La Chine at the south end of the island of Mon- treal, on the seventh of July. Two battalions of regulars, under Le Chevalier de Calliers, headed by a number of the auxiliaries, led the van, with two small field pieces, the mortars &c. After them, followed the provisions ; then the main body, and a consider- able number of volunteers : and four battalions of the militia, com- manded by M. de Ramezai. Two battalions of regulars, and a few of the auxiliaries under the chevalier de Vaudruel, brought up the rear. Before the army went a parcel of scouts to descry the tracks, and ambuscades of the enemy. After twelve days march, they arrived at Cadaraqui, or Frontenac, about one hundred and eighty miles above Montreal. They then crossed lake Ontario to Oswego. From thence they proceeded up the river, fifty men marching on each side of the stream, to Three river point, where they took the Seneca branch, and followed it up to the mouth of Onondaga outlet, which they ascended and entered that lake. After they had entered it, the army divided into two parts, the one coasting along the east, and the other along the west side, till they had reached its head, near where the village of Salina now stands. Here they landed, and erected a small fort. The Onondagas had sent away their wives and children, and were determined to defend
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their castle, which was distant about nine miles, till they were in- formed by a deserter of the superior strength of the French, and the nature of the bombs which were intended to be used against them ; but they then altered their minds, and set fire to their own villages, and fled to the woods. The French, without delay, marched to the castle ; but found it deserted. They then destroy- ed the corn, and every thing which the Onondagas had left behind. M. de Vaudrueil went with a detachment to Oneida, where he took thirty-five prisoners. The French were considerably annoyed in their retreat, by the Onondagas, who cut off some of their boats.
The continual incursions of the Agoneaseah on the country near Montreal, again spread farine through Canada. The count Fron- tenac kept up his spirits to the last ; and sent out small parties, -some of whom infested Albany, as those of the Agoneaseah did Montreal, till the peace between England and France, in 1697.
. In April, 1696, the legislature voted two thousand five hundred and ninety-three pounds, for the payment of the troops in the gar- risons, and also for raising one hundred and twenty-five men. The forces of the province, including the levy, comprised only four companies.
On the 30th of October in the same year, an act was passed to levy one hundred men, in order to increase the garrison at Albany. Twelve hundred pounds were voted for this service.
Two thousand three hundred pounds were voted in April, 1697, for securing the frontiers of the county of Albany, and for carrying on the recruiting service.
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CHAPTER XVI.
The Earl of Bellamont succeeds Colonel Fletcher in 1698 .- His Lordship espouses the cause of the Leislerians, &c .- His cor- respondence with Count Frontenac, &c .- Controversies between the Leislerians, and Anti-Leislerians .- Bellamont's partiality to the Leislerians-Vacation of several extravagant grants, made by Colonel Fletcher-A tyrannical act against Jesuits, and Romish Priests .- Supplies voted for the defence of the Province .- Death of the Earl of Bellamont in 1701 .- Mr. Nanfan succecds him as Lieutenant-Governor, &c .- Violent measures .- Mr. Nanfan succeeded by Lord Cornbury .- He on his arrival espoused the side of the Anti-Leislerians .- His meanness, ava- rice, bigotry, tyranny, &c.
Richard, Earl of Bellamont, was appointed to succeed Colonel Fletcher, in the year 1695 ; but did not receive his commission till the 18th of June, 1697. He did not arrive here before the 2d of April, 1698.
During the late war, the seas were very much infested with English pirates, some of whom sailed out of New-York. Captain Kid was entrusted with the command of a frigate, with orders to clear the American seas of pirates. He sailed from Plymouth for New-York, in April, 1696 ; but he afterwards turned pirate himself. The Earl of Bellamont, some time after, had him arrested at Bos- ton ; but as many of the officers of government were secretly con- cerned with him, it does not appear that he received that punish- ment which his crimes merited.
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Lord Bellamont's commission was published in council, on the day of his arrival.
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After the Earl had dispatched Captain John Schuyler, and D ..!- lius the Dutch minister at Albany, to Canada, with the account of the peace, and to solicit an exchange of prisoners ; he laid before the council letters from Secretary Vernon, and the East India Company, relating to the pirates. After considering the whole matter, the council advised his Lordship to arrest Colonel Fletel:c: .. and Mr. Nicolls ; but their advice was never carried into effect, pro- - bably, owing to a want of evidence. It was nevertheless certain, that the pirates were frequently in the Sound, and supplied with provisions by the people of Long Island, who, for many years after- wards, were so infatuated with a notion that the pirates buried great quantities of money along the coast, that there is scarce a point of land, or an island, without the marks of their auri sacra famcs, or hidden treasures of gold. Some credulous people have ruined themselves by these researches, and propagated a thousand idle fables, which are current to this day among those fond of the mar- vellous. Smith.
As Fletcher, through the whole of his administration, had been entirely influenced by the enemies of Leisler : nothing could be more agreeable to the numerous adherents of that unfortunate man, than his Lordship's disaffection to the late governor. It was for this reason they immediately devoted themselves to his Lordship, as the head of their party.
The majority of the council were Fletcher's friends, and there needed nothing more to render them obnoxious to his Lordship. Leisler's advocates, at the same time mortally hated them; not only because they had imbrued their hands in the blood of the principal men of their party ; but also because they had engrossed the sole confidence of the late governor, and brought down his re- sentinent upon them. Hence, at the commencement of the Earl's administration, the members of the council had every thing to fear; while the party they had depressed, began once again to erect its head, under the smiles of a governor who was fond of their aid. as they were solicitous to concilitate his favor.
Had his Lordship countenanced the enemies as well as the friends of Leisler, which he might have done ; his administration would doubtless, have been easier to himself, and more advantageous to
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the province ; but his inflexible aversion to Colonel Fletcher, pre- vented his acting with that moderation, which was necessary to en- able him to govern both parties. The fire of his temper appeared very early, on his suspending Mr. Nicoll from the board of the council, &c. But his speech to the new assembly, convened on the 18th of May, gave the fullest evidence of his abhorence of the late administration*
Philip French was chosen speaker, and waited upon his excel- lency with the house, when his Lordship spoke to them in the fol- lowing manner :-
e " I cannot but observe to you, what a legacy my predecessor has left me, and what difficulties to struggle with ; a divided people, an empty purse, a few miserable, naked, half starved soldiers : not half the king allowed pay for; the fortifications, and even the go- vernor's house very much out of repair-and in a word, the whole government out of frame. It hath been represented, that this pro- vince has been a noted receptacle of pirates, and the trade of it under no restrictions ; but the acts of trade, violated by the neglect and connivance of those whose duty it was to have prevented it."
After this introduction, he put them in mind that the revenue was near expiring.
" It would be hard," says he, " If I that come among you with an honest mind, and a resolution to be just to your interest, should meet with greater difficulties in the discharge of my duty, than those that have gone before me. I will take care that there shall be no misapplication of the public money. I will pocket none of it myself: nor shall there be any embezzlement by others ; but exact accounts shall be given, when, and as often as you shall re- quire it."
The house, although unanimous in a hearty address of thanks to his lordship for his speech, could scarce agree upon any thing else. It was some time before they had finished the controversies relating to the late. turbulent elections ; and even then, six members se- ceded, which obliged his excellency to dissolve the house, on the 14th of June, 169S. About the same time, his Lordship dismissed Pinhorne, and Brook from the council.
* Sec Smith's Hist. of N. Y.
VOL. 11.
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In July, the disputes with the French, concerning the exchange of prisoners, obliged the governor to go up to Albany. When the Earl sent the account of the conclusion of the peace to the gover- nor of Canada, all the French prisoners in the province were re- stored, and as to those among the Agoneaseah, he promised to order them to be safely escorted to Montreal. His Lordship then added : " I doubt not Sir, that you, on your part, will also issue an order to relieve the subjects of the king, captivated during the war ; whether Christians, or the Agoneaseah.
The Count de Frontenac, fearful of being drawn into an implicit acknowledgment that the Agoneaseah were subject to the English crown, demanded the French prisoners among them, to be brought to Montreal; threatening at the same time, to continue the war against them, if they did not comply with his request. After his Lord- ship's interview with the chiefs of the Agoneaseah, he wrote a second letter to the Count, informing him, that they liad importu- nately begged to continue under the protection of the English crown, professing ' an inviolable subjection, and fidelity to his majesty ; and that the Agoneaseah were always considered as sub- jects, which can be manifested to all the world, by authentic and solid proof. His Lordship added, " that he would not suffer them to be insulted, and threatened to execute the laws of England upon the missionaries, if they continued any longer among the Agonea- seah." " If it is necessary," says he, " I will arm every man in the province to opposeyou, and redress the injury that you may have perpetrated against the Agoneaseah."
The Count de Frontenac, in his answer, proposed to refer the dispute to the commissioners, to be appointed according to the treaty ; but the Earl continued the claim, insisting that the French prisoners should be delivered up at Albany.
Count Frontenac dying while this matter was controverted, M. de Callieres, his successor, sent ambassadors the next year to Onondaga, there to regulate the exchange of prisoners, which was accomplished without the Earl's consent. Smith.
Great alterations were made in the council, on his excellency's return from Albany. Bayard, Mienvielle, Willet, Townley, and Lawrence, were all suspended on [the 28th of September; and
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colonel Depeyster, Messrs. Livingston, and Staats, called to the board ; Mr. Philipse resigned, and Mr. Walters took his place.
The new assembly, of which James Graham was chosen speaker, met in the spring. His Lordship addressed them on the twenty- first of March, 1699.
As the late assembly was principally composed of Anti-Leis- lerians, so this consisted almost entirely of Leislerians, designa- tions corresponding with those in our times. The elections were attended with great outrage, and tumult : and many applications were made relating to the returns; but as Abraham Governeur, who had been secretary to Leisler, got returned for Orange, and was very active in the house, all the petitions were rejected with- out ceremony.
Among the principal acts passed at this session, there was one for indemnifying those who were excepted out of the general pardon, in 1691 ; another against pirates ; and one to raise fifteen hundred pounds, as a present to his Lordship, and five hundred pounds for the lieutenant-governor Mr. Nanfan.
A law was also made for the regulation of elections. It requi- red that the electors should be resident, and possessed of freeholds of the value of forty pounds, or upwards. It was likewise voted, that the post office in the city of New-York, should be continued two years longer.
This assembly took also into consideration, sundry extravagant grants of land, which colonel Fletcher had made to several of his favourites.
Among these four grants, two to Dellius the Dutch minister at Albany, one to Nicholas Bayard, and one to Captain John Evans, were the most considerable. Dellius was one of the commissioners for Agoneasean affairs, and had fradulently obtained Agoneasean deeds, according to which, the patents had been granted. One of these lay on the east side of the Hudson, and extended northerly seventy miles, and had a breadth of twelve miles. It commenced on the northernmost boundary of Saratoga, and stretched north- wardly to the rock Rossian .* The rent reserved to the crown on this enormous grant, was one hundred raccoon skins per annum.
* At this period, the country on, both sides of the Hudson was called Sara-
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A second to the said Dellius, and to Messrs. Pinhorn and Bank- er, was on the Mohawk river. It began above a place then called Orakkee, and from a place named by the Agoneaseah, Owendiere, and ran westwardly along that river, to a place denominated Arachi- Sochne, fifty miles. It had a breadth of four miles, two being on each side of the river. The annual rent reserved, was five beaver skins. Dellius spoke the Huron language, and occasionally preached to the people living in the Mohawk canton.
The third grant was made to colonel Nicholas Bayard. [It com- menced at the mouth of Schoharie creek, and extended from the . Agoneasean fields, then called Icanderago, but since fort Hunter, to the head of the creek's first springs, at or near the hill then known by the name of Kanjearagore, which we suppose to be the Kaats- kill mountains. The two extremities then, were Icanderago, or the flats at fort Hunter and Kanjearagore or the Kaatskill mountains at the head of the creek. The breadth of this grant is not speci- fied : we presume, however, that it embraced all the country from whence the Schoharie and its confluents derive their waters. Our induction or presumption is founded on the consideration that the heads of streams, among the Agoneaseah, Moheakanneews, and other American nations, were often deemed boundaries, and that from the difficulty in always determining these with accuracy, the source of many of their wars may be traced.
This extensive grant was erected into a lordship or manor called Kingsfield. It had no civilized inhabitants. . Two of the Mohawk clans, to wit : the Icanderagoes and Schoharies occupied it. The sonorous names of Icanderago and Kanjearagore have given place to Fort Hunter and Kaatskill. It is much to be regretted that the names of ancient places have been changed ; and that others which have no meaning, or what is worse than no meaning, have been substituted. The name of a little block-house and stockade fort has supplanted that of Icanderago. But why should we find fault with those who lived a century ago, for doing what is every year's practice in our own times? England, Germany, Turkey, and Hin- dostan, are ransacked for names.
toga. The rock Rossian is in Willsborough, Essex county, and is now called Split Rock.
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The fourth grant was made to capt. John Evans. It lay on the west side of the Hudson. It began at a place called Palse, and extended southerly along the river to the Mohickander lands, at Murderer's kill, in Orange county, and thence westerly to the foot of the high bills called Pitkiskuker and Aiaskawasting, (now Sha- wangunk mountain,) and thence southerly, all along the said hills, and the river Peakadasand (now Shawangunk river,) to a water pond lying upon the said hills, named Marchary, comprehending - all those lands, meadows, and woods denominated Nescotonck, Chawangen, Memorasink, Kacogh, Getawan, Annuck, and Gillata- wogh.
Such were the exorbitant grants. There were several others of less extent. All these grants were vacated at the instance of Lord Bellamont, on the ground that they would impede the settlement of the country, and tend to estrange the Agoneaseah and Mohick- anders.
The act of vacation provided that no governor should thereafter demise or grant any lands for a longer period than he should be in office. Before this the governors had authority to make un- limited grants. Wise as the provision was, the colonial governors, and, after them, the state governors, devised means of evading it. Hence all the public lands have been trifled away and have fallen into the hands of a few favourites, a few speculators, and some governmental servants, who have either leased or sold them out to actual settlers, or still hold them.
This has retarded the population of the state. Now, emigrants . pass through the state, to Ohio, Michigan, and Canada, where lands can be had on liberal terms.
A law was enacted by the legislature, at this session, against je- suits and popish priests, which savoured very strong of the bigotry of the times.
The act required all jesuits, and popish priests to leave the pro- vince by the first day of November, in the same year, under the penalty of perpetual imprisonment, and'death in case they attemp- ted to break prison. It authorised the justices of the peace to ap- prehend such persons as were suspected without warrant, process, or information. It also gave rewards. The preamble is a curiosity
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in legislation, and reminds us of the preamble to the act establishing a hierarchy in the city and county of New-York, &c. to the mani- fest detriment of dissenters and the public. It is in these words : " Whereas divers jesuits and popish missionaries have of late come, and for some time have had their residence in the remote parts of this province, and others his majesty's adjacent colonies, who by their wicked and subtle insinuations industriously labour to debauch, seduce, and withdraw the Indians, from their due obedience unto his most sacred majesty, and to excite and stir them up to sedition, rebellion, and open hostility against his majesty's government : For prevention whereof," &c.
In vain might such legislators declaim against the illiberal policy which created the Romish inquisition : the better informed part of mankind will consider both as having emanated from the same pol- luted source. Every country has had its fanatics, its bigots and persecutors. If Roman catholicks have been illiberal and have departed from generous legislation :- we have an instance in the case before us of a set of protestants, armed with power, being equally illiberal.
At this time the French maintained some jesuits and missionaries among the Agoneaseah an independent nation. This gave umbrage to the government, and origin to the law. The English government pretended to jurisdiction over this people, and claimed them as subjects. The Agoneaseah have preserved their freedom and inde- pendence to this day ; they have never ackuowledged an extrane- ous domination ; they are still as free as the air they breathe. They had the right to receive and entertain the French missiona- ries or those of any other nation. .
In the month of August, in the year 1700, one thousand pounds were voted to build a fort at Onondaga. No fort, however, was ever built. The Onondagas, as well as the other Agoneasean can- tons, had concluded peace with the French, and they did not in- cline to have them, or the English, erect fortifications in their coun- try. They viewed these establishments as steps towards depriving them of their rights and liberties.
On the 29th of October, in the same year, a law was made de-
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claring the town of East Chester, in the county of Westchester, a distinct parish forever from the town of Westchester ; provided that the inhabitants should maintain a good, orthodox, protestant minister, (a minister of the church of England.) By the very pro- vision of the act, the town reverted again to Westchester, whenever the inhabitants failed in a compliance. We have noticed this act merely because it is an anomally in legislation.
The earl of Bellamont died on the 6th of March, 1701. He seems to have been a man of art, and some talents, but he was strongly tinctured with prejudice and fanaticism, the common fail- ings of the age.
John Nanfan, the lieutenant-governor, succeeded him.
The British crown gave two thousand pounds for the defence of Albany and Schenectady, and five hundred pounds for erecting a fort in ' Onondaga. Not long after, an ordinance was issued for creating a Court of Chancery, which was to sit once a month. The powers of the chancellor were vested in the governor and council, or any two of that board. Masters, clerks, and a register were appointed.
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