made laws, appointed officers, and decided all important controversies.

In 1641, the governor and council permitted certain Englishmen, to settle in the Dutch territory; and under this permission, several towns at the west end of Long Island, were settled; and the inhabitants were vested with the privilege of electing their own magistrates; subject, however, to the negative of the governor. The unlimited powers entrusted to the governor and council, and the manner in which they were exercised, produced great discontents among the inhabitants. In 1653, the people, dissatisfied with the abitrary conduct of their rulers, in rejecting their favorite magistrates, and in making grants of land; and feeling the want of a more regular system of government and laws, determined to seek redress. For this purpose, a convention of delegates from several towns was held, at the city of New Amsterdam, and agreed on a spirited remonstrance. Among other things, they complained, that the people were excluded from all share in making laws, and in the appointment of magistrates.' This remonstrance gave great offense to the governor and council, and they entered their protest against the meeting itself. Unable to obtain redress or any share in the government, the people became more dissatisfied; and many of them were not unwilling to surrender the colony to the British, when it was demanded not long after, by Col. Nichols, in the name of the British crown.

*

In 1664, the Dutch colony was surrendered to Nichols, and on terms favorable to the inhabitants. The Dutch governor, Stuyvesant, was determined to resist, but the people were not disposed to support him.

In a proclamation, issued by the King's commissioners, previous to a surrender, the inhabitants, in case of submission, were promised, not only protection in their persons and property, but "all other privileges with his Majesty's subjects." In this, however they were for a long time disappointed. Until 1683, the people were deprived of all share in the government. Until this period,

* Wood's Sketch of Long Island. † Smith's History of New York, p. 43.

they in vain solicited to be represented in an assembly, as in the other English colonies. All the powers of government were vested in a governor and council; and some of these were the fit instruments of the despotic James. The famous Sir Edmund Andrus was appointed governor in 1674; and he strongly opposed these just claims of the people. His conduct was approved by his royal master, who afterwards said to him, "you have done well to discourage any mention of assemblies, of which the inhabitants are desirous, as they are neither in your instructions, nor consistent with your power of government."*

The prince, however, was at last compelled to yield to the repeated and earnest solicitations of the people on this point. Thomas Dongan, a new governor, in 1683, brought with him instructions to call an assembly, to consist of his council and of the representatives of the freeholders; and in October of that year, an assembly was called, and the people, for the first time, had a share in the government of that colony.

The people, however, did not at once experience all the advantages expected from this change. They, also, as well as New England, were doomed to feel the effects of the arbitrary and despotic principles of the reigning prince, and to be justly alarmed for the protestant faith.

Dongan was a Roman catholic, and under his administration many of his persuasion began to settle in the colony, and held some of the first offices. The collectors of the revenue, and other principal officers, at last, openly declared in favor of the Roman catholic religion.

This excited the indignation of the people, and the seizure of Sir Edmund Andrus, at Boston, encouraged them in their opposition.

Jacob Leisler, a man not before much known, with his son in law, Milbourne, placed themselves at the head of the opposition; and with the militia, who joined them, seized the fort. Dongan had resigned the government to Francis Nicholson, who was lieutenant governor, and embarked for Europe. Leisler and his adherents, *Chalmers, p. 581.

in June, 1689, signed a declaration in favor of the prince of Orange, engaging to submit to such orders as should be'received from him. During this interregnum, the province was thrown into the utmost confusion.

The mayor of the city and other influential men refused to join Leisler. He, however, called to his assistance several persons, denominated a committee of safety, and managed the affairs of the government; and the lower part of the province submitted to his authority. The mayor and many others, refused to submit to one whom they deemed an usurper, and retired to Albany; where the people formed themselves into a convention, and determined to hold that city, independent of Leisler and his party, and in favor of the prince of Orange. In the mean time, William had been placed upon the British throne, and despatches from the new government arrived at New York in December, directed "to Francis Nicholson, or, in his absence, to such as, for the time being, took care for preserving the peace and administering the laws, in their Majesty's province of New York, in America." These despatches authorised Nicholson, to take upon him the command, with the assistance of as many of the principal freeholders, as he should think fit, and "to do every thing appertaining to the office of lieutenant governor, according to the laws and usages of New York, until further orders." Nicholson having left the province, Leisler considered himself as having the care of the province, and under these orders, assumed the government. He established a council, appointed officers, and issued commissions in his own name, under the title and authority of lieutenant governor. The people at Albany, however, refused to submit to his assumed authority, until compelled by a superior force, which he sent against them. The principal members of the convention fled into the neighbouring colonies, and their estates were confiscated. These extraordinary proceedings created a deadly animosity between these parties, which was long felt in that province.*

* Chalmers' Annals, and Smith's History of New York.

In this distracted state of the province, Henry Slaughter arrived as governor, under William and Mary; and in March, 1691, published his commission. By some strange infatuation, Leisler refused, at first, to deliver the fort to the new governor, when demanded; pretending that he did not know him; and declaring "he would own no governor, without orders, under the King's own hand."

A second demand for the delivery of the fort was made, and a refusal given on the part of Leisler. The governor then ordered a ship of war to attack the fort. Before this was done, Leisler sent his secretary, Milbourne, and one Mr. Lenoy, to enter into terms of capitulation. These envoys the governor seized, and without entering into any treaty, immediately secured. An officer was then sent, to seize Leisler and his council; and to order his men to lay down their arms. After some debate, most of the men submitted, and Leisler and his council were seized and brought before the governor.

By the advice of the new council, who were the enemies of Leisler, they were immediately tried for treason, and condemned. The governor was strongly solicited to put their sentence into immediate execution, but he was resolved to wait the pleasure of the King.*

The enemies of Leisler and Milbourne were greatly disappointed at this; and determined upon their destruction, took advantage of the weakness of the governor, at a feast, to which he had been invited, and obtained a warrant for their execution, which was immediately enforced. A complaint was afterwards presented to the king, against the governor, by the son of Leisler.

The lords commissioners of trade, to whom this complaint was referred, reported that these persons" were condemned and had suffered according to law;" but their estates were restored to their families, by order of her majesty; and afterwards their bodies were taken up and interred, with much ceremony, in the old Dutch church in the city of New York. Governor Slaughter, immediately after his arrival, summoned an assembly, which met

Slaughter's Letter in Chalmers, p. 611. + Smith's History, p. 128.

on the 9th of April. A majority in this assembly had been opposed to Leisler; and they declared his proceedings to be illegal, against the rights of the king, and that his holding the fort, against the governor, was an act of rebellion.

The meeting of this assembly, being the first after the revolution in England, constitutes a new era in the political history of New York.

This assembly declared, "that all the laws consented to by the general assembly, under James, Duke of York, and the liberties and privileges therein contained, granted to the people, and declared to be their rights, not being observed, nor ratified and approved by his royal highness, nor the late king, are null and void, and of none effect; and also, that the several ordinances, made by the late governors and councils, being contrary to the constitution of England, and the practice of the government of their majesties' other plantations in America, are likewise null and void, and of no effect, within this province." Having thus disposed of the former laws and ordinances of the province, they proceed and pass "an act declaring what are the rights and privileges of their majesties' subjects inhabiting within their province of New York.' This act, which embraced the great principles contained in magna charta, will be noticed hereafter, when on the subject of the rights and privileges claimed by the colonists generally.

Governor Slaughter died, in July, 1691; and he is represented, by the author of the history of New York, as "utterly destitute of every qualification for government, licentious in his morals, avaricious and poor."*

He was succeeded by governor Fletcher, who was a soldier, a man of strong passions, and small capacity. Bigoted to the church of England, he was determined on the establishment of English ministers of that church in the province; and to have himself the right of induction and collation.

This subject he often earnestly recommended to the consideration of the assembly; but a majority of the house, attached to the Dutch mode of worship, were strongly opposed, and at

* Smith, p. 121.