1745. duction, a proposal carried by only a single vote. The northern States, invited to coöperate against the common enemy, furnished some small supplies of men and money, but the chief burden fell upon Massachusetts itself. The enthusiasm of her citizens was enkindled by religious zeal as well as commercial interest: all classes offered themselves as volunteers, from the hardy woodman of the interior, to the intrepid fisherman of the coast. The celebrated Whitfield, at the time on a preaching tour throughout the colonies, aided the expedition by his stirring eloquence, and suggested as a motto for the flag of the New Hampshire regiment, "Nil desperandum CHRISTO duce" "Nothing is to be despaired of with CHRIST as our leader." Over Early in April ten vessels, with a body of over three thousand men, assembled at Canso, to wait there the melting of the ice and the arrival of the Connecticut and Rhode Island quotas. Very fortunately they were here joined by four English ships of war, under the command of Captain Warren, who, at the solicitation of Shirley, had been ordered to coöperate zealously with the expedition. the New England armament was William Pepperell, a wealthy merchant of Maine, but who had no further knowledge of military affairs than he had obtained by commanding the militia. On the morning of the last day of April, the squadron arrived off Louisburg, the troops were landed in spite of opposition, and the siege was carried on with all the energy of courage and enthusiasm, though uninstructed and Can inexperienced in the art of war. non were dragged through morasses and over rocky hills, and batteries were established in an irregular sort of way; but no impression was made upon the works, and after the first outburst of excitement was spent, the most sanguine were compelled to admit that the place seemed all but impregnable, and that the campaign promised to be both long and arduous. Happily the greatest friends of the besiegers were a discontented garrison and embarrassed governor, whose supplies had been already cut off by the vigilance of the English fleet, that now succeeded in capturing, under his very eyes, a ship of war sent to his relief. To hold out longer with any chance of success was impossible, and on the 17th of June he accordingly surrendered. This important capture was looked on by the pious New Englanders as "a remarkable providence," and caused great rejoicings at Boston. The enterprise indeed was all their own, though its success had been materially promoted by succors from the mother country, where their energy and prowess were duly recognised, not without some slight tincture of jealous apprehensions for the future. Pepperell was made a baronet, and both he and Shirley received commissions as colonels in the British army. Warren was made rear admiral. The attempt under the Duke D'Anville, with a large fleet and several thousand veteran troops, to retake Louisburg, was defeated by storms and fatal sickness. The French, however, obtained possession again of this strong fortress by the terms of the 1746. treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle; which excited very considerably the indignation of the New Englanders. Parliament subsequently reimbursed the colonies, for the expenses incurred in their efforts against the French, to the amount of upwards of a million of dollars. 1747. 175 tired from the town to the castle, situated on an island in the neighboring bay, a retreat which the more zealous of the mob began to consider equal to an abdication. As matters had now reached an alarming pitch, the leading members of society, who had fully conAs an illustration of the spirit of the curred in the movement, began to think Bostonians in all matters where they that it was time to check it, and assemconceived their liberties entrenched bling in town meeting, declared their upon, it deserves to be noted how they intention, at the same time that they served Commodore Knowles and yielded to none in a sense of the outhis attempts to impress men for rage committed by Knowles, to stand his ships. One morning in November by the governor and executive, and to he sent a press-gang on shore who seized suppress this threatening tumult, which and carried off several of the inhabit- they very conveniently attributed to ants. So soon as the outrage was "negroes and persons of vile condition." known the whole city was alive with Meanwhile Knowles, at the earnest soexcitement. A mob of several thou- licitation of the governor, consented sand people immediately collected, and to return most of the men he had imbesieged the town-house, where the pressed, and shortly afterwards departCouncil was then in session, with a stormed with his fleet, while Shirley, returning of stones and brickbats. In vain did to Boston, was escorted to his house by Governor Shirley come forth upon the the same militia who but a day or two balcony, and with a disavowal of the before had refused to obey his instrucoutrage, and a promise to obtain redress, tions. In his letters to the Board of endeavor to calm the exasperated feel- Trade on the subject of this "rebelings of the populace; they seized upon lious insurrection," Shirley ascribes the the officers of the ship, who happened "mobbish turn of a town inhabited by to be on shore at the time, and detained twenty thousand people," to its constithem as hostages for the ransom of tution, by which the management of it their fellow citizens. The governor devolves on "the populace assembled earnestly entreated Knowles to give in their town meetings.' up the impressed seamen, in reply to which he offered to land a body of marines to support the governor, and threatened to bombard the town unless the tumult was appeased. The excitement kept on increasing, and the militia, who were called out next day, evincing a sympathy with the mob, Shirley, considering himself in personal danger, re The war was brought to a conclusion by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, October, 1748, a war on the whole very unsatisfactory and adding largely to the national debt of England. For the present the struggle 1748. between the French and English in America was terminated; but it was by no means finally settled. The dis Party feuds in New York-Fletcher's administration - Schuyler and the Indians Fletcher's acts in religious matters His efforts in Pennsylvania and Connecticut - Rev. Mr. Miller's letter to the Bishop of London — Barbarities of Indian warfare- Lord Bellamont governor His administration - Lord Cornbury appointed — His character and acts Committee of grievances - Lovelace governor His death-Expedition against Canada - Postage regulations - Hunter governor- German emigrants Burnet appointed - Efforts against the French Cosby governor-Trial of Zenger Governor Clarke's disputes with the Assembly-The "Negro plot" in New York - Clinton governor Efforts against the French and Indians Affairs of New Jersey at this date Trouble in Pennsylvania - William Penn in America Efforts to settle the government- -"Charter of Privileges” — Penn's return to England - His letter-Evans removed Gookin governor - Sir William Keith his successor Family dispute about the sovereignty of the province — Governor Thomas and the controversy between the proprietaries and the Assembly on the question of taxation, defence of the province, etc. 1691. THE unhappy fate of Jacob Leisler, as related in a previous chapter, produced a deep impression in New York, and gave rise to party feuds which lasted a long time in that colony. From this date, as Mr. Hildreth correctly states, there was a final abandonment of the ancient Dutch usages, and the complete introduction of English law; and although the king vetoed a statute declaring the right of the people to participate in the enactment of all laws, through an Assembly, yet in practice an Assembly became from this time an essential part of the political system of New York. Sloughter's sudden death left New York for a year or so under Ingoldsby's charge; in the latter part of 1692, however, Benjamin Fletcher was 1692. appointed governor. He was much such a character as Sloughter, in want, and ready to grasp all within his reach: he took sides, too, with the antiLeislerian party, which, together with his efforts to obtain endowment for the ministers of the Church of England, stirred up strong opposition. Fortunately for Fletcher as well as for the general progress of the colony, he was duly impressed with a sense of the importance of cultivating the friendship and obtaining the aid of Major Schuyler, in all matters relating to Indian affairs. This able officer's influence with the Five Nations was almost un CH. III.] 1692. FLETCHER'S ADDRESS TO THE ASSEMBLY. bounded, and he was ever ready to aid in measures for their defence against the French. In the beginning of 1693, on an occasion of the French having made an incursion into the Mohawk country, Schuyler raised a volunteer force of two hundred men and marched from Albany in pursuit of them. Fletcher, by extraordinary activity, brought up from New York the independent companies and other troops; but the French effected their escape and the Indians, though greatly pleased with the zeal of Fletcher, were nevertheless a good deal inclined to make peace with the French. Fletcher, who, it seems, was not calculated to raise the reputation of any denomination of Christians, was especially urgent in favor of the Episcopal Church and the claims of its ministry for support. As illustrative of the man and the times, we give his address to the members of the Assembly after his ineffectual attempt to accomplish his favorite project of having endowments, and presenting or naming the ministers to officiate in the churches: "Gentlemen, there is also a bill for settling a ministry in this city, and some other countries of the government. In that very thing you have shown a great deal of stiffness. You take upon you, as if you were dictators. I sent down to you an amendment of three or four words in that bill, which, though very immaterial, yet was positively denied. I must tell you, it seems very unmannerly. There never was an amendment yet desired by the council board but what was rejected. It is the sign of a stubborn ill temper, and this I have VOL. I.-25 also passed. But, gentlemen, I must take leave to tell you, if you seem to understand by these words, that none can serve without your collation, or establishment, you are far mistaken. For I have the power of collating or suspending any minister in my government, by their majesties' letters patent; and whilst I stay in the government, I will take care that neither heresy, sedition, schism, or rebellion, be preached among you, nor vice and profanity encouraged. It is my endeavor to lead a virtuous and pious life amongst you, and to give a good example: I wish you all to do the same. You ought to consider that you have but a third share in the legislative power of the government; and ought not to take all upon you, nor be so peremptory. You ought to let the council have a share. They are in the nature of the House of Lords, or upper house; but you seem to take the whole power in your hands, and set up for every thing. You have sat a long time to little purpose, and have been a great charge to the country. Ten shillings a day is a large allowance, and you punctually exact it. You have been always forward enough to pull down the fees of other ministers in the government. Why did you not think it expedient to correct your own to a more moderate allowance? Gentlemen, I shall say no more at present, but that you do withdraw to your private affairs in the country. I do prorogue you to the 10th of January next, and you are hereby prorogued to the 10th day of January next ensuing." *Smith's "History of New York," p. 84. shortly afterward Fitz John Winthrop, who had been sent to England as agent to protest against a violation of the charter, returned with the royal concession that on ordinary occasions, at least, the command of the local militia belonged to the respective States. Connecticut promised, however, to be in readiness to furnish a quota of a hundred and twenty men for the defence of New York. 1695. Fletcher, beside being charged with administering the government of Pennsylvania and Delaware-Penn having recently been deprived-was authorized by a royal letter to the colonies, except Carolina, to call on them for aid in defence of New York. The Quakers of Pennsylvania did not at all fancy voting money or anything of the kind, and agreed reluctantly to only a small appropriation, stipulating that it "should not be dipped in blood." A few months later-in October-Fletcher went to Hartford on a similar errand. The Assembly was in session, and Fletcher endeavored to overawe them into consent to his demands. Informing them that he would not set foot out of the province till his majesty's orders had been obeyed, he then directed the trained bands to be assembled, and his commission to be read to them. Captain Wadsworth, the senior captain, walked up and down, engaged, to all appearance, in exercising his "Beat the drums !" was his order, as Fletcher's officer lifted up his voice to read. The governor commanded silence, and his officer prepared to read. "Drum, drum, I say again!" called out Wadsworth, and the voice of the reader was a second time drowned in the discordant roll. "Silence!" passionately vociferated Fletcher. "Drum, drum, I say!" shouted Wadsworth in a still louder key; and significantly turning to Fletcher, he exclaimed, "if I am interrupted again, I will make the sun shine through you adjoining, on Broadway, known as Trinity Parish. in a moment!" The angry governor, astounded at this display of spirit, was compelled to swallow the affront; and Berrian's "History of Trinity Church,” pp. 14, 15. men. Mr. Hildreth* quotes quite fully from a letter addressed by the Rev. John Miller, in 1695, to the Lord Bishop of London, in which is contained an interesting account of the writer's views of the ecclesiastical and moral condition of New York. The sentiments of Mr. Miller, though evidently not much approved of by Mr. Hildreth, are worthy of consideration, and notwithstanding he speaks as an Episcopalian, the facts which he states show that New York was, a hundred and fifty years ago, as much divided, in proportion, on religious subjects, and as much given to folly and wickedness, as it is now. Mr. Miller's proposed remedy was the sending over a bishop for the colonies; about the expediency of which, at that date, there has been no little difference of opinion among those who fully recognize bishops as of divine appointment. *"History of the United States," vol. ii., pp. 189 193. In 1697, a royal grant was made of a certain church, in the city of New York, and piece of ground In 1705, the Queen's Farm, on the west side of Manhattan Island—from St. Paul's Church to Christopher street-was donated to Trinity Church.-See Dr. |