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balconies, which formed pleasant and more retired localities for rest, recreation, or sociability. From these elevated pleasure gardens might be seen the beautiful shores of Nutten1 and Nassau Islands,2 with Staten Island and the highlands of the North, or Hudson, River forming a background.

3

Here one might enjoy at evening the fresh ocean breezes wafted over the lovely bay, and from the Sound through South River; and the gentle lapping of the water in Countess' Slip made itself heard in the quietness of the night.

4

In course of time Bowling Green and Lower Broadway, which had been par excellence the aristocratic part of the city, gave precedence to their rival Pearl Street, just above Hanover Square.

This square was then the fashionable shopping locality; and there might be seen old Dutch and high English dames, mingling with the fair daughters of sunny France, to admire the fashions from over the sea-six months old or more.

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Dress at this period was greatly attended to by both sexes, the ladies attiring themselves quite elegantly, and the young men appearing Beau Brummels of a Sunday, with coats of every color and indeed of several colors combined. The skirts of the coats were frequently lined with silk and satin of delicate hues, and the collars were of velvet or silk, of quite different colors from the garment. Sometimes, indeed, instead of collars the coats were finished off with several small capes. It is probable the young men were as frequently met in Hanover Square as were their lady friends, mothers, sisters, and loves --on business matters of course, for men are never frivolous.

In 1754 Mr. Walton, 5 who

1 Governor's Island.

8 East River now.

had accumulated a for

2 Long Island.

4 Coenties Slip.

5 Mr. Walton married a daughter of Mr. Delancey.

tune in foreign trade, built, in Pearl Street, a house of such elegance as to compete with the Kenedy mansion, No. 1 Broadway. Its fame, we are told, reaching the mother country, was the innocent cause of preventing any scruples from arising in the maternal breast, in regard to the taxation of her infant colonies; for, she argued, if provincial children can build for themselves such elegant mansions, they may well afford to pour some of their surplus gold into the maternal coffers.

This house was built of yellow Holland brick; and its spacious gardens bordered on South River. In this residence, in after years, Antien Genet wedded the daughter of Governor Clinton. Later on, in No. 119 of this street, General Moreau1 lived when an exile in this country; and his family remained in it while he fought for the Allied Army. After his death his widow resigned it into the hands of the executors, and there was a sale of his beautiful furniture and curios. A friend of the writer's has still in her possession the elegant crystal chandelier that hung in the drawing-room of his house.

The wealthy merchant Jumel, who loaned of his fortune so largely to France in her need, also resided in this street.

Although the lower portion of Manhattan Island was composed of sandy soil, it nevertheless bore a good supply of elm, maple, and sycamore trees, as also Normandy poplars, that stood like grim sentinels along the

streets.

1 There is an amusing anecdote related of General Moreau while in this country. He was invited to a concert, during which a piece was sung, the refrain being "to-morrow, to-morrow." The general, understanding English but imperfectly, supposed the song was composed in his honor and the refrain to be the repetition of his name; he consequently thought it obligatory to acknowledge the mark of respect. The audience were consequently astonished by seeing him rise and bow most respectfully on all sides as often as the refrain was repeated. Many of them did not know the illustrious man by sight.

2 Mrs. Julius G. Caryl.

In 1732 walks were laid out in Bowling Green, and bordered with shade trees; it then took the place of a modern park. Shortly after, however, fashion changed its location to Pearl street, and thus began its march up town which it continues to the present time.

A'

Chapter Third

LTHOUGH a French congregation had been established in the early days of the colony, it had ceased to exist before the year 1678; or that in which the Rev. Peter Daillé, the first minister of whom we have any record, began to hold French services. It is not probable that the first congregation had any distinct edifice, as Mr. Daillé was obliged to make use of the old church in the fort; he holding his services between those of the Dutch in the forenoon, and the English in the afternoon.

In the year 1687 the Rev. Pierre Peiret arrived amongst a band of refugees, with the intention of ministering to their spiritual interests. As their number was constantly increasing, it was deemed fitting, and even necessary that they should have a church for themselves. Mr. Peiret consequently proceeded to erect a small building on Marketfield Street. It was a very humble beginning, certainly, as its entire length was only forty-eight feet nine inches, by a front width of twenty-seven feet seven inches. A passage taken off from the width rendered the greater part of the building only twenty-five feet wide.

Upon Leisler's usurpation of the administration, the Huguenots divided into two parties; one of these being headed by Mr. Peiret, the other by Mr. Daillé. The former party opposed Leisler's administration; but the latter favored it to such a degree as to endanger his adherents in their efforts to have him released from prison, and saved from death by execution. Party feeling ran so high that the French congregation never again became thoroughly united.

After Leisler's death, Mr. Daillé removed to Boston; and it is probable that his representation of the state of affairs in the New York congregation helped in a great measure to cause the misunderstanding between Mr. Gabriel Bernon and the French congregation in that city.

The colony by this time, counted some two hundred families; and, although all of them had not located in New York city, sufficient had done so to cause the population to be about one-fourth French.

Before Governor Dongan's withdrawal from the administration, the refugees had petitioned him for the right of free trade in the colonies; and he, having forwarded the petition to the king, had received a favorable answer.

In 1689 the administration had devolved upon Richard Coole, Earl Bellemont; who, upon assuming control of the colony, sided with the Leislerites or people's party; thus rendering himself very unpopular with Mr. Peiret and the majority of the French congregation. This unpopularity was increased by the belief that he had misrepresented some matters, thereby injuring their interests with the Board of Trade. So bitter was their feeling, that he found it necessary to take some means of conciliating them, to regain their support; which he recognized as very necessary for the success of his administration, the French having become important factors in the colony, by the rapid increase of their numbers.

Being on intimate terms of friendship with Gabriel Bernon, the founder of the Huguenot colony in New Oxford, Massachusetts, Bellemont thought to gain the support of Mr. Peiret's party through his influence. Inviting him, therefore, to New York for the ostensible purpose of consulting with him about matters relating to the Crown, he laid before Bernon the opposition he experienced from the French congrega

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