CHAPTER XIV.

THE COLONIES OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY.

NEW YORK.

Settlements.

AFTER Henry Hudson had explored the river which bears his name, in 1609, Dutch merchants sent vessels to trade with the Indians, and established an agency for the purpose on Manhattan Island. In 1615 they formed a company, and received from the government of Holland the monopoly of the trade for four years. They established another tradingpost near the present site of Albany, and erected rude forts at both places; but the settlers were few. In 1621 the West India Company was formed, with more extensive powers both for trade and colonization. They sent a considerable body of people to Albany, and, soon after, still more to the settlement on Manhattan, which they called New Amsterdam.. The whole territory between the Connecticut and the Delaware they called New Netherlands.

The administration of affairs was intrusted to an officer styled director-general, appointed Government by by the home government, and a council the Dutch. appointed in the same way. This body acted both as an executive council and as a judicial court. In 1629 special inducements were offered for the purpose of pro

moting settlements. Any person who, within four years, would bring into the colony fifty persons over fifteen years of age, was promised the title "paPatroons. troon," a large grant of land, and extensive commercial privileges, with complete civil and criminal jurisdiction throughout his domain. At the same time, actual settlers, emigrating at their own expense, were promised as much land as they could cultivate. Under this provision two classes of settlements arose. Large tracts of land were taken up by the patroons, and communities established under their control. They appointed local officers for administrative and judicial business. From their decision appeals might be made to the governor and council. The settlers had no political and few civil rights.

tration.

Numerous bodies of free settlers formed communiLocal Adminis- ties along the Hudson in New Jersey, and on Long Island. Such local officers as sheriffs, clerks, and magistrates, were appointed for these by the director and council, to whom appeals could be made from the local courts. For the first thirty years, the people seem to have had no voice either in the local or general government; and they frequently quarrelled with the governors about questions of authority. Sometimes the right of appeal from the director to Holland was denied; and the exercise of authority was always arbitrary and often oppressive. Justice was administered according to the common law of Holland and the enactments of the West India Company and the director-general. At different times, the governor summoned a few men from some of the larger communities to consult with the council about Indian affairs. In 1653 New Amsterdam was

incorporated after the manner of Dutch towns, and a board of aldermen and magistrates were appointed by the governor. During the next ten years, the communities acquired some new powers by being allowed to choose double the number of persons required for the local officers; from whom the governor selected those who should serve as magistrates. Many English towns on Long Island had organized themselves after the New England model.

Popular Dissatisfaction.

The people came to be dissatisfied with the small share which they had in the administration, but could get no satisfaction from the governors or from the company. At one time they sent a remonstrance to the government of Holland, setting forth the grievances of the province, and citing the example of New England, " where neither patroons, nor lords, nor princes are known; but only the people." Thus it appears that the independent spirit of New England was contagious; and, throughout the colonial period, whenever any people wished for more extended liberties, they cited the prosperity of New England as an argument in favor of local self-government. Any remonstrance to the company was answered by an order to the governor to suppress sedition, and to punish the complainants in an exemplary manner.

The English government never recognized the claim of the Dutch to land in North America; Conquest by the and in 1664 King Charles gave to his English. brother, the Duke of York, all the territory of New Netherlands, including Long Island, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, the Hudson River, and the land from the west side of the Connecticut River to the east side of Delaware Bay. The same royal commissioners who came

to examine the charter governments of New England, and who were treated so unceremoniously in Massachusetts, were empowered to demand the surrender of the Dutch territory. The people made no resistance, and the Duke of York became proprietor of New Netherlands. This relation gave to him the exclusive right to the soil, to the revenues, and to the control of the civil administration.

Proprietary

The people expected an improvement in their political condition; but it was nearly twenty Government. years before their share in the provincial government was extended. The proprietor appointed a governor and council; and in their hands were the executive, legislative, and supreme judicial functions. The towns were authorized to choose a constable and a board of overseers, who managed the local affairs; and there was a justice of the peace appointed by the gov ernor, who presided at the town courts. There was a county court which held jury trials, and from which in important cases appeals might be made to a supreme court called the "court of assize," held once a year, and composed of the governor, council, and town magistrates. All men who took the oath of allegiance to the proprietor, and were not servants or laborers, and owned a town lot, were freemen.

Assembly.

For nearly twenty years, the proprietor refused all Representative requests to call an assembly of the people, and continued to burden them with taxes which they had no voice in levying. At length, in 1683, he yielded to their entreaties and to the advice of friends, and instructed his governor to call an assembly. This body consisted of the governor and council, and seventeen deputies elected by the freeholders.

A charter of liberties was prepared, which at length brought the colony into line with those Charter of Libabout it. It declared that supreme legisla- erties.

tive power should forever remain vested in the governor, council, and people, met in general assembly. Every freeholder and freeman might vote without restraint for representatives. No tax should be assessed without the consent of the assembly. Trial by jury was established, and religious toleration declared. The governor had a veto on all acts of the assembly; and the duke might reject any law. On the accession of the proprietor to the throne of England as James II., these privileges were revoked; and New York was governed like the New England colonies, without an assembly.

On the accession of William and Mary, the people elected deputies from the counties, who Permanent Govmet in assembly with the new governor, ernment. and re-organized the government. They established a revenue, organized a judiciary, and declared the right of the people to a voice in the administration. The latter provision was repealed by the king; but practically, from this time, the legislative department was constituted as in the other provinces. As in New England, from this time to the declaration of independence there was a continual struggle between the assembly and the royal governor concerning their respective powers. The question of salaries was especially vexing. After a time the assembly established the practice of making special appropriations for each purpose of government, and making these only for a year at a time. The government retained its form until the Revolution, the people exhibiting the same spirit in resisting British encroachments that marked the other colonies.