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time" took his place. Leisler and the committee of safety believed that this letter commissioned him the king's lieutenant-governor.

Albany Forced to Obedience.-Leisler now sought to extend his rule over the province. He sent Jacob Milborne, his son-in-law, up the Hudson with an armed force to compel the river towns, and especially Albany, to submit to his authority. Milborne failed in his attempt, but the frightful massacre of Schenectady by the French and Indians a few months later led Albany to recognize Leisler's power. The attack was planned for the night. The invaders entered the unguarded gates of the palisade, raised the terrible war-whoop, set fire to the houses, and as the dazed victims rushed from their beds sixty were killed, some were taken prisoners, while the rest fled half-clothed through a severe snowstorm to Albany, seventeen miles away (Feb. 19, 1690).

The First Colonial Congress.-To organize a retaliatory expedition against the French and their Algonquin allies Leisler called the first colonial congress held in America. Seven delegates met at Albany in February, 1690. Leisler fitted out and despatched the first fleet of war-vessels that left the port of New York. He heartily co-operated with the authorities of Massachusetts and Connecticut in their two expeditions-one by water against Quebec, and the other by land against Montreal. Although the majority of the people obeyed Leisler as governor, the king refused to appoint him to that office. Instead, Henry Sloughter, "a profligate, needy, and narrow-minded adventurer," was appointed.

Death of Leisler.-Major Richard Ingoldesby, with two companies of soldiers, reached New York about this

time and insolently demanded the surrender of Fort James without showing any authority from the king or the new governor. Leisler replied that he would give up the fort to Sloughter only. Some fighting followed, and eight men were killed, of whom six were defenders of the fort. Upon Sloughter's arrival Leisler surrendered the fort to him (March, 1691). At once Leisler and his chief supporters were imprisoned. A month later they were tried as rebels and traitors, and eight were pronounced guilty. While intoxicated Governor Sloughter was induced by their enemies to sign the death-warrant of Leisler and Milborne, and in May, 1691, both were hanged. By English law their estates were forfeited to the crown.

Leisler's Rule was rash and arbitrary, but his spirit was patriotic. He was the hero of the common people, and received his strongest support from them. During his administration there had been a bitter feud between his friends and his enemies. After his death the quarrel became more bitter, and was the basis for the organization of two political parties. Leisler's son appealed to the king and parliament, and secured the reversal of the attainder against his father and his associates and the restoration of their property to the rightful heirs. Sloughter died shortly after the "judicial murder" of the two brave men, and was succeeded by "the needy and greedy" Benjamin Fletcher (1692).

CHAPTER XI.-NEW YORK IN THE FIRST COLONIAL WARS

Rivalry of the French and the English.-From the first England and France had been rivals for the control of the continent. King William's War broke out in 1689.1 New York under Leisler and Fletcher co-operated with Connecticut, voted money, raised troops liberally, and played an honorable part in the conflict. John Schuyler, 2 with a force of whites and Mohawks, made a successful attack on the fort opposite Montreal (1690), while his brother, Peter Schuyler, the mayor of Albany, with a like body, gained a victory at Fort Chambly (1691), and some months later he pursued a marauding party from Canada and released several hundred Mohawk captives (1693). Count Frontenac 3 invaded the homes of the Onondagas and Oneidas in 1696 and destroyed their houses and crops. But the death of Frontenac and the treaty of Ryswick ended the war the next year (Sept. 20, 1697).

3

First Printing-press.-During the rule of Fletcher the first printing-press was set up in New York (1693). Its owner was William Bradford, the only printer in the

This was the first intercolonial war in America. The causes were European and may be found in any general history.

2

The Schuyler family is one of the oldest in New York. The founder, Philip Pieterse Schuyler, settled up the Hudson near Albany about 1650. No family played a more important part in the colony and state. See Schuyler, Colonial New York, 2 vols.

'He was governor of Canada, a man of remarkable ability and a brave soldier. He made France a great power in the New World.

colony for over thirty years. For fifty years, as the "royal printer," he published all the laws. Printing would have been introduced earlier had the English kings been willing. "You are to provide all necessary orders," the king had instructed Dongan, "that no person keep any press for printing."

Religion.—If printing was discouraged, religion was encouraged. Influenced by Fletcher, the assembly in 1693 passed an act for "maintaining" six ministers in New York, Richmond, Westchester, and Queens counties. This was the origin of Trinity Church in the city of New York. Besides that church there were in the city Dutch Reformed, French Protestant, and Dutch Lutheran churches, and a Jewish synagogue. At both Albany and Kingston Dutch Reformed churches were located. On Long Island meeting-houses, mostly Presbyterian or Independent, were found. Quakers were numerous. "In short, of all sorts of opinions there are some," Dongan reported. Catholics were not treated with the same generosity as other sects, though several devoted Jesuits did fine missionary work among the Iroquois. Protestant missionaries were also working with the Indians. "Traveling, labor, hunting, and horse-racing" were forbidden on the Lord's day under a penalty of six shillings.

Pirates terrorized the coast, and even captured merchant-vessels in sight of New York City. Fletcher was believed to be in league with them and consequently, was recalled. He was a good soldier, but a poor governor. His efforts to extend the Anglican Church and the English language aroused hostility. To suppress these pirates the Earl of Bellomont, an Irish gentleman, was

appointed governor (1795). For three years he lingered in England to form a company to destroy piracy. The company expected to gain much wealth by recaptures. The famous William Kidd was sent with a ship to New York. From there he sailed to the Indian Ocean, turned pirate himself, buried some of his treasures on Gardiner's Island off the east end of Long Island, was arrested by Bellomont in Boston, and hanged in England (1701). The governor died the same year.

Queen Ann's War (1702-1713) had but little effect on New York. This colony helped to fit out a fruitless expedition against Montreal. To pay for it, paper bills of credit were used for the first time in New York (1709). During the war seven persons occupied the governor's chair. In 1702 Lord Cornbury," the worst governor ever appointed to the colony," arrived, and soon had his jurisdiction extended over New Jersey also. The two colonies were under the same governor till 1738, though they had distinct legislative assemblies. Cornbury was usually at odds with both bodies. Fearing the yellow fever in 1703, he took for his own use the house of a Presbyterian minister in Jamaica, Long Island, and then turned it over to the Episcopalians. He likewise imprisoned two ministers for preaching without license, and prevented schoolmasters from teaching for the same reason.

The Assembly Demands Self-taxation. The assembly doubled the governor's large salary and voted money for batteries at the Narrows, but could get no statement from him about the expenditure of public funds. They also remonstrated against the exorbitant fees. When it was known that colonial money was going into

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