Public Paprs of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777-1795-1801-1804 [8] 0054894738

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•^v»'

M-

^^m^^i^-

iu-^

14

French Fxchange

Financial A((ounts

I'rivate

G

:;

of F.ettcrs by the

British

It -16

Governor Clinton

to

John Morin

Resolutions Calling for tion Greater

Energy

Scott

— The

Legislature Adopts

Amendments To Give the Confedera-

— The

Hold On To and Fortify

I'ritish

Oswego

Ki

-1

Robert Morris' Circular Fetter Regarding the Policy of the States

Toward Paying Their Troops Robert Moi-ris Protests

to the

38

1!)

P.t

2")

LM

2:?

2:!

20

Governors of the States Against the

Collection of Stale and United States Taxes, Based on a Letter

Pointing Out the Objections to

Governor Clinton Writes

Taxes and the

to Robei't

:\Iarket for

Alexander Hamilton Picgins

Work That

Lies Before

it.

.'

.

Morris on the Sulijcct of State

Wheal and Flour

to rings

to

New York

135

Washington's Attention the Necessity

of Spreading Peace Intelligence

Among

the Western British

13G-137

Posts Colonel Nicholas Fish Modestly Seeks the Position of Naval Officer of the Port of

New York

137-138

Colonel William Floyd Informs the Governor of His Anxiety to

Home

Return to His Long Island

13S-139

Governor Clinton Directs Egbert Benson

to

His Interview with Sir Guy Carleton

A lexander Hamilton

in

Report the Result of

to

William Floyd and 139-140

Congress

Egbert Benson's Report to Governor Clinton of His Conference with Sir

Guy

140-144

Carleton

Governor Clinton Submits

to

AVashinglon His Views on the Main-

114-147

tenance of a Peace Establishment

John Morin Scott Supplements His Administrative Policy

— Repro-

bates the Practice of Americans Entering the British Lines until

Peace

is

Assured

— His Determination

to

Regain Jurisdic1-17-153

tion over the Southern District of the State

Messrs. Hamilton and Floyd Transmit to Governor Clinton the

Resolutions of Congress Ratifying the Preliminary Treaty of

153-155

Peace Peace Formally Declared

Washington

— Sir

Guy

Carleton's Proposition to

to Discuss the Release

and the Evacuation of New

Yorlc

and

Meet

'i'ransfer of Prisoners ir.(!-l58

— Table of Contents.

\ih

PAGES.

Goveruor Clintou Arrauges for General Scott to Participate in the Conference

witli Sir

Guy

158-160

Carleton

General Scott Accepts, but Requests the Governor to Provide for

Cash

Him

as

He

is

"

So Short of

"

159-160

John Hanson Narrates the Persecutions He Endured and Property Losses Incurred Because of His Devotion to the Cause of

160-163

America

Lamb

Colonel John

for

Peaceful Reasons Deprecates the Con-

gressional Resolution that the Troops shall retain Their

when the Army

is

Arms 163-164

Disbanded

164-165

For a National Copyright Governor Clinton to Sir Guy Carleton as to the Withdrawal of the British Troops and the Rights of Ships to Frequent the

of

New York

Waters 165-168

State

President Boudinot Furnishes Governor Clinton the Congressional

168-173

Address on the Public Finances Robert Morris to Governor Clinton Resources Sir

—The

—Deficiencies

in

Governmental

Country's Fjiiances in a Ser ious Condition... 173-175

Guy Carleton Withdraws His Troops from Westchester County

—Perplexed

Over the Condition of Affairs on Long Island 175-177

Concessions Extended to Shipping r>r.

John Jones Congratulates Governor Clinton on the Restoration of Peace

and the Establishment of Independence and Suggests

Mr. Dally as a Competent Tavern Keeper

Alexander Hamilton

Funding

t he

to

178

Governor Clinton in Regard to the Plan for

Public Debt

179-181

Governor Clinton Advances Compensation to Judges Yates and Morris and Requests the Latter to Repair Forthwith to Westchester County as the British Troops

Have Been Withdrawn

from that Section of the State 'J'he

The

181-183

Governor to Mr. Chief Justice Morris Cliit'f

Justice Directed to Repair

to

182

West-

chester County with All Possible Despatch.

The Council

at

Indifference

Poughkeepsie Protests against Sir

Guy

.

.

182-183

Carleton's

183-186

-

Taiu.k of Contknts.

ivi

PAGES.

Governor Clinton Forwarils the

I^-oceodinfrs of

the Council at

Poughkeepsie to Sir Guy Carletou with Appropriate Couiuiouts

18.

\>\\

PROCEEDiNfiS IN

Fkaixce.s Tavern.

Xew Vork —

I

r

Officehs

Where Wash i.notox

— opjiosite

.Vimmared

i.\

ITs;*,

page

I'>aue

."tOS.

—ojjposite

page

.318.

Tavern at ISIst Street and P.roadway (Albany

Xew

York, and

The

Provost, Afterward the

OF Records As It Aim-eared In Its liATEB 33G.

page

of tiik

and Xassat' Streets

IOvaciatio.n

Ills

I'o

1S.S3

pai^e Ts.

3(10.

Roo.\i.

Farewei.i. 12

page

the

opposite i)age

The LoNd

Y'OKK.

Haif Way Taveu.n

Head Tavern.

York

.Xo.

.Xi:\v

Nkw Yokk

Hall.

Treasury at

Xo.11

1sii(»

.Map ok the IJattery in 178;> and

Xo.

.Xo. 1(»

— opi)osite

Cmiuii. Xi:w Vokk.

Hall

Days — ojiposite page

INTRODUCTION. Introduction by Henrj B.

Dawson

to "

New York

City during

" the American Revolution :

*Froni of others

which

is

circumstances

lliese

—selected

from among a multitude

— maj' be judged whether or not New York has a history worthy

of preservation;

and whether

or not the histo-

and the makers of school-books who have disregarded her

rians

patriotism, and left

it

unnoticed, have either been true to their

country, to themselves, or to

and from the same circumstances,

time,

what degree

of interest

of this volume,

it is

At the same

of history.

tlie fidelity

also, let it be

determined

which clusters around the contents

comprising exact copies of papers which have

never before been published, and which relate entirely to the ring events of the American Revolution in of the tlie

War

of the Revolution through

United States was

finally established.

seen by reference to the

New York was

York, or to those

which the Independence of

In the earlier part of the period referred l>e

New

to,

[1765-1770] as will

mapf which accompanies

now

stretches its boun-

daries to the farthest limits of the island on Avhich "

Broad Way,"

it is

true,

crosses

it, is still,

as

it

was

See frontispiece.

stands.

The

where Duane street

at that day, the pride of our

* This article was written in the Spring of ISGl. dative purposes inserted by the State Historian. t

it

which then marked the course of

the " back-bone of the island," as far north as

now

the volume.

but a village, in extent, when compared with the

populous and extended emporium which

same

stir-

Matter In brackets for

citieluci-

Introduction.

viii

zens, their fiivorite

" shopping "

and the great centre

])i'omenade, "

interests.

The Bowling Green,"

of their

and the

also,

graveyards of Trinity and St. Paul's, the winding and narrow thoroughfares in the lower part of the

new names, and

all of

them divested

they then possessed, and

" the

many

city,

of

them bearing

of the peculiarities

Commons," now

which

dignified with the

name, although but very few of tke accessories, of a " Park,'' remain

remind us of bygone days, and of generations which

to

have also departed, leaving not even a connecting link behind.

At

the period referred to, the lower extremity of the island w^as

occupied with Fort George and

its

outworks

—the latter embrac-

ing three bastions, with connecting curtains, extending from

Whitehall

slip

on the south-east, to the

line of the present

Battery

place on the north-west.

The

fort,

a rectangular stone work, strengthened with bastions

at its angles,

was elevated on an

its

or covert-port which

out in front of the fort, toward the fort

" at

an enormous ex-

gateway, which fronted "the Bowling Green,"

was defended by a raveling

the

mound, about fourteen

which had been thrown up

feet in height,

pense;" and

artificial

city.

had been thrown

Within the enclosure of

were the Provincial Governor's residence, a barrack

which would accommodate two hundred men, and two powder magazines

—the

tirely useless;

latter of which,

and the

from their dampness,

glacis or counterscarp

on

its

w'ere en-

eastern and

southern fronts, as far eastward as Whitehall street, and south-

ward

as far as Pearl street,

was occupied as gardens

for the Gov-

ernor's use.

The armaments on the water

of the fort, the raveling,

line, were

and the

line of

works

mounted en barbette; and although upward

of onr- liundred and twenty pieces of artillery were on the ram-

iii-

nd in All

ru I'd

m, rt.

le-

ru ill

a so I'll

i-s

It

to t.

V,

v_

r*s

ix

Introduction.

parts, a distinguished military engineer of that period lias in-

formed us that

"

it

seems to have been intended for profit and

form rather than for defence,

it

being entirely exposed to a

and that although

reverse and enfilade,"

appearance with

it

"

carried a respectful

it

(at a distance)," the defences on the northern

front were, " of themselves, but bad, this front being

by a piece of ground equal to its

original parade,

This height

is

fire in

it

at the

and formerly

530 feet from

it,

end

of ye

command'd

Bowling Green,

in the jurisdiction of the fort.

and where

its

principal street com-

mences called the Broadway." Beside the barracks which were within the

fort, another,

some-

times used for a military hospital, occupied the south-eastern part of the i)resent Battery, extending westward from Whitehall street along the present southerly line of State street; w'hile a tliird, in

much

which were posted the troops who harassed the people so

at the period under consideration, occupied the northern

part of " the

Common," on

the southern line of the

Chambers

street of our day.

Before noticing other portions of the that early day,

it

may

it still

then and

retains;

many

they appeared at

be proper to remark, that the ferry to

Staten Island occupied the

which

city, as

site,

at the foot of Whitehall street,

and that the eastern part

years afterward,

of the Battery,

was occupied with a pool

of

water, into which the tide flowed through Whitehall slip.

A

stranger in

mire in the plan

New

—

York, in 1767, would have seen

or, rather, in the entire

little to

ad-

absence of any plan

on which the city had been built; and the lower portions of still

retain

much

of that early peculiarity.

it

The unseemly juxta-

position of fashionable private residences, merchants' stores, lawyers' offices,

and mechanics' workshops

—as we would consider

it

X

Introduction.

— also must

liave

formed a curious feature, even

streets; but, in this respect,

if

in its principal

not in the former, the modern city

has effected a radical and permanent change.

Passing from the gate of Fort George, and leaving the Pro-

on his right

vincial Secretary's office

—on

the western corner of

the Bowling Green and Whitehall street

town of that day had

" the

—the

Broad Way," with

its

stroller

around

well-shaded side-

walks, before him, and all the busy scenes which, from the earliest days, have rendered

Next to the

it

famous

in the annals of

glacis of the fort,

New York.

on the western side of the

street,

stood the elegant mansion of Captain [Archibald] Kennedy, of the Koyal Navj^

was

—a building which,

for architectural pretensions,

rivalled only by the residence of Mr, [William]

Queen

street [326 Pearl street],

great city of which of revolutions, the

it still

known

as

''

forms a part,

demands

for change; and, with

now Franklin

two

of

it

Walton, in

square.

Like the

has survived the shock

commerce, and the senseless thirst

added to

stories

The Washington,*' No.

1

its height, it is

now

Broadway.

Adjoining the residence of Captain Kennedy was another, then

owned by him, and subsequently purchased and occupied by the Honorable John Watts, a son of the gentleman of the same name

who had been of Sir

a

member

of the provincial Council

John Johnson, and brother

of

—brother-in-law

Major Stephen Watts, whose

gallantry in the service of the King, at the battle of Oriskany, so well known.

This house, also, survives the

which have been made occupied for

in

Broadway; and

is

many changes

at the present time,

is

offices.*

•ThiB property was sold to Mr. Watts In February,

1792, for £2000 sterling; in was offered for it, and refused ?93,000 was bid for It In 1S36 or 1837 and, about two years ago [1858], it changed bands for $137,500— a singular instance of the upward tendency of trade during the past few years. J836, 1107,000

;

;

— Introduction.

Next above Mr.

NN'alCs residence

xi

Supreme Court

ingston, a justice of the

iIimI

:is

a\

of

I

^d'

lie

K. Li\-

|J(»l»crt

(((Ion

v.

latlici-

tln'

of Chancellor Livingston, and one of the most distinguished of

the friends of the popular movements which, a few months

had convulsed the colony.

After having been altered in some

its parts, this building, also, is

The fourth house

was that most

in the row,

now occupied

Next on

his left

now

was the

for ollices.

— one

of the oldest

and

which has given way

to a

family

influential families in the colonj^;

modern-built residence,

(»f

on the western side of the way,

Van Courtlandt

of the

carlici'.

also occui>ied for offices. Citj^

Arms Tavern,

Burns, the cradle of American Liberty,

ism of Faneuil Hall was rocked

ini

kept by George

which even the

patriot-

in the earliest stages of its exist-

ence.

In the large rooms on the second floor of that building, the

belles

and beaux

of 1767 frequently

met and amused themselves

in "assemblies;" Avhile occasional concerts

and lectures and

hibitions of different kinds found quarters in the

ment.

same

ex-

establish-

But other and more important assemblages than those

of

the votaries of pleasure had met within the large room of the

City Arms, and

made

its

name famous

years before (October 31, 1765), " cipal

met

merchants " of those who in council in that

for all time to come.

upwards

" traded to

of

Two

two hundred prin-

Great Britain " had

room, and had there declared that they

would import no more goods from Great Britain while the Stamp Act remained on the statute-books. time, appointed a "

Committee

pose of effecting a union of

tlie

They had

also, at the

same

of Correspondence," for the pur-

several colonies

—until

that time

acting without concert in their opposition to the Government

and thus having there committed the and having, at the same time,

first

overt act of rebellion;

laid the foundation of

llio

union of

Introductiox.

xii

thirteen separate

chants of

and discordant peoples

New York had

in that room, the mer-

Arms

inaugurated the City

as the head-

quarters of the American Revolution.

The ica

old building, thus rendered

famous

in the history of

Amer-

—for many years known as " The Atlantic Garden " —has also

remained, with but few alterations, until the past

when

it

gave

down

to

make room

way

to the

demands

summer

(1860),

of commerce, having been torn

for a freight-depot for the

Hudson River

Rail-

road Company.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of

''

Broad Way," was the

the

well-known " Bowling Green," skirted by a double row of trees

which extended up the slope of the street nearly as far as Beaver lane

(Morris street).

The fragments

which appeared, here and

there,

of a

broken-down fence

around the Green, even at that

time, bore silent testimony to the passer-by, of the audacity of

the citizens, in their opposition to the

vealed the source from whence were for the bonfire in

and harnesses,

November

1,

of 1765;

and

re-

drawn some of the materials

which also were consumed the Lieutenant Gov-

ernor's [Cadwallader Colden] riage,

Stamp Act

in

efifigy,

as well as his sleighs, car-

the celebrated "

Stamp-Act Riot " of

1765.

In the immediate vicinity of " the Bowling Green," in 1767,

were also established other persons who were prominent mercantile, or mechanical, or social circles of

New

York.

in the

On

the

western side of the street wore George Crossle and Robert Fursyth,

"from

Ireland," whose blacksmith shop,

and weekly adver-

— the latter more keeping with the practice of the present day — were equally prominent. C. Wiggins, also, with his tisements

fihip-joiner's shop,

in

was an occupant

Broad Way; as was Mrs.

of the

Steele, in her

western side of the

"Kings Arms Tavern,"

Introduction.

xiii

Broad

wliich she had removed from the lower end of

years before. ern

On

the eastern side of the street

and two doors from Beaver

;

Green, was the residence of Sir

was

street four

York Tav-

the

Bowling

street, also opposite the

Edward

Pickering, Bart.

Between Beaver lane and the Lutheran church

[at the present

Rector street], in 17G7, Broadway was generally occupied with private dwellings

and the promenader, so far as we have been

;

formed, met nothing of particular moment. led to the oyster

pasty" (Exchange

lattenberg, or, as

it

was generally

(Exchange place), on

ony

his right,

alley)

called,

—as they

"The

on his

which

alley

left,

in-

and Ver-

Flatten-Barrack street

still do,

broke the monot-

of the scene.

At some distance

to

tlie

right,

from the Broad Way, on the

upper side of Garden street (Exchange place),

Smith (now William)

betvs^een

streets, at the period of

Broad and

which we write,

«tood the ancient church-edifice of the " Old " Dutch Church.

It

Avas an oblong square, with three sides of an octagon on the east

In the front

side.

had a square tower,

it

sions, that the consistory's

trance. it

On

meetings were held in

it,

above the en-

That ancient meeting-house remained until 1807, when

was taken down

turn,

of such large dimen-

was

to

make room

destroyed, in

the corner of

for a

new

edifice,

which,

the great fire" of December,

''

what

is

now known

in

its

rear

—toward

183"i.

as Rector street (then

without a name), stood the old Lutheran Church, with Tjelfry; and,

in its

the North

River

its

curious

—was

"the

English school," which had been established and fostered, through a series of heavy site the

trials,

by the Yestry of Trinity Church.

Oppo-

Lutheran Church, on the eastern side of the l?road Way,

«tood the school-house of

W.

Elphinstone, one of the most accom-

plished teachers, of his day, in the city.

IXTRODUCTIOX.

Xiv

Trinity Church, in 1707, occupied the

by the memorials of the departed stands.

— as

Separated from the sidewalk

— one hundred seventy-two in breadth — presented and

—surrounded

that on which she

bj'

now

a painted picket-fence, feet long

by

semicircular chancel to the

its

;

site

and forty-eight

the modest structure

street

same

while, at its westera extremity, its simple pinnacled tower

steeple rose one

hundred and seventy-five

feet into the air.

Within, this ancient edifice was ornamented beyond any other

The head

place of public worship in the city.

adorned with an altar-piece of the building,

;

and opposite

was the organ.

to

The tops

From

was

at the other

end

it,

of the pillars

supported the galleries were decked with the winged.

of the chancel

which

gilt busts of angels,

the ceiling were suspended two glass branches,

and on the walls liung the anus of Governor [Benjamin] Fletcher

and some others of

its

destroyed in the great

which was erected prevailing taste for

principal benefactors. fire

of 177G

;

and the substantial structure

in ils place, in its turn,

dumge

That building was

has given way to the

—the magnificent edifice which

is

now

the parish-church of Old Trinity, representing as truly the spirit of the present age as the old building first referred to did that of

and the people of

the merchants

Immediately it

still

does,

East River.

New York

in 1767.

in front of Trinitj- Chiircli. in the olden

Wall

street extended

from the Broad

time as

Way

In the earlier days of the colony (1653),

"a

to the

wall,"

or stockade, had been erected along the northern line of this

town

street, for the protection of the

oughfare at

its

— giving a name to the thor-

base; and, although the necessity for the preserva-

tion of that wall no longer existed,

when Governor Dongan

ministered the government, in 1688, portions of

On

its

nortliein side, near the

Broad Way, a

it still

little

ad-

remained.

back from the

XV

iN'rUODfCTION. street, in 1707, stood

llie

bvteriau Clninli, in

tlie

sloue, steepled meetiug-liouse of the Pres-

Kev. Messrs. Treat

pulj^it of wliich the

and Rodgers were accustomed

lo

present

tlic

truths of the gospel,

as defined by the Westminster Assembly; and farther

down

— on

the lower corner of Nassau street, where the Custom-house [the

present Sub-treasury]

now stands

— stood

the City Hall, which

served also as the Municipal and Colonial Court-house, the Debt-

and County

ors"

former

these

of

and the Capitol

Jail,

buildings

— the

The

of the Province.

meeting-house

— after

various

changes and reconstructions,* was removed, with great care, in 184:4,

and reappeared,

Jersey City, where

it still

Presbyterian Church

former

in its

—a

Washington

style, in

street,

stands, the meeting-house of the First

row

of splendid stores taking the place

of the old meeting-house; which, subsequently, have also given

way

to the

ings,

demands

for " offices,"

and a row

of still

newer

build-

on the same ground, now furnish quarters for a host of

lawyers, bankers, brokers, insurance companies, &c.; the church,

meanwhile, occupying a

fine

avenue and West Eleventh City Hall

new

edifice

The

street.

— after having passed

through

on the corner of Fifth

latter of the

two

many changes

— the old

(the

most

important of which was that under the direction of Major L'Enfant, for the reception of the the

first

new Constitution), was taken down

Federal Congress, under in 1813, to

make way

dwellings and stores, which also, in their turn, have given

way

for to

the fine building occupied by the Revenue Department of the Gov-

ernment, before referred

to.

Proceeding up the Broad Way, from the Trinity Church, the

promenader,

in 1767, first

passed King (now Pine) stTeet on his

*BuiIt in 1718; enlarged in 1768; rphnilt iminediatelj' afterward.

rebuilt

In 1810;

burned

In the fall of 1834;

and

x\

Introduction.

i

right,

and Stone (now Thames)

street on his left— the

tending eastward from the Broad ter Avesrward

Way

to the

former ex-

East River; the

lat-

from the same central thoroughfare to the North

River, whicii at that point then flowed on the present line of

Greenwich

street.

Immediately above Stone (now Thames) of the

Broad Way,

in 1767, stood "

celebrated in the earlier times.

Lord Corubnry

of

;

on the west side

It

bad been erected it

—so day»

in the

had been the mansion of

De Lancey

—

its

gray-stone walls,

narrow, arched windows, reaching to the floor;

its

"

The King's Arms Tavern

and, subsequently,

Lieutenant Governor [James]

street,

rear piazza,,

its

overlooking the North River, and afilording a fine lounging-place for the ofiSeers of the garrison

and

its

and the fashionables

of the city;,

cupola, which afforded one of the finest views of " Old Nevr

York," being among the most prominent points of interest remem-

we

write,

was next passed on the

right,,

bered by the sojourner in the city, at the period of which Little-Queen (now Cedar) street

and the

Little (also Cedar) street

on the

North River on the west, as at

left

—then extending from

this time, to

Smith (now Will-

iam) street on the east.

On

the south side of Little-Queen street, between the

and Nassau

street,

Rev. Doctor John sixty-five

1758)

;

Broad Way

stood the " New-Scots' Church," in which the

Mason

at that time preached (a

modest

edifice,

by fifty-four feet in extent, which had been erected

and farther down the same

street, in

m

an open space which

extended through to King (now Pine) street, stood the ancient

nuguenot Church,

''

Du

St. Esprit," a stone edifice, fifty

by

sev-

enty-seven feet in extent, whose quaint hipped roof, and circular-

headed windows, and lofty tower, and crowded graveyard, have disappeared only within a few years.

IXTRODUCTION.

XVii

In the middle of the IJroad \\'av, exloiiding the block between Little

(now Cedar)

street

erty) street to that of the next block above,

fiuiii

the leulre of

and CroAvn (now Lib-

was the wooden shed

which had been dignified wi(h the name of the Oswego Market; while, clustered

around

it

—as was,

also, the case

— were the

stores

The hardware

stores

ate vicinities of other market-houses in the city of

many

of the merchants of that period.

of Gilbert Forbes, the elder,

the latter of which

and that

was displayed as

hammer," the dry-goods stores

with the immedi-

of Peter T. Curienius, on

a sign a large gilt " anvil

and

of Mr. Conover, the boarding-house

among

of Mr. Kip, and the tavern kept by Mr. Miller, were

principal establishments which gave

life to

the scene

the

around this

market-house; although others were there whose owners, with the edifices

which they occupied, have passed away to be forever

forgotten.

Crown (now of the

Liberty) street extended from opposite the centre

Oswego Market, on

either hand, to the

—

west and to Maiden lane on the east western side of the Broad Way, occupied with residences

its

was the

small,

On

Way, Crown

its

northern

Crown

On

street

the

was

Smith, one of the most

prominent members of the bar, residing

interesting features.

present limits.

probable.

it is

—Melancton

eastern side of the Broad

North River on the

in

one of them.

On

the

street presented several

side,

near the Broad Way,

unassuming frame building which had been erected

in 1706, as a meeting-house for the Friends' Society, subsequently

a hospital during the Revolutionary War, and afterward the feedstore of Grant Thorburn, whose recollections

readers of our newspapers at frequent intervals. edifice

was the

member

select school-house of

of the " societv "

which met

still

Opposite to this

George Murray in the

interest the

— probably a

neighboring meeting-

— Introduction.

xviii

house

—where

many

A

their education.

ceived

well-known men of a later period

of the

few doors below Murray's school-

house, on the south-east corner of

Dutch Church, with

its

re-

Nassau

street, stood the

Middle

neat portico and painted picket-fence, and

substantial tower and belfry, and surrounding graveyard, the

scene of that innovation by Rev. Dr. Laidlie, in 1764

English language

in the

and for many years

—which, at the period of which we write,

after,

had called

out,

and continued to

Adjoining the old church

Crown

street, the

some eighty years rors of which

it

readily foretold,

edifice,

call

Knickerbockers

out, the bitterest opposition of the conservative

of our city.

— a sermon

on the same side of

gloomy sugar-house of the Livingstons, erected before,

was

frowned on the passer-by; and the hor-

the scene, from 1776 to 1781, might have been

had the mutterings of a rising storm, which were

apparent to the careful observer even in 1767, been noted and considered.

The sugar-house, with

evidences of suffering hu-

its

manity, has passed away, leaving only a few walking-canes, which

have been made from

its

timbers, as the witnesses of

its

former

existence; the old church edifice, stripped of its picket-fence its

wooden

portico, its pulpit

and

its

and

pews, has become the centre

of the vast postal business of this city, and, having been pur-

chased by the United States, bids fair to give to a

way

more commodious and elegant structure.*

Descending "the

Potter-baker's hill," in front of the residence of

Smith, to Smith (now William) liine.

where

it still

terminates.

street,

Crown

at an early day

Hon. William

and thence to Maiden

street, in 1767,

was one

of

the most important streets in the city, forming, as it still does, •The old Dutch Church was abandoned as the post office in September, 1875, the government formally took possession of the granite structure that had V>een erected at the South end of City Hall Paris. The Mutual Life Insurance Building occupies the site of the old Dutch Church. State Historian.

when

Introdiction. one of the

fe\v

thoroughfares

extended from river to

xix

in the

lower part of the city which

slri'ct,

both well

river.

.Maiden lane and Coillaiidt

known

to the citi-

zens of the i)resent day, were next passed, the former extending

At

East "River, the latter to the North Kiver.

to the

the foot of

the former, in the wide space which still remains there,

was

" the

Fly Market," while the stairs on the river near by were one of the termini of the

Long Island

the ferry to Powle's

same

On

position.

Hook

ferry; at the foot of the latter

(Jersey City), which

still

was

retains the

the King's wharf, on the North River, between

Cortlandt and Partition (now Fulton) streets, were the arsenal

and the royal store-houses.

Dey

Broad Way, and John

street on the west side of the

opposite to

Dey

known; and

street, are still well

in 1767,

street

and for

nearly three quarters of a century afterward, they afforded pleas-

ant places of residence for those

who thronged

the " business

streets " of that portion of the city.

On

the eastern side of Smith

John and Fair (now Fulton)

(now William)

street, in 1767, stood a low,

building, in the low loft of which a sailmaker

shop.

In that humble

few years, on the same

found

its first

we write

edifice, site,

the First Baptist

public abiding place

;

(1767), the First Methodist

it

wa.s permitted to

is

not

less

had found a work-

Church

Church were same

denominations in this city was while

wooden

in this city

and at the period of which

roof.

also enjoying

It is a singular

two

of the principal re-

in the

same unpretending

fact that the first public resting place of

sail-loft;

between

which has remained until within a

the same peculiar privilege under the

ligious

street,

remarkable that the old structure

remain to so recent a date.

Introductiox.

XX East from William

was known

street of to-day, in the

street, at the period referred to, the

Fly (now Pearl street) between Burling

(now Maiden

in

which was shed the

slip

known

lane) the spirited contest

Golden Hill/'

and

as Golden Hill street;

first

John

there,

and

and Fly Market

as " The Battle of

blood of the American

Revolution, was fought on the eighteenth of January, 1770, two

months before the

massacre " in King

"

street,

Boston, and

five

years and four months before the affair at Lexington.

On 1767,

John

the northern side of

was

the only theatre which

about sixty feet back from the

street,

near the Broad Way, in

was then

street,

in

New York.

with which

it

It stood

was connected

by a covered way extending from the sidewalk to the door of the building. It

was

of wood, " an unsightly object," painted red;

on the seventh of December, 1767, the

was opened with Farquhar's comedy

first

of

and

season in that edifice

The Beau's Stratagem

and Garrick's Lethe, the celebrated " American Company " taking the several characters.* The following, a copy of the advertisement of that pei-formauce, which appeared The New York Mercury, of the same date will interest some of my readers: By Permission of his Excellency the Governor By the American COMPANY At the Theatre, In John street, this present evening, being the 7th Instant December will be presented. A Comedy, call'd, the

In

;

STRATAGEM. Archer, by Mr. Hallam, Aimwell, by Mr. Ilenry Sullen, by Mr. Tomlinson, Freeman, by Mr. Malone, Folgard, by Mr. Allyn, Gibbet, by Mr. Woolls,

To

Scrub by Mr. Wall, Boniface, by Mr. Douglass,

Dorinda, by Miss Hallam, Bountiful!, by Mrs. Harman, Cherry, by Miss Wainwright, Gipsey, by Mrs. Wall, Mrs. Sullen, by Miss Cheer. An Occasional Epilogue by Mrs. Douglass. which will be added, a Dramatic Satire, call'd,

Lady

LETHE. -Ksop, by Mr. Douglass,

I'innken Man, by Mr. Hallam,

Frenchman, by Mr. Allyn, Fine Gentleman, by Mr. Wall. Mrs. Riot, (with a Song

To

in

Mercury, (with Songs,) by Mr. Woolls, Charon, by Mr. Tomlinson, Mrs. Tattoo, by Mrs. Hallam, Mr. Tattoo, by Malone, character,) by Miss Wainwright.

begin exactly at Six o'Clock.

Vivant Rex & Reglna. Person, on any I'retonce, whatever, can be admitted behind the scenes. TICKETS to be had at the Bible and Crown, in Hanover-Square, and at Mr. Ilnyes's, at the Area of the Theatre. Ladies Places in the P.oxes, may be taken of Mr. Broadbelt, at the Stage Door. will please to send their Servants to keep their places, at 4 o'Clock. .No

BOXES

8s.

PIT

58.

GALLERY

Sa.

xxi

Introduction.

On

tlie

meeting-house of the J.

German Reformed Church,

M. Kern was the

which the Rev.

many

of those

who were

in business

near

twenty years ago, will recollect the restaurant of

street

Leonard Gosling, with

its

hundreds of dishes, which, at that time,

found accommodation under

That portion of Gold street

of

This old building survived until

]>astor.

within a few years; and

John

was the new

eastern sule of Nassau sheet, near John,

and Maiden

lane,

the large brewery of

its roof.

street of

was

our day which

is

between John

called " Rutgers' Hill " in 1767;

Anthony Rutgers,

the northeast corner of that lane

jr.,

and

at that time occupied

and Maiden lane where the old

established house of Wolfe and Bishop so long did business.

Eastward from Golden Hill (now John) that time (17G7) Vandercliff, locality;

John)

was known as

street,

our Gold

Vandercliff street

street, at

—

Dirck

^after

whose orchard, many years before, had occupied that

and on

street,

northern side, between Golden Hill (now

its

and Fair (now Fulton)

street, stood the meeting-

house of the First Baptist Church, of which the Rev. John

was the pastor.

It

was then

a plain, stone edifice, having been

enlarged within three years after forty-two feet in extent; and it

Gano

it

its first erection, fifty-two

by

remained there until 1840, when

was torn down, the materials serving as part

of those

which

were taken for the construction of the new meeting-house in

which the same church

and Elizabeth

still

Broome

streets.

Proceeding up the Broad in

worships, at the corner of

Way

from Dey

street, the

promenader

1767 next crossed Partition (now Fulton) street, extending

westward

to the

North River; or Fair

extended eastward only to the present

(also Fulton) street, Cliff street.

which

— IXTUODUCTIOX.

XXii

Ou

the lower corner of Fair

fianie meeting-house of

and Dutch

streets stood the small

Moravian Church, which had been

tlie

erected in 1751; and on the north-eastern corner of Fair and

William streets stood the more imposing stone

North Dutch Church, which

and

is still

edifice

of the

retains its original appearance

still

used by the same body, as in 17G7, and for the same

objects.

On the

the upper corner of Partition

Broad Way,

1767, stood

in

its

crowded

grave-J^ard,

street

and

Paul's Chapel, which had

St.

been dedicated in October, 1766; and

rounded by

(now Fulton)

still

it

stands there, sur-

one of the most interesting of

the few landmarks which have been preserved in our city.

Opposite to

St. Paul's

Chapel, the road to Boston

great outlets from the city

—branched

indicate the general course which

it

from the Broad

off

and the present Park Row, and Chatham

— one of the

street,

Wayj

and the Bowery,

took through the suburbs of

the city.

Vesey and Barclay

named

streets,

two rectors

after

of Trinity

Church; Robinson (now Park Place,) Murray, Warren, Church,

and Chapel [West Broadway]

streets,

on the western side of the

Broad Way, with

the edifice of the King's

lege at the foot of

Robinson

zens of

New York

in this place.

residences

(now Columbia) Col-

street, are too well

of the present

known

to the citi-

day to need any particular notice

In 1767, these streets were generally occupied for

—John

and Martin Cregier being among the number

although David Grim,

who has rendered

so

much

service to the

student of our local history, dispensed his ales and his good cheer at the sign of " the

On ferred

Three Tuns " in Chapel

the eastern side of the to,

was

the

street.

Broad Way, opposite the

Common — an

open ground, whicl

streets re-

is still

well

Introduction.

known

as " The Park."

Even

xxiii

had

at tliat early day the people

been accustomed to assemble at that place to express their wishes.

They had rendezvoused there on the evening

of the thirty-first of

October, 1765, and on the following evening preparatory to the celebrated "

Stamp Act Riots;" and

at the

same place on the

fol-

lowing Tuesday, they had reassembled, armed, with the avowed intention to storm the Fort in order to obtain possession of the

stamped papers which had been deposited within also

met

in that place,

to

Henry Moore had declared that

first

stamped instrument appeared

York, the procession which bore

On

it

" he

do with the stamps;" and in December of the

same year, when the

burned

They had

on the fifteenth of November, 1765, to ex-

press their pleasure v.hen Sir

had nothing

it.

with the

effigies

it

in

New

proceeded to that place and

with which

it

the sixth of jMarch, 1766, also, they

had been accompanied.

had assembled there

to

express their indignation against the conduct of Lieutenant-Gov-

ernor Colden in spiking the guns in the king's yard and on the

and

Copsej' Battery; brated, at the

same

noxious act.

On

in

May

of the

its

cele-

place, with great spirit, the repeal of the ob-

its

western margin, nearly opposite Murray

street, the celebrated Liberty -pole

around

same year they had

was erected

in June, 1766;

and

base (or those of the poles which, from time to time,

had been erected

in the place of those

stroyed) cluster

many

interesting era.*

On

of the

which the soldiers had

de-

most romantic associations of that

the nineteenth of March, 1767, the fourth

pole had been erected on that spot in honor of " the King, Pitt,

and Liberty;" and the colors had

floated gaily

from

its

summit on

the birthday of the sovereign.

For a full description of the Liberty poles and the clashes New York and the British troops see Clinton papers, Vol. Historian.

between the citizens of I, pages 42-54.— State

Introduction.

XX iv Willlin the aren. of

spot on which

Common, our

'Jiis

now stands

house, in the rear of which

present Park, on the very-

the City Hall, stood in 1767 the Poor-

was a

large garden; Avhile on the space

between that and the Broad Way, trees were planted.

Eastward

from the Poor-house stood the Prison, a rectangular stone building,

surmounted with a cupola

—a building which, during the sub-

sequent war of the Kevolution, was occupied by Cunningham, the

who

provost marshal, whose cruelties to the " rebel " prisoners

were placed under his charge are so well known.

That building,

with modern improvements both interior and exterior, tains its place in the Park, "

The Hall

of Records."*

and

is

known

still

re-

to all our citizens as

North from the Poor-house, near the

New

City Hall "

more recenth' occupied, at that time stood the long

line of bar-

site

which the row of buildings known as " The

racks Avliich furnished quarters for the troops whose turbulent spirit

produced so much confusion

down

element

movements

On

New

lowing

of that period.

street, at that

time stood the unfinished structure of

Presbyterian Meeting," within whose walls, on the

New

Year's Bay, the message of the gospel

ered by the Rev. Dr. Rogers.

That building,

a few months, occupied the same position '^

an

the eastern side of the road to Boston, near the corner of

Beekman " the

and whose determi-

" the Liberty-pole " proved so powerful

nation to cut in the

in the city,

was

fol-

first deliv-

also, until

within

—being the well-known

Brick Church " meeting-house in whose Society the venerable

Bfv. Dr. [Gardiner] Spring I'.iilding itself

still

—but

retains his pastorate

the

has given way to the demands of trade, and has

disa])}>eared.t

A

short distance below Nassau street, in

Beekman

that time also stood the remains of the old theatre

street, at

— the

third

•Removed by order of the city authorities, .Tuly, 1902.— State Historian. *Fnr m.Tn.v years. »ip to the autumn of 1904, the New Yorls Times was publ'shed at tins spot.— State Ulstorian.

^T.

(iKDUCil'.'s CllAl'EL,

liKKKMAN

8t..

XKW VoUK.

— iNTUODUCTiOX. erected in the city of

New

Yoiic

XXV destroyed by the

wliicli liad Itpen

New

people during the political troubles which had swept over

York

a few

months before; while a short distance above, on the

corner of Frankfort and King George (now North William) street,

stoodthe low stone church

Church," a building Avhich

young At

is

edifice of " the

of the

niou of the city.

Warren

the foot of

street,

extending to the present Cham-

pied in 1767 by the celebrated Major

Eegiment

of artillery.

summer and

fall of

Stamp Act on

the

It

was the Vaux Hall,

Thomas James

occu-

of the Royal

had been occupied by him during the

17G5; and, during the riots which greeted the

first of

November

of that year,

and ransacked by the excited populace, as

erence to the tion.

many

well-remembered by

bers street, and overlooking the river,

ited

Swamp Lutheran

it

had been

vis-

will be seen by ref-

the series of papers in the following collec-

first of

Immediately afterward he had returned to Europe, but he

came back

to

America

period of which

we

Hall, as in 17GS he

in the following-year,

wa-ite, is

he

and probably,

was again an occupant

known

to

have resided there.

at the

of the

Vaux

At a

subse-

quent period the property passed into the hands of Samuel

Fraunces

— " Black

tionary era.

Sam

Under

" of local celebrity during the Revolu-

his auspices the establishment

was opened

as a tea garden, the visitors to which were received and enter-

tained w'ith

all

the grace which,

many

years afterward, so pecu-

liarly characterized the chef of the cuisine in President

ton's establishment.

was used

as their

After the Revolutionary

first

Catholics in this city

church,

now

Barclay

this building

place of meeting for public worship by the

Roman

in

War

Washing-

— the

street.

first

appearance of

St. Peter's

Introduction.

x.wi Xoi-tli of the

where A.

T.

Common, on

the eastern side of the

now

Stewart & Co's drj-goods store

ent Stewart building] in the olden time

ground; and on the side

hill

was

Broad Way,

stands, [the pres-

the negro burying-

which extended eastward, descend-

ing toward the Little Collect, in the vicinity of Centre and streets of 1861,

was the place which was usually

public execution of criminals.

was

marshy

a low,

The "

lake, bordered

strip of high, dr\- ground,

selected for the

Little Collect " referred to,

on

its

northern margin by a

which separated

it

from the

Collect, or

Fresh water, a larger and deeper lake which occupied the the "

Tombs

"

and

its vicinity,

along the present line of Canal

and Pearl

magazine of the site

city

site of

with an outlet into the North Eiver street.

On

the dry strip of ground

separating the two collects before referred of Centre

Duane

to,

near the junction

streets of 1861, stood " the Powder-house," or ;

and a short distance east from

occupied by the Five Points, was a large tan-yard.

it,

near the

The negro

burying-ground and the gallows, the powder-house and the tan-

yard have

and

all

;

and the two lakes have been

their outlet arched over, to afford

extending

Duane

room

for the

filled

demands

up,

of an

city.

The Broad ent

disappeared

Way

street,

the Hospital

now

extended northward no farther than the pres-

immediately north of which, near the spot where stands, in the block

now bounded by Duane,

Worth, Church streets and Broadway, was the Ranelagh, a noted place of resort in the olden time.

where Grand

street

now

intersects

Still

Broadway, stood the country

residence of Mr. [Nicholas] Bayard. site wliich

farther up, near the spot

It

occupied a commanding

overlooked the ui)pGr part of the

citj',

with the inter-

vening valley and the surrounding country; and the splendid

gardens on

its

southern front, and the well-shaded drive which

;

Introduction. led

I'l'oui llif

iiinnsion U» the IJowcrv lane, wliieli

distance above I'l-oonie fn] of the

many

rendered

sli-icl.

of

tlie

called, furnishing

northward.

Along

entered a short

tlie

most

lliat

deliglit-

day.

Nortli River from the fort io

tremity of the ishmd in 17G7 was the "

was then

one of

it

on the line of Greenwich

street,

it

elegant sul)url)an I'esidences of

Extending along the margin

Murray

xxvii

street, to the

Road

upper

ex-

to Greenwich," as

it

another outlet from the city to the

this road,

also,

were scattered the elegant

grounds and residences of many of the leading citizens of that early day

— among which

were those of Mr. George Harrison,

in

the vicinity of Harrison street; and Mr. Leonard Lispenard, near

Laight street; that of Abraham Mortier, Esq., the paymastergeneral of the royal forces

mond

Hill, in

— since

known

well

as the old Rich-

which General Washington and Aaron Burr have

both resided, on the south-east corner of Varick and Charlton streets

;

—which

that of still

Lady Warren, wife

of

Admiral Sir Peter Warren

remains; surrounded with the shade-trees of former

times, the well-preserved residence of

Abraham Van

one of the oldest merchants of the

city,

Bleecker, and Fourth streets; that of

Nest, Esq.,

on Charles, Perry,

James Jauncey,

Esq., i

leading importer of that day, near Bethune street of our day that of Colonel William Bajard, another prominent merchant,

which stood on the

Washington

line of

Horatio

street,

streets; that of Oliver

a brigadier-general

in

De Lancey,

Esq., subsequently

the royal service, which stood near the lino

of Thirteenth street, west

Thomas Clarke

between Greenwich and

from Ninth avenue; that of Colonel

—"Chelsea" — in

Avhicli

his

son-in-law,

Bishop

Moore, subsequently resided, and which has remained until within a

few years, on the south side of West Twenty-third

street, be-

tween the Ninth and Tenth avenues; and that of John Morin

^

Introduction.

xxviii

and an eaiij

"

Son

New York

most learned members of the

Scott, Esq., one of the

of Liberty,"

bar^

which also remained until within

a few years, having been known as " The Hermitage " and " The

Temple

West Forty-third

of Health," on

street,

betwen the Eighth

and Ninth avenues.

On

the eastern side of the island, also, the country seats of the

principal citizens of

New

York, in 1767, were thickly scattered.

Crossing eastward from Mr. Scott's seat, the wanderer of 176T

would have struck the East River near Turtle-Bay, near which fronting on the Boston road, an extension of the

was the elegant mansion

of the

Bowery

lane^

Friend Robert Murray, whose ven-

erable lady^ in September, 1776, by detaining the British officers lunch,

at

rendered

such

efficient

service

the

to

retreating

Americans.

A

short distance above Mr. Murray's (near the present corner

of First avenue

Beekman, one that day. erals

and Fiftieth

street) stood the country-seat of

most distinguished

of the

New

of the

Yorkers pf

That house, after serving as the head-quarters of Gen-

Howe, Clinton, and Robertson, and furnishing,

house, a prison for the martyr-spy, of the

most interesting memorials

ence.

Nearer to the

city

and

Nathan Hale, of old

in its green-

still

stands one

New York now

to the river,

was

"

in exist-

Rose Hill," the

country-seat of Hon. John Watts, whose city residence on street will be referred to hereafter; while in the cinity,

Mr.

and reached through the same

river near the foot of

lane,

East Twenty-third

Dock

immediate

vi-

on the bank of the

street,

was the

seat of J.

Keteltas.

Near the Boston road, also surrounded with gardens, were the seats of

James Duane,

Esq., near

Gramercy Park, and

T. Tiebout,

near the Fourth avenue and East Eighteenth street— the former

Introduction. a distinguished

member

of the bar,

bank

Seyenteenth street and

and well known

The eountrj-seat

quent history of his country. yesant, then on the

xxix in

the subse-

of Petrus Stuy-

of the riyer (but near the corner of

ilie

First avenue as the city

now

East

stands),

and communicating with the Boston road by means of a long^ straight,

closely-shaded

that

drive;

of

Gerardus

Stuyvesant

nearer to the road (near the present Thirteenth street, between the Second

and Third avenues), and that

Stuyvesant, a

fine hip-roofed

of Nicholas

William

mansion, w^th a lofty portico, which

stood in Eighth street, between the First and Second avenues,

were also prominent objects city.

was

Still

nearer to the

the seat of

Mr

city,

suburbs of the

in the north-eastern

on the west side of the Boston road,

Herrin, and a short distance below

it,

that of

Mr. Dyckman; while the elegant double, brick residence of Mr.

DeLanceVjOn the eastern

De Lancey trees,

and

street,

its fine

with

its

Bowery lane near

the present

semi-circular gatew^ay, its dense shade

gardens in the rear of the house, was one of the

most attractive features

On

side of the

part of the island.

in that

the extreme eastern front of the city, westward as far as

the First avenue, " the Stuyvesant

meadows

"

presented their

dreary surface; and notwithstanding the march of improvement*

which has characterized the past there small portions of these "

fifty years,

meadows

there are here

and

" still preserving nearly

their original level, although surrounded by highly valuable im-

provements on every

side.

In the south-eastern part of the city near Corhier's Hook, in 1767, were also scattered several fine country-seats,

were those of Mr. Jones, called

''

among which

^fouut Pitt," on Grand

sti-eet

near Attorney street; that of Mr. Ackland. on the extremity of the Hook; that of Mr. Bvvaiick, one of

tlio

iirincipal

among

the

IXTUODfCTION.

XXX

merchants at that period, near the present Goiiverneur Degrnshe's with

gomery

street;

its

slip;

Mr.

extensive rope-walli, near the foot of Mont-

and Mr. Henry Rutgers', on the present Rutgers

Place. Oil the

Bowery

lane, on his

way toward

square, the traveller in 1767 passed a

From Bayard's

the city.

street west of the

lane above

Bowery, although

the present

Chatham

new and growing part

Broome it

street, to

had been

Bayard

laid out into

blocks, the neighborhood appears to have been settled only

the line of the great thoroughfare;

iever,

On

on

and Elizabeth, and Winne

(now Mott), and Ryndert (now Mulberry) paratively uninhabited.

of

streets,

were com-

the eastern side of the Bowery, how-

appears to have been thickly settled as far down as

it

Division street, and eastward several blocks.

There

is

no doubt,

however, that like nearly every other pioneer movement in other parts of the city, and at

all times,

all

these portions of the

town were the places where the working-classes

chiefly resided,

although the vicinity of the public slaughter-house which then stood on the corner of Bayard and Ryndert streets, naturally attracted

many

(now Mulberry)

of the butchers of that part to

that neighborhood.

On

the east side of Elizabeth street, between Hester and St.

Nicholas (now Canal) streets, stood a large windmill,

its

yard ex-

tending through to the Bowery; and on the west side of the

Bowery

now

lane,

between

St.

Nicholas and Bayard streets, on the site

occupied by the Old Bowery Theatre, stood an old-fashioned,

two-story and attic country tavern

—"the

Bull's

Head"

rounded by pens for the accommodation of the droves of sheep, calves, etc., l,iii?fr.r«^

am

tha I

•

T^'-f-.'S >-:--c=.

.._

pleasare of assuring tout Excellency fairest prospects are

5

shew

onr antagonist in a negotiari on.

c

z^ent of

.

..

isions.

.

-

.

?ds

-

315

3T

we make, and how many

er

by onr appearing in Enropie as a gift than to have established

it

by onr exertions.

B

Plblic Papers of George Clinton.

(;

in

still

is

it

our power to repair those errors;

selves of this favorable

moment

covering our diminished Credit

make no ajwlogy

I

persuaded,

is

for expelling the

among

us avail our-

Enemv and

re-

the nations of the Earth.

for the liberty I take.

Your Excellency,

I

am

too sensible of the truth of these observations, to

think they cimkl feels their

let

l>e

who

delivered with less earnestness by one

importance, and

I

am

confident you will bring

fore the Legislature of your State in such

manner

them

be-

as will best

serve to ensure them their attention.

have the honor to be with the greatest Respect and Esteem

I

Your Excellency's most

obedt.

humble Servant. Robt. R. Livingston.

His Exi-ellencv Governor Clinton.

By

the United States in Congress Assembled May 1st 1782. On the roport of a Committee to whom was referred a communication Secretary for Foreign Affairs

of

the

Resolved That the Secretary for Foreign ADfairs l)e, and he is hereby directed to make a coDfldcntial communication to the several States of the intelligence received by Congress on the 29th day of April last through his department, in order that the States may be more fully Impressed with the necessity of. such united and determined exertions, as with the co-operation of our generous Ally, will expel the Enemy from their remaining posts within the United States, and display to the world the falsehood of the assertions of the British Court, that the People "" of '' =. are neither united, nor determined in support of their national '

(m! fl,f.

I

Miii,,ects accede.

Duane

j»osiiive iny.self

fourteenth

It

very material Injury to himis,

therefore,

now determined

shall supply Colo. Floyd's Place

& which from

rromiso.

may

seems Mr. Benson

it

which he could not in Justice to the young

to

Oentlenieu in his Oflice

that Mr.

which

at

&

I

have his

his usual punctuality I flatter

be relied on, that he will set out for Phila. on the Instant.

despair of the Attendance of a super-

I

numerary Member, as you for good Reasons wish, not only cause no immediate provisions

is

made

for

be-

his support, but

because the same reasons which prevented Mr. Benson's attend-

ance

in the first

w;i,s in

Congress

latui-e all

Instance will continue all last

Winter

Summer

&, therefore,

w^as obliged to attend the Legis-

has not the most distant expecta-

tion of being so suddenly called holies

would

from the Conversation li;ivut our F.aws remain^ so

Situation of

long" uiipiiiited. the disjiersod

cers,

and the

want

of Authority in

l>itliculty

Returns, rendered

it

more time & attention

fcom

some a

in