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earliest measures confirmed the favourable accounts which had preceded him, of his talents and liberality. To show his willingness to repose confidence in the people, he assented to a bill limiting the duration of the present and all succeeding assemblies. The house manifested its gratitude by adopting the measures he recommended for the defence of the province against the French, who were then at war with England.

In 1745, the savages in alliance with France made frequent invasions of the English territories. The inhabitants were compelled to desert Hosick; Saratoga was destroyed; the western settlements of New England were often attacked aud plundered. Encouraged by success, the enemy became more daring, and small parties ventured within the suburbs of Albany, and there laid in wait for prisoners. It is even said that one Indian, called Tomonwilemon, often entered the city and succeeded in taking captives.

Distressed by these incursions, the assembly, in 1746, determined to unite with the other colonies and the mother country in an expedition against Canada. They appropriated money to purchase provisions for the army, and offered liberal bounties to recruits. But the fleet from England did not arrive at the appointed time; the other colonies were dilatory in their preparations, and before they were completed, the season for military operations had passed away.

Early in the next year, a treaty was concluded and the inhabitants were for a short period, relieved from the burdens and distresses of war.

During the interval of peace, no event of importance happened in the colony. Upon the recurrence, a few years afterwards, of hostilities, its territory was the theatre of sanguinary conflicts. But of that war, in which all the colonies acted in concert, a connected history will be hereafter given.

CHAPTER VII.

NEW JERSEY.

THE first settlement within the limits of New Jersey was made by the Danes, about the year 1624, at a place called Bergen, from a city of that name in Norway. Soon afterwards several Dutch families seated themselves in the vicinity of New York. In 1626, a company was formed in Sweden, under the patronage of King Gustavus Adolphus, for the purpose of planting a colony in America. The next year, a number of Swedes and Finns came over, purchased of the natives the land on both sides of the river Delaware, but made their first settlement on its western bank near Christina creek.

About the year 1640, the English began a plantation at Elsingburgh, on its eastern bank. The Swedes, in concert with the Dutch, who then possessed New York, drove them out of the country. The former built a fort on the spot whence

the English had been driven; and gaining thus the command of the river, claimed and exercised authority over all vessels that entered it, even those of the Dutch, their late associates.

They continued in possession of the country, on both sides of the Delaware, until 1655, when Peter Stuyvesant, governor of the New Netherlands, having obtained assistance from Holland, conquered all their posts and transported most of the Swedes to Europe. The Dutch were now in possession of the territory comprising, at this time, the states of New Jersey, New York, and Delaware.

Soon, however, this territory changed masters. King Charles the Second, having granted it to the Duke of York, sent an armament in 1664 to wrest it from the Dutch. After reducing New York, the squadron proceeded to the settlements on the Delaware, which immediately submitted. In the same year, the duke conveyed that portion of his grant, lying between Hudson and Delaware rivers, to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. This tract was called New Jersey, in compliment to Sir George, who had been governor of the island of Jersey, and had held it for King Charles in his contest with the parliament.

The two proprietors formed a constitution for the colony, securing equal privileges and liberty of conscience to all, and appointed Philip Carteret governor. He came over in 1665, fixed the seat of government at Elizabeth town, purchased land of the Indians, and sent agents into New England to invite settlers from that quarter. The

terms offered were so favourable that many accepted the invitation.

A few years afterwards, the repose of the colony began to be disturbed by domestic disputes. Some of the inhabitants, having purchased their lands of the Indians previous to the conveyance from the duke, refused to pay rent to the proprietors. Others were discontented from different causes. In 1672, an insurrection took place, the people assumed the government, and chose James Carteret, the son of Philip, their governor. The father returned to England, and obtained from the proprietors such favourable concessions and promises as quieted the people, and induced them again to submit to his authority.

Lord Berkeley disposed of his property, rights, and privileges in the teritory, to Edward Billinge; and he, being involved in debt, consented that they should be sold for the benefit of his creditors.

WILLIAM PENN, Gawen Lowrie, and Nicholas Lucas, were appointed trustees for that purpose.. In 1676, the trustees and Sir George Carteret made partition of the territory, they taking the western, and he the eastern portion.

West Jersey was then divided into one hundred shares, which were separately sold. Some of the purchasers emigrated to the country, and all made great exertions to promote its population. Possessing the powers of government, as well as the right of soil, they formed a constitution, in which, for the encouragement of emigrants, they secured to them ample privileges.

But previous to the transfer from Berkeley to

Billinge, the Dutch being at war with England, reconquered the country, and retained it until 1674, when it was restored by treaty. A new patent was then granted to the duke, including the same territory as the former. In 1678, Sir Edmund Andross, who had been appointed his sole governor in America, claimed jurisdiction over the Jerseys, insisting that the conquest by the Dutch divested the proprietors of all their rights.

He forcibly seized, transported to New York, and there imprisoned those magistrates who refused to acknowledge his authority. He imposed a duty upon all goods imported, and upon the property of all who came to settle in the country. Of this injustice the inhabitants loudly. complained to the duke; and at length their repeated remonstrances constrained him to refer the matter to commissioners.

Before them the proprietors appeared. In strong language they asserted, and by strong arguments supported their claim to the privileges of freemen. They represented, that the king had granted to the duke the right of government as well as the right of soil? that the duke had transferred the same rights to Berkeley and Carteret, and they to the present proprietors.

"That only," they added, "could have induced us to purchase lands and emigrate. And the reason is plain to all prudent men, the government of any place is more inviting than the soil; for what is good land without good laws? What but an assurance that we should enjoy civil and religious privileges, could have tempted us to leave a culti

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