88 EXECUTION OF LEISLER. annulling the regulations which had been in force during his administration. They also passed a law declaring the assembling of a representative body to be an inherent right of the people, and that all the other liberties of Englishmen belonged of right to the colonists. This act was afterwards annulled by King William. Leisler and Milbourne were now brought to trial; and, after vainly pleading their loyalty and public services, were convicted of treason, and sentenced to death. The governor still hesitated to destroy the two persons, who, of all the inhabitants, had been the first to declare themselves in favour of his sovereign. Their enemies resorted to a most unjustifiable stratagem. They prepared a sumptuous feast, to which Colonel Sloughter was invited; and when his reason was drowned in wine, the entreaties of the company prevailed with him to sign the death-warrant; and, before he recovered from his intoxication, the prisoners were executed. The best act of Sloughter's administration was the execution of a new treaty, offensive and defensive, with the Five Nations. On his return from the conference with their deputies he suddenly died. He was a man of profligate character, and mean abilities. Colonel Fletcher was the next governor of New York. He arrived in 1692. He was an able soldier, but avaricious and passionate. The king, who had refused to grant a charter to New York, was anxious to encroach on the privileges of Connecticut, by placing the militia of that colony under the controul of Fletcher. To effect this object, Fletcher sent a commission to Governor Trent, of Connecticut, who was already commander of the colonial force by virtue of his office. The acceptance of a commission, from the governor of New York, would have made him subject to his orders. It was of course refused. Incensed at such contumacy, Fletcher proceeded, with his usual impetuosity, to Hartford, and commanded the assembly of the colony, who were then in session, to place their militia under his orders, as they would answer it to the king. He even threatened to issue a proclamation calling on all who were for the king to join him, and denouncing all others as traitors. Finding his Relate the circumstances of the death of Leisler and Milbourne.What was the best act of Sloughter's administration ?-What ended it ?What was his character ?-Who was the next governor of New York ?→→→ What was his character ?-Give an account of his adventure in Connec grandson of the great chancellor, Lord Clarendon; but a most degenerate and unworthy descendant of that illustrious man. Parties ran high under his administration, and he was a violent supporter of the anti-Leislerian faction. He was also an over-strenuous advocate of the Church of England; and did not scruple to persecute, with unrelenting hate, the members of all other denomi nations. He embezzled the public money, ran in debt on his own private account, and evaded payment by the pri vileges of his office. All parties became disgusted with his unprincipled conduct; and, forgetting their former animosities against each other, united in earnestly petitioning for his recall. In 1709, Queen Anne, the new Sovereign of England, was induced to supersede his com mission, and appoint Lord Lovelace to succeed him. Deprived of his office, he was instantly arrested, and thrown into prison, by his enraged creditors, and remained there until the death of his father, by elevating him to the peerage, entitled him to his liberation. He then returned to England, and died in the year 1723. The brief administration of Lord Lovelace, distinguished by no remarkable occurrence, was terminated by his sudden decease. Indeed, there was no occurrence of remarkable interest during the administrations of the subsequent governors till 1754, the period to which we are bringing forward the history of the distinct colonies. In the middle of the eighteenth century the population of the whole colony of New York was scarcely 100,000 inhabitants-less than one-half the number now contained in the metropolis of that state. The Indian wars, which were almost constantly raging on the frontier, were an effectual check to the extended settlement of the interior. We have already referred to the early settlements of the Swedes and Dutch, on the Delaware river. It was not What was Lord Cornbury's character?-What were his acts?-What occasioned his removal?-Who succeeded him?-What is said of Corn. bury's subsequent career?-Of New York in the middle of the eighteenth century 1-Who first settled in New Jersey, on the Delaware ? FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS OF SETTLEMENT. 91 until 1640 that any attempt was made, by the English, to colonise this region; and then it was successfully resisted. Their settlement at Elsingburgh was broken up by the united efforts of the Swedes and Dutch. The Swedes took possession of the place, built a fort, commanded the navigation of the river, and exacted duties from the ships of other nations passing on its waters. This lasted till their subjugation by the Dutch, under Peter Stuyvesant, which has already been related. When New York was given to the Duke of York. by Charles II, the country between the Delaware and Hudson was included in the grant. It was immediately afterwards conveyed, by the duke, to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. In compliment to Carteret, who had defended the island of Jersey against the Long Parliament in the civil war, it was called Nova-Cesaria, or New Jersey. To invite settlers to the country, the proprietaries gave assurance that the province should enjoy a representative government; freedom from all taxes, except such as were imposed by the general assembly; and the undisturbed enjoyment of liberty of conscience. This last provision was undoubtedly intended for the benefit of the society of Friends, who had been much molested by the Dutch in the neighbouring colony; and many of whom were already settled in New Jersey. Lands were also offered, at a quit rent of a half-penny an acre, after the year 1670, with the further condition, that one ablebodíed male servant should be maintained for every 100 acres of land, thus affording a guarantee for the actual cultivation of the land. This condition was probably intended to prevent the appropriation of large tracts by speculators. New provisions were added to this constitution, by subsequent proclamations of the proprietors, and the whole code was denominated, by the people, the Laws of the Concessions, and regarded by them as the great charter of their liberties. Philip Carteret, the first governor of New Jersey, purchased from the Indians their titles to all the lands which were occupied. This proceeding was afterwards approved by the proprietaries, who then established the rule, that all lands should be purchased from the Indians by the When did the English first attempt to settle there ?-What was the result? Who dispossessed the Swedes ?-Who granted New Jersey to Berkeley and Carteret ?-What privileges did they offer to settlers?→→ What was done by Philip Carteret ? governor and council, who were to be reimbursed by the settlers, in proportion to their respective possessions. Colonel Nichols, the first English governor of New York, while yet unacquainted with the duke's grant to Berkeley and Carteret, had granted licenses to persons to purchase lands of the Indians, and make settlements in New Jersey; and the towns of Elizabethtown, Woodbridge, and Piscataway were accordingly settled. But the hopes which he had entertained of increasing the value of the duke's territories by this measure, were soon dissipated by intelligence of his having parted with his claim to all the lands south-west of the Hudson. The measures which Nichols had already taken, gave rise to disputes between his settlers and the proprietaries, which disturbed the colony for more than half a century. Nichols endeavoured to prevail on the duke to revoke the grant; but this was not done, and the government was surrendered to Philip Carteret, who arrived in 1665, with thirty settlers, and fixed his residence at Elizabethtown, the first capital of the colony. Here he remained for several years, while the little state grew and flourished under his prudent administration. Its free institutions, fertile soil, and fortunate situation for commerce, all contributed to invite settlers, and advance its prosperity. In 1670, the earliest quit-rents fell due. The first demand of this tribute excited general disgust. A nume rous party, including those who had settled under Nichols, refused to acknowledge the title of the proprietors, and in opposition to it set up titles which they had ob tained from the Indians. The governor struggled hard to maintain the rights of the proprietaries for two years, till at length an insurrection broke forth, and he was compelled to return to England, abandoning the government; which was immediately conferred on a son of Sir George Carteret, who had favoured the popular party. In 1673, the Dutch recovered New Jersey, together with New York, but soon afterwards it was restored to the English by the treaty of London. After this event the Duke of York obtained a new charter for New York and New Jersey; appointed Andros governor over the whole reunited province, and investing all the legislative What was done by Colonel Nichols ?-By the Duke of York ?-What was the first capital of New Jersey ?-What is said of Carteret's admi nistration What is said of the quit-rents ?-Of the Dutch Duke of York? Of the |