tication, suggesting that "if they were printed and imediately sent over they would bee fully satisfactory to these parts, and of some consequence to his Majesties Interest, in relation to the other Collonies." Writing again on April 7, 1666, he stated that they had been remitted for confirmation, and that he hoped his Royal Highness would "dispatch this New body of Lawes in print without Alterations." They remained in manuscript, however, until printed for the New York Historical Society in 1811. An unsuccessful attempt to procure an official printer for the colony was made by the next governor, Francis Lovelace, who arrived at New York in March, 1668. This effort was mentioned by Lovelace in a letter to the Rev. Thomas James, minister of the church at Easthampton, who was preparing a catechism in the language of the Montauk Indians at the east end of Long Island. In this letter, dated from New York, November 19, 1668, he requested a fair transcript of the catechism, which he said he would send over to England and have quantities of them printed there, "though I am not out of hopes ere long to have a printer here of my owne, having already sent to Boston for one, but whether I shall speed or no I am uncertaine." No evidence has been found that the Indian catechism was ever printed. During the twenty-five years that elapsed before printing was actually introduced into New York, the attitude of the royal government was unfavorable to popular representation and to the liberty of the press. This feeling was expressed in the words of Sir William Berkeley, governor of Virginia, in 1671, replying to the inquiries of the lords' commissioners of foreign plantations, propounded to him in 1670. In answering the 23d question, "What course is taken about the instructing the people within your government in the christian religion," etc., he replied: "The same course that is taken in England out of towns; every man according to his ability instructing his children. But, I thank God, there are no free schools nor printing, and I hope we shall not have these hundred years; for learning has brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects into the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels against the best government. God keep us from both!" When Sir Edmund Andros became governor, in 1674, the people of New York forwarded a petition to the king asking for the privilege of having an Assembly of Representatives, which request was refused with the remark, "What do they want with Assemblies? They have the Court of Quarter Sessions, presided over by the Governor; or, if this is not enough, they can appeal to me." However, on the appointment of the next governor, Colonel Thomas Dongan, in 1682, the royal instructions included an order for the election of a General Assembly of all the freeholders, which was to coöperate with the governor in establishing fit and necessary laws. On the death of King Charles II, in February, 1685, the Duke of York became king as James II, and New York ceased to be a proprietary government. New instructions were therefore sent to Governor Dongan, dated May 29, 1686, among which is the following: "65. And for as much as great inconvenience may arise by the liberty of printing within our province of New York; you are to provide by all necessary Orders that noe person keep any press for printing, nor that any book, pamphlet or other matters whatsoever bee printed without your especial leave & license first obtained." Even after the revolution of 1688, the same instructions were given under William and Mary; and when Colonel Benjamin Fletcher was appointed governor, in March, 1692, he was required to exercise censorship over the printing-press. Governor Fletcher arrived in New York at the end of August, 1692, and was received with appropriate ceremonies by Mayor Abraham De Peyster, the Common Council, and the Council of the province. Among the first matters requiring his attention, the Assembly being then in session, were the passing of two acts to provide for the raising and paying of troops to defend the northern frontiers at Albany and Schenectady, against the attacks of the French from Canada and their Indian allies. Early in October he made a visit to Albany to inspect the fortifications, and to organize the military defense in accordance with these acts. At the next Assembly, October 24 to November 14, 1692, he carried out another of his instructions by urging the unwilling representatives to pass an act for the settling and support of the ministry of the Church of England, which request he was obliged to repeat at the two following sessions before it was done, a year later. He did succeed, however, in having acts passed at this session for raising revenue to support the government, to establish Courts of Judicature, and to encourage a PostOffice. On Sunday night, February 12, 1693, Governor Fletcher was notified by a messenger from Ulster County, that 550 French and Indians had arrived within twenty miles of Schenectady to attack the frontiers. He immediately ordered out the city militia, selected 150 of the fittest men, and ordering 50 more from Kings County and 120 from Queens County to follow after, set sail in eight sloops up the Hudson on Tuesday afternoon the 14th, and notwithstanding much ice in the river, reached Albany on Friday morning the 17th. From there he at once pushed on to Schenectady, twenty miles away, where he arrived at 5 o'clock of the same day, it being "extream bad cold snowy weather." Here he found that the enemy had retired, after burning three of the fortified Mohawk villages, and carrying away captive upwards of 130 Indian women and children; and that they were being pursued along the Mohawk river by the militia from Albany under Major Peter Schuyler. After staying here four days, until the pursuers returned, they all marched back to Albany, where the governor remained until the 27th, when he reembarked with his men for New York, arriving there on Thursday morning, March 2. The promptness of the governor in this expedition much enhanced his reputation. The Indians of the Five Nations conferred on him the name, Brother Cayenquirago, which signifies a great swift arrow, "because of his speedy arrival here, with so many men for their Relief." The mayor, aldermen and commonalty of Albany presented an address of thanks for his Excellency's special care to that city, seated near 150 miles up in the country, that he should "within two days after notice received from hence, make that dispatch as to be here so suddainly with 300 men, and sufficient Provisions and Stores of War for our immediate Relief, which was more than ever could be expected in this Winter Season." And at the opening meeting of the next Assembly at New York, three weeks later, the House of Representatives voted special thanks "for his care of the Frontiers of this Province, by the great Dispatch he made in His Personal Appearance there, upon the late Invasion of the French." All this praise was gratifying to Governor Fletcher, and he desired to have a narrative of the details put in print. He therefore ordered Colonel Nicholas Bayard, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Lodowick and Major Peter Schuyler to supply him with written reports of what took place. It was necessary, also, to obtain a printer. To carry out this requirement, on the same day that the thanks of the Assembly were presented, Thursday, March 23, 1693, the following resolution was passed by the governor and council, those present on the occasion, besides Fletcher, being Frederick Philipse, Stephen Van Cortlandt, Nicholas Bayard, Gabriel Minvielle, Chidley Brooke, William Nicolls, John Lawrence, and Caleb Heathcote: "It is resolved in Council that if a printer will come and settle in the City of Newyorke for the printing of our Acts of Assembly & publick papers he shall be allowed the summe of fourty pounds Current money of Newyorke per annum for his sallary & have the benefite of his printing besides what serves the publick." |