THE

HISTORY

O F

NEW-Y O R K.

PART IV.

From the Canada Expedition in 1709, to the Arrival of Go

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vernour Burnet.

ORD Lovelace being dead, the chief Command devolved upon Richard Ingoldby, the Lieutenant-Governour, the fame who had exercised the Government several Years before, upon the Deceafe of Colonel Sloughter. His fhort Administration is remarkable, not for his extraordinary Talents, for he was a heavy Man, but for a fecond fruitless Attempt against Canada. Colonel Vetch, who had been, feveral Years before, at Quebeck, and founded the River of St. Lawrence, was the firft Projector of this Enterprife. The Ministry approved of it, and Vetch arrived in Bofton, and prevailed upon the New-England Colonies to join in the Scheme. After that, he came to New-York, and concerted the Plan of Operations with Francis Nicholson, formerly our Lieutenant-Governour, who, at the Request of Ingoldfby, the Council, the Affembly, Gurden Saltonftal the Governour of Connecticut, and Charles Gookin Lieutenant-Governour of Pennfylvania, accepted the chief Command of the provincial Forces, intended to penetrate into Canada, by the Way of Lake Champlain. Impoverifhed as we were, the Affembly joined heartily in the Enterprise. It was at this Juncture, our first Act for iffuing Bills of Credit was paffed; an Expedient without which we could not have contributed to the Expedi

tion,

tion, the Treasury being then totally exhaufted. Universal Joy now brightened every Man's Countenance, because all expected the compleat Reduction of Canada, before the enfuing Fall. Big with the pleafing Prospect of an Event, which would put a Period to all the Ravages of an encroaching, merciless, Enemy, extend the British Empire, and augment our Trade, we exerted ourselves to the utmoft, for the Succefs of the Expedition. As foon as the Defign was made known to the House, twenty Ship and House Carpenters were impreffed into the Service for building Batteaus. Commiffioners alfo were appointed to purchase Provifions and other Neceffaries, and empowered to break open Houfes for that Purpofe; and to imprefs Men, Veffels, Horfes, and Waggons, for transporting the Stores. Four hundred and eighty-feven Men, befides the independent Companies, were raised and dispatched to Albany, by the 27th of June; from whence they advanced, with the main Body, to the Wood Creek. Three Forts were built there, besides many Block-houses and Stores for the Provifions, which were tranfported with great Dispatch. The Province of New-York (all Things confidered) has the Merit of having contributed more than any of her Neighbours towards this Expedition. Pennsylvania gave no Kind of Aid, and New-Jersey was only at the Expence of 3000 l. One hundred Batteaus, as many Birch Canoes, and two of the Forts, were built entirely, and the other Fort, for the most Part, at the Charge of this Government. All the Provifions and Stores for the Army, were transported at our Expence; and befides our Quota of Volunteers and the independent Companies, we procured and maintained fix hundred Indians, and victualed a thousand of their Wives and Children at Albany, during the Campaign.

Having thus put ourselves to the Expence of above twenty thousand Pounds towards this Enterprise, the Delay of the Arrival of the Fleet fpread a general Discontent through the Country; and early in the Fall, the Affembly addressed the Lieutenant-Governour to recall our Forces from the Camp. Vetch and Nicholfon foon after broke up the Campaign, and retired to New-Port in Rhode-Island, where there was a Congrefs of Governours. Ingoldby, who was invited to it, did not appear, in Compliance with the Inclination of the Affembly, who, incenfed at the publick Difappointment, harboured great Jealoufies of all the first Promoters of the Defign. As foon, therefore, as Lord Sunderland's Letters, which arrived here on the 21st of October, were laid before the House, they refolved to fend an Address to the Queen, to lay before her a true Account of the Manner, in which this Province exerted itself in the late Undertaking.

Had.

Had this Expedition been vigorously carried on, doubtless it would have fucceeded. The publick Affairs at Home were conducted by a wife Miniftry. The allied Army triumphed in repeated Succeffes in Flanders; and the Court of France was in no Condition to give Affistance to so distant a Colony as Canada. The Indians of the Five Nations were engaged, thro' the indefatigable Solicitations of Colonel Schuyler, to join heartily in the Attempt; and the Eastern Colonies had nothing to fear from the Ouwenagungas, because those Indians had, a little before, concluded a Peace with the Confederates. In America every Thing was ripe for the Attack. At Home, Lord Sunderland, the Secretary of State, had proceeded fo far, as to dispatch Orders to the Queen's Ships at Boston, to hold themselves in Readiness, and the British Troops were upon the Point of their Embarkation. At this Juncture, the News arrived of the Defeat of the Portuguese, which reducing our Allies to great Streights, the Forces intended for the American Adventure were then ordered to their Affiftance, and the Thoughts of the Ministry entirely diverted from the Canada Expedition.

As we had not a Man in this Province, who had more extended Views of the Importance of driving the French out of Canada, than Colonel Schuyler, so neither did any Perfon more heartily engage in the late Expedition. To preserve the Friendship of the Five Nations, without which it would be impoffible to prevent our Frontiers from becoming a Field of Blood, he studied all the Arts of infinuating himself into their Favour. He gave them all poffible Encouragement and Affiftance, and very much impaired his own Fortune, by his Liberality to their Chiefs. They never came to Albany but they resorted to his House, and even dined at his Table; and by this Means he obtained an Ascendency over them, which was attended with very good Confequences to the Province, for he could always, in a great Degree, obviate or eradicate the Prejudices and Jealoufies, by which the French Jefuits were inceffantly labouring to debauch their Fidelity.

Impreffed with a strong Sense of the Neceffity of fome vigorous Measures against the French, Colonel Schuyler was extremely difcontented at the late Disappointment; and resolved to make a Voyage to England, at his private Expence, the better to inculcate on the Ministry, the abfolute Neceffity of reducing Canada to the Crown of Great-Britain. For that Purpose he proposed to carry Home with him five Indian Chiefs. The Houfe no fooner heard of his Design, than they came to a Refolution, which, in Justice to his distinguished Merit, I ought not to fupprefs. It was this:

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"Refolved, Nemine contradicente, That the humble Addrefs of the Lieu"tenant-Governor, Council, and general Affembly of this Colony to the Queen, representing the prefent State of this Plantation, be committed to his Charge and Care, to be presented by himself to her facred Majesty; "he being a Perfon, who not only in the last War, when he commanded "the Forces of this Colony in chief at Canada, but also in the prefent, has "performed faithful Services, to this and the neighbouring Colonies; and be«haved himself in the Offices, with which he has been intrufted, with good Reputation, and the general Satisfaction of the People in thefe Parts." The Arrival of the five Sachems in England, made a great Bruit thro' the whole Kingdom. The Mob followed wherever they went, and fmall Cuts of them were fold among the People. The Court was at that Time in Mourning for the Death of the Prince of Denmark: thefe American Kings * were therefore dreffed in black under Cloths, after the English Manner; but, instead of a Blanket, they had each a Scarlet-in-grain Cloth Mantle, edged with Gold, thrown over all their other Garments. This Dress was directed by the Dreffers of the Playhouse, and given by the Queen, who was advised to make a Shew of them. A more than ordinary Solemnity attended the Audience they had of her Majefty. Sir Charles Cotterel conducted them, in two Coaches, to St. James's; and the Lord Chamberlain. introduced them into the royal Presence. Their Speech, on the 19th of April, 1710, is preferved by Oldmixon, and was in thefe Words:

"We have undertaken a long Voyage, which none of our Predeceffors "could be prevailed upon to undertake, to see our great Queen, and relate "to her those Things, which we thought abfolutely neceffary for the Good "of her, and us her Allies, on the other Side the Water.

"We doubt not but our great Queen has been acquainted with our "long and tedious War, in Conjunction with her Children, against her "Enemies the French; and that we have been as a strong Wall for their

Security, even to the Lofs of our best Men. We were mightily rejoiced, "when we heard our great Queen had refolved to fend an Army to reduce "Canada, and immediately, in Token of Friendship, we hung up the Kettle, and took up the Hatchet, and, with one Confent, affifted Colonel

*This Title is commonly beftowed on the Sachems, tho' the Indians have no fuch Dignity or Office amongst them.

Nicholfon in making Preparations on this Side the Lake; but, at length, "we were told our great Queen, by fome important Affairs, was prevented in her Design, at present, which made us forrowful, left the French, who had hitherto dreaded us, fhould now think us unable to "make War against them. The Reduction of Canada is of great Weight "to our free Hunting; fo that if our great Queen should not be mindful "of us, we muft, with our Families, forfake our Country, and feek o"ther Habitations, or ftand neuter, either of which will be much against our Inclinations.

"In Token, of the Sincerity of these Nations, we do, in their Names, present our great Queen with these Belts of Wampum, and in Hopes of our great Queen's Favour, leave it to her most gracious Confideration."

While Colonel Schuyler was at the British Court, Captain Ingoldfby was displaced, and Gerardus Beekman exercised the Powers of Government, from the 10th of April, 1710, till the Arrival of Brigadier Hunter, on the 14th of June following. The Council then present were,

Hunter was a Native of Scotland, and, when a Boy, put Apprentice to an Apothecary. He left his Master, and went into the Army; and being a Man of Wit and perfonal Beauty, recommended himfelf to Lady Hay, whom he afterwards married. In the Year 1707, he was appointed Lieutenant-Governour of Virginia, but being taken by the French in his Voyage to that Colony, he was carried into France, and upon his Return to England, appointed to fucceed Lord Lovelace in the Government of this and the Province of New-Jersey. Dean Swift's Letter to him, during his Captivity, fhews that he had the Honour of an Intimacy with Mr. Addison and others, who were distinguished for their good Senfe and Learning; and perhaps it was by their Interest, he was advanced to this profitable Place.

Governour Hunter brought over with him near three thousand Palatines, who the Year before fled to England from the Rage of Perfecution in Germany. Many of thefe People feated themselves in the City of New-York, where they built a Lutheran Church, which is now in a delining Condition. Others fettled on a Tract of feveral thousand Acres, in the Manor of Living

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