CHAP. XXVIII.

Governor Dongan recalled; Jacob Leister traitorously assumes the government; The French instigate the Indians to make war on the colonies; Dreadful massacre of the inhabitants of Schenectady; Leister and his son condemned to die, as guilty of treason; Commencement of dissentions between Episcopalians and Presbyterians; Indians cede a large tract of land to the English; Abortive plans for attacking Canada; Five sachems visit England, and are introduced to Queen Anne; 3000 Palatines from Germany, brought over by Gov. Hunter; Troubles with the merchants respecting the Indian trade; Project for a settlement of Highlanders, fails; Cession of lands to NewYork, by Massachusetts.

IN 1689, Col. Dongan, the governor, being called home by king James, and a general disaffection to government prevailing at New-York, one Jacob Leister took possession of the garrison for king William and queen Mary, and assumed the supreme power over the province. His reduction of Albany, held by others for William, and the confiscation of the estates of his opponents, were impolitic measures, which sowed the seeds of mutual animosity, the ill effects of which were felt for a long time after, in the embarrassments of the public affairs.

The French, in 1689, in order to detach the Six Nations from the British interest, sent out several parties against the English colonies; one of which, consisting of about 200 French, and some of the Cagnawaghga Indians, commanded by D'Ailldebout, de Mantel, and le Moyne, was intended for New-York. But by the advice of the Indians, they determined first to attack Schenectady.

For this place they accordingly directed their course, and after 20 days' march, in the depth of winter, through the snow, carrying their provisions on their backs, they arrived in the neighbourhood of Schenectady, on the 8th of February, 1690. Such was the extreme distress to which they were reduced, that they had thoughts of surrendering themselves prisoners of war. But their scouts, who were a day or two in the village, entirely unsuspected, returned with such encouraging accounts of the absclute security of the people, that the enemy determined on the attack. They entered the town on Saturday night, about 11 o'clock, at the gates, which were found open; and, that every house might be invested at the same time, they divided into small parties of 6 or 7 men. The inhabitants were in a profound sleep, and unalarmed, until their doors were broken open. Never were people in a more wretched consternation. Before they had time to rise from their beds, the enemy entered their houses, and began the perpetration of the most inhuman barbarities. No tongue can express the cruelties that were committed. The whole village was instantly in a blaze. Women with child ripped open, and their infants cast into the flames, or dashed against the posts of the door. Sixty persons perished in the massacre, and 27 were carried into captivity. The rest fled naked towards Albany, through a deep snow, which fell that very night in a terrible storm; and 25 of the fugitives lost their limbs in the flight, through the severity of the frost. The news of this dreadful tragedy reached Albany, about break of day, and universal dread and dismay seized the inhabitants of that city, the enemy being reported to be 1400 strong. A party of horse was immediately despatched to Schenectady, and a few Mowhawks, then in town, fearful of being intercepted, were

with difficulty sent to carry intelligence to their own castles, and to put them on their guard. Owing to the great depth of the snow, and the extreme difficulty of travelling, the Mohawks, though near, remained unacquainted with this bloody scene for two days after it happened. The enemy pillaged the town of Sehenectady until noon the next day; and then went off with their plunder, and with about 40 of the best horses. The rest, with all the cattle they could find, were left slaughtered in the streets.

Upon the arrival of a governor at New-York, commissioned by the king, Leister refused to surrender the garrison, for the seizure of which, he and his son were tried and condemned to die, as guilty of high treason.

The whole province of New-York was originally settled by non-episcopalians, chiefly by Presbyterians, except a few episcopal families in the city of New-York. In 1693, Col. Fletcher, then governor of the province, projected the scheme of a general tax for building churches, and supporting episcopal ministers, and by artifice effected his design in part. This overture laid the foundation for a controversy between the Presbyterians and Episcopalians, which, until the revolution, was maintained on both sides with great warmth and animosity, and which has never since been suffered uninterruptedly to sleep. Several of the governors, particularly lord Cornbury, showed great partiality to the Episcopalians, and oppressed and persecuted the Presbyterians.

In 1701, (July 19,) the confederated tribes of Indians, at Albany, surrendered to the English their beaver hunting country, lying between lakes Ontario and Erie, to be by them defended for the said confederated Indians, their heirs and successors forever. This transaction was confirmed, Sept. 14, 1726, when the Senecas, Cayugas, and

Onondagas, surrendered to the English, for the same use, their habitations, from Cayahoga to Oswego, and 60 miles inland.

In 1709, a vigorous expedition was meditated against Canada; in making preparations for which, this province. expended above £20,000; but the expected assistance from Britain failing, it was never prosecuted. Soon after Col. Schuyler, who had been very influential with the Indians, visited England with five sachems, who were introduced into the presence of queen Anne. The object of this visit was to stimulate the ministry to the reduction of Canada. Afterward, in 1711, a considerable fleet was sent over for that purpose; but 8 transports being cast away on the coast, the rest of the fleet and troops returned without making any attempt to reduce Canada.

In 1710, Gov. Hunter brought over with him about 3000 Palatines, who, the year before, had fled to England from the rage of persecution in Germany. Many of these people settled in the city of New-York; others settled on a tract of several thousand acres, in the manor of Livingston, and some went to Pennsylvania, and were instrumental in inducing thousands of their countrymen afterwards to migrate and settle in that province.

The prohibition of the sale of Indian goods in France, in 1720, excited the clamour of the merchants at New-York, whose interest was affected by it. The measure was undoubtedly a futile one; and the reasons for it were these:

the French, by this trade, were supplied with articles which were wanted by the Indians. This prevented the Indians from coming to Albany, and drew them to Montreal; and they, being employed by the French as carriers, became attached to them from interest. About the same time, a trading house was erected by the English at Oswego, on lake Ontario; and another by the French at Niagara.

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In 1729, the act prohibiting the trade between Albany and Montreal, was imprudently repealed by the king. This naturally tended to undermine the trade at Oswego, and to advance the French commerce of Niagara; and at the same time to alienate the affections of the Indians from the English. Not long after this, the French were suffered to erect a fort on lake Champlain. To prevent the ill consequences of this, a scheme was projected to settle the lands near lake George, with loyal Protestant Highlanders, from Scotland. Accordingly, a tract of 30,000 acres was promised to Capt. Campbell, who, at his own expense, transported 83 Protestant families to New-York. But through the sordid views of some persons in power, who aimed at a share in the intended grant, the settlement was never made.

In 1787, the legislature of this state, ceded to the commonwealth of Massachusetts, all the lands, within their jurisdiction, west of a meridian to be drawn from a point in the north boundary line of Pennsylvania, 82 miles west from Delaware; (excepting one mile along the east side of Niagara river) and also 10 townships between the Chenango and Oswego rivers, reserving the jurisdiction to the state of New-York. This cession was made to satisfy a claim of Massachusetts, founded upon their original charter.*

The authors are not in possession of the necessary materials for bringing the history of this respectable and increasing state down to the present time. It is their intention to do it hereafter.