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the enemy being reported to be one thousand four hundred strong. A party of horse was immediately difpatched to Skenectady, and a few Mohawks then in town, fearful of being intercepted, were with difficulty fent to apprise their own castles.

The Mohawks were unacquainted with this bloody scene until two days after it happened, our messengers being scarcely able to travel through the great depth of the snow. The enemy, in the mean time, pillaged the town of Skenectady until noon the next day; and then went off with their plunder, and about forty of their best horfes. The rest, with all the cattle they could find, lay flaughtered in the streets.

Upon the arrival of a governor at New-York, commissioned by the king, Leifler imprudently refused to furrender the garrifon, for which he and his fon were condemned to death, as guilty of high treafon.

The whole province of New-York was originally fettled by non-epif. copalians, chiefly by prefbyterians, except a few epifcopal 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 epifcopal minifters, and artfully effected his design in part. This overture laid the foundation for a difpute between the prefbyterians and epifcopalians, which, until the revolution, was maintained on both fides with great warmth and animofity. Several of the governors, particularly the infamous * Lord Cornbury, shewed great partiality to the episcopalians, and perfecuted the prefbyterians.

To prevent the Roman Catholic miffionaries from Canada from influencing the Indian allies of the province to renounce their allegiance to the British crown, under the pretext of religion, the legislature of the province, in July 1700, passed a law, prohibiting Jesuits and Popish Priests

a

* The following extract from the Hiftory of New-York, will fully justify this epithet. Speaking of Lord Cornbury, the historian fays, 'His lordship's fense of honour and justice was as weak and indelicate, as bis bigotry was rampant and uncontrolable: and hence we find him guilty of an act complicated of a number of vices, which no man could have perpetrated without violence to the very flightest remains of generosity and justice. When his excellency retired to Jamaica, on account of the Great Sickness in 1702, one Hubbard, the prefbyterian minister, lived in the best house in the town. His lordship begged the loan of it for the use of his own family, and the clergyman put himself to no small inconveniencies to favour the governor's request; but in return for the generous benefaction, his lordship perfidiously delivered the parfonage-house into the hands of the epifcopal party, and encouraged one Cardowel, the sheriff, a mean fellow, who afterwards put an end to his own life, to feize upon the glebe, which he furveyed into lots, and farmed for the benefit of the epifcopal church. These tyrannical measures juftly inflamed the indignation of the injured sufferers, and that again the more embittered his lordship against them. They resented, and be perfecuted: nor did he confine his pious rage to the people of Jamaica. He detefted all who were of the same denomination; nay, averse to every fett except his own, be infifted that neither the ministers nor schoolmasters of the Dutch, the most numerous perfuafion in the province, had a right to preach or inftruct without his gubernatorial licence; and some of them tamely fubmitted to his unauthoritative rule."

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from exercifing their office in the province, on pain of perpetual imprisonment. If any one fhould efcape from prifon, and be afterwards taken, he was to be put to death. This law, however vindicable in a political view, is certainly to be condemned on the principle of religion, as it favoured as highly of perfecution as any law ever paffed in New-England. The truth is, the legiflators in both inftances intended to prevent political evils, but their laws for this end were highly exceptionable. The offenders against the public peace ought to have been treated in a civil, not in a religious capacity. Civil and ecclefiaftical power are intirely diftinct, and never ought to be blended. The religious perfecutions, which have proved the deftruction of thousands of pious people, may, in a great meafure, be afcribed to the undue interference of civil with ecclefiaftical authority.

This law against the Roman Catholics remained unrepealed (though it was never enforced) until the revolution.

In 1709, a vigorous expedition was meditated against Canada, in making preparation for which, this province expended above £.20,000; but the expected affiftance from Britain failing, it was never profecuted. Soon after, Col. Schuyler, who had been very influential with the In, dians, went to England with five fachems, who were introduced into the prefence of Queen Anne. The object of this vifit was to ftimulate the miniftry to the reduction of Canada.

In 1711, a confiderable fleet was fent over for that purpose, but eight tranfports being caft away on the coaft, the rest of the fleet and troops returned without making any attempt to reduce Canada.

In 1710, Governor Hunter brought over with him about 3000 Palatines, who, the year before, had fled to England from the rage of perfecution in Germany. Many of these people fettled in the city of NewYork; others fettled on a tract of feveral thoufand acres in the manor of Livingfton; and fome went to Pennsylvania, and were inftrumental in inducing thoufands of their countrymen to emigrate to that province,

The prohibition of the fale of Indian goods to the French, in 1720, excited the clamour of the merchants at New-York, whofe intereft was affected by it. The meafure was undoubtedly a politic one; and the reafons for it were thefe: The French by this trade were fupplied 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 intereit. About the fame time, a trading-houfe was erected by the English at Ofwego, on Lake Ontario; and another by the French at Niagara.

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 Ofwego, and to advance the French commerce of Niagara; and at the fame time to alienate the affections of the Indians from Britain. Not long after this, the French were fuffered to erect a fortress at Lake Champlain. To prevent the ill confequences of this, a scheme was projected to fettle the lands near Lake George with loyal proteftant Highlanders from Scotland. A tract of thirty thousand acres was accordingly promifed to Captain Campbell, who, at his own expence, tranfported

eighty

eighty-three Proteftant families to New-York. But through the fordid views of fome perfons in power, who aimed at a fhare in the intended grant, the fettlement was never made.

We have already mentioned, in the hiftory of the United States, fome of the most important events that have taken place in this ftate fince the revolution, To be more particular is inconfiftent with my defign. I fhall conclude this hiftory, with a lift of the governors of New-York, after having mentioned that,

In 1787, the legislature of this ftate ceded to the commonwealth of Maffachufetts, all the lands, within their jurifdiction, weft of a meridian that fhall be drawn from a point in the north boundary line of Pennfylvania, eighty-two miles weft from the Delaware; (excepting one mile along the eaft fide of Niagara river) and alfo ten townships between the Chenengo and Owegy rivers, referving the jurifdiction to the ftate of New-York, This ceffion was made to fatisfy a claim of Massachusetts, founded upon their original charter.

A Lift of Governors from the year 1664 to the present time.

Names of Governors. Began to govern. Names of Governors. Began to govern.

Nicolls

1664

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Burnet
Montgomerie

1720

1728

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NEW

JERSEY.

SITUATION and EXTENT.

Miles.

Length 160
Breadth

Between

52

Boundaries.]

BOUN

39° and 41° 24' North Latitude.

The body of the ftate lies between the meridian of Philadelphia, and 1° Eaft Longitude.

OUNDED caft, by Hudfon's river and the fea; fouth, by the fea; weft, by Delaware bay and river, which divide it from the ftates of Delaware and Pennfylvania; north, by a line drawn from the mouth of Mahakkamak river, in latitude 41° 24′′ to a point in Hudfon's river in latitude 41°. Containing about 8320 square miles, equal to 5,324,800 acres.

Bays, Ponds, Rivers, &c.] New-Jersey is wafhed on the eaft and fouth-east by Hudson's river and the ocean; and on the west by the river Delaware.

The most remarkable bays are, Arthur Kull, or Newark bay, formed by the union of Pofaik and Hakkenfak rivers. This bay opens to the right and left, and embraces Staten-Ifland. There is a long bay, formed by a beach, four or five miles from the fhore, extending along the coast north-eaft and fouth-west, from Manasquand river, in Monmouth county, almost to Cape May. Through this beach are a number of inlets, by which the bay communicates with the ocean.

On the top of a mountain, in Morris county, is a lake or pond, three miles in length, and from a mile to a mile and an half in breadth, from which proceeds a continual stream. It is in fome places deep. The water is of a fea-green colour; but when taken up in a tumbler, is, like the water of the ocean, clear and of a crystaline colour.

The rivers in this ftate, though not large, are numerous. A traveller, in paffing the common road from New-York to Philadelphia, croffes three confiderable rivers, viz. the Hakkenfak and Posaik between Bergen and Newark, and the Raritan by Brunswick. The Hakkenfak rifes in Bergen county, runs a fouthwardly courfe, and empties into Newark bay. At the ferry, near its mouth, it is 460 yards wide, and is navigable fifteen miles.

Pofaik is a very crooked river. It rifes in a large fwamp in Morris county. Its general courfe is from W. N. W. to E. S. E. until it mingles with the Hakkenfak at the head of Newark bay. It is navigable about ten miles, and is 230 yards wide at the ferry. The cataract in this river is one of the greatest natural curiofities in the state. The river is about forty yards wide, and moves in a flow, gentle current, until coming within a fhort distance of a deep cleft in a rock, which croffes the channel, it defcends and falls above feventy feet perpendicularly, in one entire fheet. One end of the cleft, which was evidently made by fome violent convulfion in nature, is clofed; at the other, the water rushes out with

incredible

incredible swiftnefs, forming an acute angle with its former direction, and is received into a large bafon, whence it takes a winding course through the rocks, and fpreads into a broad, fmooth ftream. The cleft is from four to twelve feet broad. The falling of the water occafions a cloud of vapour to arife, which, by floating amidst the fun beams, prefents to the view rainbows, that add beauty to the tremendous scene. The western bank of this river, between Newark and the falls, affords one of the pleafanteft roads for a party of pleasure in New-Jersey. The bank being high, gives the traveller an elevated and extenfive view of the oppofite fhore, which is low and fertile, forming a landfcape picturefque and beautiful. Many handfome country-feats adorn the fides of this river; and there are elegant fituations for more. Gentlemen of fortune might here difplay their tafte to advantage. The fish of various kinds with which this river abounds, while they would furnish the table with an agreeable repaft, would afford the fportsman an innocent and manly amufement.

Raritan river is formed by two confiderable ftreams, called the north and fouth branches; one of which has its source in Morris, the other in Hunterdon county. It paffes by Brunswick and Amboy, and mingles with the waters of the Arthur Kull found, and helps to form the fine harbour of Amboy. It is a mile wide at its mouth, 250 yards at Brunfwick, and is navigable about fixteen miles. At Raritan Hills, through which this river paffes, is a fmall cafcade, where the water falls fifteen or twenty feet, very romantically between two rocks. Oppofite the lower part of the town of Brunswick, is a remarkable declivity in the bed of the river, not perceptible however in its current. Below this declivity, a twenty gun fhip may ride fecurely at any time of tide, while no farther up than oppofite the main-ftreet of the town, the river is fordable with horfes and carriages at low water. The tide, however, rifes fo high, that large fhallops pafs a mile above the ford; fo that it is no uncommon thing to fee veffels of confiderable burden riding at anchor, and a number of large river craft lying above, fome dry and others on their beam ends for want of water, within gunshot of each other.

Befides these are Cefarea river, or Cohanfey creek, which rifes in Sa lem county, and is about thirty miles in length, and navigable for veffels of an hundred tons to Bridgetown, twenty miles from its mouth.

Mullicas river divides the counties of Gloucester and Burlington, and is navigable twenty miles for veffels of fixty tons.

Maurice river rifes in Gloucester county, runs fouthwardly about forty miles, and is navigable for veffels of an hundred tons, fifteen miles, and for fhallops ten miles farther.

Alloway creek, in the county of Salem, is navigable fixteen miles for fhallops, with feveral obftructions of drawbridges. Ancocus creek, in Burlington county, is alfo navigable fixteen miles. Thefe, with many other fmaller ftreams, empty into the Delaware, and carry down the produce which their fertile banks and the neighbouring country afford.

That part of the state which borders on the fea, is indented with a great number of fmall rivers and creeks, fuch as Great Egg harbour, and Little Egg harbour rivers, Navefink, Shark, Matiricung, and Forked rivers. which, as the country is flat, are navigable for fmall craft, almoft to their fources.

Civil

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