Act was celebrated on Monday the 19th. At the tavern of De La Montagnie,
while the Liberty Colors (ascribed to G. R. III, Liberty and Trade) were
hoisted on the Liberty Pole, two hundred and thirty citizens, Friends to
Liberty and Trade, sat down to an elegant dinner prepared for them.
Appropriate toasts were drunk, one of which was "Liberty, Unanimity and
Perseverance to the true Sons of Liberty in America." On the same day "in
union and friendship" with these a number of gentlemen celebrated the day
by a dinner at the house of Samuel Waldron, at the ferry on Long Island,
where, it is said, the toasts drunk were the same as at De La Montagnie's.
The radical party of the Sons of Liberty celebrated "the repeal of the
detestable stamp act" at Hampden Hall, on which colors were displayed, as
well as on the Liberty Pole opposite to it. The company, it is said,
numbered about three hundred gentlemen, freeholders and freemen of the
city, who met to celebrate "that memorable deliverance from the chains
which had been forged for the Americans by a designing and despotic
Ministry." An elegant dinner had been provided, but before they sat down
the company "nominated ten of their number to dine with Captain McDougal
at his chambers in the New-Gaol," where a suitable dinner had also been
provided. Captain McDougal was being held in jail for libel as the author
of a paper signed "A Son of Liberty," addressed "to the betrayed
inhabitants of New York," which reflected the severest criticisms of the
assembly for voting supplies to the King's troops. This paper was held by
the assembly to be an infamous and scandalous libel. He was also accused
of being the author of another paper signed "Legion," describing the
action of the assembly as "base, inglorious conduct," which the assembly
resolved was infamous and seditious. After dinner, a committee was
appointed to send two barrels of beer and what was left of the dinner to
the poor prisoners in the jail, which were received with great thanks.
Many appropriate toasts were drunk as usual, and a little before sunset
the company from Hampden Hall, joined by a number of people in the Fields,
with music playing and colors flying, marched to the new jail, where they
saluted Captain McDougal with cheers. He appeared at the grated window of
the middle story, and in a short address thanked them for this mark of
their respect. The company then returned to the Liberty Pole and as the
sun was setting hauled down the flag. They then marched down Chapel Street
to the Coffee House and back up Broadway to the Liberty Pole and quietly
dispersed.
[Illustration: A. McDougall]
The celebration of the anniversary of the repeal apparently caused some
bitterness of feeling between the factions which dined at De La
Montagnie's and that which dined at Hampden Hall, if it did not previously
exist. An article appeared in the newspaper declaring that the statement
that about three hundred persons dined at Hampden Hall was not true, that
only about one hundred and twenty-six dined there and paid for their
dinners, including boys, and that the first toast which these _loyal_ Sons
of Liberty actually drank was not "The King," as reported in the
newspapers, but "May the American Colonies fully enjoy the British
Constitution." The writer also took exception to many other statements in
the account which was given in the papers. A reply was made to this in
which affidavit was made by Henry Bicker that on the occasion there dined
at his house, according to the best of his judgment, about three hundred
persons, and that the assertion that there were no more than about one
hundred and twenty-six was absolutely false. In the matter of the toasts,
as showing in a measure how such affairs were conducted, we think it best
to give the explanation in full as follows: "The truth of the Matter is
just this. Several Gentlemen drew up a set of Toasts proper for the day,
and to save the trouble of copying them, got a few printed to serve the
different tables. When the committee who were appointed to conduct the
business of the day came to peruse the toasts, they altered the one and
transposed the one before dinner, and I do assert that they were drank in
the manner and order they were published in this, Parker's and Gaine's
papers; for the truth of this I appeal to every gentleman who dined at
Hampden Hall that day."
The house which Bicker occupied had always been used as a tavern. When the
lease of the property, having eleven years to run, was offered for sale in
1761, it was described as "two lots of ground on Trinity Church Farm, on
which are two tenements fronting Broadway and a small tenement fronting
Murray Street; the two tenements fronting Broadway may be occupied in one
for a public house." It was purchased by John Jones, and when he offered
it for sale in 1765, he stated that there was a very commodious dancing
room adjoining, forty-five feet long, which was probably in the building
fronting on Murray Street. Jones moved out of the house in 1766 to the
Queen's Head, but returned when the Queen's Head was taken by Bolton and
Sigell, and occupied for a time either a part of the house or the whole.
It was purchased in 1768 by Roger Morris. When the Sons of Liberty
purchased the lease, it had only a short time to run, not more than one or
two years.
[Sidenote: Hampden Hall Attacked by the Soldiers]
About eleven o'clock on Saturday night, the 24th of March, fourteen or
fifteen soldiers were seen about the Liberty Pole, which one of them had
ascended in order to take off and carry away the topmast and vane. Finding
they were discovered they attacked some young men who came up and drove
them from the green and then retired. Soon after, about forty or fifty of
them came out armed with cutlasses and attacked a number of people who had
come up to the pole on the alarm given. A few of these retreated to the
house of Mr. Bicker, which was soon besieged by the soldiers, who
endeavored to force an entrance. Bicker, thinking himself and family in
danger, stood with his bayonet fixed, determined to defend his family and
his house to the last extremity, declaring that he would shoot the first
man who should attempt to enter. He succeeded in getting the doors of the
house closed and barred, when the soldiers tried to break open the front
windows, one of which they forced open, broke all the glass and hacked
the sash to pieces. They threatened to burn the house and destroy every
one in it. Some citizens who had been on the ground, gave the alarm by
ringing the Chapel bell, upon hearing which, the soldiers retreated
precipitately. The men of the 16th regiment swore that they would carry
away with them a part of the pole as a trophy, but a watch was kept by the
people and they sailed away in a few days for Pensacola, without
accomplishing their design. This was the last effort of the soldiers to
destroy the Liberty Pole, which remained standing until prostrated by
order of the notorious Cunningham, Provost Marshal of the British army in
New York in 1776.
To encourage the home manufacture of woolen cloth the Sons of Liberty met
on Tuesday, April 6, 1769, at the Province Arms, and unanimously
subscribed an agreement not to purchase nor eat any lamb in their families
before the first of August next.
The Freemasons met at Burns' tavern on May 27, 1769, at five o'clock in
the afternoon, and from thence marched in procession to the John Street
Theater, to witness the special performance of The Tender Husband, given
here for the first time.
In March, 1770, the partnership of Bolton and Sigell was dissolved, Bolton
alone continuing in the Queen's Head, but only for a short time, for in
May the place of George Burns, as landlord of the Province Arms, was
taken by Richard Bolton, who moved in from the Queen's Head. Bolton, in
his announcement, states that the house has been repaired and greatly
improved and that the stables with stalls for fifty horses are let to
James Wilkinson, "whose constant attention will be employed to oblige
gentlemen in that department." These large stables had probably been built
by the De Lancey family when they occupied the house. Lieutenant Governor
James De Lancey, who once owned it, supported a coach and four, with
outriders in handsome livery, and several members of this family became
widely known as patrons of the turf.
[Sidenote: Arrival of the Earl of Dunmore]
On Thursday, October 18, 1770, the Earl of Dunmore, who had been appointed
by the Crown to succeed Sir Henry Moore, who had died very much lamented
by the people of New York, arrived in his Majesty's ship, The Tweed, and
was received on landing and escorted to the Fort with the usual salutes,
and with all the honors due his station. From the Fort, accompanied by Sir
William Draper, Lord Drummond, the commander of the Tweed, and Captain
Foy, his lordship's secretary, his excellency proceeded to the New York
Arms; and there they were entertained at a dinner given by Lieutenant
Governor Colden, where the usual numerous toasts were drunk. The next day,
Friday, after the new governor's commission had been read in council, and
published at the City Hall, as was the custom, his excellency the
Governor, General Gage, Sir William Draper, Lord Drummond, the members of
his majesty's council, the city representatives, the gentlemen of the army
and navy, the judges of the supreme court, the mayor, recorder, attorney
general and other public officers, and many of the most respectable
gentlemen of the city were entertained at another elegant dinner given by
the lieutenant governor at the New York Arms. In the evening his lordship
was pleased to favor the gentlemen of the army and navy "with his Company
at a Ball, which consisted of a splendid and brilliant appearance of
Gentlemen and Ladies."
While Bolton was in possession of the Province Arms the political
excitement somewhat abated. The long room in the old tavern continued to
be the favorite dancing hall of the city, and in many of the notices of
concerts given here for charity or for the benefit of musicians, etc., are
announcements that they will be followed by balls. The young people of New
York at that time must have been extremely fond of dancing.
On Tuesday, April 23, 1771, the anniversary of St. George was celebrated
with unusual ceremony. "A number of English gentlemen, and descendants of
English parents, amounting in the whole to upwards of one hundred and
twenty, had an elegant Entertainment at Bolton's in honor of the Day."
John Tabor Kempe, Esq., his majesty's attorney general, presided, and the
guests of honor were the Earl of Dunmore, General Gage, the gentlemen of
his majesty's council, etc. The company parted early and in high good
humor.
[Sidenote: The New York Society]
When Richard Bolton left the Queen's Head for the New York Arms, Sam
Francis came back into his own house. In announcing his return, he states
that when he formerly kept it, the best clubs met there, and the greatest
entertainments in the city were given there, and that he flatters himself
that the public are so well satisfied of his ability to serve them that it
is useless to go into details. Francis was not only successful as a
tavern-keeper in satisfying the needs of the public, but he was also
successful financially, for he was the owner of both the Queen's Head and
Vauxhall. While he was the landlord of the Queen's Head in 1765, the New
York Society held their meetings there. It was announced that at a stated
meeting to be held at the house of Mr. Francis on Monday, the first of
April, at six o'clock in the evening, after some business before the
society should be dispatched and the letters and proposals received since
last meeting examined, the consideration of the questions last proposed on
the paper currency and the bank statements would be resumed. This
indicates that this was a society or club for the discussion of financial
and economic subjects.
[Sidenote: The Social Club]
Francis speaks of his house being the resort of several clubs, but we have
detailed information of only one; this was the Social Club, the membership
of which indicates that it must have been one of the best, if not the
best, in the city. In possession of the New York Historical Society is a
list of the members of the Social Club which was found among the papers of
John Moore, a member of the club, and presented to the society by his son,
Thos. W. C. Moore. It contains remarks about the members which are very
curious and interesting. We give it in full.
"List of Members of the Social Club, which passed Saturday evenings at Sam
Francis's, corner of Broad and Dock streets, in winter, and in summer at
Kip's Bay, where they built a neat, large room, for the Club-house. The
British landed at this spot the day they took the city, 15th September,
1776.
Members of this club dispersed in December, 1775, and never afterwards
assembled.
John Jay (Disaffected)--Became Member of Congress, a Resident Minister
to Spain, Com'r to make peace, Chief Justice, Minister to England, and
on his return, Gov'r of N. York--a good and amiable man.
Gouverneur Morris (Disaffected)--Member of Congress, Minister to
France, etc.
Robt. R. Livingston (Disaffected)--Min'r to France, Chancellor of N.
York, etc.
Egbert Benson (Disaffected)--Dis. Judge, N. York, and in the
Legislature--Good man.
Morgan Lewis (Disaffected)--Gov'r of N. York, and a Gen. in the war of
1812.
Gulian Verplanck (Disaffected, but in Europe, till 1783)--Pres't of
New York Bank.
John Livingston and his brother Henry (Disaffected, but of no
political importance).
James Seagrove (Disaffected)--Went to the southward as a merchant.
Francis Lewis (Disaffected, but of no political importance).
John Watts (Doubtful)--During the war Recorder of New York.
Leonard Lispenard and his brother Anthony (Doubtful, but remained
quiet at New York).
Rich'd Harrison (Loyal, but has since been Recorder of N. York).
John Hay, Loyal, an officer in British Army--killed in West Indies.
Peter Van Shaack (Loyal)--A Lawyer, remained quiet at Kinderhook.
Daniel Ludlow, Loyal during the war--since Pres't of Manhattan Bank.
Dr. S. Bard, Loyal, tho' in 1775 doubtful, remained in N. York--a good
man.
George Ludlow (Loyal)--Remained on Long Island in quiet--A good man.
William, his brother, Loyal, or supposed so; remained on L.
Island--inoffensive man.
William Imlay, Loyal at first, but doubtful after 1777.
Edward Gould (Loyal)--At N. York all the war--a Merchant.
John Reade (Pro and Con)--W'd have proved loyal, no doubt, had not his
wife's family been otherwise.
J. Stevens (Disaffected).
Henry Kelly (Loyal)--Went to England, and did not return.
Stephen Rapelye turned out bad--died in N. York Hospital.
John Moore (Loyal)--In public life all the war, and from year 1765."
[Sidenote: The Moot]
In the fall of the year 1770, a club was formed by the principal lawyers
of the city of New York, for the discussion of legal questions, which they
called _The Moot_. The first meeting was held on Friday, the 23d of
November. According to their journal, the members, "desirous of forming a
club for social conservation, and the mutual improvement of each other,
determined to meet on the evening of the first Friday of every month, at
Bardin's, or such other place as a majority of the members shall from time
to time appoint," and for the better regulating the said club agreed to
certain articles of association, one of which was that "No member shall
presume upon any pretence to introduce any discourse about the party
politics of the province, and to persist in such discourse after being
desired by the president to drop it, on pain of expulsion." William
Livingston was chosen president and William Smith vice-president. This
first meeting was, no doubt, held at the King's Arms Tavern on the lower
part of Broadway, now Whitehall Street, which was in 1770 kept by Edward
Bardin. From the character of the members their discussions were held in
great respect. It was said that they even influenced the judgment of the
Supreme Court, and that a question, connected with the taxation of costs,
was sent to The Moot by the chief justice expressly for their opinion.
Some of the members of this club were afterwards among the most prominent
men of the country.
The articles of association were signed by
Benjamin Kissam,
David Mathews,
William Wickham,
Thomas Smith,
Whitehead Hicks,
Rudolphus Ritzema,
William Livingston,
Richard Morris,
Samuel Jones,
John Jay,
William Smith,
John Morine Scott,
James Duane,
John T. Kempe,
Robert R. Livingston, Jr.,
Egbert Benson,
Peten Van Schaack,
Stephen De Lancey.
On March 4, 1774, John Watts, Jr., and Gouverneur Morris were admitted to
the Society. In the exciting times preceding the Revolution the meetings
became irregular, and the members of the Moot came together for the last
time on January 6, 1775.
A number of gentlemen were accustomed to meet as a club at the house of
Walter Brock, afterwards kept by his widow, familiarly called "Mother
Brock," on Wall Street near the City Hall. It was probably a social and
not very formal club. One of the most prominent of its members was William
Livingston.
In May, 1773, Francis offered Vauxhall for sale, when it was described as
having an extremely pleasant and healthy situation, commanding an
extensive prospect up and down the North River. The house, "a capital
mansion in good repair," had four large rooms on each floor, twelve
fireplaces and most excellent cellars. Adjoining the house was built a
room fifty-six feet long and twenty-six feet wide, under which was a
large, commodious kitchen. There were stables, a coach house and several
out houses, also two large gardens planted with fruit trees, flowers and
flowering shrubs in great profusion, one of which was plentifully stocked
with vegetables of all kinds. The premises, containing twenty-seven and a
half lots of ground, was a leasehold of Trinity Church, with sixty-one
years to run. The ground rent was forty pounds per annum. It was purchased
by Erasmus Williams, who, the next year, having changed the name back,
"with great propriety," to Mount Pleasant, solicited the patronage of the
public, particularly gentlemen with their families from the West Indies,
Carolina, etc., and such as are travelling from distant parts, either on
business or pleasure.
Francis also offered the Queen's Head for sale in 1775. It was then
described as three stories high, with a tile and lead roof, having
fourteen fireplaces and a most excellent large kitchen; a corner house
very open and airy, and in the most complete repair. Although Francis
desired to sell his house, he stated that "so far from declining his
present business he is determined to use every the utmost endeavor to
carry on the same to the pleasure and satisfaction of his friends and the
public in general." He did not succeed in selling the house and continued
as landlord of the Queen's Head until he abandoned it when the British
army entered the city.
[Illustration: MERCHANTS' COFFEE HOUSE AND COFFEE HOUSE SLIP]
[Sidenote: The Merchants' Coffee House Moves]
On May 1, 1772, Mrs. Ferrari, who had been keeping the Merchants' Coffee
House on the northwest corner of the present Wall and Water Streets, which
had been located there and been continuously in use as a coffee house
since it was opened as such about the year 1738 by Daniel Bloom, removed
to a new house which had recently been built by William Brownjohn on the
opposite cross corner, that is, diagonally across to the southeast corner.
Mrs. Ferrari did not move out of the Merchants' Coffee House, but she took
it with her with all its patronage and trade. On opening the new house
she prepared a treat for her old customers. The merchants and gentlemen
of the city assembled in a numerous company and were regaled with arrack,
punch, wine, cold ham, tongue, etc. The gentlemen of the two insurance
companies, who likewise moved from the old to the new coffee house, each
of them, with equal liberality regaled the company. A few days later the
newspaper stated that the agreeable situation and the elegance of the new
house had occasioned a great resort of company to it ever since it was
opened. The old coffee house which had been occupied by Mrs. Ferrari
before she moved into the new one was still owned by Dr. Charles Arding,
who purchased it of Luke Roome in 1758. He offered it for sale in July,
1771, before Mrs. Ferrari moved out of it and again in May, 1772, after
she had left, when it was occupied by Mrs. Elizabeth Wragg, but did not
succeed in making a sale. If it was any longer used as a coffee house, its
use as such was of short duration. It was soon taken by Nesbitt Deane,
hatter, who occupied it for many years, offering hats to exceed any "in
fineness, cut, color or cock." John Austin Stevens, who has written very
pleasantly and entertainingly of the old coffee houses of New York,
speaking of the early history of the Merchants' Coffee House, says: "Its
location, however, is beyond question. It stood on the southeast corner of
Wall and Queen (now Water) Streets, on a site familiar to New Yorkers as
that for many years occupied by the Journal of Commerce." Although so
positive on this point, Stevens was, no doubt, mistaken, as can be easily
proven by records. However, this was the site occupied by the Merchants'
Coffee House subsequent to May 1, 1772. Stevens says that Mrs. Ferrari
moved out of this house into a new house on the opposite cross corner,
whereas she moved into it from the old coffee house on the opposite cross
corner, and carried the business of the old house with her.
In the early part of 1772, Robert Hull succeeded Richard Bolton and
continued in possession of the Province Arms some time after the British
army entered the city. In the fall of 1772, the two companies of the
Governor's Guards, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Harris
Cruger and Major William Walton, dressed in their very handsome uniforms,
paraded in the Fields, where they were reviewed. They were very much
admired for their handsome appearance, and received much applause from the
spectators for the regularity and exactness with which they went through
the exercises and evolutions. After the parade they spent the evening at
Hull's Tavern, where a suitable entertainment had been provided.
[Sidenote: Ball on the Governors Departure]
On the King's birthday, Friday, June 4, 1773, the governor gave an elegant
entertainment in the Fort, as was usual on such occasions, and, in the
evening, the city was illuminated. General Gage, who was about to sail for
England, celebrated the day by giving a grand dinner to a great number of
the merchants and military gentlemen of the city at Hull's Tavern. He had
been in command for ten years in America, and this dinner was made the
occasion of a flattering address presented to him by the Corporation of
the Chamber of Commerce of the City of New York. In February, 1774, a
grand dinner was given at Hull's Tavern by the members of his majesty's
council to the members of the assembly of the province, and the next month
the governor gave a dinner to both the gentlemen of the king's council and
the gentlemen of the general assembly at the same place. Shortly after
this, on Monday evening, April 4, there was a grand ball given in Hull's
assembly room at which there was "a most brilliant appearance of Ladies
and Gentlemen," the occasion being on account of the departure of the
governor and Mrs. Tryon for England. The different national societies held
their anniversary celebrations at Hull's Tavern. The Welsh celebrated St.
David's day, the Scotch St. Andrew's day, the Irish St. Patrick's day and
the English St. George's day.
By 1770, the obnoxious duties had been abolished on all articles except
tea, and soon after the non-importation agreements of the merchants of
Boston, New York and Philadelphia were discontinued, except as to tea, the
duty on which had been retained. The New York merchants seem to have been
the first to propose the discontinuance of the agreement. The Sons of
Liberty met at Hampden Hall to protest against it; the inhabitants of
Philadelphia presented their compliments to the inhabitants of New York,
in a card, and sarcastically begged they would send them their Old Liberty
Pole, as they imagined, by their late conduct, they could have no further
use for it; and the Connecticut tavern-keepers, it is said, posted the
names of the New York importers and determined that they would not
entertain them nor afford them the least aid or assistance in passing
through that government. Although Boston and Philadelphia were at first
very strongly opposed to any relaxation in the agreements, they soon
joined in terminating them; but the merchants and people alike determined
that no tea should be imported liable to duty. The captains of ships
sailing from London refused to carry tea as freight to American ports.
[Sidenote: The Tax on Tea]
On Friday morning, October 15, 1773, a printed handbill was distributed
through the town calling a meeting of the inhabitants at twelve o'clock
that day at the Coffee House to consult and agree on some manner of
expressing the thanks of the people to the captains of the London ships
trading with the port of New York and the merchants to whom they were
consigned, for their refusal to take from the East India Company, as
freight, tea on which a duty had been laid by parliament payable in
America. At this meeting an address was accordingly drawn up which was
unanimously approved by those present. In this address it was declared
that "Stamp Officers and Tea Commissioners will ever be held in equal
estimation."
For two or three years the political situation had been uneventful, but
early in the year 1773 it became apparent that an effort was about to be
made to bring the question of taxation to an issue. The East India
Company, acting as the instrument of the British parliament, arranged to
send cargoes of tea to the ports of Boston, Newport, New York,
Philadelphia and Charleston, at which places they appointed commissioners
for its sale.
[Sidenote: The Sons of Liberty Again Organize]