THE STIRRING TIMES of JACOB LEISLER
Sir Edmund Andros, who, you will remember, had been appointed Governor
of New England, had been knighted for obeying the King's commands. He
now became Governor of the united provinces. He made his home in Boston,
and left the care of New York to his deputy, Francis Nicholson. In this
year a son was born to the English King, and the people rejoiced. But
these were stormy times in England, for King James II. was a tyrant who
ordered a great many of his subjects killed when they refused to believe
in what he believed. And the people, grown weary and heartsick,
overthrew King James and put William III. on the throne. So the sights
and sounds of rejoicing over the birth of a prince were scarcely over,
when the news came that James was no longer King, and New York was soon
in a state of confusion.
In what had been New England before the provinces were united, the
people hated Andros. They arrested him. And as they had never been in
favor of uniting New England and New York, they restored their old
officers and disunited the two provinces, Andros was sent a prisoner to
England to give an account of his doings to King William, and New York
was left without a Governor. The men who had served under King James
insisted that they remain in charge of the province until King William
sent new officers to replace them. But most of them wanted to have all
who had had anything to do with King James put out of office at once. So
those who wanted this change took charge of the city, and chose as their
leader a citizen named Jacob Leisler. More than twenty years before,
this Jacob Leisler had come from Holland as a soldier of the West India
Company. He had left the service and had become a wealthy merchant. He
had a rude manner, and but little education. He looked upon as an enemy,
and as an enemy of King William, every man who did not think as he did.
The mass of the people now gathered around Leisler and became known as
the Leislerian party. They selected a number of citizens, calling them
the Committee of Safety, and the committee gave Leisler power to see
that peace was preserved. Those who were opposed to Leisler, but who,
just as strongly as he, favored King William, were called the
anti-Leislerian party. These last were headed by Francis Nicholson, who
had watched over the colony for Governor Andros. Nicholson finding that
he had few followers, sailed for England.
Leisler had the fortifications repaired, and a battery of guns set up
outside the fort. This is the battery which gave to the present locality
its name, though all signs of guns have disappeared.
Leisler had an adviser in Jacob Milborne, his son-in-law, who wrote his
letters, and counselled him in every way.
In December came a messenger from King William, with a commission for
whoever was in charge of the city, to act until further orders. Leisler
obtained possession of the commission. He became bolder after this, and
showed such a disposition to do just as he pleased, that he made enemies
of a great many of his friends. Advised by Milborne, he made laws, and
imprisoned all those who refused to obey them or to recognize his
authority. Day by day those who were opposed to Leisler and Milborne
grew in numbers. Street riots occurred, and several persons were
injured. Leisler's life was threatened, and he went about attended by a
guard of soldiers. Finally Nicholas Bayard, who had been Mayor, and who
was looked upon as leader of the anti-Leislerian party, was put in
prison with some others. Bayard would doubtless have been executed had
he not written an humble letter to Leisler saying that he had been in
the wrong and Leisler in the right. But he wrote to save his life, not
that he really believed himself to be in the wrong. He did save his
life, but he was kept in jail.
Leisler's enemies continued active. They had a powerful friend in
Francis Nicholson, who had reached England and had been received with
favor there. He hated Leisler, and denounced him as a traitor before
King William.
Leisler, after he had taken charge of the province, wrote to the King,
but his letter was written in imperfect English and was not understood.
Matters were in a bad state, and were daily becoming worse, when the
King appointed Henry Sloughter Governor of New York.
[Illustration: New York in 1700.]