Leisler’s Rebellion

The First Declaration of Freedom from England

If I told you that the American colonies revolted against the English crown actually did not start in Lexington in 1774, or that the first government in the colonies that not only was free from European control and declare itself independent actually began in 1689 and independence was declared on June 22, you probably will say I was making it all up.  But the declaration was made , a convention was called, and a vote was held (I’m told there was all of one hundred votes cast, and Jacob Leisler became the first governor of an independent nation in 1689.  

Backstory

Britain dominates modern-day perceptions of colonial-era America., and New York is no exception to this perception. Although we do know that originally it was founded as a Dutch colony, the Dutch patroons would survive well into the early 19th century. by 1688 New York was still largely Dutch, especially in upstate New York, and even after becoming one of the English territories.  the Dutch of course were mostly Calvinist protestants, as were the Puritans in New England.  But in the NewYork-NewJersey-Delaware-Maryland region resided also a great many German Calvanists from the Palatinate.  That’s where the story will turn strange.  

Of course England itself fought a civil war against the Catholic, and Anglicans in the 16th century and established a puritanical dictatorship and when Cromwell, they restored the Stuarts to the throne believing they could restore a greater semblance of freedom and self-government with a king than they enjoyed under the protestant tyranny.  But when Charles II became king, his brother James, as the Duke of York, was given the colonies on the American continent as part of his fiefdom.   And brother James was under no contractual restraint to the British parliament and he decided to get rid of the Anglican and Puritan governors and the colonial legislators and combine them into one big colony under one governor.  In what he termed to be the Dominion of New England.

The Dominion encompassed a very large area from the Delaware River in the south to Penobscot Bay in the north, composed of the Plymouth Colony, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut Colony, the entire province of New York, the provinces of both East and West Jersey,, and a small portion of Maine.  It was too large for a single governor to manage. Governor Andros was highly unpopular and was seen as a threat by most political factions, and highly unpopular to most colonists because they deeply resented being stripped of their rights and having their colonial charters revoked.

Of course part of it was to reduce the expense the colonies cost England and it was one method of several Charles attempted to institute to reduce the colonial cost, and that would continue for the next eighty years of crown rule over the colonies.   But in 1685, Charles would die with no legitimate heirs, his brother James became king.  James was unabashedly intent on restoring catholicism and grabbing the power his father had lost to parliament.  And quite frankly, the new go together much better than they do with protestantism, at least reformist-bent protestantism.  Not that protestantism is not dictatorial, but the reformist strain of protestant is very much about being a religious dictatorship that can command the actions of people and kings want to command the actions and see no need to be told they can’t screw around with other women or enjoy themselves.  For god’s control laughter was often punished in Winthrop’s New England and Cromwell’s England, and what king wanted his merriment curtailed.  No, the king needed his wench, and he needed to be a merry soul in establishing his own morals.  

So of course, a second Stuart was deposed from his throne, but the revolution was “Glorious”--no civil war.  His daughter Mary, and her Dutch Husband, William were installed on the throne.  But William didn’t just waltz into a wonderful situation where everybody ecstatically clapped each other on the back and all troubles of the English crown and people were over.  No there were internal revolts to put down, there was conflict with France over the abandonment of catholicism once again, and just because there were always conflicts with the French.  And then this annoying thing with the Dominion of New England declaring themselves free.  But this was what I find peculiar.  The reformed church broke away from England with the restoration of the reformation to the monarchy.  I guess the time was just right.

The First Independency

On April 18, 1689, a mob formed in Boston led by former Massachusetts political figures, and they arrested Andros and other dominion officials. This led to a cascade of events in which Massachusetts and the other New England colonies rapidly cast off their Dominion overlord.

Lieutenant Governor Nicholson, in New York, learned of the uprising in Boston by April 26, but he attempted to suppress the news to prevent rebellion in New York.Nevertheless,  militia leaders learned of it and Dominion leaders were becoming threatened. Nicholson  also learned that William & Mary’s ascension had led France to declare war and he was short of troops because Andros had transferred New York garrisons in the west to fight Natives in Maine and there was as a consequence, renewed Native threats in upstate New York. Many of  his regulars had also been swayed by populists into believing that he was attempting to impose Catholic rule on New York.New York's defenses were in poor condition, and Nicholson's council voted to impose import duties to improve them. This action was met with immediate resistance, with a number of merchants refusing to pay the duty. On May 22, Nicholson's council was petitioned by the militia, who sought more rapid improvement to the city's defenses and also wanted access to the powder magazine in the fort. This latter request was denied, heightening concerns that the city had inadequate powder supplies. This concern was further exacerbated when city leaders began hunting through the city for additional supplies.

Nicholson made an intemperate remark to a militia officer on May 30, 1689, and the incident flared into open rebellion. Nicholson was well known for his temper, and he told the officer, "I rather would see the Towne on fire than to be commanded by you".  Naturally rumors flew around the town that Nicholson was just going to burn the city  to the ground rather than relinquish any authority. 

The militia was called out and descended en masse to Fort James, which they occupied. Leisler's exact role in the militia uprising is unknown, but a number of observations point to his involvement. He and militia captain Charles Lodewick presented the petition on May 22. Jost Stoll, one of his officers, led the militia to the gates of Fort James, and another of his officers delivered the demand for the keys to the powder keg storage.  At this point, the militia controlled the fort which gave them control over the harbor. When ships arrived in the harbor, they brought passengers and captains directly to the fort, cutting off outside communications to Nicholson and his council. On June 6, Nicholson decided to leave for England.  On June 26, a convention composed of delegates from a number of communities from lower New York and East Jersey established a committee of safety to oversee affairs.This committee essentially became the nucleus of Leisler's later government. They chose Leisler to be the province's commander-in-chief "till orders shall come from their Majesties.

Through July and August, his hand-picked militia exercised de facto control over the city, financed by provincial funds which Nicholson had deposited in the fort. Sympathizers from surrounding states sent additional to help Leicester’s control of the fort.  Leister even dispatched emissaries to England to give him authority, carrying documents to show Nicholson had been corrupt and that he had been oppressive in his rule.He asked for a new charter for the colonies, more or less an official break, insisting they themselves could handle any incursions from New France (Canada) and subdue the natives without the aid of England. An election ordered Leisler's committee of safety formally to turn van Cortlandt out of office in October, consolidating Leisler's command over New York except the Albany area.  Nicholson’s ousted governing council insisted only one hundred people voted, but apparently enough voted for Leisler that they abandoned the city from fear.  I suppose the thirty or so councilors could have been afraid of a hundred,

Of course none of this sat too well with William and a new governor was dispatched.   There was some foul weather and the lt. Governor, Richard Ingoldsby’s ships actually arrived first, in January of 1691.  Skirmishing between Leisler’s supporters and the new officials before  Governor Slaughter himself arrived.  Slaughter began rounding up any one in the city who might have been sympathetic to Leister, and Leisler agreed to send emissaries to negotiate and his forces were now surrounded inside the fort.  Slaughter arrested the emissaries which panicked his supporters to surrender.

Slaughter promptly  arrested Leicester and ten others and imprisoned them, back in the for they had just surrendered.  A trial for treason was held before a judicial panel that consisted of the remaining members of Nicholson’s council who had fled to Albany.. Leister and his son-in-law were executed on May 16 and their properties placed under retainer.  But Slaughter then proclaimed and amnesty to all but 18 others.  But Leisler and anti-Leisler factions would divide New York for another decade and though he is now forgotten, he became a martyr to the burgeoning revolutionary movement in America.  He remained a martyr to men named Samuel Adams and a guy down in Virginia named Henry who wanted liberty or death.

And what was that liberty that they all wanted—the liberty of wealthy men to not pay taxes.  And for such we became a free country, where the rich are free to not be burdened by taxation.  Because Sam Adams and Ol’ Henry sure didn’t want anyone else to be free from their tyranny.  Cause, dammit, if you have to pay taxes you just won’t have enough money to subdue everyone else under your thumb.  And if you have to pay wages…damn what right do workers have to a sustainable wage.

So the American colonies broke their chain from England in order to enchain those who lived here. Or so it seems to me.