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To make good his claim, Charles sent out an English fleet, under Sir Robert Nichols. Stuyvesant heard of its approach, and did all in his power to infuse his valiant spirit into his colonists; but either they expected a more liberal government from the English, or were too sluggish to be aroused from their peaceful pursuits; for the governor could rally to his support only a small force.

N August, 1664, Nichols cast anchor before New Amsterdam, having landed part of his troops on Long Island. He immediately summoned the city to surrender, guaranteeing to the people their property, the rights of citizens, and their ancient laws. Stuyvesant strove, by delay and negotiation, to parry the blow; but Nichols declined all discussion. The principal inhabitants drew up articles of capitulation conformably to the demand of the English officer, which, however, the governor refused to sign till the place was actually in the enemy's hands.

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HE entire population of the province at the time of its surrender has never been accurately ascertained. The metropolis contained about 3000 inhabitants, of whom nearly one-half preferred to return to their native land, since their beloved colonial city was now to lose its Dutch aspect as well as its name. The remainder continued in the colony, and among them, the noble governor Stuyvesant, who survived a few years the fortune of his little empire, and left descendants who held high rank in the city for many years after, and who were frequently elected to the magistracy of New York in the following century. The city of New Amsterdam, as also the whole provincial territory, received the name of New York. Fort Orange, now called Albany, surrendered shortly after to the English; and in October, 1664, the government of Britain was acknowledged over the whole region, including the settlements of the Dutch and Swedes in Delaware. The next month the commissioners determined the boundary between New York and Connecticut, and disallowing the claims of the latter province to Long Island, it was annexed to the new Province. But in this arrangement, Connecticut received a much larger share of territory than it was entitled to, and a fairer adjustment of the limits was effected at a subsequent period, not without much violent dispute.

OLONEL Nichols, the first English governor of New York, administered affairs in a wise and salutary manner. He concluded a treaty with the Five Nations, established a court of assizes, composed of the governor, a council and justices of the peace, and caused the provincial code to be revised and improved. New York was incorporated as a city, with a mayor, sheriff and aldermen. Nichols was succeeded by Colonel Lovelace.

The people made much complaint, during his administration, on account of their heavy taxation, without being represented in the government. But Lovelace acted under instructions from the arbitrary Charles II., and could not, had he been willing, have granted the demands of the colonists.

War having broken out between England and Holland, in 1673, the latter sent a small squadron to destroy the commerce of the English colonies. Arriving at New York in the absence of the governor, the squadron obtained possession of the city through the treachery of Colonel Manning. But the Dutch enjoyed their conquest but a short time. In

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the spring of 1674, the news of the treaty of Westminster, by which New York was restored to the English, reached the colony.

The validity of his former charter being questioned, the Duke of York took out a second this year.. Its provisions did not convey such extensive powers as that granted to Lord Baltimore, yet they were sufficient to enable the duke to carry out his arbitrary designs. Sir Edmund Andros was the first governor under the new charter, and thus began a long career, which stamped him as the willing instrument of a despotic and tyrannical government. The seeds of popular discontent were freely sown by his measures. He involved himself in disputes with the magistrates of Albany, and threw one of them named Leisler into prison for refusing to comply with his exorbitant demands. Towards the close of 1677, Andros went to England to obtain instructions from the Duke of York, concerning the government of the colony. He returned to the

colony, but the discontent increasing, he was recalled, and Colonel Thomas Dongan appointed governor.

CONGAN arrived in 1683, and, by order of the Duke of York, convened a representative assembly in September of the same year. On the 9th of November, the assembly, with the approval of the governor, adopted a "Charter of Liberties," which gave to the people many important privileges. The charter placed the supreme legislative power in the governor, council and people, met in general assembly, and extended the right of suffrage to every freeholder and freeman; no freeman was to be condemned, except by a jury of twelve of his peers, no taxes assessed without the consent of the assembly, and no persecution on account of religious opinion allowed.

Dongan gave much attention to Indian affairs, and entered into a treaty with the powerful Indian confederacy, known as the Five Nations. The great majority of the people included in this confederacy remained the firm friends of the English during a long series of years, and assisted them in some of their expeditions against the French. Their hatred of the French began at the time of the first settlement of the latter in Canada, and continued till they were expelled from it.

In the winter of 1665, a party of French, sent against the Five Nations by Courcelles, the governor of Canada, lost their way amidst wastes of snow, and after much suffering, arrived at Schenectady, when Corlaer, a humane Dutchman, supplied their wants, and, by stratagem, saved them from the vengeance of the Indians. Courcelles expressed his gratitude to the noble Dutchman, and the red men never resented the artifice he had employed to effect his generous purpose.

HE French Jesuit missionaries now began to labor among the Indians in the northern and western part of New York. They not only gave them religious instruction, but sought to attach them to the French interest. Colonel Dongan became aware of this new influence; and to prevent its evil consequences, he and Lord Effingham, governor of Virginia, concluded a definitive treaty of peace with the Five Nations. This treaty included all the English settlements, and secured them from molestation. (1684.) In the same year, De la Barre, the governor of Canada, invaded the country of the Five Nations, but famine and disease compelled him to return. His successor, De Nouille, led a larger army into their territory, but was defeated, with a heavy loss.

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