In 1683 he and his council went to Connecticut to settle the disputed line. After the customary wrangling, the boundary was fixed at twenty miles east of the Hudson. That was about as it is now. The exact line was established in 1731. To the north and west the English claimed all the lands which the Dutch had secured from the Indians through purchase or by treaty. When William Penn tried to buy land from the Iroquois in New York (1683) they refused to sell without the consent of the English governor. When the Senecas attacked the French (1684) the governor of Canada complained to Dongan and threatened to punish them. But Dongan told him the Senecas were under the duke's protection, and warned him not to invade the duke's territory. At Albany Dongan met the Five Nations, who smoked "the pipe of peace," acknowledged the English king as their great sachem, and confirmed Dongan's claim to the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and the Niagara River as the northern boundary of New York. For years, however, the French contested this claim.

Livingston Manor.-To Robert Livingston,1 the son of a Scotch divine, was granted a large tract on the east side of the Hudson adjoining Rensselaerswyck manor in what are now Dutchess and Columbia counties (1686). George I. confirmed the grant of Livingston

1 He came to America from Holland in 1674. He was a surveyor and well versed in both English and Dutch law. He settled up the Hudson, where he soon became a man of wealth and power. He also held many prominent offices in the colony and by marriage was connected with the Schuylers and Van Rensselaers.

manor in 1715. This family played an important part in the history of New York.

New York a Crown Colony. Upon the death of Charles II. his brother, the Duke of York, who owned such extensive possessions in America, succeeded him on the English throne. This made New York a crown colony, depending upon the will or whim of the king. Under this new relationship the king refused to renew his sanction of the Charter of Liberties, and sent orders to have the general assembly dissolved on the ground that too much power had been given to the people.

Dongan, "a competent governor, faithful, of broad views, and vigorous in action," was continued in office till August, 1688. The province made substantial advancement under his administration, and the first great step was taken toward self-government. New York City and Albany were given new charters. He prevented the French from building a fort at Niagara to control the fur-trade of the upper lakes, and bravely upheld the English side of the contest with France over territory in the north and west. He encouraged parties of young men to engage in the fur-trade with tribes west of New York, and in 1686 one of these parties reached the outlet of Lake Michigan.

Fur-trade. The fur-trade, particularly in beaver skins, was the first and best-paying industry in the province. Cities and streets were named after the beaver, and the seal of the colony had a beaver on it. By 1634, 15,000 beaver and 1,500 other pelts, valued at $54,000, were sent to Holland. The "beaver price. set the value for all other goods.

For over a century

France and England waged a fierce contest over the furtrade. No governor labored more effectually than Dongan to uphold Great Britain's interests.

CHAPTER X.-EFFECT OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION ON NEW YORK

English Revolution in New York.-In 1688 New York was annexed to New England under the rule of Andros, who was represented in New York by a lieutenant, Francis Nicholson. Later in the year news of the great English Revolution reached New York and produced a small revolution there. Nicholson, the representative of James II., was driven out, and the Prince of Orange was proclaimed king. The central figure in the uprising was Jacob Leisler, an energetic shopkeeper and a.German soldier, who had come to the colony in the employ of the West India Company. As captain of the militia and supported by a majority of the people, he assumed the government, and retained it for three years.

Leisler Acts as Governor.-Leisler united with others in calling a convention of delegates from the counties. Twelve deputies from five counties met and chose a committee of safety, and that body appointed Leisler commander-in-chief of the province." But the local and the provincial officials over the colony refused to recognize Leisler's authority. In December King William sent a letter to New York addressed to "Our Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief in our Province of New York, or in his absence to such as for the

time" took his place. Leisler and the committee of safety believed that this letter commissioned him the king's lieutenant-governor.

Albany Forced to Obedience.-Leisler now sought to extend his rule over the province. He sent Jacob Milborne, his son-in-law, up the Hudson with an armed force to compel the river towns, and especially Albany, to submit to his authority. Milborne failed in his attempt, but the frightful massacre of Schenectady by the French and Indians a few months later led Albany to recognize Leisler's power. The attack was planned for the night. The invaders entered the unguarded gates of the palisade, raised the terrible war-whoop, set fire to the houses, and as the dazed victims rushed from their beds sixty were killed, some were taken prisoners, while the rest fled half-clothed through a severe snowstorm to Albany, seventeen miles away (Feb. 19, 1690).

The First Colonial Congress.-To organize a retaliatory expedition against the French and their Algonquin allies Leisler called the first colonial congress held in America. Seven delegates met at Albany in February,

1690.

Leisler fitted out and despatched the first fleet of war-vessels that left the port of New York. He heartily co-operated with the authorities of Massachusetts and Connecticut in their two expeditions—one by water against Quebec, and the other by land against Montreal. Although the majority of the people obeyed Leisler as governor, the king refused to appoint him to that office. Instead, Henry Sloughter, "a profligate, needy, and narrow-minded adventurer," was appointed. Death of Leisler.-Major Richard Ingoldesby, with two companies of soldiers, reached New York about this

time and insolently demanded the surrender of Fort James without showing any authority from the king or the new governor. Leisler replied that he would give up the fort to Sloughter only. Some fighting followed, and eight men were killed, of whom six were defenders of the fort. Upon Sloughter's arrival Leisler surrendered the fort to him (March, 1691). At once Leisler and his chief supporters were imprisoned. A month later they were tried as rebels and traitors, and eight were pronounced guilty. While intoxicated Governor Sloughter was induced by their enemies to sign the death-warrant of Leisler and Milborne, and in May, 1691, both were hanged. By English law their estates were forfeited to the crown.

Leisler's Rule was rash and arbitrary, but his spirit was patriotic. He was the hero of the common people, and received his strongest support from them. During his administration there had been a bitter feud between his friends and his enemies. After his death the quarrel became more bitter, and was the basis for the organization of two political parties. Leisler's son appealed to the king and parliament, and secured the reversal of the attainder against his father and his associates and the restoration of their property to the rightful heirs. Sloughter died shortly after the "judicial murder" of the two brave men, and was succeeded by "the needy and greedy" Benjamin Fletcher (1692).