from his steep roofed domicle opposite-the rude scout the dip of oars, and rattling of cordage upon the river. —the batteau steersman, and the hand from the sloop, all meet at the gable-tavern, in the midst of the village, as usual, to "talk the matter over." The sergeant of course, thinks the firing from Rensselaerstein all wrong, the trader in the employment of the Patroon, thinks it all right, the burgher hesitates in his opinion, not knowing yet which way his interests incline, the scout, and the batteau-man, are indifferent as to who is wrong, so long as there's prospect of a fight, whilst the sloop-hand is boisterous in complaint as to the outrage committed on Schipper Lookermans of the "Good Hope." There were the palisades, stained by exposure, and slanting back, there were the steep roofs—and the straggling street with its groups of pale faces-there were the fields of grain and grassy meadows, and, upon the river, the sunset gleam was reflected back from the huge batteau, with its poles slanting along its sides, and the wide main sail of the sloop, just gliding to the dock, from its return voyage to New-Amsterdam. The contrast of the poor solitary Indian, whose ancestors had been lords of the region for centuries, with his moccasins tattered from his many days travel, in order to bear The same excitement prevailed also at New-Amster- his burthen to those, who, in less than forty years had dam. Kooren was arrested, and the fortifications at Bar- become his task masters, is fraught with much specula. ren Island protested against. A new cause of contention tive meaning, as to the designs of Providence, in bringalso arose between the Patroon and the Company, in | ing the two races together. consequence of the latter claiming all the land that In 1657, the quiet current of affairs in Beaverwyck, could be swept by the guns of the fort, thus carving a was rippled by an incident which, however trivial and large space of the very heart of Rensselaerwyck. This common in older communities, was a cause of great was of course resisted, and the Patroon dying about this pleasure to the inhabitants of the settlement. This, time, the matter was carried on by Brandt Van Sleckten- was the writing of a letter by the West India Comhoorst, in behalf of the orphan heir, with great energy.pany, the bearer being the Reverend Gideon Schaats, Things arrived at such a height at last, that Governor Stuyvesant, who succeeded Kieft, actually declared war, by sending a military force, consisting of a dozen men, who took fourteen days to find their way up, and entered Beaverwyck in all the pomp of battle array. And not only that, but they invaded the fortified dwelling of the late Patroon at Rennselaerwyck, upon the island before named. If the affair of the Good Hope caused a sensation, this invasion must have created an excitement of the wildest character. But happily the page of History is not stained by the recital of any deeds of slaughter, resulting from the formidable campaign. On the contrary, it all ended, probably considering their habits, in smoke, and certainly in paper bullets, cast most unsparingly in the enemy's ranks by Commander Van Slecktenhoorst. The quarrel was continued, until the worthy commander was thrown into prison at NewAmsterdam, and a new Director of affairs at Rensselaerwyck appointed. The little settlement continued to increase. The ship from Holland was anxiously looked for, making it quite an event when the news came, brought by some wandering trader, that the lofty square hull, and weather stained sails had been seen by him at the little wharf of New Amsterdam, and when the stores brought by her, arrived at Beaverwyck, the huge kitchen hearths cast their gleams upon happy faces, the countenance of the industrious vrow seen in contrast to the ebony skin of the humble drudge, while the elm-shaded stoops of every gable-end-dwelling were crowded by the joyful burghers, who made the still evening air vocal with their laughter, jests and congratulations. (who sailed from Amsterdam to officiate as the clergyman of the colony,) that they would send a bell and a pulpit for the little church newly constructed in the village. Sweet were the tones of this caller to prayer, echoing amidst the gables of the hamlet, and melting over the surface of the river. The rough boatman, as he urged his batteau along the shores, heard the soft chime stealing upon his ear, and knew by the sign that the Sabbath had again dawned over the forests; the deer drinking at the falls of the Norman's kill, started at the tinkling voice, and shrank into his covert - the Indian, aiming his rifle, looked around with astonishment, as the silver echo floated upon the air around him, until led to the village by the sounds, he saw in the humble temple, the pale faces bending in worship to the Great Spirit of their race. Eloquent was the preaching of that bell—the wilderness knew it and was glad. But while everything was flowing in so peaceful a channel in Beaverwyck, events in Europe were shaping, which, a few years afterwards, produced an event that broke upon the heads of the settlers like a thunderbolt. The New World, as has been already stated, had for some time attracted the attention of the powers of Europe, and particularly France and England. The former had planted already her standard at Quebec and Montreal, but the latter had acquired no footing in the region known as New-Netherlands, although she had interposed her claim to the possession of it by discovery. In 1664, however, Charles II, in a very summary manner, granted, by charter, to his brother, the Duke of York and Albany, the whole region from the western bank of the Connecticut river, to the eastern shore of the Delaware, embracing of course, the province of The village must have been a beautiful point in the vast forests surrounding it. The Oneida Indian concluding his long and weary trial from Couxsachraga or the dismal wilderness, (which name he had given to the New-Netherlands. Not only did he grant the land but triangle of land, formed by the lakes Champlain, Ontario, and the river St. Lawrence) bearing his furs up. on his back, checked his footsteps upon the o'erhanging ridge, as the peaceful smokes of Beaverwyck met his eye, curling up in the sunset air-whilst his ear was saluted by voice, whistle and song within the village, and he sent the same year an expedition consisting of three ships, one hundred and thirty guns and six hundred men, under the command of Col. Nichols, to enforce the claim. Landing at New-Amsterdam, Nichols made known his errand, with his guns pointing their convincing arguments at the palisaded fort and settle ment, and the brave old Stuyvesant, the last of the Dutch Governors, whose line, commenced by Peter Minuet in 1625, ended now with him, this gray headed soldier was forced under the circumstances to lower his flag and surrender the province. Beaverwyck, of course, was included, and the name of New-Amsterdam was changed to that of New-York, in honor of the one title of the Duke, and Beaverwyck to Albany, after the other. the palisades attended by the shouting and frolicking negroes: and of merry throngs of both sexes upon the wide and shady stoops. Thus passed the foot of Time muffled in down through primitive Albany, until the Leisler Insurrection in 1689. In 1686 the village was incorporated as a city, under Gov. Dongan's administration, and sixteen square miles taken from the now Manor of Rensselaerwyck, for its territory. Enterprise and Industry began to hew their way with the axe, through the boundless forest, to some stream, valley or lake, to raise their cabins. The rude batteau more frequently crept up the waters of the Mohawk, and the flats of the Genesee bore tokens of the surveyor's track, in the huge letters carved upon the trees, and the piled stones denoting his monuments. On the 24th of September, in this same year, the first Convention was held in Albany between the English and the Iroquois. The latter had now arrived at their highest summit of power and greatness. Their war paths extended into every part of this Union; their tomahawks and scalping-knives enforced obedience upon every savage nation. Not the red man alone, but the whites bowed to their supremacy. The English, as a The same discontent against James II at home, was matter of course, did not overlook the advantages of showed by the inhabitants of the Province. When, thereobtaining and cultivating the friendship which the faith-fore, the news came that William and Mary had succeedful warriors had freely bestowed upon the Dutch. They ed to the throne, through the abdication of James, the succeeded in their endeavors. The confederacy remain-colonies looked to the local authorities for recognition ing true to their interests, till the broken and feeble of their new sovereigns. The Governor and Council remnant of the tribes, under Brant, left the blue lakes refrained from proclaiming the now only legitimate goand green vallies of their former home, and sought a vernment. In this state of things, Jacob Leisler headed precarious existence on the banks of the Grand river in a body of the people - seized the fort at New-York, Canada. and asserted the authority of the protestant King and This Convention was the beginning of the series held Queen of England. Disling and distrusting Leisler, at Albany until the opening of the Revolution, when many of the inhabitants of New-York retired to Albany, the last brand of the Iroquois council fire, which had where, however, gaining possession of the fort, they proburned steadily for more than a century, sank into ashes. nounced also in favor of William and Mary, and orgaSeveral years after this Convention, the Iroquois dis-nized a convention or a kind of civil and military goplayed their friendship in protecting the interests of the vernment. Leister despatched his son-in-law, MilEnglish against the efforts of the French to obtain pos- bourn, with a force against Albany, to bring it to subsession of the Fur Trade. The stern and warlike Fron-jection. The inhabitants prepared to defend it. Major tenac, Governor of Canada, made desperate exertions Schuyler, so well known under the name of Quider, to divert the channel of this lucrative trade from Albany, threw himself, with a portion of the inhabitants, into but to no purpose. The hatchets of the wild Senecas the fort, whilst the rest flocked to the City Hall, where protected it on the southwestern borders of Lake Erie, Milbourn endeavored vainly to make them adherents and the Cayugas, Oneidas and Onondagas prevented it to his cause. He then attacked the fort, was unsucfrom flowing into the military posts of Quebec and cessful, and left the place. Subsequently, however, Montreal. This kindled a flame in the breast of Fron- taking advantage of the inhabitants resisting an Indian tenac, never extinguished. inroad, he succeeded in possessing himself of the city, and breaking up the Convention. In the year 1673, a war broke out between England and Holland. A small Dutch squadron commanded by Binkes and Evertson appeared before New-York, reduced it, and changed its name to New-Orange. Albany also fell again into the possession of Holland, and the appellation of Williamstadt was substituted. It was, however, not long that the original owners enjoyed possession, the next year beholding a treaty of peace solemnized between the nations, and the two places reduced once more to the British rule, and their names restored. In the month of February, 1689-90, upon a Sabbath morning, the city was thrown into the greatest excitement and alarm by the tidings that the frontier settle.. ment of Schenectady, numbering about sixty houses, had been surprised the night before, in a great tempest of wind and snow, by a party of French and Indians, who had killed sixty of the inhabitants and carried twenty-five into captivity. The energetic and courageous Schuyler despatched a force, composed of Indians and colonists, which coming up with the retreating foe, revenged the massacre with their rifles, and rescued many of the prisoners. Events flowed again in their old channel. There were occasional repairs of the fort and palisades; some new building was erected; the settlers wrangled about Convention after Convention was now held between the boundaries of wood-lots; outpost block-houses were the English and Iroquois in the city. The worthy built in the neighboring forests; a vigilant eye was burghers beheld within their precincts the lofty step and kept upon the Indians of Saratoga and Esopus; the Ciceronean look of Decanesora, the eloquent orator of rising dawn called life and activity into the two grassy the Onondagas-two expeditions were directed by Fronstreets, forming a green triangle between the sharp tenac against the Iroquois, in the former of which, roofs; the sunset crimsoned the peaceful scene, of Schuyler pursued the enemy through the sleets and cattle wending homewards from the pastures, outside blasts of a winter tempest and the deep snows of a winter forest, until a floating cake of ice in the upper day. They all see a city bustling with activity, humbranch of the Hudson, alone rescued them from his grasp. The knife and tomahawk gleamed around the palisades of Albany, until the truce of Ryswick, which ended a year's war in Europe, costing 800,000 lives and 480,000,000 sterling of treasure. ming with business, a population of 40,000 giving life to the scene, its churches showing religious sentiment, its seminaries of learning a healthy intellectual state, its streets lined with elegant dwellings and wealthy stores, its basin paved with the roofs of canal boats, The 17th century then closed with peace reigning and its long pier crowded with river craft, the beautiful throughout the world. A glorious epoch. Here ends our brief outline of the early history of Albany, embracing a period of eighty-six years. To detail it faithfully and minutely, even in so brief a period, would require a volume. Probably the most interesting part commences with 1700. It was for a long time the theatre of events for a wide extent of country. From causes here, results radiated through every part of the whole province of New-York. steamer, the picturesque schooner, and the long-masted sloop. They all see a city of solid wealth and respectability going forward in a pathway of sure and certain prosperity. There is nothing in the whole range of history so useful as these surveys over the career of the place in which we happen to have our habitation. They awaken a juster sense of appreciation—they bring home to us a stronger and fuller idea of the toils and privations, those that went before us suffered. The outlines that flit through the pages of general narrative, are here filled up, and stand before us in shape and color. It remains to present two short sketches. There was shown to the eye of the traveller, in 1750, a small city, extending along the river, with high hills upon the West, clothed with the pine tree. The streets To the inhabitants of Albany the marked traits of the were broad, some paved and lined with trees, the long Dutch character are shown in the greatest relief; their ones parallel to the river, the others intersecting them perseverance-their fortitude-their moral and physical at right angles. One avenue leading up the hill was courage. Bravely did they strike for freedom on the five times broader than the others, and served as a mar-plains of Holland-nobly in this forest land, did they ket-place. A Dutch Church, with a pointed roof, stood wrestle with the tempest and dare the tomahawk. in the area formed by the angle of State, Market and With the rifle at their side they wielded the axe and Court-streets. It was of stone and had a bell. Upon guided the plough-grasping their weapons, they kneelthe hill overlooking the town on the west side, stood a ed in humble adoration before the God of Heaven. great stone fort, with high walls around it, and directly under it were the English Church and one of the two markets to which the country people were in the habit of resorting twice a week. There was a fine Town Hall, south of the Dutch Church, and close to the water side. Not only upon the Hudson, but on the banks of the Connecticut also, was this spirit manifested. Son of New-England as well as of Holland! let your heart glow with pride and grateful joy at the contemplation of your ancestors and the deeds that have made them immortal. In their forests were strong hearts daily nerv. ed in trial - strong arms daily lifted in conflict. Not less bright was the flame of liberty burning in their The houses were neatly built of stone and shingles of white pine, some slated with tiles from Holland, with their gables upon the street. Enormous gutters pro-hearts-not less severe the test to which they were exjected over the wide-walks, and wide stoops with seats and swinging doors, were at the front of each dwelling. Upon these stoops at sunset the population were in the habit of congregating, exchanging salutes and kind words with the neighbors, while the air was enlivened with the tinkling of the bells as the cows wended home. wards or stopped to graze upon the grassy margins of the street, and the shrill whistling of the young negro domestics lounging behind with their whips and goads. Surely the woods around must have murmured out their joy in pleasant rustlings at such a sweet sylvan scene, and the river must have echoed the song with its cool and hollow dashings. A century has scarce elapsed and not a few scattered tourists on their route to Canada only, but myriad travelers bound in all directions, see the fair city of Albany. They have arrived either with the up boat (the Knickerbocker probably) or are seated in the long snake-like train that has rattled from Boston since the rising of the sun, over the Eastern Railroad. In either case the city bursts upon their view in a bright amphitheatre, with the evening radiance warm upon her summits. Or perhaps the western merchant, with the stern voice of Niagara yet roaring in his ears, perceives upon the pine plains at the outskirts of the city, spire after spire and dome after dome, catching the splendor of declining posed. Whilst the Hollander was defending inch by inch, foot by foot, his native dykes from the legions of the Spanish Despot, the stern and pure hearted Covenanter was reading his bible by the flash of musketry amidst the glens and mountains of persecuted Scotland. Clinging to the faith of freedom and the dignity of man, whilst the one stood erect with a breast that had borne the shock of a thirty year's war, the other spread the sail over a wildly dashing occan, and found a home and an asylum in the Western Wilderness. Here the two races met, and here they followed their destiny. The glittering tomahawk shone about their path-the fierce war-whoop rang in their ears-the flames of their dwellings, glared around their pillows. But valiantly they trampled upon danger-gloriously they triumphed over despair-in life they never quailed-in death they never trembled. When the roar of the British lion sounded hoarse through the wilderness, and Freedom, like Pallas from the head of Jove, sprung armed and ready with the shield upon her breast and the spear within her grasp, torrent-like did they dash up to the flag she had planted for the contest; American-like did they struggle, and bleed, and die around their banner, in defence of human rights. Let us remember then that we are the sons of those sires who so nobly acted and suffered. Let us remember that we have succeeded to a heritage where everything has been made to our hands. That the forests have been hewed into cities and villages, and fields and meadows, for us-and so let us act that when this genera tion shall have passed away, the succeeding one shall find the bright tracks of our footsteps in new adornments and new blessings. A Day in Summer. BY RICHARD FELTON. I. How lovely is that glorious sky, That bends above this summer scene, How soft the west wind's balmy sigh, That stirs those bowers of fragrant green, How sweet the voice of that glad stream, Which rolls in many a diamond gleam, These sloping banks between. II. One single cloud within the blue, Of the bright heaven in sleeping fair, So pure, so snow white, in its hue, It seems some spirit of the air, Bending from its majestic height, To view the earth in summer light, And in its joys to share. III. The wood in twinkling foliage drest, Chequered with light and deepest shade, Rejoices in the presence blest, Of summer in her charms arrayed, IV. Of leaves, that quiver in the breath Seems born to kiss each verdant wreath, And sunbeams light the silver bark Of the tall beech, whose shadow dark Lies on the grass beneath. V. The birch sends forth its fragrance sweet, O'er verdure gemm'd with countless flowers, VI. The thrush now pipes his flute-like lay, VII. As soft, as bright, as fancy's dream, Here where I sit beneath the shade, Or ever woo'd the summer dew, The sunlight falls in chequer'd gold, While branches like a pall are roll'd, Above my bended head. IX. Beneath me from the meadow green, X. Within that poplar's trembling breast, To find some object of its choice; XI. And on my brow it whispers sweet, XII. And from the vale the streamlet's voice, XIII. The grasshopper, amid the gloom Of shaded moss now chirps his song, And tiny harps mid nature's bloom, Waked by each insect, floats along; How beautiful is Summer, when Her form is seen by hill and glen, To sport her charms among. Woman.-Nature has given woman an influence over man, more powerful, more perpetual, than his over her; from birth to death, he takes help and healing from her hand, under all the most touching circumstances of life; her bosom succours him in infancy, soothes him in manhood, supports him in sickness and in age. Such influence as this, beginning at the spring of life, and acting in all its most trying moments, must deteriorate or improve man's character, must diminish or increase his happiness, according to the moral and intellectual gradation of woman. Thus, upon her improvement in particular, depends human improvement in general. Equality of Condition in Life.-A man born to worldly advantages is esteemed an object of envy by the multitude. Examine such destinies, and in most cases you will find them invalidated by some drawback or incompetency qualifying the magnitude of the blessing. Human life would otherwise be chequered by too cruel an equality of condition; and the fate of the poor who do lack and suffer hunger, convey too bitter an accusation against the justice of Providence. The evil influences which surround the cradle of the rich often counterbalance the blessings of prosperity. Nieuw-Albanien, Joannes Henricus Goetschius, Hakkingsak 1752 Vacant. In Nieuw-Jersey. Vorhill, 1744 In the Dominions of the King of Denmark. ...... 1752 1756 1757 1746 1748 1750 Dr. Channing on Poetry.—Poetry, far from injuring 1748 society, is one of the great instruments of refinement and exaltation. It lifts the mind above ordinary life, gives it a respite from depressed cares, and awakens the consciousness of its efficacy with what is pure and noble. In its legitimate and highest efforts, it has the same tendency and aim with Christianity; that is, to spiritualize our nature. Poetry has a natural alliance with our best affections. Its great tendency and purpose is to carry the mind beyond and above the beaten, dusty weary walks of ordinary life, to lift it into a purer element and to breathe into it more profound and generous emotion. It reveals to us the loveliness of nature, brings back the freshness of early feelings, revives the relish of simple pleasures, keeps unquenched the enthusiasm which warmed the spring time of our being, refines youthful love, strengthens our interest in human nature, imparts vivid delineations of its tenderest and lof. tiest feeling, expands our sympathies over all classes of society, knits us by new ties with universal being, and through the brightness of its prophetic visions, helps faith lay hold on the future life. 1755 Vacant. 1746 1748 Quaint.-A book was printed during the time of 1749 Cromwell, with the following title: "Eggs of Charity 1752 laid by the Chickens of the Covenant, and boiled with 1752 the water of Divine Love. Take ye and eat." |