But facts are stubborn things. The governors sent from Great Britain to rule over this country, were, in general men of very doubtful character, and it is possible, that Mr. Burnet may have been one of the least exceptionable.

In the year 1725, a News Paper entitled "THE YORK GAZETTE, being the first, which had been published in the colony made its appearance in this city. It was a weekly paper and was then the only one, not only in this; but perhaps in any of the British provinces (now the United States.) In this city, there are now nine daily papers, several published twice a week, and a number weekly, all of which as well as several periodical publications, I shall hereafter particularly mention, under the head of LITERARY ESTABLISHMENTS.

During the administration of Mr. Montgomery, which was of short continuance, as he died on the 1st of July 1731, nothing of great importance occurred. The object most worthy of notice, which was effected in his time was the adjustment of a long protracted dispute between New-York, and Connecticut respecting their boundaries. This was settled in an amicable manner in the year 1731; when a tract of land, lying on the Connecticut side, consisting of above 60,000 acres, which, from its figure, was called THE OBLONG was ceded to New York, as an equivalent for some lands surrendered to Connecticut along Long Island sound. Mr. Montgomerie, likewise graned a new charter to this city, on the 15th January 1730.

As Montgomerie was a man of a kind and benevolent disposition and confined himself solely to the common acts of government, public affairs were conducted with the greatest harmony and his death was greatly lamented.

On his decease, the chief command devolved upon Rip Van Dam Esq. the oldest member of the council. Nothing of importance to the city occurred, during his administration, which ended 1st August 1732, when William Cosby Esq. arrived with a commission to govern this and the province of New Jersey.

Governor Cosby commenced his administration, under very favourable circumstances. The attempts, which had been made in the British parliament, the preceding year, for the encouragement of the sugar colonies and the consequent depression of the American trade, had occasioned great apprehension in this province for the safety of her commerce. Cosby, while in England, had been active in his opposition to those measures. No person, therefore, could have been selected for this government, who could have been more popular than he.

The assembly having met on the 19th August 1732, agreeably to proclamation, immediately voted that an address should be presented to his Excellency, congratulating him on his safe arrival and thanking him, for his opposition, to the attempts in favour of the sugar islands. The governor was greatly flattered with this address and in his answer, took no small credit to himself for the share he had taken in the defeat of this bill. He, likewise, plainly intimated his confidence in receiving a revenue, in as full and ample a manner as had been granted by former assemblies. The house, in its answer, was profuse in terms of respect; but cautious in committing itself as to revenue or money matters. Their reluctance in this respect was, by no means surprising, as the colony had much reason to complain of its burthens. The wars between France and England had almost drained its resources and subjected it to a very heavy debt.

Amongst the taxes, which existed at that time, there was one, which, at the present day, will appear rather extraordinary. I mean that on wigs. "This tax" says Mr. Smith was undoubtedly a wise and prudent measure. A custom had been introduced for young men, and even boys, to conceal their own hair, under large and spacious wigs. To repress a custom so absurd or to make it an object of revenue had been the object of the legislature." For this fashion, which instead of ornamenting the countenance, greatly disfigured it, it would be difficult to assign any reason: but many of us have seen fashions equally ridiculous, in our own times. Forty years have not yet elapsed, since gentlemen, who wished to dress a la mode, wore their hair tied and descending as low as the small of their backs and if they had not enough of their own, the deficiency was made up by an addition of false hair. Toppers, to a considerable height, over the forehead, and large side locks, handsomely rolled up, with much plaiting and curling completed the whole. It was then grand times for the hair dressers; for however urgent a gentleman's business might be, it was essentially necessary that he should be under the hands of one of these knights of the comb for nearly half an hour, before he could make what was deemed a decent appearance. Although many absurdities are still to be seen in the garb of those, who consider themselves as people of fashion, yet as it respects the head, its dress is, by far, more becoming than it was in these times and occasions little or no trouble.

In the year 1732, the first stage between Boston and this city was established. It started from each of these places on

ly once a month and it required fourteen days to perform the journey. A stage now starts daily from Boston as well as from this city and arrives at the place of its destination in thirty-six hours.

But to return to Mr. Cosby. He had not been long in the ubernatorial chair, before altercations took place between im and the assembly. To enumerate these would be difficult and of no great interest to my readers, I shall, therefore, only specify a few. Complaints as heretofore were made against the court of chancery as being illegally instituted. The fees extorted by public officers and by practitioners of law were represented as exorbitant; demands for money were often made which, in several, instances, were not complied with, without considerable hesitation and an assembly, was continued for several years notwithstanding many efforts, which were made for a new election. With high opinions of prerogative and decided hostility to free legislation he, at last, became, odious to the colony in general, and even to his best friends.

There was one act passed, during his administration, which ought not to be omitted. At the session of the legislature in 1734, the people called Quakers were restored to a right, for which they had been struggling for a number of years. Some. of them had been prevented from voting in Westchester county, at an election for representatives, because they would not take the oaths prescribed by law. The assembly took up the subject and passed an act granting to them the same rights and privileges as were enjoyed by people of that denomination in England.

Amongst Cosby's last acts, was his suspending Van Dam from his seat at the council board. He was senior counsellor and as such, upon the death of the governor, would have become president of the colony. To prevent this, Cosby convened the council in his bed chamber and suspended Van Dam. He died on the 7th March 1736.

Upon the death of Cosby, the council were immediately convened, when it was proposed, that George Clarke, the senior counsellor next after Van Dam should assume the reins of government. The majority were in favour of Clarke; but a powerful party supported the cause of Van Dam, whose suspension from the council they declared to be arbitrary and illegal. Considerable animosity took place between the two parties; but this unpleasant state of affairs was terminated, on the 30th of October following, when Mr. Clarke received his commission from England as Lieutenant governor.

A new assembly, composed of members, more disposed to assert the rights of their constituents than to submit to the usurpations of the crown, met 15th June 1737. Five days after the commencement of the session, an address to the Lieutenant governor was presented. It is well worthy of notice and forms an era in New-York legislation, which is highly important. Hitherto the governors had too often led the ministry to believe, that the assembly was a body of men, ignorant of legislation, boisterous on some occasions; but easily brought to compliance. The government had yet to learn, that there were men in this province, whose patriotism would have done honour to the best days of Greece and Rome.

The address commences with recognizing some of the vital principles of a good government. It affirms, that none ought to represent the people, but those, who are fairly chosen by them and that elections ought to be frequent, as experience had shewn, the danger of trusting the same men too long with power. Óne paragraph in this address deserves to be transmitted to posterity. In speaking on the subject of the revenue, the assembly adopt this bold and energetic language. "We, therefore, beg leave to tell your Honour that you are not to expect, that we either will raise sums unfit to be raised, or put that which we shall raise into the power of a governor to misapply, if we can prevent it ; nor shall we make up any other deficiencies, than what we conceive are fit and just to be paid, or continue what support or revenue we shall raise for any longer time than one year; nor do we think it convenient to do even that, until such laws are passed, as we conceive necessary for the safety of the inhabitants of this colony." In fine, the whole address is a production honourable to the times, in which it was formed and evinces the proud, unbroken spirit of the colonists, incapable of being soothed or awed into submission by the arts or power of their rulers. The legislature, at this time, began to perceive its importance in the scale of government and possessed the germ of that independence and freedom, which has since ripened and displayed itself in securing the liberties of the country and in ultimately establishing the British colonies (now the United States of America) as a free, sovereign and independnet nation.

But though this assembly appear to have had correct views with respect to the rights of the people, in general: their ideas in regard to religious liberty were illiberal and highly intolerant. They resolved, that none of the Jewish profession could vote for representatives, or be admitted as witnesses

touching any contested election. The fact is that the Jews as well as the Roman Catholics had long been peculiarly obnoxious to the colonists, and it was not till after our glorious revolution, that they were placed on the same footing with their fellow citizens of other religious denominations.

The continuance of our assemblies had been unlimited, till the political struggles, which arose in Cosby's administration, compelled his successor Mr. Clarke, in the year 1737, to pass the act for restricting their duration to three years. His assent, however, was given with a bad grace. But, as he fully believed, that, this law could not obtain the royal assent, its character and views giving, in his opinion, the people too great a share in the administration of government he gave it his sanction. In 1739, the crown, as he had expected, repealed the law, and it was surmised at the time, that he had been instrumental, in bringing about this measure. But although this law, in consequence of the intervention of the royal prerogative, did not answer the salutary purpose, for which it was intended, yet its strenuous advocate, Mr. Morris of Westchester, deserved well of his country, for his unremitted exertions in getting it passed. Soon after the arrival of George Clinton as governor in September 1743, an act was passed for septennial assemblies, which it is believed continued in force till the revolution.

On the 23d of October 1739, war was declared by England against Spain. Soon after inf rmation of this event had arrived here, application was made by Captain Norris of the ship Tartar, then lying in his harbour, for liberty to impress thirty seamen, who he said, were much wanted to man his vessel. The Lieutenant governor and council ordered the mayor to cause the impressment to be made; but that gentlemen with a firmness, which did him great honour, peremptorily refused to obey and the council prudently declined to take any further measures to comply with the captain's requisition. Thus by the firmness of this worthy mayor, the impressment of seamen, one of the greatest oppressions experienced by that truly valuable class of men, in Great Britain and Ireland was expressly prohibitod in this colony.