The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1845-01-18
History OF the Van Eeenssci
:GGF Manner.

acT Manor.
The continued troubles among the te-
nantry of the Van Rausse aer Manor, and
the progress OF revolt aud outrage upon
other similarly situated estates in the
State of New York. have naturally exci,-
ed general desire to know something ol
the history "i the case. The Rev. Gort-
landt Van Rensselaer,, of Burlington, New
Jersey. "a son Of The late patroon, but
who las no interest in lha, part of his
fathers cstatc,) has responded 10 this de-
sire, in long letter, which presents Il
comprehensive view Of the organ aad con-
dllon of the Manor, and The causes of
the existing disat'aliion among the ten
ants. We avail, ourselves Of the follow
ing intelIig bic abstract Of i, BY shc New
! "rk Courier and ENQUIRER:
!. The Manor of RensseIaerwick ex-
tends from point twelve miles below.
I" point twelve miles above, Abahv,
North and South. and to distance each
side oil the hudson of twenty four miles;
II is therefore twenty four miles in length
and As III width, embracing the counties
oi Albany aud Rensselaer,, the cities of
ALBANY and Troy, aud some villages ex-
cepted; lis population is fifty thousand,
=. The lille 10 the land rests on these
grounds Holland, in order TO encnur-
age emIgranls. made liberal offers to Pa.
troons who should plant colonies in
New Netherlands. Klllian Van Rers-
selaer, al various times from 1850 TO
1857, purchased lands from the Indian
chiefs, in presence of the Governor. max :
ing payment in full. These purchases
were confirmed by the authorities at Fort
Amsterdam; by the Dutch government a,
home; by the English in 1864; again in
1853; and still again in l70l; & finally by
the Stale Of New York in 1921, by a
provision Of he Constitution saying, that
nothing in that instrument .sshalI atft G,
any grants Of land with this State, made
by authority Of the King or his predeccs.
s"rs." The Judiciary Committee, in The
Legislature last ear, said expressly that
ii this was not goodtille "Mcrc certainly
can be none in the Siate.n
}. Most Of the Manor is settled under
perpetual leases, by which tenants hold
the farms IN perPetuly, with reserva-
ton 10 the proprietor OF mines and streams
the right TO erect mills and to Gu, timber
for them, the right Of iugress and egress
over the land;-he paying for the land so
used and quarter Of the purchase mo-
ney on every alienation of the estate oth>
er"ise than by will.-The tenant is bound
TO pay yearly rent in heat, four ia,
fowls, and days service, aud to pay all
axes.
4 The rent paid by the Ilelderherg
and Rensselaer, farmers are 10 bushels OF
wheat per 100 acres, and the average OF
The whole manor is | bushels per 100
acres, less than one bushel to nine acres.
These are the prominent facts concerning
the tenure by which ihest lands are held
The rents are very low, and the whole is
held according To express agreement. The
grievances complained Of by the tenants,
aud which are made the preleXls Of he
rebellion and refusal to pay the rents, are
,hus stated. |. They alIege want Of
title i'll the Landlord; this has been dis
proved, and if it were well founded, then
certainly have no better title than the pro-
prletor. 2 Some complain that they pay
in wheat instead of money. There can
be no practical grievance in this provi>
sion, as with money wheat can always be
purchased; the requisite amount can al
ways lie raised; and the arrange ment was
made expressly for the benefit of the tens
ants. 3. The pair of fowls aud the lav's
service are represented as Anti>repnbIi-
can. They have always been commute
at the market price, when desired. 4
The reservation to the landlord of quar-
ter of The money, when The farms are sold.
is complained of; but it should be borne
in mind, that it cost The holder nothing,
that he agreed to the condition, that he
gets three -tourihs when he has no owner
ship in it, and above all, these quarter
sales haze rcry rarely been eractcd
by The proprie'ors, and may Arrays be
commuted al very small prices. The
reservation of mines and streams is COM
planned Of but i. is a part Of The con.
tract. and practically 1t has no effect. as
no mines have been discovered 6. The
tenants say they have paid for the land
by paying rent for n series Of year, and
should therefore be its owners; the same
rule would rccasea borrower from the