Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-09-11
History OF the Van Rensselaer, Manor.

Van Ransselaer Manor, and the progress OF revolt
and outrage upon other similarly situated estates in
the State of New York, have naturally excited a
general desire know something Of the history Of
the case The Rev. Cortlandf Van Rensselaer,, of
Burlington, New Jersey "a son Of the late PATRON.
but who has interest in that part Of his fathers
estate has responded TO this desire in long letter,
which presents a comprehensive view of the origin
and condition Of the Manor, and the causes Of the
existing disaffection among the tenants. We avail
ourselves of the following ineligible abstract Of it
by the Courier and Enquirer:
l. The Manor of Rensselaerwick extends from
point twelve miles below, to point twelve miles
above, Albany, north and south, and 10 a distance
each side Of the Hudson of twentyfo1r miles; it
therefore "a miles in length and IS in width, embpc
ing the counties of Albany and Toy, and some VII
lagos excepted, its population is so 200.
p The title TO the land rests upon these grounds
Holland; in order TO encourage emigants, made
liberal offers to PATRONS, who should plant colonies In
New Netherlands Killian Van Rensselaer,, at various
times, from $3.50 to 1857, purchased lands from the
Indian chiefs, in presence Of the Governor making
payment in full. These purchases confirmed by
the authorities at Fort Amsterdam: by the Dutch
Government at home by the English in 1864; again
in 1856; and still again in l704; and finally by the
State Of New York IN 1921, by provision of the
Constitution saying that nothing In thrt instrument
4" shall affect any grants of land within this State,
made by the authority of the King his predecessors"
The Judiciary Committee of the Legislature last year
said expressly that if this not good title there
can certainly be none in the State
3. Most Of the Manor Is settled under perpetual
leases by which tenants hold the farms IN perpetuity
with reservation TO the proprietor Of mines and
streams, the right to erect mills and cut timber for
them, the right of ingress and egress over the land
so used-and quarter of the purchase money
every alienation of the estate otherwise than by WILL
The tenant is bound to pay yearly rent in wheat,
four fat fowls and days service, and to pay all
A. The rent paid by the Heidelberg and Rensselaer,
farmers is ten bushels Of wheat per one hundred acres
and the average of the whole Manor is eleven bushels
per one hundred acres-ess than bushel to nine
acres These the prominent facts concerning the
tenure by which these lands held. The title Of
the proprietors is perfectly good-the rents are low,
and the whole is held according express agreement
The grievances complained of by the tenants. and
which are made the pretexts of the rebellion and
4 refusal to pay the rents, thus stated J. They
allege want of title in the landlord this has been
disproved, and if it were well founded, they, certainly,
have better title than the proprietor. 2. Some
complain because they pay wheat Instead Of money.
There be practical grievance this provision,
as with money wheat always be purchased; the
requisite amount can always be raised and the
rangement made expressly for the benefit of tie
tenants. g. The pair of fowls and the days service
are represented as anti-republicaD These have
always been commuted at the market price when
desired. A. The reservation TO the landlord of
lquarter of the money, when tie farms are sold is
complained of; but 1t should be borne in mind that it
cost the holder nothing that he agreed to the condi
ton that he ges three OurthS when he has owner
ship in and above all, these quarter sales have
rery rarely been erecHted by the propretors and may
ARRAYS be coniinuted at very small prices. D. The
reservation of mines and streams is complained of
but it part of the contract, and practically Il has
no effect as mines have been discovered. 6. The
tenants say they have paid for the land, by paying
rent for series Of years and should therefore be It's
owners the same rule would release a borrower
from the obligation to repay the principal Of debt,
when he had kept long enough to have the accumu
lated interest equal to the sum. z. Another COM
plant is that back rents have been allowed to
mulate; this is as much the fault Of tenant, the
proprietor, and moreover the late Pafrooh made the
most positive and benevolent provisions in his will,
for abatement in whole In part Of these back rents
g. 1t said the tenants have been degraded to vassas
and serfs the Judiciary committee Of the last Legis
aure have declared their belief that this grievance
exists only in imagination.
These are the grievances of which the tenants
complain and no fail 10 that they
utterly unfounded least inadequate to justify
the steps they have taken. The writer Of the COM
municaton next aludes to the propositions That have
been made to remove even these slight causes of
dissatisfaction the part Of the tenants. The pro-
prletors have proposed, IN leases to renew
any of the obectonal clauses but have been perfectly
willing unite with tenants in cancelng all the old
rent should be converted into money rent, and the
farms purchased at the price of WHICH the rent due
would be the interest The tensnts profess TO agree
to these terms, but difference arises to the price
of the wheat and The rate Of interest the propreors
wish take the average price of wheat for the last
ten years, (Which would be about 81 20 and to esti
mate the interest at per cent; the tenants refuse to
allow 81 90 per bushe for the wheat and dema nd
the interest to be estimated at per cent The diff
ference between these views will be at glance
22a bushels, at 81 % per bushel, S25 So which
would be the annual rent; and this at per cent.
would be the interest of $780, the price of the farm
on the pr0prietorS' scale. On the other hand, 22i
bushels at 81 90 make the yearly rent only 50 so,
and per cent would call for principal Of only
1922 the tenants scale. As this seems the
honest difference of opinion involved in the case,
copy the following passage in yndication Of the pro-
pretors' claim from the communication of Mr. Van
Rensselaer,:
"The proprietors have in their favor, the considera
ton that the rate of interest long and permanent
loans (such as these must be estmatcd) has always
been 5 per cent, which is the rate at the present
time and furthermore. that money does not
command for single year, more than percent
The practical operation Of the adoption Of tese two
scales, would be that the landlords calculation the
land would bring "a per acre, and - tenants
calculation only So 90. IL it be added that the aver
age price which tenants have sold the farms on the
Manor has been heretofore about S25 90 per acre,
subject to the annual rent the fairness of the propri-
etor's calculation is more and more evident.
1.-THE tenants, in addition to tie low price at which
they want to obtain their farms in fee simple demand
that the days service and fowls shall be thrown in
without any Communication price; whilst the propretors
think that these much entitled fair money
equivalent as the other stipplations Of the lease
The Judiciary Committee express their opinion about
the relief sought follows &c Your committee arc