New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-10
The Anti.Rent Questlon.

We therefore ask attention to a brief and hurried
review Of the question.
At the close Of the struggle which severed the
American Colonies from the British Crown a Re
publican form OF Government was constructed-
Emerging from monarchy 20 freedom. the fathers
OF this country did not at once adapt the new form
OF Government in all respects, 10 the spirit OF the
new order Of things. Titles Of nobility, and en-
tails, were prohibited FeudalIsm, for the most
part, was also abolished But ia this State several
distinguished families were enjoying. by the favor
Of the Crown large and valuable tracts OF land upon
the Hudson River These families, having rem
dered good service in the Revolution, were suti
centy Influential not only 10 obtain recognition
OF their patents, but TO perpetuate, in the COnst
tuition. SO much oil the ieudal system as then ex
isted in their maGorial leases. The Counties Of
Albany aud Rensselaer, were owned by the Nan
Rensselaer, family. Those who settled upon these
lands bound themselves TO bring wheat poultry
eggs &c. TO the Manor house; TO work with their
teams, for the Pstroon TO yield up all mines mine
rails aud water courses TO the PATRON; and finally
when, aud as often, as these tenants should sell
their eesehOlds, one-1uarter OF the purchase money
required, by covenant, To be paid TO the Manor
Lord.
Such were the tenures under which the lands in
Albany and Rensselaer, were settled. During the
lifetime of the late PATRON, who came into pos
session Of the Manor soon after the Revolution, the
evil workings OF this vicious system were percep-
3
Oped resources of the two counties Lands could
not be purchased nor could water power be ad-
vantageOusly used. The PatrOOn an emnently
good and indulgent man, allowed his tenants 70
pay as fast tardily suited their convenience
/ or inclinatiOns. This fOrbesrance threw a large
portion OF the tenants n long way In with
their rents And when that good man died, leaving
numerous heirs with expensive habits, large por-
ton of the Manor was deeply encumbered and
some Of the bill towns were scarcely worth enough
TO pay their back rents.
The new proprietors looked over their rent rolls,
discovered the value of their estate and determined
20 collect their dues. Letters dispatched
throughout the Manor requiring the tenants TO
come in and pay their back rents. The tenants
came in 10 learn that new lords make new laws =
that instead of taking things easy, they must now
pay up They had no right to object to this for il
was 80 nominated in the bond" And finally,
after being sterny informed that they must extin-
guish the balances standing against them, they
were each required TO pay to the Patroons attor
neys three dollars for the letter containing this
agreeable intelligence.
The dormant mischiefs Of the feudal system now
began TO terminate Tenants talked OF selling
their farms and moving TO the West" But this
purpose led them TO n realizing sense Of the fact
that they had farms TO sell They could sell
their leasehOlds but In virtue OF a covenant exc
cuted by their ancestors quarter OF the purchase
money belonged to the PATRON And as that lien
ing the PATRON his quarter as often as lands are
conveyed without extnguishing or diminishing bis
claim upon those lands there were, OF course, no
purchasers.
The tenants called meetings discussed their griev
ances, and appointed committee 20 confer with
The propretors. The terms then offered by the
tenants and rejected by Mr. Van Rensselaer, were
such as wholly vindicate the tenants from the i'm
putaton of dishonesty reputation. Perhaps II
would dspel some delusions to recall that PROPOSE
ton:
NO. I....GRIEvANCEs.
To Stephen Van Rensselar, Esq
We the undersigned. committee OF the tenants o.
the western towns Of the manor of said stephen Van
Rensselaer,, Esq do, in conformity 10 the instructions
of respective constituents set forth the following
as the many grievances with which said tenants feel
themselves grieved and burdened, to wit The enor-
nous price put upon wheat above what II formerly
when the leases originally given, II being then but
IS per bushe the extreme and days service
with carriage and team at 81 per day and fowls AT 80
cents making in all for years rent on lot OF l6O
lat 22 bushels per op at SIS 81 per lot at which
time wheat could be raised in abundance; but nov
owing to the sterity and roughness OF the soil and
country 1t has become ply scaly impossible to raise
wheat to pay our rents-and the wheat rating at from
81 80 to 50 % per bushe-dsys service at - per DAY
and four fowls at - cents making rents at from $50
to about $50 year. making now extremely difficult
for many of the tenants to support their families and
pay their rents without involving themselves and pos
ierty in extreme peril and hardship Also, the many
reservations and ctons contained in our leases to
wlt;-qusrter sales, all streams OF water, mines and
minerals right of way roads timber, &c. &c all OF
which we committee Of said tenants do feel 10 be
most gevous and burdensOme and ask the same 10 be
redressed In such way will be conducive to the
happiness and prosperity OF ourselvesand po'terity
No , REDRESS
To remedy the evils complained of by the tenants OF
Stephen Van Rensselaer,, Esq In our opinion, as their
immediate representatives and that 10 which we believe
they will comply, the following, TO wit:-To Rave
their old leases abolished, and new leases given in
k,s oil oil ha in fh.
same number of bushels allowed as In the old leases
and rated in the following order To wt:-Sl per bushe
for the first quality OF land "a. cts per bushe for the
second quality IS per bushe for the third quality of
land 62i cents Tor the fourth quality of land, 81
per day tho days services aud 80 cents for the four
Notwithstanding the reservation Of quarter sales water
privilege. the soil under the water, the privilege of
roads mines, minerals, timber &c together with the
privilege of buying the soil to those who wish 70 pur
chase the any future time. for such sum the
interest thereof will amount TO the amount OF rent on
each lot now TO be fixed.
No 3.....REDREss.
Ii is also the opinion Of the undersigned that the ar
resrages OF rent due 70 the proprietor Of the manor OF
Rensseaerwyck from certain tenants living in the west
ern towns of said manor 10 witIhOse tenants whose
property is encountered to the amount of their personal
effects and above their srrearsges of rents due
said proprietor should be RENTED in whole, or at all
events In equal proportion 20 the slpastons TO be en-
tered into for future rents
ALBANY, May %, 1889
EGBERT sCHOONMAKER,
HUGH SCOTT
LAWRENCE VANDBUSEN
JOSEPH CONNER,
JOHN F. SHAFER.
Hero was the basis upon which an equitable
compromise might have been effected But it was
not met in a corresponding spirit Mr.. Van Rens.
selaer, in his reply, saw no reason why he should
fritter away his estate in the manner proposed.
He demanded in changing the wheat 70 money
rent that the wheat should be valued at 81 - a
bushel though wheat since the completion OF the
Erie Canal had not sustained the average price oil
81 per bushel And in cases of the sale of farms,
he insisted upon ascertsning their value by com
putting the interest on the rents at rate OF I'VE
per cent, though in taking bond and mortgage
the purchaser paid seven per cent In word IN.
stead OF evincng Willingness 70 arrange the diin'
Guilty Mr. Van Rensselaer, chose 10 rest upon his
legal rights
Prosecutions followed on the one side, and re
sistsnce on the other The Sheriff, aided by the
civil arm of the Law. found himself unable to exc
cute his process The military power OF the GOV
eminent was then called forth. This effected
temporary object But the State could not well
keen up standing army, even 20 collect Mr.. an