New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-15
1776-NEW-YORK-1876.

Recently delicered before NE Ne,O York Historical socy
The members of this Society viii remember
that early last Winter petition addressed by IL 10
the Governor and Legislature OF the State of Newlork
praying for authority prepare Memorial Volume.
showing the growth OF the State during the last cen'
tury; and it respectfully ed that hitting
contribution could be made by the State to the interna
tional Exhibition TO be held at Philadelphia than faith
f record OF the OF this great community IN po
ntical civil and social life other and pressing
duties have no doubt indered the Governor Of the state
from paying any regard to this request, and
the petition LETT in his hands by the Com
mttee Of this Society has never been presented to
the Legislature. further effort will be made at the
approaching session, though the time short for such
exhibit the extent and Of the subject de-
mand II not been the habit OF New-York to pause
in its march the milesoncs which mark its pro-
In the new duties which pepetualy crowd
themselves upon this busy community, there has been
little time for such considerations and only here and
there sketches like those OF Duer Francis and King have
attracted passing notice that in the depression
which almost inevitably follows Period Of unusual
tiyity there is a moment of pause and dcouragemen
the thought may be prohtaby turned backward, new
hope be derived from retrospective view, and new
courage drawn from the example OF that wOnirous ac
tiylty which, from depth OF misery unparalleled in the
history any other the colonial cities has lifted New
York TO its und puted preGmnence the metropolitan
city OF the Western Continent. and It's rank among the
few cosmopolitan cities OF the world
Nfw-YORK Is THE REVOLUTION.
Early In the war the British Government recOg.
nzed the importance OF occupying the City OF NewYork
military post and basis Of supplies Repeating the
strategy. old itself OF dividing the hostile terri
tory by Selling the which at as
lines Of separation and easy OF transportation,
the plan Of subjugation included the occupation OF
Quebec and NewYOrk and the establishment OF line Of
almost mbrokcn watercOmmunicationb by the Hudson and
St. Lawrence navgable high for vessels OF the largest
,Ic Hat tho and
England colony from those OF the Middle region With
these magnificent harbos at which all her ride
At easy anchor Great Britain was sure OF safe and con-
venicnt the operation OF her troops aud her
vessels could patrol the long broad streams as safely AS
the warikc vessels of tie old Mortimer the streams and
lakes OF Southern Europe from the Seine To the Meder-
ranean similar policy adopted by the great Union
crs during the late held the OHIO and the Ten
with uboats and again dividing the Coniederacy
by the broad aud rapid course OF the Mississippi Insured
the final triumph the national The failure Of
Great Britain not consequence Of her strategy, but
inherent 10 the condition OF the countries care
full perusa the Journals Of the day, which abound In
papers OF remarkable yigor and sagacty amply shows
that there doubt in the minds Of the colo
nists OF their ability to achieve their Independence.
Nor is all probable that with entire union In
the councils of Britain there could have been any
other Indeed. early 17i0 serious alarm was
felt in England by the Ministry, and detection OF tie
colonies feared.
Great Britain rich in every appliance Of civilization,
whose foundcrcs and manufactures had increased many
told her manual force by mechanical continuance was
poor in men. The complaint of Goldsmith made in the
d serted Village" in 1870, still fresh IN the Of
his countrymen, and his sigh ortgret over the time
Ere England's gnefs began.
When every rood of ground maintained It's man.
! had been waited across the Atlantic those OF
who know no such sorrow In the land struggles Of tho
continental powers where men were abundant and the
material of scarce the wealth and resources OF
Great Britain had always turned the scae aud on the
sea she Lad proclaimed policy Of exclusion and mpe
rial ASSUMPTION which, since the defeat OF the Dutch
| fleet had never received than temporary check.
But the contest with the colonies WAS to be OF man 70
man with a race whom the very struggles for mas
terry Of the continent with the old enemy, France had
taught the secrets Of military science. In this contest
ingenuity conrivance could make up FOR numerical
| inicriority
With few incOnsiderable exceptions the colonists
were of mind and though there were many, particu
larry in NewY0rk. Of direct or near English descent,
who were unwilling 10 take mp against their imme-
date kindred yet their sympahies were all with
their old companions AMI friends. 1t was the misfortune
~ NcwYork To whose sagacty and nlleXible resolve
the union of colonies chiefly due, that she should
he from her position Of natural and central advantage
the of hostile occupation. IL Is hardly possible Tor
those who have personally witnessed the capture
| Of a great city realize the anxiety and gloom
which fan upon the unfortunate populaton-an
anxiety and gloom to which civil war AIDS
,ouble horrors The result OF the disastrous battle
Of Long Island filed New-YOrk with alarm. and
the apprchens0ns OF the citizens heightened by
The memory OF their struggles in the past with tho
oval troops, who had many a discontinue TO aycnce
Numbers hastily followed the rctreang army including
many sick and helpless for whom Gen. Washington lad
| provided with humane foresight.
| THE BRITISH OCCUPATION.
on the 18th September l776, the British troops took
posscsson city, and in their train refugees from
al sections Later traders and Spectators came IN hordss
by every transport feet from Great Pritan. and large
business sprung up in the purchase and sale of army
supplies the city itself found profit in this abb
normal traffic. Its Legitimate occupation as the inlet
and outlet OF product and supplies for large section OF
country entirely disappeared and its merchants one by
one gave way hucksers and petty traders whose In
| tcrest was limited by and dependent upon the British
occupation The streets and buildings allowed 10
20 To decay with the exception of temporary repairs for
sanitary reasons the gories OF the thriving
| city were hut a story OF the past.
| Two terrible connlgrations added 10 the measure
of distress and rum. Hardly had the British troops
taken possession ION the 2lst Of September l776a
disastrous fire breaking ont IN a small wooden house on
the wharf near Whitehall occupied by dssoute Guar
actors spread the norhward and con umed c entire
city westward of Broadway 10 the very nurthtihuost
limit I'm this terrible calamity which owed III extent
10 dcSeriOn of the city ANA the terror OF the few
manning inhabitants 1913 houses were destroy cd, include
| ing old Trinity ana the Lutheran Church. Another
destructive fire broke Out Crugcls wharf ou ih 81 II
August l7-s and burned about 81 houses At Last tie
fortune Of war changed The thunder of the American
in mn forcr ON hcr own battlefield, and II Yorktown,
| where the same gallant corps We'd in friendly aud
not unequal rivalry with the trained officer, at France,
had cleared the sky and beneath tie smoke oi battle
| praye VI dawnins IN tine near horizon.
ON the 2lth OF March. 1888, Robert X Livingston. tho
Secretary of Foreign Affairs, notified Washington. then
peace and on the 9th Of April following a. y O'Clock,
peace was proclaimed from ne SIPS 81 '' NV iiiu