New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-03

Alyda daughter Of Philip Schuyler, married, first
tho Rev. Nicolaus Van Rensselaer, and secondly.
Robert Livingston. fOunLr of the Livingston
manor Mt Cermont. From the old records II world
appear as if his life must have been wholly nccu cd
with contentious. ] ord Bclomont even attempted
but without success, 10 connect Inn VITA the
pirlces of Captain Kidd. The acquisition OF land
was his ruling passion.
Few men IN colonial days wcrc more successful
than Robert Livingston Ayonnger son OF Il poor
cXled clergyman. lie came u TINS country Win
nothing buU his hands ana his brains on wnich 10
depend for future advancement. Ia less tllan IL
year after his arrival IN Albany lie was IN possession
of an oil which gave, III fees, p reSpectanle
income Other Offices were created by Governor
Dongan appar 'utly for his sole benefit. Inc nIst,
he held for nearly iitY years wien he Resumed IL
with the others into the hands of his sou. lie was
successful trailer when he chose to invest III
merchandise. As Government contractor, none
could compete with him. by economy III ms
expenses be Accumulated money ana hav'Hg money
be had good credit with business men wheh nc
found 1t profitable TO use III: oh MS ndhor hc
ere ted ilc tr aud saw mills, bakery and Wory
With these appliances he was thoroughly equipped
for the subsistence of troops other bod of men,
lie c0nld furnish supplies cheaper and better than
his contemporaries and make more money HIS
prosperity made him the envy of competitors, VINO
SPACED pains 10 disseminate dIstruSt ana Sls-
pdOn. 50 that Oovernineht oiicialS were reauy ~
times TO accrue him OF prcnlaton. Yet there Is no
evidence on record that he did not adhere 10 Ihe
letter of his agreements. lie was tine penniin ana
"a neat ~ cOuntant. The bills he rendered to thr
Government specimens OF neathCSS ahd
accuracy. Ills great ambition was 10 secure an
estate equal to the largest He may have been
prudent To mcanness but that he was dishonest III
his transactions is hardly possible HIS motto
seems to have been ECONOMY in expenses, honesty
IN hnsincsS." Hy these means ne obtAheu v IA, ne
desircd-an estate large for the times, which became
within the next two or three generations the second
largest in the State. His descendants for some
generations were rs noted for their intelligence
wealth and patriotism as their ancestor was Tor
his accommodations.
Peter Schuyler C657-172i, the son of Philip
Petcrsc, was one of the most remarkable
members of the family, and large pro-
portion of the present work is devoted to an
account Of him. lie was the first Mayor OF
Albany, colonel in the militia and head OF the
Board of Indian Commissioners; and he obtained
an influence over the savIscs which no other
representative of the English Power, except Sir
William johnson. ever enioycd. The Indians who
were warmly attached 10 him. called him Quidor"
Keclor Il corruption of Peter. Schuyler came 70
the front at a critical time. Tue conieIeracy oi
the Five Nations had overthrow the llurons and
Aleononins among whom the French had planted
many Christian communities they had mastered
priests and prosc,ytcs, burned the villages ANA
driven the wrctchcl remnant of the conquered
tribes to the st. Lawrence; and now they were to
bc the cause of war between the French and
English Occupying the wilderness between
Albany and the ST. Lawrence, which both countries
claimed and neither occupied, each sod-ht to make
of the Five Nations a barrier against the cncroach-
ments of the other. The policy Of the French
vacilla.el somewhat between hostility and Trend
ship but as general thing they sought to establish
an asccndancy Dy means of missionary enterprise
There was no lack of ,Icsuits and others ready 10
devote themselves TO this ptIlous task. among The
warliGe tribes who had just murdered their
brethren and dispersed the converts; but they
d.. IL. - Il
civil authorities at Quebec about the proper mode
of procedure Frontcna". the abcsc of the Canadian
Governors desired that the missionaries shonld
" Frenchify" the savage. by making Christians o:
them but the pr SIS Insisted that the only WAY TO
keep them Christians was to avoid Frcnchiiymg
them ntcrco lrse with the whites invariably PROV
ing their ruin. They preferred, therefore to gather
them in Christian villages and let them work ont
their own material improvement under ;hc iLln
cnc.s Of reli IN
Tho policy of the nutch and English was more
simple They sought the friendship and alliance ot
the sayagcs by means OF muskcts, powder, lead and
rum, meaning to use them a constant menace 10
the French; and the less Christianity they had, .
the better for this purpose. Undoubtedly they
looked upon the missionaries "a French political /
agents. in effect if not IN intention, and they I
omitted no opportunity to hamper their operations .
Iut their opposition 10 the missions probably did .
not spring entirely irom this cause since they made
no serious attempt to send out missionaries q! their
own. In the Numerous councils at Albany. where /
" QnldOr" was the most influential person on the /.
English side the Indians urged to drive away /
the priests and break up their stations SCHUYLER /.
tried hard to make them surrender 10 him the +.
Jesuit Father Mlct; aud IN one Of the Joint lndan
and English expeditions against Canada he burned .
"A missionary chapel. The s1"as"s never consented /
To eXpcl the priests, tloa-h they were wiling Ia do .
50 if the English would send them others. The .
missionary spirit, however, AT that time was not .
active in the Ncw-Yo.k churches AMI certainly not
in the New-Yorl government Schuycl's clever .
if it was not in the best interest, of .
the Indians maintained tho desired frontier barrier. /
without much suffering 70 the English settlers .
but with considerable loss 10 the French and .
during the wars lac was able more than once to turn
against Canada charmed SAVAGE foe. He /
sometimes in person, aud displayed |
considerable ability. 4 letter of his TO the
Canadian Goycrnog-Gcncr Naudrcui the
subject OF the employment Of Indians in war has
often been published He writes:
"You will pardon me, if tell yon that am
Disguised when | think that war which ~
carried on by Christian Princes, who, by the
example and the practice left by their noble
ancestors bound to observe the most rigd rules
of honor and generosity, should degenerate into
how it is possible 10 put an end to The war 10y such
means. | wish every one were OF my opinion on
this subject; some there are, and doubt not but
there must be many others should be very
glad to induce you to participate i'll my sentiments
which are prompted by IA principle OF generosity
and honor.
4. This would be more impressive if Schuyler himself
had not 50 often done what he condemns Both
parties used Indians without scruple as allies or
listed soldiers and the sentiment of the time did
not condemn them. Mr.. Schuyler gives the follow
ing summary OF Peter SchuycI's services:
His chief service to his country was his manage
ment of Indian affairs which continued nearly
forty years. During tins time ms prudence IN
rln IN