New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16

asked one OF the council why the colonists
did not add the shillings and pence Cosby's
first act was to produce royal order for
equal division of the salary and perquisites OF
the office since the time OF his appointment be-
tween Van Dam and himself. which Van Dam
was willing TO do. provided Cosby would divide
$1,000 in perqUisitas which he had received be-
fore coming. This condition was refused By
Cosby. and he instituted proceedings AGAINST
Van Dam 10 recover what he considered his
share OF the salary, AS Cosby was chancellor ex
offcio. and two of his intimate friends James
De Lancey and Adolphus Philipse were the
majority of the court before whom the case vas
tried. Van Dam lost Chief Justice Norris who
supported the plea Of Van Dams counsel as 10
the nOn-jurisdictiOn of the court was removed
from office, and Van Dam was suspended from
the council
The people OF the old city became incensed
at the Governors action and also his EVIL
dent partiality to English favorites. They
| had grown weary OF the rapacity OF the
| Crowns representative and the nOn-recogni-
ton of their appeals by the home gov
eminent. and looking around for some one to
| espouse their cause against the attacks OF the
| New York Gazette" which derived its support
from the government and sustained Cosby, they
found John Peter Zenger. a printer then col
lector of the city taxes. ready cross swords in
/ their defence. Zenger the son OF one OF the
D.
| prenticed TO the owner Of the New York Ca
zette'' when young. When the people demanded
| a champion of their rights he set up the New
| York Weekly Journal" the second newspaper
| published in New-YOrk. and in its columns viO-
| lently opposed the Governor and his adherents
| He spared none He attacked the permanent
| revenue. the Court OF ChanCery and everything
that was expressing the people His articles
were caustic and satiricaL and enraged those
Governor ana council regarded them IN
| cendary. and declared that the writer
should be punished The people who I'D To
| this time had been delighted with the COURSE
OF affairs became indignant at this action OF
| the Governor and council. and attempted to
resist IT, On November ,. 1874 four num-
bers Of the paper were ordered burned az
the pillory by the hangman in the presence
OF the Mayor and aldermen When the order
was presented at the quarter sessions the
aldermen protested against it, the court re-
fused to enter it, and the common hangrnan was
forbidden TO carry it out negro slave Of the
Sheriff, however. burned the papers in the pres
ence OF the Governors supporters. Later on
November H. Zenger the editor of the paper
was arrested on the charge OF criminal libel
the first case in the annals of New YorE-and
thrown into prison in the City Hail. in WaII-st
where. not being able TO comply with the order
of the court TO give bail of 800 with two adj
ditional sureties of f2OO each he continued to
edit his paper giving directions to his as
sistants through chink i'm the door, In the
beginning Of the following year, the grand jury
refusing to indict him. information was filed
against him for false. scandalOus seditious and
malicious libel" and on August 4. 1885. his trial
took place. The only three lawyers OF eminencet
in the city were retained by the government. So
that zenger was left without able counsel.
which what the court desired. Zenger's
friends. hOwever, secretly engaged Andrew
Hamilton, of Philadelphia. then eighty years
old. an able and eloquent advocate who was
imbued with liberal principles and opposed To
the despotc tyranny which England, through
her representatives was beginning to exert over.
her colonies. At the trial he pleaded eloquentlF
the cause of Zenger. and so cogent was his rea-
sOning that the jury returned a verdict OF Not
guilty" Hamilton Iionized by the people, a
dinner was given to him. and the freedom OF the
city presented TO him in a gold box, the
money for which subscribed privately The
| freedom Of the press was established by this
trial. and the precedent for resistance arose
which eliminated in the Revolution.
The first stage between Boston and New
York began to run in 172222 1t made one trisa
month. and was fourteen days doing it. In this
= ryear the vacant space in front of Fort Amster-
dam was leased 10 Frederick Phiipse. John.
Chambers and John Roosevelt for ten years. at
a yearly rent OF a peppercorn, to be used a
bowling green" Walks were to be made. and It
was to be used for the reCrea ton and delight OF
| the inhabitants. The streets each side were
| TO be fifty feet wide. Dutch lads and lasses
| held their May Day festivities there, and later
on I.ibertv's triumphant shout mingled with tha.
| cracking flames made by burning the stamped
| paper furnished by the British Government and
| by royal eftigieS. To-day it is the first ground
in the city the liberty loving foreigner sets foot
on. marred little. however by the railroad ON
| stills
On May :. 1888 Courtlandt-st. was opened by
| the prOprietorS and registered as a publol
street. and Alexander Malcolm. schOOImaster,l
| Latin. Greek and mathematics. With this last
! record told by the chrOnicler that. mott
| withstandng the success the cOlOnists meti
| in the suit fer libei and the position they hads
taken against the Governor. when the Duke OF
! Girafton'S youngest son. Lord F'ftzrOy. arrived
they waited on him and presented him with a.
| gold box and the freedom Of the city. What OBJ,
| sequiOusness and fulsOme adulatiOn these Oldi
| also. that while ia SIS paid for this bOx4
| but flo could be Ill afforded for the quarter'sl
| salary of the public schoolmaster."
| The present City Hall Park IN this year was a.
| level plain. and known the Flat" II wass
| the place of public execution the ga1lOws being1
i near the old Hall Of Records. lately demolished
| North OF it lay the Fresh Water Pond. which,
| tradition declared 10 be bOttomless. and Its in-I
i habitants. roach and sunfish. TO be holy The
city authorities in 1893. Ito preserve theseifsh.
forbade any person to fish in IL with a or IA
/ any other way. The TOnbs is now on its sfre-
| 'tAil Beekman's swamp sold to JacObuS R0Ose1
/ Welt for 800" This in 1874 The land wass
/ covered with tangled brisrs. and LAY ths
east side Of the city in the vicinity OF Ferry-
St Roosevelt laid out the ground in fifty IOts.l
and established eight tanneries on IT, II IS thsi
/ leather district OF the present New-Yorlz. ana
/ land in 1902 sold there for $40 a square foot