The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-07-09

Not a few newcomers to the busy
settlements which lay about the bay
at New York had special reason to
fear to see Louis strike.
1t was but four years since the re-
vocation of the Edict of Nantes.
Many Huguenot family had found
welcome there and a refuge from
death and knew not what fresh mis-
fortune might overtake them should
their insenate king take also these
free coasts of the New World.
Every rumor bred deeper uneasi-
ness. No ship came in at the Mar
rows which did not seem for mo-
ment to be come out of France, no
group of ships that did not look like
feet of French frigates. Nothing
was so easy as to throw the simpler
people of the little town into a state
of mind to be glad of any friendly
leadership which eeemed to make
them safe against plotting Catholics,
whether out Of France or out of Eng
land.
Leisler was sure of the sympathy
Of the crowd, and seemed to it to
| give proof of honesty in all that he
did.
AS a matter of fact, there was nc
danger. Col. Dongan had done his
work too well in the diplomacy of the
forest. He had won the Iroquois II
an alliance of which they gave, thai
very summer, instant and timely
proof. AS if some English statesman
had set their work for them, they
made King Louis plans impossible
before ever they were put upon the
field.
Frontenac reached Canada in DC
tober to find that all the northern
wilderness had been swept as with {
flame by the fierce warriors of the
great confederacy. The fur trade Of
the lakes was cut off; the posts upo1
the frontiers We're taken and plum
dered; Montreal itself was barrel.
saved from capture and destruction.
There could be no expedition to AL
bany after that seasons work of "a
pine and slaughter.
But New York did not know hov
safe it was; and Leisler had his day
1t might have been we'll enough, ha,
! he stopped with thrusting Nicholson
aside and assuming to play the nev
kings partisan and governor till tn
air should clear. But he did not.
For a year and half he main
tanned himself as governor, in tn
new kings name, but without his au
thority. He even resisted commits
stoned officers of the king, until
governor sent from England came
and then he was hanged for treason.
; 1t was sad, unjust end. The ma
had been hot-headed, arbitrary, blinc
and wilful, and had done much tina
the law could not sanction in order t
have his own way; but he had don
all, even that which was the deepes
folly, in good faith. He had mean
to serve the community he ruled, an
had planned no treason against tn
king.
There had been not a little of tn
heat of parties at the bottom of tn
trouble. The greater land owners, th
kings officials, and the rich merchant
had wished Nicholson to keep tn
government until the new king shoul
send some one in his stead. TIL
D small, tradesmen, the artisans, and til
sailors of the town heard that thel
I was war with France, and that
French feet was coming against ii
place, and believed that the rich me
and the officials among them were I
lovers Of common mems liberties, I
Of Protestant church, either; ar
Leisler was their leader.
= His condemnation was thing r
j solved upon and hurried to its exec
: ton in New York, not commando
: from over sea; and in 1896 Parli