The governor of the province of New York, resides here, and has a palace in the fort. Among those who have been entrusted with this post, William Burnet deserves [[259]]to be had in perpetual remembrance. He was one of the sons of Dr. Thomas Burnet (so celebrated on account of his learning) and seemed to have inherited the knowledge of his father. But his great assiduity in promoting the welfare of this province, is what makes the principal merit of his character. The people of New York therefore still reckon him the best governor they ever had, and think that they cannot praise his services too much. The many astronomical observations which he made in these parts, are inserted in several English works. In the year 1727, at the accession of king George the II. to the throne of Great Britain, he was appointed governor of New England. In consequence of this he left New York, and went to Boston, where he died universally lamented, on the 7th. of September 1729.
An assembly of deputies from all the particular districts of the province of New York, is held at New York once or twice every year. It may be looked upon as a parliament or dyet in miniature. Every thing relating to the good of the province is here debated. The governor calls the assembly, and dissolves it at pleasure: this is a power which he ought only to make use of, either when no farther debates are [[260]]necessary, or when the members are not so unanimous in the service of their king and country as is their duty: it frequently however happens, that, led aside by caprice or by interested views, he exerts it to the prejudice of the province. The colony has sometimes had a governor, whose quarrels with the inhabitants, have induced their representatives, or the members of the assembly, through a spirit of revenge, to oppose indifferently every thing he proposed, whether it was beneficial to the country or not. In such cases the governor has made use of his power; dissolving the assembly, and calling another soon after, which however he again dissolved upon the least mark of their ill humour. By this means he so much tired them, by the many expences which they were forced to bear in so short a time, that they were at last glad to unite with him, in his endeavours for the good of the province. But there have likewise been governors who have called assemblies and dissolved them soon after, merely because the representatives did not act according to their whims, or would not give their assent to proposals which were perhaps dangerous or hurtful to the common welfare.
The king appoints the governor according [[261]]to his royal pleasure; but the inhabitants of the province make up his excellency’s salary. Therefore a man entrusted with this place has greater or lesser revenues, according as he knows how to gain the confidence of the inhabitants. There are examples of governors in this, and other provinces of North America, who by their dissensions with the inhabitants of their respective governments, have lost their whole salary, his Majesty having no power to make them pay it. If a governor had no other resource in these circumstances, he would be obliged either to resign his office, or to be content with an income too small for his dignity; or else to conform himself in every thing to the inclinations of the inhabitants: but there are several stated profits, which in some measure make up for this. 1. No one is allowed to keep a public house without the governor’s leave; which is only to be obtained by the payment of a certain fee, according to the circumstances of the person. Some governors therefore, when the inhabitants refused to pay them a salary, have hit upon the expedient of doubling the number of inns in their province. 2. Few people who intend to be married, unless they be very poor, will have their banns published from the [[262]]pulpit; but instead of this they get licences from the governor, which impower any minister to marry them. Now for such a licence the governor receives about half a guinea, and this collected throughout the whole province, amounts to a considerable sum. 3. The governor signs all passports, and especially of such as go to sea; and this gives him another means of supplying his expences. There are several other advantages allowed to him, but as they are very trifling, I shall omit them.
At the above assembly the old laws are reviewed and amended, and new ones are made: and the regulation and circulation of coin, together with all other affairs of that kind are there determined. For it is to be observed that each English colony in North America is independent of the other, and that each has its proper laws and coin, and may be looked upon in several lights, as a state by itself. From hence it happens, that in time of war, things go on very slowly and irregularly here: for not only the sense of one province is sometimes directly opposite to that of another; but frequently the views of the governor, and those of the assembly of the same province, are quite different: so that it is easy to see, that, while the people are quarrelling about [[263]]the best and cheapest manner of carrying on the war, an enemy has it in his power to take one place after another. It has commonly happened that whilst some provinces have been suffering from their enemies, the neighbouring ones were quiet and inactive, and as if it did not in the least concern them. They have frequently taken up two or three years in considering whether they should give assistance to an oppressed sister colony, and sometimes they have expresly declared themselves against it. There are instances of provinces who were not only neuter in these circumstances, but who even carried on a great trade with the power which at that very time was attacking and laying waste some other provinces.
The French in Canada, who are but an inconsiderable body, in comparison with the English in America, have by this position of affairs been able to obtain great Advantages in times of war; for if we judge from the number and power of the English, it would seem very easy for them to get the better of the French in America.[41] [[264]]
It is however of great advantage to the crown of England, that the North American colonies are near a country, under the government of the French, like Canada. There is reason to believe that the king never was earnest in his attempts to expel the French from their possessions there; though it might have been done with little difficulty. For the English colonies in this part of the world have encreased so much in their number of inhabitants, and in their riches, that they almost vie with Old England. Now in order to keep up the authority and trade of their mother country, and to answer several other puposes, they are forbid to establish new manufactures, which would turn to the disadvantage of the British commerce: they are not allowed to dig for any gold or silver, unless they send them to England immediately: they have not the liberty of trading to any parts that do not belong to the British dominions, excepting some settled places, and foreign traders are not allowed to send their ships to them. These and some other restrictions, occasion the inhabitants of the English colonies to grow less tender for their mother country. This coldness is kept up by the many foreigners such as Germans, Dutch and French settled here, and living among [[265]]the English, who commonly have no particular attachment to Old England; add to this likewise that many people can never be contented with their possessions, though they be ever so great, and will always be desirous of getting more, and of enjoying the pleasure which arises from changing; and their over great liberty, and their luxury often lead them to licentiousness.
I have been told by Englishmen, and not only by such as were born in America, but even by such as came from Europe, that the English colonies in North-America, in the space of thirty or fifty years, would be able to form a state by themselves, entirely independent on Old England. But as the whole country which lies along the sea shore, is unguarded, and on the land side is harrassed by the French, in times of war these dangerous neighbours are sufficient to prevent the connection of the colonies with their mother country from being quite broken off. The English government has therefore sufficient reason to consider the French in North-America, as the best means of keeping the colonies in their due submission. But, I am almost gone too far from my purpose; I will therefore finish my observations on New York.
The declination of the magnetic needle, [[266]]in this town was observed by Philip Wells, the chief engineer of the province of New York, in the year 1686, to be eight deg. and forty-five min. to the westward. But in 1723, it was only seven deg. and twenty min. according to the observations of governor Burnet.
From hence we may conclude that in thirty-eight years the magnet approaches about one deg. and twenty five min. nearer to the true north; or, which is the same thing, about two min. annually. Mr. Alexander, a man of great knowledge in astronomy and in mathematics, assured me from several observations, that in the year 1750, on the eighteenth of September the deviation was to be reckoned six deg. and twenty two min.
There are two printers in the town, and every week some English gazettes are published, which contain news from all parts of the world.