CHAPTER VI

NEW YORK

THE two most commercial races in the history of the world the English and the Dutch-united in New York to produce what is now the commercial center of the world New York City. Nature has helped by waterways, and a harbor, and a minimum grade for a railroad through the mountain ranges cleft at Albany. The Erie Canal, furnishing the cheapest and easiest outlet for western produce, soon made New York City easily the chief city of the country. Trade has built up trade until now few great enterprises or financial operations, national, state, or international, are without participation in and by New York. All the business world is represented and all the nations of the earth have representation in New York. There is but one Wall Street in America and but one city that responds to the definition of a "city," namely, a place where no matter what your nationality, your tastes, your ambition, your occupation, your goods or services to sell, your wants or your wishes, you can find in that city a market and a satisfaction. New York City in 1776 was second to Philadelphia in population and social and intellectual life. In commercial importance it was inferior to Boston, which had almost twice the population of New York in 1763. In fact, the whole Province of New York was in 1776 one of the lesser colonies, being seventh with only 170,000 people. In 1715 Massachusetts had 94,000 white people; Virginia, 72,000; Connecticut, 46,000; Pennsylvania, 43,300; Maryland, 40,700, while New York was a small sixth with only 27,000. But after the Revolution its natural advantages and the constructive genius of its leaders rapidly put it far in advance of its competi

tors. When commerce was by ships, Boston easily took the lead. The Yankee skipper beat the world, and his top-lofty sails were so high and airy that the British after capturing them in the War of 1812 did not dare sail them; so cut them off. Later when the steamboat and railroad locomotive were invented, New York went to the front.

New York at the close of the Revolutionary War drove out thousands of its Loyalist inhabitants. President Falconer of the Toronto University says: "It has been estimated that in New York State, out of a population of 185,000 quite 90,000 were Loyalist, and that two-thirds of the property in the city and suburbs of New York belonged to the 'Tories'; therefore the British never bombarded it. In 1777 Washington, almost in despair because of the disaffection of his troops, wrote, 'If America fall it will be by the death thrust of the Loyalist rather than by the British.' It is true that after peace was declared large numbers who had been Loyalist in sympathy quietly accepted the inevitable, perhaps as many as 55,000 remaining in New York State alone; but it may be said with truth that the conservative element had disappeared." These Loyalists, called "Tories," included many of ability, experience, and integrity; scholars, land owners, and merchants, lawyers and high officials in politics and administration; men of fine manners and customs. But there was a compensation. It was with the greatest difficulty that New York was induced to accept the Federal Constitution, the New York Convention being at first opposed to acceptance. If the New York Tories had not been driven out, they might have defeated acceptance and certainly later would have joined in the opposition to the Constitution itself when its continuance hung in the balance in John Adams' administration and Monroe's administration and Jackson's administration, finally leading to the arbitrament of war in Lincoln's administration. These Loyalists, if not expelled, would probably have preferred to see popular sovereignty fail, followed by a close alliance between

New York and England. J. T. Adams says that the Loyalists were a majority in New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.1 It is said that fifty or sixty thousand Tories left the colonies and took refuge in what is now Canada.2 President Falconer says: "Some 35,000 Loyalists entered the eastern province [of Canada] and 5000 came into Canada, the former chiefly from New York City and New England, the latter from upper New York State and Pennsylvania. They were of all sorts and conditions. Social rank and official position were observed in making grants of land, larger areas and also lucrative posts being given to officers and those of higher station. Most of the wealthier Loyalists escaped to England, but some persons of distinction came to the provinces." Hildreth, writing in 1849, said that the American Tories going to Canada and Nova Scotia controlled the politics of those provinces "till quite recently." In fact, President Falconer says, "There would probably have been at this day no British North American colonies had it not been for the immigration of the Loyalists into Canada."4 This is quite probable in view of the fact that even in 1790 Canada had only about 200,000 people, including these Loyalists.

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Strange to say, the cosmopolitan character of New York City has not made its spirit essentially different from the spirit of the rest of the State. This is because New York City by its opportunities and prizes draws to itself vigorous, ambitious spirits from every State of the Union. These carry on the business of New York and stamp their individuality on the acts of New York. Being representative men, they keep New York in line with the country and give New York City an American cosmopolitan character.

The New York English differed from the New England English. The former were commercial; the latter religious. The former came here to better their condition; the latter came to get religious freedom. The church dominated New England but not New York. New York had no politico-religious church to over

throw; no inherited Calvinistic doctrines to restrict every department of life. The New England man later became a great ship owner and skipper, a manufacturer, and "Yankee Trader." But all this was subordinate, his dominant characteristic being conscience and principle. These did not weigh so much with the New York English. They were for trade and wealth; European business ethics and often lack of business ethics were their ethics. Moreover, the commercial spirit of the Dutch prevailed after 1624 when New Amsterdam (New York City) was permanently settled by them. The Dutch owned New York City and the Hudson and Albany, and owned or claimed far into the interior. There of course was more or less clashing of interests, but on the whole the two races got on very well together, and when in 1664 the English quietly absorbed all this Dutch territory, the Dutch did not leave but stayed and intermarried with the English. In numbers the Dutch predominated and in persistence, commercial capacity, and good principles in public and private life they gave much to America and especially to New York City and State.

The result was significant and natural. Trade ruled. The leaders in New York State sprang from the ranks. Biography shows that for the most part the founders of their families came from plain people, just as happens now throughout the country. And they represented the commercial instincts of the English who intermarried and intensified the commercial instincts of the Dutch. After the Revolution commerce and trade called for a strong central government to cure the lack of credit and the interstate conflicts and the currency disorders of the thirteen states, each trying to overreach its neighbor. Hence New York was for a strong central government and never wavered, once that government was established. The New Yorker became known as a man of the world and the state was called The Empire State. And New York State was improved by a strong New England element. In the early part of the nineteenth century

New Englanders poured into the Mohawk and Genesee Valleys. They were choice men, sturdy with the ax to clear the great forests and till the soil. They brought New England principles with them and tempered the materialistic tendencies of trade. The next generation of this amalgamation pushed on to the west and founded new states, especially Michigan.1 The southern part of Michigan was originally claimed by both Massachusetts and Virginia, but after they both deeded their claims to the federal government New York settled the country. For instance, in one county in Southern Michigan (Hillsdale), a book published in 1879, giving biographies of leading citizens, shows that out of 292 citizens 221 came from New York State, 37 from New England, 20 from Ohio, 7 from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 5 from England, I from Scotland, and 1 from Prussia. One town reported that "by far the greater proportion of the early inhabitants of this town, as is the case of all others in Southern Michigan, emigrated from the 'Empire State.' "2

But it is New York City -that maelstrom of Americans and foreigners that furnishes the spectacular in America. Here the ambitious American, the turbulent Irishman, the stolid German, the money-making Jew, the conservative and safe Dutchman - all are found in great numbers in this city of six millions. Even its government is a composite; lawyers for guiding; engineers for executing; Wall Street for financing. Tammany Hall occupies the stage, furnishes the votes, and takes the patronage. New York is a city of unutterable woe, but is a city also of infinite charity. It has had to bear the burden of the diseases brought in by millions of immigrants and has responded nobly to the call.

New York draws talent from the whole country as a magnet draws steel filings. It is a great arena where the great prizes are won. Strange to add, nowhere in the world does character united with ability count for more. A career or wealth or society is the lure. It is true that the outside American is not admitted