The journal of the American-Irish Historical Society, Vol. II, 1899Various
History
The journal of the American-Irish Historical Society, Vol. II, 1899
Various
American-Irish Historical Society -- Periodicals; Ethnology -- United States -- Periodicals; Irish Americans -- Periodicals
This deed was performed by troops under the command of another man of
Irish blood, who is credited with being the first in the English
colonies to commit an overt act against the British government by
leading a body of armed men against the Royal troops at Newcastle, N.
H., on Dec. 14, 1774. Thus will the names of three men, Thomas Dongan,
William Johnson, and John Sullivan, be forever inseparably connected
with the annals of the Six Nations, and the records of the province and
state of New York.
The ferocity, the cruelty, and the barbarism of the Indians comprising
the Six Nations, are described at length on the pages of the various
works written by Francis Parkman. Their very name terrorized the other
Indian tribes, almost from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Mississippi,
and in their efforts to dominate all others, they devastated the entire
country. It was not, therefore, surprising that their enmity was feared,
and their friendship sought. After the conquest of New York, and during
the dominion of the three first governors appointed by the English
government, no effort had been made to secure the latter.
The appointment, however, by James II, of Col. Thomas Dongan, placed at
the head of affairs in New York a man of distinguished character as a
soldier, and, as events subsequently proved, possessed of abilities in
civil affairs that entitle him to the rank of a statesman. He was a
native of Ireland, a Catholic in religion, and had been, through weal
and woe, a stanch adherent of his royal master. He had seen service in
the French army, and in both Britain and France was looked upon as a
brave and skilful officer.
He was commissioned governor on Sept. 30, 1682. Under his administration
the first legislative assembly met in the colony and under it a law was
enacted granting religious toleration to the members of all Christian
churches. He had not been long in his new position before he realized
the importance of securing for his government the good will of the Five
Nations. It goes without saying that, in their intercourse with the
American Indians, the French, for one reason or another, had been able
to get along with them better than did the English, and up to the time
of Colonel Dongan’s arrival, they were doing all in their power to
secure an alliance with the Indians whose prowess they feared as well as
respected. He saw that action, immediate action, was necessary to
counteract the influence being exercised by the French.
One of the first steps taken by him was to oblige the Jesuit
missionaries who were among them to return to Canada; thus proving that
his religion was no obstacle in the way of loyalty to his government.
For this, and for other similar acts, he was complained of by the
Canadian authorities, who wrote at length to the king of France, who in
turn complained to the king of England in relation to the matter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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