NEW PALTZ 285 



without a close parallel in our colonial history. At first ^ Noverrown 

 the heads of the families met together and settled what- 

 ever public business there was on hand. But as the town 

 grew in numbers, this primitive democracy gave way to 

 a unique institution locally known as the Dusiue, or 

 Twelve Men. The Dusine was a legislative and execu- 

 tive body made up of twelve members who were elected 

 annually by a popular vote. To the Dusine was given The Dusine 

 "full power and Authority to Act and Sett in Good order 

 and unity all Comiuon Afiiiirs, Busiuessess or things 

 comeing before them." If its powers were autocratic, 

 its composition was certainly aristocratic ; for no one but 

 a patentee or an heir of a patentee could be elected to the 

 Twelve. That is to say, the active government of the 

 town was vested in the families of the twelve original 

 settlers. This peculiar condition of government was con- 

 tinued until 1785, when the town was incorporated in the 

 State government, and the previous measures of the 

 Dusiue were confirmed by a special Act of Legislature. 



When the first settlers of New Paltz alighted from church and 

 their wagons, one of their nuiuber read a psalm of 

 thanksgiving, and one of the earliest log buildings which 

 was erected was devoted to uses as a church and school- 

 house. In this cabin the little community of Huguenots 

 kept alive the traditions of the Eeformatiou, meeting 

 there for informal devotions led by one of their own 

 number, reading passages from the Bible, singing the 

 sonorous hymns which had been rendered sacred by the 

 blood of so many martyrs, and uttering simple prayers. 

 Five years after the establishment of the town a regular 

 church was organized under the ad^dce and guidance of 

 the worthy Rev. Pierre Daille. A translation of the first 

 entry in the church records is as follows : 



The 22d of January, 1683, Mr. Pierre Daille, minister of the Word Missionary 

 of God, arrived at New Paltz, and preached twice on the following Daille 

 Sunday, and proposed to the heads of the families that they should 

 choose by a majority of votes, by the fathers of families, one elder and 



