66 The Story of The Bronx 



consequence, lost his title to it. A new patent was therefore 

 issued to the Duke, and Major Edmund Andros was appointed 

 Governor. 



During the Dutch occupancy (1673- 1674), affairs were 

 but slightly interfered with, the towns and inhabitants, how- 

 ever, being obliged to take the oath of allegiance to the Dutch. 

 Governor Colve probably made a good thing out of his short 

 term of power, if we judge him by his composition with Colonel 

 Morris, and his appropriation of the fat poultry, oxen, and 

 swine of the estate of Captain Richard Morris. In the public 

 documents before, during, and after the Dutch interregnum, 

 we find the same names of public officers, Van Cortlandt, 

 Philipse, Beekman, Bayard, and others. 



In 1683, Colonel Thomas Dongan became Governor. Acting 

 under instructions from the proprietor, directly upon his 

 arrival, the new Governor issued a call for a representative 

 Assembly, which was presided over by himself, and which con- 

 vened in the city of New York, October 17, 1683. The first 

 act of this body was to frame a charter of liberties, vesting 

 the law-making power in the governor, council, and people, 

 in General Assembly, conferring the right of suffrage upon 

 the freeholders without restraint, and establishing trial by 

 jury. 



"The imposition of any tax without the consent of the 

 Assembly, the quartering of soldiers and seamen against their 

 will, the declaration of martial law, or the questioning of any 

 person professing faith in God, by Jesus Christ, for any differ- 

 ences in religious matters, were prohibited. Assemblies were 

 directed to be convened at least triennially, and the delegates 

 were apportioned according to population, for which purpose 

 the province was divided into twelve counties, with twenty- 

 one representatives, which number was afterwards increased 

 to twenty-seven. " 



