Cities: Manhattan NY
| Name |
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| born on | 7 May 1686 at 00:01 (= 12:01 AM ) | ||
| Place | Manhattan NY, USA, 40n46, 73w59 | ||
| Timezone | LMT m73w59 (is local mean time) | ||
| Data source |
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| Astrology data |   16°54'   04°39 Asc. 24°04'
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Biography
American city of Manhattan, original charter which was drafted by the mayor and recorder at that time and which was the first to authorize city elections for aldermen and assistants (although city officers were still appointed by the Governor). The other charter that is significant both as far as 9/11 and history goes, is the August 13, 1730 O.S. (August 24, 1730 N.S.) chart that granted inhabitants the right to vote for all city officials and covered "every point of municipal government," although the British Crown struck out the provision for election of city officials.
The history of municipal government for the city is complex and lengthy. It began when Governor Peter Stuyvesant, under pressure from the populace, "directed the inhabitants of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Amersfoort
(Flatlands) and Pavonia to elect eighteen... persons, from whom the director [Stuyvesant] and Council would select Nine Men to advise and assist in the government" of New Netherlands.
"On September 25, 1647, the board was established by ordinance and its duties defined" (History of the State of New York, in Ten Volumes edited by Alexander C. Flick, 1933, New York: Columbia University Press, p. 300). On July 26, 1649 O.S. (August 5, 1649 N.S.), these nine men signed a petition to the States General, legislative body of the Netherlands, which asked for better government among other things (from an excerpt of the document printed in The Documentary History of the State of New-York, Vol. I, by E. B. O'Callaghan, 1849, Albany: Weed, Parsons & Co., p. 598). It was presented to the States General October 13, 1649 and in April 1650 a committee of the States General submitted a Provisional Order that would have provided a municipal government for New Amsterdam but this order was never approved by the States General (Flick, 1933, p. 306). Instead, the Directors of the West India Company issued a directive to Stuyvesant on April 4, 1652 O.S. (April 14, 1652 N.S.), that a Schout, two Burgomasters and five Schepens were to be elected as a "Court of Justice" for the town (O'Callaghan, 1849, pp. 599-600).
The two burgomasters served as executives but also had legislative powers and, in feudal Holland, one represented the local count while the other represented the people (History of New York State 1523-1927, Vol. I, edited by Dr. James Sullivan, 1927, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, pp. 193-194). The Schepens "were in the main judicial officers, sitting as a court, and interpreting the law" (ibid). The schout functioned as sheriff, prosecutor and president of the magistrates (Flick, 1933, p. 308). Stuyvesant did not issue the proclamation establishing this first municipal form of government for the city until February 2, 1653 O.S. or February 12, 1654 N.S. (ibid and Sullivan, 1927, p. 194). However, he appointed these officials instead of holding an election and he retained the power to make ordinances for the city (Flick, 1933, p. 308).
When war broke out between England and the Dutch Republic, one of the first measures taken by the magistrates was to strengthen the fort by building a palisade and breastwork which gave rise to the name of Wall Street (ibid). In 1654, two Schepens were elected to fill vacancies and the magistrates received power to levy taxes, a coat of arms, a seal and a signet "delivered to them with impressive ceremonies" (ibid, p. 309).
Stuyvesant surrendered New Amsterdam without bloodshed on August 29, 1664 O.S. (September 8, 1664 N.S.) to the British who changed its name to "New Yorke" because the English king had patented the province of New Netherlands to his brother, the Duke of Yorke (Sullivan, 1927, p. 201).
The English Governor, Richard Nicolls, granted the city it’s first charter that he signed on June 12, 1665 O.S. (June 22, 1665 N.S.) declaring that a commission including a Mayor, five Aldermen and a "Sherriffe" would govern the city, "according to the Custome of England in other [of] his Majesties Corporations" (from the document printed in
its entirety in O'Callaghan, 1849, pp. 602-603). However, these officials were not elected by the inhabitants but were appointed by the governor.
War again broke out between England and Holland and, when the Dutch retook New York in 1673, they issued a new charter for the city that they renamed New Orange after the Prince of the House of Orange, the new head of the Dutch government. This Dutch charter returned the city to its previous character of a Schout, three Burgomasters and five Schepens and was signed on August 17, 1673 O.S (August 27, 1673 N.S.) by a commission (from the document printed in its entirety in O'Callaghan, 1849, pp. 604-605). As under the British, the new city officials were not elected by the residents but were appointed by the governor. The treaty ending the war returned the province of New York to the English and on November 10, 1674 O.S. the city was again named New York when the English took control.
Among English Governor Dongan's instructions from the Duke of York was to consider granting New York City privileges beyond those that other parts of the province enjoyed (Sullivan, 1927, pp. 216-217). In 1683, Dongan
and city officials petitioned England to grant the city a royal charter (ibid, p. 217). In the autumn of 1684, Dongan appointed a mayor but assistants and aldermen were elected by the city inhabitants for the first time (ibid). A city charter drafted by the mayor and recorder made the city a corporation with city officers appointed by the Governor but aldermen and assistants elected by the people (ibid, p. 218). It was approved by the Provincial Council and signed by Governor Dongan on April 27, 1686 O.S. or May 7, 1686 N.S. (ibid, p. 217). On August 13, 1730 O.S. (August 24, 1730 N.S.), the Council approved and the Governor signed a charter that covered "every point of municipal government" and provided for the election of all city officers (ibid, p. 233-234). It was submitted for approval by the crown, something not obtained by previous charters (ibid, p. 233). No date is given for the signing of this charter by the king but it was formally and ceremoniously presented to city officials by the Governor on February 11, 1731 O.S. with the provision
for the election of city officers struck out, so they remained appointed (ibid).
Source Notes
Gary Brand quotes original charter of April 27, 1686
