CHRONOLOGY : THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD : 1783-1812    13J1
 

1798    tbeir Land this Bd will continue it through the Coraraon Lands."
Apr.   —M. C. C. (1784-1831), H: 429.

2          The coraraon council rejects a petition of the EngUab Lutheran
Church "to purcbaae or Lease the Piece ot Ground on Magazine
Street whereon the old Powder Houae [aee Ag 28, 1797] forraerly
stood."—M. C. C. (1784-1831), II; 429. For the new position of
the powder-house, see Jl 3, 1797.

3          Pres. Adams transmits to congress tbe "X YZ" dispatches from
France.—Annals of Cong. (1797-99), 3322-13. Theae relate to an
attempt by certain Frenchmen to exact a private "douceur"
from the Araerican envoys who sought to negotiate a treaty with
the French directory.—McMaster, II: 368-408.

"          The legialature passes "An Act concerning certain Stieets,

Wharfs and Plera, and the Alms-house and Bridewdl in the City
of New York." It makes it lawful for the common council to lay
out and eitend streets and wharves adjoining the rivers to the
width of seventy feet. This would "conduce to the iraproveraent
and health of the said city, as wdl as to the safety of such ships
or vessels aa raay be eraployed in the trade and commerce thereof."
These atreets and wharfs ahdl be raade "at the eipense of the
proprietora of land adjoining or neareat and opposite to tbe said
streets or wharfs, in proportion to the breadth of their several lots."
Such proprietors "ahall also fill up and level at thdr own expence
. , . tbe spaces lying between tbeir said severd lots and the said
streets and wharfs." When these spaces are fiUed, these pro¬
prietors shall beeorae, respectively, the"owners of the said inter¬
mediate spaces of ground, in fee slraple."

The act also gives the comraon council power to appoint five
overseers of the poor, who shall be known as "The Commissioners
of the Alma-Houae and Bridewdl."—Loiui ofN. Y. (1798), chap.
80 (Webater, HI: 406). The naraes of the five commissioners so
appointed were recorded on April 30.—M. C. C. (1784-1831), II:
431-33.43*- See also Je 13.
'          Tbe city pays Brockholst Llringston £180 "in fuU for Rent

of Bdle Vue to l^t May next."-M. C. C. (1784-1831), U: 430.
Sec, however, Ap 16.

5          By a vote ot 59 to 21, the asserably reaolves "That the Corap-
troUer ia hereby directed and required to lease from year to year
until other Legislative proviaion be made In the premises, upon the
best terms he can get for the same, the bouse bdonglng to the
people of this State called the Government House, situate in the
city of New-York, with its appurtenances." The resolution had
been passed by the senate.—Assembl. Jour. (1798), 313-24. Tbis did
not become a law.  See, instead, Ap 1;  alao My 2 and 5.

6          The legislature passes "An Act regulating the future Meetings
of the Legislature." It provides that the legislature shall convene
each year on the laat Tuesday ot January, at Albany, unless aorae
other place Is designated by tbe governor's proclamation, or
unless the legialature shall designate some other place.—ioiui of
N. Y. (1798), chap. 104 (Webster, HI:  426).

9         "The Opinion of Messrs [Alexander] HamUton and Harison

witb Respect to the Possibility and Mode of forming a distinct
Corporation for Saint Mark's Church" (aee N 14, 1796) is read by
Trinity vestry.

It is resolved "That the said Church be so far finished aa to
be fitted for the Cdebration of Divine Serrice, viz., the lower Part
ot the Church the Front of the Gdlery to be finiahed and the Floor
ot the Gallery rough laid and that the Coraittee tor buUding
St. Marks be authorized to enquire on what Terras the said Church
can be so tar finished by Contiact. .  .   ."—Trin. Min. (MS.).

16         The coraraon council orders "that the Treasurer proride tor

the payraent of ]to] Brockholst Livingston tbe consideration Money
viz* £1800 for Belle Vue" (see S 10, 1794; N 3, 1795; S 5, 1796).
~M. C. C. (1784-183 0, H: 431,  See, further, Ap 23.

"          The common council orders "that the Street in front ot the

BrideweU & where the Alms House formerly stood [see Je 19,
1797] be assigned as a Place for exposing Horses tor sale at pubUc
Auction And that an Ordinance be prepared prohibiting the same
in any other place in tbia City except in the seventh Ward,"—
M.C. 0.(1784-1830,11: 431. Such sales were already prohibited,
by ordinance, in Wail St.—See My 23, 1796; Mr 28, 1803.

On condition that the Sodety of Mechanics, etc, wiU rdease
to the coramon council a piece of thdr ground on which the new
watch-house at Chatham Sq, has been erected (see D 19, 1796),
the board perraits the society to eitend tbe aouth line of their
land at the head of Chatham Sq.—M. C, C. (1784-1831), U: 431.
 

In riew of the unsettied state of international relations, a Apr.
committee of the Chamber of Commerce, consisting of WiUiam 13
Neilson, Ebenezer Stevens, and John Delafidd, presents a mem¬
orid to tbe comraon council "representing the defenceless State
of tbis City against the Attacks of a few inferior Vessds of
War," and praying for "an indemnification of this Board to tbe
amount ot about 40,000 Dollars for defraying the eipence ot
providing k mounting on field Carriages 18 or 20 heavy Cannon."
—M. C. C. (1784-183 0, H: 433.  See, further, Ap 30, Je 19.

For £1,800, Brockholst Llringston conveys to the city the "
plot of ground, containing six acres, known aa the Lindley Murray
or Bdlevue estate,—Liier Deeds, CDLII: 248; M. C. C. (1784-
183O, H: 433-34, See Ap I, 1793; and L. M. R. K., IH; 953
("BeUevue Hospital"). Thia conveyance included the north-west
comer of tbe present Ave. A and 14th St., which, added to land
already owned by charter grant, comprised tbe area afterwards
used for a corporation storage-yard. This area was farther in¬
creased under the Laws ofN. Y. (1807), chap, 115.—Prendergast,
Record of Red Estate (1914), citing Uber of conveyancea. See alao

Nicholas Gouverneur and others rdease to the city "a certain "
Street at Corlears Hook." The common council accepts it, and
orders that it be caUed Gouverneur St.—M. C. C. (1784-1831),
II: 434. In riew of the resolution of July 15, 1799 (7.11,), it became
necessary, on March 24, 1800, to confirra the establlshraent of
Gouverneur St. by a new resolution.—Ibid., If:  616.

Peter Augustus Jay, writing frora New York to his father, 26
Gov. Jay, describes a meeting on this evening of a society for free
debate, in which a lively discussion occurred between Democrats
and Federdists on the question: "la it most expedient under
existing Circurastances to lay an Erabargo, or lo arra our Vessels
in defence of our carrying trade?" It was carried In favour of
arraing, and a coramittee was appointed, consisting ot Mr. Cozine,
Col. Morton, Mr. Evertaon, Col. Stevens, and Mr. Hoffraan, "to
form an Address from the Meeting to the President and Congress
of the U. S. approring of the Measures which have been pursued
with respect to France and expressing a determination to support
them." He expects, frora this, tbat the whole Federal ticket will
be carried in this city at the coming atate election. In a letter of
May 6, he deacribed another raeeting as very diaorderly, although
"Many ot our raost respectable people were present," in which
the Democrats attempted to pass "a Vote ot Censure on those
proceedings" of AprU 26. He added; "Betta to a great Amount
have been laid on your Election at the odda ot ten to one in your
favor." Gov. Jay was re-elected by a large Federal raajority over
Chancellor Llringston.—Corresp. and Pub. Papers of John Jay,
IV; 138-40, with footnote by Henry P. Johnston.

John Hodgklnaon having withdrawn frora the management of   17
the New (Park) Theatre (see Je 14, 1797), it is leased to William
Dunlap tor one year tor $5,000.—Dunlap, Hisl. of Am. Tkeaire
(183a), 126. SeeN 28.

The"Department of the Navy" is created by act of congress.— 30
Annds of Cong. (1797-99), HI: 3723-24. Popular indignation has
been so thoroughly aroused by the revelations of the "XYZ"
dispatches (see Ap 3) tbat this act is followed by appropriations
"for the further defence of the ports and harbors" (ibid., HI: 3726);
also "to procure cannon, arms, and araraunition" (ibid.. Ill: 3726-
■27), by a measure of reprisal against the depredations of French
vessds (ibid., IH; 3734), and finaUy by an act suspending cora-
merdd intercourse with the French Republic (see Je 13).

On considering the Charaber of Commerce raeraorial ot April "
13 (q.v.), the coramon council resolves that the governor be
requested "to make an Application to the President ot the United
States tor sixteen long dghteen Pounders ot thoae now at West
Point mounted upon travdiing Carriages or as many of them as
can be spared with the proper Apparatus k Ammunition to be
used in the Defence ot this City, it necessary, until other competent
Prorision shaU be made tor that purpose either by the United States
or the Legislature of this State. , . ."—M, C. C. (1784-1831),
H: 435-36, 439-

The board dso orders that the raayor iaaue hia warrant on the
treasurer to pay CoL Stevens Si,ooo on account "towards proriding
proper Timber for Carriages & other Apparatus for the said Car¬
riages in caae the aame should be necessary."—Ibid., U: 436. See,
further, Je 13.

The common councU grants the use of the Bowling Green in    "