CHAPTER XU.
 

(1802-1816.)
 

Aoftdem? of Fine Arte Ponn&ed—Ci^ ComptrolleT Appointed—Period of

IhielHns—Yellow Fever , Soonige—Death of Alesander Hamilton—

Fonnding of New York Historical Society and Hnsical Sooiety.

Though the opening of the nineteenth century saw an obstinate po¬
litical struggle for the supremacy of a national party being fought in the
city, the growth of Kew York was still on tho Increase. Id rapid ratio Its
inhabitants and Institutions multiplied^ the former numbering 60,000-
Shlpplng was also Increasing, the leases of tbe wharves, piers and slips
brlngtng to the troasury of the elty between S12.O0O and $13,000 a year.
On February IS, iSOS, the Academy of Fine Arts was founded hy Chancellor
Livingston, and a suite of rooms for exhibition purposes was opened in the
old government house facing the Bowling Qreen. In after yeara it was
located in the Kew York Institution, In Chambers street, a free lease having
been given to the society by the city. Through Chancellor Livingston a
collection of pictures was presented to It by tbe B^rst Consul of the French
Republic, Napoleon Bonaparte.

This month the city was In a political ferment The returns of the
electoral votes had obown the triumph of the Republican ticket, but an
equal number had been received by JelToTSon and Burr, which was any¬
thing but agreeable to the party. The decision rested upon tbe Houbs ot
Representatives, voting by States. There were sixteen thon In the Union,
and a majority of these was necessary to a choice. For seven days the bal¬
loting went on, and ou tbe thirty-sixth Jefferson was found to have received
the votes of ten States, while four adhered to Burr aad two cast blank bal¬
lots. Jefferson was thereupon declared President, and Burr, by law, became
Vice-President- On March 4 the bells of the city wore rung In honor of the
ersnt.

In April the Now York election for Oovemor occurred, and was spirited
and rancorous. Rumors were circulated that thousands of tenants on the
Van Rensselaer estates were- to be proeecnted for non-payment of rents
unless they voted for the owner. The stories wero denied, though tbey had
the desired effect. Ills opponent, Clinton, was chosen by more than 4,000
majority. In Angnst of this year Bdward Livingston wus appointed Mayor
at thfl eitft a post at thia time of great dignity and Importance, as he not
only presided over the deliberations of tbe Common Council, bat was the
presiding Judge of a high court ut record, wltb both dvll and criminal Juris¬
diction. Liberal fses and peTQtilelt«s and a few yeara' Incumbency tended to
tbe cctndrts; of ft handioiae toituao in the oSce,

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