y.

13. May the Remembrance of THIS DAY, be a Lesson to Princes.

An extensive illumination of the buildings in the evening, a grand
display of rockets, and the blaze of bonfires at every corner, made a
fitting sequel to the events of the day.[9] Great as was the joy, and
lively as were the demonstrations of it, not the slightest outbreak or
disturbance occurred, to mar the public tranquility; and the happy
citizens retired to rest in the sweet consciousness that the reign of
martial law and of regal despotism had ended! But it was remarked, says
an eye-witness of the time, that an unusual proportion of those who in
'76 had fled from New York, had been cut off by death and denied a share
in the general joy, which marked the return of their fellow citizens to
their former habitations. And those habitations, such as had survived
the fires, how marred and damaged, as before intimated; in many cases
mere shells and wrecks. And the sanctuaries, where they and their
fathers had worshipped, all despoiled, save St. Paul's, St. George's in
Beekman street, the Dutch Church, Garden street, the Lutheran church,
Frankfort street, the Methodist Meeting House in John street, (none
remaining at present but the first and last), and some three or four
small and obscure places. Years elapsed, before, in their poverty, the
people were enabled fully to restore some of them to their former sacred
uses. The churches which suffered most at the enemy's hands were the
Middle and North Dutch churches, in Nassau and William streets, the two
Presbyterian churches, in Wall and Beekman streets, the Scotch
Presbyterian church, in Cedar street, the French church in Pine street,
the Baptist church, Gold street, and the Friends' new Meeting House, in
Pearl street; all since removed to meet the demands of trade. Religious
affairs were found in a sad plight when the evacuation took place. The
Dutch, Presbyterian and Baptist ministers had gone into voluntary exile.
The Rev. Charles Inglis, D.D., Rector of Trinity Parish, having made
himself very obnoxious to the patriots, concluded to follow the
loyalists of his flock to Nova Scotia, and therefore resigned his
rectorship Nov. 1st, preceding the evacuation. Dr. John H. Livingston,
arriving with our people, immediately resumed his services in Garden
street. Other pastors were not so favored. Dr. John Rogers, of the
Presbyterian church, returned on the day after the evacuation, and on
the following Sabbath, N