thought it prudent to admit several trusty
persons to a participation in that power which the militia, on the first
of July, had committed solely to himself. In conjunction with these,
who, after the Boston example, were called the committee of safety, he
exercised the government, assuming to himself only the honor of being
president of their councils.

This mode of government continued till the month of December, when a
packet arrived with a letter from the Lords Carmarthen, Halifax and
others, directed to "Francis Nicholson, esq., or, in his absence, to
such as, for the time being, take care for preserving the peace and
administering the laws, in their majesty's province of New York, in
America." This letter was dated the 29th of July and was accompanied by
another from Lord Nottingham, dated next day, which empowered Nicholson
to take upon him the chief command, and to appoint for his assistance as
many of the principal freeholders and inhabitants, as he should deem
necessary, also requiring him "to do every thing appertaining to the
office of lieutenant-governor, according to the laws and customs of New
York, until further orders."

As Nicholson had absconded before the letter reached New York, Leisler
considered the letter as directed to himself, and from this time issued
all kinds of commissions in his own name, assuming the title and
authority of lieutenant-governor. It was while he was thus acting as
governor that his daughter made a visit to Salem as was stated in the
preceding chapter. On the 11th of December, he summoned the committee of
safety and, agreeably to their advice, swore in the following persons
for his council. "Peter De Lanoy, Samuel Stoats, Hendrick Jansen and
Johannes Vermilie, for New York; Gerardus Beekman, for King's County;
Thomas Williams for West Chester, and William Lawrence, for Orange
County."

Except the eastern inhabitants of Long Island, all the southern part of
the colony cheerfully acquiesced to Leisler's command. The principal
freeholders, however, by respectful letters, gave him hopes of their
submission, and thereby prevented his taking up arms against them, while
they were privately soliciting the colony of Connecticut to take them
under its jurisdiction. It was not so much an aversion to Leisler's
authority, as a desire to unite with a people from whom they had
originally sprung, which prompted the Long Islanders to desire a union
with Connecticut, and when Connecticut dec