ter town
held by the French fell, until the capture of Montreal, in 1760, secured
to the English the conquest of Canada, and so ended a conflict which had
for many years drained the energies of the colonists.

Soon after this Lieutenant-Governor James De Lancey was found dead in
his library-chair at his country home (now a closely built-up part of
the city at Delancey Street, near the Bowery). In a few days his body
was taken from there, followed by a great concourse of people, and
buried under the centre aisle of Trinity Church. Up to the last day of
his life De Lancey remained much beloved.

[Illustration: Trinity Church, 1760.]

The death of De Lancey left the care of the colony to Cadwallader
Colden, whom you will remember as the friend of Governor Hunter. He had
been so long concerned in public affairs that he knew how to please.
Before the year was ended England's King, George II., died. When the
news reached New York, the city was draped with mourning. But in another
week all signs of sadness had disappeared in honor of the new King,
George III.

Then General Robert Monckton, who had been in command of the English
forces on Staten Island, was made Governor. He was a young man, somewhat
careless, but, as was the case with all the new governors, he was
welcomed with glad shouts of approval.

England at this time needed men in her navy, and the captains of
war-ships were in the habit of boarding any vessel that sailed from the
colonies in America and taking sailors by force to serve on the English
ships. This increased a bitter feeling that the colonists were beginning
to have against England. The city had now 14,000 inhabitants and was in
quite a flourishing condition.

After two years Monckton tired of the cares of government, and sailed
away to England, with never a thought of the wild scenes that were to
take place in the land he left behind.

CHAPTER XX

THE STORY of the STAMP ACT

The colonists were becoming more and more dissatisfied, not only in New
York, but in all of the thirteen English colonies in America. For they
strongly objected to the way in which money was being taken from them in
the form of taxes. The English had spent much money in the wars which
led up to the conquest of Canada, and thought that it should be returned
to them. So they taxed the colonists in every possible way. Protest was
made against these taxes, but in vain. Matters became worse and worse.
After two years,