THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. GEORGE the Second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, defender J. Montgome rie, governor, of the faith, &c. To all whom these present letters 1730. shall come, greeting: Whereas, on the twenty-second day of April, Recital of the old Charter by in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Gov. Dongan, of April 22, eighty and six, Thomas Dongan, then lieutenant 1680. governor and vice admiral of New York and its dependencies, under our predecessor, James (the second) then king of England, &c. did make and execute a certain grant, or instrument in writing under the seal of the province of New-York, in these words following: . In hac verb Thomas Dongan, lieutenant-governor and viceadmiral of New-York, and its dependencies, under his majesty James (the second) by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, supreme lord and proprietor of the colony and province of New York, and its dependencies in America, &c. To all to whom this shall come, sendeth greeting: Where- New-York is as, the city of New-York, is an ancient city within Recital that the city of an ancient city & the citizens the said province, and the citizens of the said city anciently a body politic and have anciently been a body politic and corporate corporate. grants, pre And enjoy and the citizens of the said city have held, used, ed sundry franchises, &c. and enjoyed, as well within the same, as elsewhere, By charters, in the said province, divers and sundry rights, liscriptions, &c. berties, privileges, franchises, free-customs, preeminences, advantages, jurisdictions, emoluments, and immunities, as well by prescription as by char ter, letters patent, grants, and confirmations, not only of divers governors and commanders in chief, in the said province, but also of several governors, directors, generals, and commanders in chief, of the Nether Dutch nation, whilst the same was, or has Recital of been under their power and subjection. And dry lands and whereas divers lands, tenements, and hereditaments, the corpora- jurisdictions, liberties, immunities, and privileges, have heretofore been given and granted, or men grants of sun tenements to tion. and different tioned to be given and granted, to the citizens and By sundry inhabitants of the said city, sometimes by the name names & uitles. of Schout, Burgomasters, and Schephens of the city of New-Amsterdam; and sometimes by the name of The Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New York; sometimes by the name of The Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriff, of the city of New-York; sometimes by the name of, The Mayor and Aldermen of the city of New-York; and by divers other names, as by their several letters patents, charters, grants, writings, records, and minuments, amongst other things, may more fully apSundry pub- pear. And whereas the citizens and inhabitants of the said city have erected, built and appropriated, at their own proper costs and charges, sevethe City-Hall, ral public buildings, accommodations, and conveni lic buildings two Markethouses, bridge wharves. encies for the said city, That is to say, the CityHall, or Stat-House, with the ground thereunto docks, and belonging, two Market-Houses, the bridge into the dock, the wharves or docks, with their appurtenances; and the new burial place without the gate of the city; and have established and settled one ferry from the said city of New-York to Long Island, Ferry estabfor the accommodation and conveniency of passengers, the said citizens, and travellers. lished. Grants of several mes and tenements, governors. And whereas several the inhabitants of the said city, and of Manhattan's Island, do hold from and under his most sacred majesty respectively, as well by several and respective letters patents, grants, charters, and conveyances, made and granted by suages, lands, the late lieutenants, governors, or commanders to the inhabiin chief, of the said province, as otherwise, several tants by former and respective messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, upon Manhattan's Island, and in the city of New-York, aforesaid, and as well as the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the said city, and their successors, as also, the inhabitants of the said Manhattan's Island, and the city of New-York, aforesaid, and their heirs, and assigns respectively, may hold, exercise, and enjoy, not only such and the same liberties, privileges, and franchises, rights, royalties, free custom, jurisdictions, and immunities, as they have anciently had, used, held, and enjoyed; but also such public buildings, accommodations, conveniences, messuages, tenements, lands, and hereditaments, in the said city of New-York, and upon Manhattan's Island aforesaid, which, as aforesaid, have been by Grant to the all their former rights and privileges. the citizens and inhabitants erected and built, or which have, as aforesaid, been held, enjoyed, granted, and conveyed unto them, or any of them, respectively. Know ye, therefore, That I, the said Thomas Dongan, by virtue of the commission and authority unto me given, and power in me residing, at the humble petition of the now Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the said city of New-York, and for divers other good causes and considerations, corporation of me thereunto moving, have given, granted, ratified, and confirmed, and by these presents, for and on the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs, successors, and assigns, do give, grant, ratify, and confirm unto the said Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the said city, all and every such and the same liberties, privileges, franchises, rights, royalties, free customs, jurisdictions, and immunities, which they by the name of, The Mayor, and Commonalty, or otherwise, have anciently had, Provided they held, used, or enjoyed, Provided Always, That none nant to the laws of the said liberties, privileges, franchises, rights, of England, or any acts of free customs, jurisdictions, or immunities be inconassembly, sistent with, or repugnant to, the laws of his majesty's kingdom of England, or any other the laws of the general Assembly of this province; and the aforesaid public buildings, accommodations, and conveniences in the said city, That is to say, The City-Hall, two Market houses aforesaid City-Hall, or Stat-House, with the ground bridge, dock, new burial thereunto belonging, two Market-houses, the bridge into the dock, the wharves or dock, the said new burial place, and the aforementioned ferry, with be not repug Grant of the place & ferry. |