Hunter

John Hay, that caused Hunter to be considered
anew as a Crown official in America.

In 1709 he received an appointment as cap-
tain-general and governor-in-chief of New York
and New Jersey, thereby succeeding John, Lord
Lovelace, who died in May of that year. He
left for America in the early spring of 1710, and
arrived at New York City on June 14. Thus
commenced an administration which was to en-
dure until July 1719, and which was to prove one
of the most successful in the annals of American
colonial history. At the outset of the adminis-
tration both New York and New Jersey were
torn by factionalism, the former still being har-
assed by feuds which lingered from the old Leis-
lerian conspiracy. The years 1710-15 were
marked by a struggle between governor and as-
semblies over the constitutional problem of the
control of finance, in which the assemblies ulti-
mately gained the upper hand. It took years to
allay partisan feelings, to smoothe the rivalry
between the legislative houses, and to secure a
settlement of the financial problems, but in the
end Hunter was largely successful. Further-
more he had made himself popular, a rare
achievement in the New World, where royal
officials were viewed with suspicion and distrust.

On coming to New York Hunter brought with
him about three thousand refugees from the
Rhenish Palatinate, who were to engage in the
production of naval stores for the use of British
vessels. The immigrants were settled on the
banks of the Hudson River where there was an
abundance of pine trees from which tar and pitch
could be derived High hopes were entertained
at the outset of the project and it was believed
that it would entirely relieve England from the
necessity of purchasing naval stores from Swe-
den, but the scheme was doomed to failure, inas-
much as the British government was lax in its
support and did not furnish the money (esti-
mated at £15,000 per year) necessary for its con-
tinuance. Hunter tried to prolong the venture
at his own expense and indeed he claimed that in
so doing he went in debt to the amount of £21,000
but his efforts were unsuccessful. With the
abandonment of the enterprise some of the Ger-
mans left New York for Pennsylvania, while
still others departed from their original settle-
ments and went to Schofaarie on the western
frontier of the province. Frequently disaffected,
the Rheuishers caused the Governor no little
eafearrassment during his entire administration.
Irastmieh as the Wai- of the Spanish Succession
dragged oa tmtil 1713, the defense of the fron-
tier agai&st tfae French in Canada was a major
Bteter uot only rallied his own prov-

Hunter

inces, but at the Congress of New London (June
1711) and later he endeavored to influence the
neighboring colonies to take an active part in
the campaign. One expedition resulted in fail-
ure because the English fleet which was to
cooperate with the provincial land forces was
wrecked. Continuance of the campaign was
abandoned, much to the disgust of Hunter and
other colonial leaders. In connection with the
war preparations, Hunter and Joseph Dudley
[#•#']» governor of Massachusetts Bay, inaugu-
rated an express between Boston and Albany,
probably the first organized postal service in
English America. Although the Treaty of
Utrecht concluded formal hostilities between
France and England, Hunter continued to de-
vote no little attention to the frontier and among
other measures ordered the construction of a
fort in the Indian country. He was responsible
also for the erection of a court of chancery in
New York which expedited the collection of
quit-rents owed the Crown.

It was with genuine sorrow that New York
saw Hunter return to England in 1719, and the
farewell address of the legislature reveals the re-
spect which the colonists held for him. He was
succeeded by William Burnet [#.#.], with whom
he exchanged his governorship for the position
of comptroller of the customs. For several years
he remained in England, where he was frequent-
ly consulted as an authority on colonial prob-
lems. Later (1727) he was appointed governor
of Jamaica, that turbulent island where economic
and social issues were paramount. This post he
held until his death in 1734.

Hunter's principal writings were his letters
from the New World to the English government
and to friends, including Jonathan Swift (see
F. E. Ball, The Correspondence of Jonathan
Swijt, 2 vols., 1910-11) and the Earl of Stair.
Cadwallader Golden mentions him as an occa-
sional contributor to the Tatler and as being the
author of "some elegant little pieces of poetry,
which never appeared in his name." A member
of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
and active in the support of the church, he was
nevertheless attacked by the High-Church party
in the colony. At this time, to divert himself,
says his friend Golden (post, p, 202), he com-
posed the farce Androborus with the assistance
of Lewis Morris, satirizing the Senate and lieu-
tenant-governor, and thus turned the people into
"a laughing humour/' A unique copy of this
first play known to have been written and print-
ed in America is now in the Huntington Library,
San Marino, Cal.

[R. L. Beyer, "Robert Hunter, Royal Governor of

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