Colonial Governance in New York and New Jersey: How Colonists Participated

Despite British sovereignty, colonists in New York and New Jersey exercised meaningful self-governance through representative assemblies, local institutions, and extra-legal bodies — laying groundwork for revolutionary politics.

Elected Colonial Assemblies

New York

• Charter of Liberties (1683): Guaranteed assembly elected by freeholders
• Assembly powers: Taxation, appropriations, local legislation, veto over governor's appointments
• Franchise: Adult male freeholders (£40 property or 40-shilling rent) — ~10-15% of adult males
• Key conflicts: Assembly vs. royal governors (salary disputes, paper money, quartering)

New Jersey

• Proprietary period (1664-1702): East/West Jersey each had assembly
• Royal colony (1702): Single assembly, shared governor with NY (until 1738)
• Assembly powers: Similar to NY — "power of the purse" central
• Franchise: Similar property qualifications

Extra-Legal Bodies: Provincial Congresses

1774-1776, as royal authority collapsed:

• NY Provincial Congress (1775-1777): Elected by counties; governed de facto; authorized Continental Congress delegates; drafted 1777 state constitution
• NJ Provincial Congress (1775-1776): Similar role; adopted 1776 constitution (voted by legislature, not people)
• Functioned as revolutionary governments; managed militia, supplies, loyalty oaths

Grassroots Political Action

Petitions and Protests

• NY: 1765 Stamp Act Congress (NYC), 1770 non-importation agreements
• NJ: 1774 township resolves against Coercive Acts

Public Meetings

• NYC: "Liberty Pole" disputes (1766-1770) — Sons of Liberty vs. soldiers
• NJ: County committees of correspondence, inspection, safety

Newspapers as Political Forums

• NY: New-York Gazette (official), New-York Journal (Holt, patriot), Gazetteer (Rivington, loyalist)
• NJ: New-Jersey Gazette (Trenton, 1777+), Constitutional Gazette
• Essays, letters, debates shaped public opinion; "Cato," "Brutus," "Publius" pseudonyms

Local Governance

• NY: Counties (justices of peace, supervisors), towns (annual meetings), manor courts (Livingston, Van Rensselaer)
• NJ: Counties, townships (town meetings), precincts — more localized than NY

Limitations

• Governor appointed by Crown/proprietors; veto power
• Council (upper house) appointed, not elected
• British trade laws (Navigation Acts) binding
• Slavery entrenched; enslaved people zero political rights
• Women, poor, non-Protestants largely excluded