Smith, the author of the History of the colony, the son of William Smith, the elder, the rival and opponent of Chief Justice De Lancey, thus speaks of it, as manifested by the result of the election of 1752, which turned upon the questions involved in the controversies with Clinton.! "The influence of the Chief Justice was, nevertheless, so prevalent that he had a great majority of friends and relations in the new Assembly, convened on the 24th day of October, 1752." "It may gratify the curiosity of the reader to know, that of the Members of this Assembly, Mr. Chief Justice De Lancey was nephew to Col. Beekman,

1 Hist. N. Y. IL., 142, 143.

HON. JAMES DE LANCEY. 1047

brother to Peter De Lancey, brother-in-law to John Watts, cousin to Philip Ver Planck, and John Baptist Van Rensselaer ; that Mr. Jones, the speaker, Mr. Richard, Mr. Walton, Mr. Cruger, Mr. Phillipse, Mr. Winner and Mr. Le Count, were of his most intimate acquaintances ; and that these twelve of the twentyseven which composed the whole house, held his character and sentiments in the highest esteem. Of the remaining fifteen he only wanted one to gain a majority under his influence, than which nothing was more certain ; for except Mr. Livingston, who represented his own manor, there was not among the rest a man of education or abilities qualified for the station they were in. They were, in general, farmers and directed by one or more of the twelve members above named. Of the whole House the only wealthy, able member, neither connected with Mr. De Lancey nor within the sphere of his influence, was Mr. Livingston.