Dutch  Element  in  Nevr  ITork  Society.  The
Dutch-Americans  formed  the  basis  of  the  popu-
lation of  New  York,  and  were  almost  to  a  man  in
favor  of  liberty  in  America,  and  they  formed  the
bulwark  of  that  liberty  in  the  colony  when  it
was  threatened.  The  supporters  of  the  crown
were  mostly  of  British  descent,  and  a  large  pro-
portion of  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Eng-
land in  America  were  loyalists.  The  middling
classes,  too,  were  generally  patriotic,  and  the
mechanics  in  the  city  of  New  York  were,  almost
to  a  man,  enthusiastic  advocates  of  decisive
measures  agaiust  the  pretensions  of  Parliament.
