nt its authority to make the burden of Neau the heavier. The common
council passed an order forbidding Negroes "to appear in the streets
after sunset, without lanthorns or candles"; and as they could not
procure these, the result was to break up the labors of Neau. But at
this juncture Governor Hunter interposed, and went to visit the school
of Neau, accompanied by several officers of rank and by the society's
missionaries, and he was so well pleased that he gave his full
approval to the work, and in a public proclamation called upon the
clergy of the province to exhort their congregations to extend their
approval also. Vesey, the good rector of Trinity Church, had long
watched the labors of Neau and witnessed the progress of his scholars,
as well as assisted him in them; and finally the governor, the
council, mayor, recorder, and two chief justices of New York joined in
declaring that Neau "in a very eminent degree deserved the
countenance, favor, and protection of the society." He therefore
continued his labors until 1722, when, "amid the unaffected sorrow of
his negro scholars and the friends who honored him for their sake, he
was removed by death."

The work was then continued by "Huddlestone, then schoolmaster in New
York"; and he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Wetmore, who removed in 1726
to Rye; whereupon the Rev. Mr. Colgan was appointed to assist the
rector of Trinity Church, and to carry on the instruction of the
Negroes. A few years afterward Thomas Noxon assisted Mr. Colgan, and
their joint success was very satisfactory. Rev. R. Charlton, who had
been engaged in similar labor at New Windsor, was called to New York
in 1732, where he followed up the work successfully for fifteen years,
and was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Auchmuty. Upon the death of Thomas
Noxon, in 1741, Mr. Hildreth took his place, who, in 1764, wrote that
"not a single black admitted by him to the holy communion had turned
out badly, or in any way disgraced his profession." Both Auchmuty and
Hildreth received valuable support from Mr. Barclay, who, upon the
death of Mr. Vesey, in 1746, had been appointed to the rectory of
Trinity Church.

The frequent kidnapping of free persons of color excited public alarm
and resulted in the formation of "The New York Society for Promoting
the Manumission of Slaves, and Protecting such of them as have been or
may be Liberated." These are the names of the gentlemen who organized
the society, and became the board