196 DUTCH AND ENGLISH ON THE HUDSON

authority the half of the emoluments which you
have received during the same period."

The greedy Governor maintained that this was
a very different matter. Nevertheless he was
somewhat puzzled as to how to proceed legally with
a view to filling his purse. Since he was himself
Chancellor, he could not sue in chancery. He did
not dare to bring a suit at common law, as he
feared that a jury would give a verdict against him.
Under these circumstances Cosby took advantage
of a clause in the commissions of the judges of the
Supreme Court which seemed to constitute them
Barons of the Exchequer, and he therefore directed
that an action against Van Dam be brought in the
name of the King before that court. The Chief
Justice, who had held office for eighteen years, was
Lewis Morris. Van Dam's counsel promptly took
exception to the jurisdiction of the court and
Morris sustained their plea, whereupon Cosby re-
moved Morris as Chief Justice. Cosby's party in-
cluded De Lancey, Philipse, Bradley, and Harrison,
while Alexander, Stuyvesant, Livingston, Cad-
wallader Golden, and most of the prominent citi-
zens, supported Van Dam. The people of New
York were now awakening to the fact that this
was no petty quarrel between two men as to which