ANDROS, Sin EDMUND ( 1637-1714). A colonial governor in America, the son of an of ficer in the English royal household. In 1674 he was sent to America as governor of the colony of New York, and to him Sir Anthony Colve, the governor during the temporary Dutch supremacy, surrendered without forcible opposition. Il is commission gave him jurisdiction over Long Is land, Pemaquid, and the region between the Con necticut River and the Delaware River. He was thus brought into embarrassing relations with the proprietary government of East Jersey, and also became engaged in controversies with the author ities of Connecticut. After the charters of the New England provinces had been declared forfeited by the English courts, the policy cf the English administration in furtherance of a strongly centralized colonial system was illustrated by the steps taken to consolidate the lands of New England into one province, over which, in 16S6, Andros was made Gov ernor-General with large powers. He was to admit religious toleration, hut could suppress all printing, name and change his council at will, and, with their consent, levy taxes, and control the militia. When Connecticut refused to recognize his authority, he appeared in the council chamber at Hartford, in October, 16S7, with an armed guard, and demanded the surrender of the colony's charter. There long survived a tradition of the biding of the char ter in an oak tree. The leaders, both in Con
necticut and in Rhode Island, deemed it prudent to render perfunctory obedience to the one in forcible control of the political situation. In 16SS New York and New Jersey were attached to New England, and Andros's rule was extended over all territory between the St. Croix and the Delaware. On hearing of the revolution in Eng land, the people of Boston imprisoned Andros and some of his officers, April IS, 1689, and Leisler set up a rebel government in New York. In July Andros and a committee of accusers were or dered to England, but the charges were never pressed to a formal (Hal. The accession of William 111. made possible the undoing of the work of Andros. The charters of Connecticut and Rhode Island were recognized as in force. Mas sachusetts received from the King an acceptable charter, and New Hampshire Ovals organized as a distinct royal province. In 1692 Andros came back as Governor of Virginia, where he was popular,retiring in 1098, and acting as Governor of Guernsey, 1704-0G. In 1691 he published an account of his proceedings in New England. The Prince Society has published a Memoir, by Whit more (Boston, 1S6S-74), and an extensive series of the Andros Tracts, 3 volumes (Boston, 186S 74).