Cadwallader D. Colden, Mayor 1818-1821: Colden (1769 – 1834) was an enslaver, member of the House of Representatives, and served as president of the New York Manumission Society. He became president of the society in 1812.[1] His grandfather, Cadwallader Colden (1688–1776), was also an enslaver and served as governor of the province of New York.

The Biographical Directory of Congress states that Colden was “a member of the State assembly in 1818…as a Federalist successfully contested the election of Peter Sharpe to the Seventeenth Congress and served from December 12, 1821, to March 3, 1823; member of the State senate 1824-1827…”[2]

Based on age, the free persons listed below were likely indentured servants under the 1799 gradual emancipation law.

• In the 1800 census, in his household in New York City, he had one enslaved person and two free persons in the category “…all other free persons, except Indians, not taxed.” [3]
• In the 1816 jury census, he had two “coloured inhabitants not slaves” in his household at 1 William Street in New York City.[4]
• In the 1820 Census he had three “free colored persons” living in his household in New York City. The free persons were two males, ages 14 to 25, and one female, also 14 to 25.[5]

On July 27, 1818, Cadwallader Colden was mayor and made these remarks to the Common Council:  

One black woman, it appears, has been detained in the Bridewell since the 21st of April last, as being a slave run from New Orleans. The Mayor begs leave to call the attention of the Board particularly to this case, and to submit whether it be agreeable to them that the public prison should be rendered subservient to the authority of slave holders.

Our laws permit a master under certain circumstances to hold a fellow creature in slavery, but it is believed that they do not authorise the commitment of a slave to a public prison to be held there during the pleasure of the master. The cases of the 7 persons who are represented in the within calendar to be delirious or deranged appear also to deserve particular attention.

No place can be more unfit for such unfortunate persons than the City prison. The Commissioners of the Alms house have expressed their willingness to receive them in the Institution under their care, but, notwithstanding the great sums which have been expended on the buildings at Bellevue and their great extent, the Commissioners represent that they have no room for these patients: And indeed the portion of the penitentiary which is appropriated for persons of this description is so limited that they can receive but a few: and even these few can have none of the accommodations which common humanity requires should be provided for those afflicted with this calamity. There are only 6 cells of about 10 feet by 12 appropriated to male lunatics. In these there are now 19 persons. The cells are extremely confined and are in a part of the penitentiary that exposes the occupants to the smell and bad air which necessarily arise from the receptacles of the filth of other parts of the buildings. It is very certain that there is no convict who is not more comfortably provided for than those persons whose calamity is the only cause of their confinement.[6]

On August 24, 1818, Colden repeated his remarks about prison being used by enslavers: 

His Honor the Mayor presented the Calender of persons confined in the Bridewell or City Prison returned to him by the Keeper with the following observations thereon – Whereupon the subject respecting Slaves was referred to the Committee on Laws.

The remarks follow: “The Mayor has nothing to remark of this Calender further than that it is gratifying to observe that the charges for high crimes are, considering the extent of our population, but few, And to recommend to the attention of the Committee of Laws the case of the Slave whose name is reported in the Calender, that it may be ascertained by what authority the City Prison is rendered subservient to the authority of Slave holders.” (signed) Cadwallader D. Colden.[7]

[1] Longworth’s New York City directory, 1812-1813, p.42, NYPL, link

[2] Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, link

[3] 1800 Census, Ancestry.com

[4] 1816 Jury Ward Census, Volume 1, Ward 1, 1816, image p.76

[5] 1820 Census, New York Ward 1, Ancestry.com

[6] MCC, 1784-1831 v.9 1817-18, pp.742-743, link

[7] Ibid, p.765

Copyright 2025 Paul Hortenstine