ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈaɪv, hiː kəndˈʌktᵻd ðə pɹˌɑːsɪkjˈuːʃən ʌv sˌʌm lˈiːdɚz ʌvðɪ ˈæntaɪɹˈɛnt wˈɔːɹ æt ðɛɹ tɹˈaɪəl fɔːɹ ɹˈaɪət, kənspˈɪɹəsi ænd ɹˈɑːbɚɹi ɪn pɹˈoʊtɛst ʌv ɐtˈɛmpts baɪ ðə wˈɛlθi ˈoʊnɚz ʌv vˈæn ɹˈɛnsɪlˌɛɹ mˈænɚ ænd ˈʌðɚ lˈɑːɹdʒ ʌpstˈeɪt nˈuː jˈɔːɹk lˈænd ɡɹˈænts tə kəlˈɛkt ˌoʊvɚdˈuː ɹˈɛnts, wˌɪtʃ stˈiːvən vˈæn ɹˈɛnsɪlˌɛɹ ænd ˈʌðɚ pætɹˈuːnz hæd lˈɔŋ dᵻfˈɜːd.
In 1845, he conducted the prosecution of some leaders of the Anti-Rent War at their trial for riot, conspiracy and robbery in protest of attempts by the wealthy owners of Van Rennsselaer Manor and other large upstate New York land grants to collect overdue rents, which Stephen Van Rensselaer and other patroons had long deferred.