USA > New York > New York City > History of New Netherland; or, New York under the Dutch, Vol. II > Part 6
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" He likewise objects against me his hearsay of my threatening to burn and beat down your trading house, and of reports from several places and persons concerning myself and secretaries endeavoring to raise the Indians against the English, threatening a retaliation, and turning the edge and point of those weapons against us here. I had thought he had more noble worth, being a Governor, or charity, as he was a Christian, (hearing such report of one of like quality as himself,) not to have given credit to them, but rather imprisoned the reporters, unless they would have sufficiently proved it. And I take it to be as great an injury to have such reports raised and believed, as possibly may be.
"Concerning my sending Capt. Forrester to Holland, and that the English Colonies may have occasion to write after the same copy, I understand him very well, and I doubt not their wisdom will do that which they may well answer to their principals as to mine, and therefore need not give him, or any one else here, an account. Yet, for your satisfaction, he claimed the government of all Long
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Island, Dutch and English, and produced a commission,
BOOK IV. whether counterfeit or not I know not, for it was sealed 1647. but not signed.
" His conclusion is indifferent fair, but I shall not beg it from him. If I meet in the spring with the Governors of Boston and Plymouth, I hope we shall do our best for the reconciling of all differences ; to put anything to them as arbitrators, I am not yet resolved, but shall willingly com- ply with them, in what they shall think convenient ; and whereas he is so full of his retaliation, according to his own words and practice, he must give us leave to give liberty to any that shall elope from your jurisdiction, to remain under our protection, until our fugitives are delivered, which as soon as done, I shall endeavor to send the rest back."1
With this letter disappeared whatever kindly feeling existed between the Dutch Director and the New Haven Governor. The latter had already, by way of retaliation for the forcible abstraction of the St. Beninio, harbored the runa- ways from the Company's service, and took them into the public employ. When the General Court at Boston heard of these difficulties, they sent a letter to Gov. Eaton, addressed to Director Stuyvesant, in which they expressed great regret that such differences should have occurred, and promised to interpose with their confederates at New Haven in the hope of producing a reconciliation, and per- suading the Governor to restore the fugitives. But the latter would neither surrender the men, nor send the Court's letter to the Dutch Director; who having become now seriously exasperated, issued, as he had threatened, a procla- mation, in which he recapitulated all and sundry the injuries and injustices, real and pretended, which his government had experienced at the hands of his English neighbor. " Wherefore, if any person, noble or ignoble, freeman or slave, debtor or creditor, yea to the lowest prisoner included, run away from the Colony of New Haven, or seek refuge in our limits, he shall remain free, under our protection, on taking the oath of allegiance."
1 Letters in Governor Stuyvesant's time, i., 4-9.
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The burghers of Amsterdam questioned, however, the CHAP. propriety of this extreme measure. They saw from the ~
II. first, that it converted their country into a receptacle for 1647. the worst class of the neighboring plantations, who now would come among them recommended only by being violators of law, and enemies to social order. They saw that such an addition to their population would be anything but an improvement, whilst the policy would only tend further to create suspicion in the minds of the authorities of the other English Colonies. The Directors of the West India Company pronounced, in like manner, the proceeding both very dangerous and impolitic. " The English nation is too strong for us, and therefore you should not endeavor to bring on a contest with them." Stuyvesant himself seems to have been aware that his proclamation might be misunderstood. He, therefore, wrote to the Govern- ors of Massachusetts and Virginia, explanatory of his motives for having had recourse to it-disapproving of the practice in general, but excusing it in this particular-and stating that it had no reference to either of their provinces. He finally succeeded in extricating himself from his difficult position, by outwitting Governor Eaton. He wrote pri- vately to the Dutch fugitives, to whom also the clergyman sent a letter, assuring them of pardon and good treat- ment if they returned. By these means they were induced to come back, to the no small chagrin of the New Haven Executive, who, with a little forethought, might have had the credit of having restored these people ; of having acted right though others acted wrong ; instead of having now to experience the feeling of having been overreached. " But wise men are not always wise." The objectionable proclamation was soon after this cancelled, the cause which called it forth having been removed.1
1 Alb. Rec. iv., -; vii., 111, 112 ; Hol. Doc. v., 18, 43 ; Van der Donck's Ver- toogh ; Winthrop's New Eng. ii., 314, 315; Hubbard, 436, 437.
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CHAPTER III.
Melyn and Kuyter arrive in Holland-Appeal from the sentence pronounced by Stuyvesant-Lay a statement of the affairs of New Netherland before the States General-Writ of appeal granted-Stuyvesant's judgment virtually quashed-Appellants permitted to return to New Netherland-Obtain letters of safety from their High Mightinesses and the Prince of Orange-Stuyvesant rebuked by the Amsterdam Chamber-The Nine Men present a remonstrance to the Director-general-An order issued confining the privilege of trade to resident settlers-A free market established in New Amsterdam-Trade of the North and South Rivers regulated-The East River declared free to all nations-Port regulations-Effect of Stuyvesant's proclamations-The pla- cards prohibiting sales of arms and ammunition to the Indians enforced-In- formations against several traders-Proceedings against Schermerhoorn and others-Stuyvesant contracts for guns for the Indians-Discontent against the tariff and revenue laws-Other causes of dissatisfaction-The Nine Men pro- pose a delegation to Holland-Stuyvesant insists that their representation be sent through him-Differences in consequence-The English settlers withdraw their co-operation-The project of a mission postponed-Stuyvesant writes to the Company on the subject.
BOOK IV. THE vessel in which the Patroon of Staten Island and Captain Kuyter were sent to Holland, having safely 1648. arrived, these parties immediately called the attention of the States General to the oppressive course which the authorities in New Netherland had pursued towards them. The losses which they already suffered, by the rash policy of Kieft, amounted to twenty-five thousand guilders, and they were not prepared to lie down in silence under the wrong. Propped by Attorney-general Van Dyck, they laid before their High Mightinesses a detail of the affairs of the country, from the year 1643 to the date of their banishment, and backed their representations with vouchers to a voluminous and formidable amount. These documents having been referred to the committee on the affairs of the West India Company, a report, summarily reviewing the whole case, followed. The result was, the judgment of the Director-general and Council was virtually quashed, and Stuyvesant's conduct indirectly censured ; for their April28. High Mightinesses granted, in accordance with the recom-
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mendations of that report, a writ of appeal to the memo- CHAP. rialists, with a clause interdicting all further proceedings III. on the sentence pronounced against them by the authori- 1648. ties at Fort Amsterdam. The appellants were further permitted to reside in New Netherland unmolested, pend- ing the case, and to enjoy, in that country, the same rights and privileges as other colonists. As if all this were not enough to render Stuyvesant's cup sufficiently bitter, the Directors in Holland gravely rebuked him for having in- termeddled with other people's business, and he was cited to appear at the Hague, either in person or by attorney, to support the sentence which he and his Council had passed.1
The newly elected Nine Men, in no wise disposed to allow their recently acquired privileges to lie dormant, took an early opportunity to address a remonstrance to Feb. 18. the Director and Council, in which they called the atten- tion of the Executive to the injuries sustained by the com- merce of the country, principally through persons not at all interested in its welfare, who, they represented, cared nothing for its prosperity ; who contributed nothing to its wealth in the way of buildings, but who rented a room or a store, for a short term, in order to carry on trade with the Indians for furs, which they procured at a price beyond their value, and exported at night without paying any duties. This representation was accompanied by divers recom- mendations for the correction of what was thought to be an evil. It led to the introduction of a law confining the March privileges of trade in New Amsterdam, or the interior, to 10. permanent residents ; for it was ordered that hencefor- ward no person should keep a shop, or carry on any retail business, except such as " have already taken the oath of allegiance ;" were rated, at least, at from two to three thousand guilders, and had entered into an engagement to remain in the country four successive years, or "to keep fire and light" at their own expense. This regulation was not, however, to extend to "old residents," who were
1 Hol. Doc. iii., 128, 129, 233, 360, 361, 365, 373; Alb. Rec. iv., 95, 96, 104, 215.
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BOOK to be allowed the privileges of trade, though not rated as IV. above, provided they bound themselves to remain in the 1648. province the required time ; not to quit the same without permission from the Director and Council, nor to use any weights or measures except those of "old Amsterdam, to which we owe our name." For the encouragement of trade, consistent with these regulations, strangers were to be allowed to dispose of their goods from their vessels, either by wholesale or retail, provided their merchandise had been previously entered, and the duty paid on what was sold. Each Monday in the week was declared to be a market day, "as well for strangers as residents," and a. free market was established to continue ten days, beginning the first Monday after the feast of St. Bartholomew, during which time all, indiscriminately, were privileged to sell their goods from their tents. From the trade of the North and South Rivers, and the adjoining bays and creeks, all were, however, to be excluded, save the citizens and in- habitants of New Amsterdam, Rensselaerswyck, and the other colonies, who were rated as already determined, and who had previously obtained the Director's pass, and were provided on their return with the commissary's certificate of the place from which they might sail, stating the quan- tity and description of their return cargo. It was reserved, at the same time, to the Executive to allow such as had taken the oath of fidelity to the government, though they might not possess the required amount of property, the privilege to visit these rivers, provided they gave security that they should reside within Dutch jurisdiction during the prescribed period. The East River was excepted from the above regulation. It was declared to be " free and open to every one, no matter to what nation he might belong." But Dutch traders were to provide proper clearances before proceeding to any of these places, and comply with the other provisions of the revenue laws. As an encouragement to the citizens generally to erect a better class of buildings, clapboards, lime and stone were placed, together with firewood, on the free list. The port regula- tions next claimed the attention of the Executive. All
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arriving vessels, under fifty tons, were ordered to anchor CHAP. between the corner of the Hook and the hand or guide- III. board, near the City Tavern ; all larger vessels, between 1648. the aforesaid " Hoeck " and the second guide-board, which was placed on the declivity of the Smith's Valley ;2 and no boats, yawls or canoes were to leave any ship after sunset, nor before sunrise, nor land nor unload any freight between those hours, except by special permission. Sundry stringent penalties were attached to the infraction of these ordinances, to which we refer principally as instances of the mistaken jealousy which regulated and cramped, in its infancy, the rising and struggling trade of this young country. But even this did not satisfy the zeal for reform into which Director Stuyvesant, on assuming his new government, so heartily plunged. Irregular trading had encouraged habits of dissipation, the consequences of which were, that " many trades were neglected, the Company's servants debauched ; and what was worse, the youth be- came accustomed, from their infancy, to evil example on the part of their parents, to tread in their footsteps, and were led, by the force of imitation, astray from the paths of virtue, and familiarized with every species of vice ; smuggling and the clandestine sale of spirituous liquors to the Indians were encouraged, and decent taverns ruined by such a host of groggeries and skulking holes of iniquity." To correct these abuses, orders were issued that no new taverns should be established except by the unanimous consent of the Director and Council, but such as were in existence were to continue for a further period of four years, on condition that the proprietors pledge themselves to procure, according to their means, decent houses "to adorn the city of New Amsterdam."
The flood of proclamations-especially for the regulation of trade-with which the country was now inundated, had the effect, not of correcting abuses, but rather of confusing the minds of all those interested in commerce, who could not
1 The City Tavern was situated at the head of what is now Coenties Slip, New York. Smith's Valley was a marsh extending from the East River, about on the present line of South William street.
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BOOK move a step without exposing themselves to fines, imprison- IV. ment and the loss of property. Under the administration 1648. of Director Kieft, trade with the natives had been, in a manner, free and unshackled. Though the sale of powder and guns to the Indians had been strictly forbidden, the state of the country was such that the law was not only a dead letter, but even the authorities had been forced, in some instances, to conciliate the tribes by presents of arms. Few or no instances had occurred of the punish- ment of any individuals who had infringed the law, and thus this profitable, though contraband trade was carried on with but little, if any concealment.
Whether Stuyvesant, on entering on his new position, had a due comprehension of the state of things which had grown up under the many years of this connivance and absolute freedom of intercourse with the natives, is not very clear. The English and Swedes had, more than once, called his attention to the evils which could not fail to result from the practice of supplying the Indians with arms and ammunition; and feeling himself, "not without some ap- pearance of truth," exposed to suspicion, he might have considered it his duty to correct the abuse. Be this as it may, he resolved at once to break up this illicit trade, without stopping to calculate the extent of opposition he might call forth in interfering with the interests of those May 28. concerned in the traffic. The Company's armorer was unexpectedly arrested on a charge of having sold guns to private traders. Alarmed at his position, he became an informer, and accused Joost Teunisz de Bakker and Jacob Reyntsen with having repeatedly bribed him to sell them such articles. These citizens were immediately arrested ; the goods belonging to the latter were removed to the Company's store, and his letters and papers seized. On the evidence thus obtained, orders were dispatched to Fort Orange to arrest Jacob Jansen Schermerhorn1 and his
1 Jacob Jansen Schermerhorn was a native of Waterland, and lived forty years in the colony subsequent to this date ; he died at Schenectady in 1688, leaving by his wife Jannitje the following children : Ryer, Symon, Helena, (wife of Myndert Harmense,) Jacob, Machtel, (wife of Johannes Beekman,) Cornelis,
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brother, traders at that place ; to seize their goods, books CHAP. and papers, and to convey the whole to New Amsterdam. JII. Secretary Van Tienhoven was next sent with a guard of 1648. soldiers in one of the Company's vessels to Sandy Hook, there to await a ship consigned to Govert Loockermans, which was now hourly expected with a cargo of contra- band goods. This vessel was accordingly boarded, and June 23. her cargo summarily removed to the Company's store. Schermerhorn and his brother having been brought prison- ers, in the meanwhile, from Beverwyck, were arraigned with Reyntsen, on a charge of violating the placard of February, 1645. The chief evidence against the parties were their own letters and papers, and, on these, they were condemned to DEATH. On the representation of some July 9. leading citizens, this sentence was subsequently commuted to banishment for five years, with the loss of their property. But though the first part of this sentence was finally re- voked at the instance of the Nine Men, the restoration of their property was refused. It remained confiscated. Aug. 1. Reyntsen's loss, on this occasion, exceeded fifteen hundred dollars.
But the course pursued towards De Bakker was still more harsh. This man, when questioned, acknowledged at once, that he had received a gun from the armorer, for which he had paid twenty-five florins ; that he had, also, had a lock, which however he returned for repairs, the spring being broken, but had never got it back. He further admitted, that he had brought with him from Holland twelve pounds of gunpowder. This was the extent of all his operations, " for his wife condemned the trade, and dissuaded him
Jannitje, Neeltje, and Luycas. He owned at his death real estate in Albany and Schenectady, of which last settlement he was one of the earliest colonists. He had a farm also at Schodack, to which his son Jacob removed. Besides personal property to a large amount in this country, he had funds at interest in Holland. His will is on record in the County Clerk's Office, Albany, together with that of his eldest son, Ryer Schermerhorn, (dated April, 1717,) who left five children, viz .: John, Cataline, (who married John, son of Barent Wemp;) .Jan- neke, (who married Volckert Symonsen,) Jacob, and Arent. Ryer Schermer- horn's property lay principally in and around Schenectady ; but he owned two tracts at the Raritans, one of which was called the Gansegatt, or Goosehole. His brother Luycas lived on one of these.
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BOOK from it." Stuyvesant was not satisfied with all these ex- IV. - planations. Though the Schout-fiscaal had not instituted 1648. any prosecution against him, his house was twice searched, his papers ransacked, his chests and cupboards overhauled, " whilst he lay terrified in the place where criminals were confined," without wife or friends being allowed to hold communication with him. After suffering thus for near a fortnight, during which time he was threatened with the rack, whilst a new gallows, it is alleged, was erected for his special benefit, in the hope of extorting further informa- tion, he was at last liberated on bail, no evidence having been discovered against him. The term of his bail-bond having expired, and no charge being brought, in the mean time, forward, he applied for the dismissal of his securities. He was referred to the Nine Men. They asked that he should be put on his trial if there was ought against him, or dis- charged if innocent. Stuyvesant made no reply to this application. De Bakker thereupon petitioned, in his own name. He was referred to the Fiscaal, who answered by demanding five or six months to consider the matter, “ as he knew nothing about it." Finding himself thus baffled, his affairs ruined, his spirits broken, and in daily expecta- tion of renewed oppression, he determined to quit the country, and with this view, applied for a passport.1 This was also refused, and the unfortunate man was eventually obliged to leave the province secretly, in order to lay his case before the authorities in Europe, and to obtain that justice from them, which it was idle to seek in New Netherland.
In thus vindicating the law, and proving himself guiltless of connivance at the unlawful trade with the natives, it had been well had the Director-general not permitted himself to dabble in a traffic, for prosecuting which he had so
1 Smith in his History of New York, ii., 47, (Ed. 1830,) says it was Lovelace who introduced, in 1671, the prohibition against masters of vessels carrying per- sons off, without a pass from the Secretary's Office. This is wholly at variance with the fact. The prohibition had been in force through the whole period of the Dutch government, and was merely continued by the English. Smith knew about as little of the history of New Netherland, as many of his readers of the present day.
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severely punished others. Unfortunately he was forced CHIAP. by instructions, and by the circumstances in which he was It[. placed, to pursue an opposite policy. At the very time he 1648. was visiting with all the rigor of the law, those who chanced to bring guns or powder into the province without his knowledge, or who were discovered following a traffic which every one carried on, more or less, he was himself -singular to say-engaged, with his secretary, in making Aug. 2. arrangements for the importation of fire-arms to be dis- tributed among the Indians.1
The strictness with which the revenue laws and petty harbor regulations were enforced, and excessive duties ex- acted on imports,2 was now productive of serious evil. The seizure of the Dutch ship at New Haven, and the con- fiscations which followed, spread serious alarm north and south, whence it was conveyed to the West India Islands. The loss to New Netherland, in consequence, was estimated at more than twenty-five vessels yearly. Considerable damage accrued, also, to the resident settlers ; and to add to the general dissatisfaction, an order was issued calling on all those indebted to the Company to settle their accounts. The public expenses were increasing ; six thousand guilders were required to repair Fort Good Hope, in its old form, " with four points ;" the officers of government were daily dunned for the payment of debts which they had necessarily contracted, and which they found it impossible to meet, whilst the amount due to the Company from private indi- viduals exceeded three thousand guilders. Those who
1 Alb. Rec. vii., 161-174, 189, 240; viii., 60; Hol. Doc. iv., 238, 212, 241; Ver- toogh van N. N.
2 Before people can receive their goods, they must pay 16, 4 1-2, and 8, mak- ing 28 1-2 per centum, besides waste, and the cartage to and from the public store. Goods must first be sent to, and examined in the Company's store at Amsterdam, before they can be sent on board. Then a man must take a super- cargo, also, along, and in New Netherland receive soldiers immediately on board the ship, of which he is no longer master. After which, the merchandise is opened in the Company's store, and what occurs there is an affliction and vexation to behold. For it is all cut open, unpacked, tossed over and counted again, without order or rule ; besides that, the Company's servants from time to time destroy and purloin. Hol. Doc. iv., 40.
VOL. II. 5
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BOOK owed this money were, on the other hand, poor, broken- IV. down people, who had lost their all by the war. They 1648. were obliged, therefore, to beseech the Director-general to have patience, but this proved unavailing. The Attorney- Oct. 18. general and the public Receiver were commanded to collect the debts. Those who could not pay the whole were to give as much as their circumstances permitted, and on the balance to pay annually eight per cent. interest. But the people were beggars. The late Director-general had, moreover, left unpaid many claims against the Com- pany. A compromise was finally entered into, after much altercation, and the collection of the debts against the colonists was staid, for a time, at the request of the Nine Men.
The murmurs of the commonalty had now reached a point when something must be done to allay them. The intercourse with the neighboring English colonies was causing comparisons between their prosperous condition, and the backward state of the Dutch province, and the government was obliged to acknowledge that the com- parison was by no means to the advantage of the latter. But the remedy was not in its hands. If the citizens had any complaints, they must petition their Lords, the Di- rectors, or the States General. In no breast is it more easy to excite hope, than in that of the desponding. The Nine Men forthwith determined to send a delegation to their High Mightinesses. The Director-general encouraged them in this course. Already the name of the delegate began to be whispered abroad, when Stuyvesant demanded that whatever representations were to be made, should be in conformity with his wishes. This was objected to. The petitioners were desirous of laying before the home authorities the series of mal-administrations under which the colony had been suffering for the last ten years. This they could not freely do were they to proceed according to the pleasure of the Executive. At this crisis, the Eng- lish settlers, on whose co-operation in the proposed remon- strance the Dutch relied, were induced, it is more than
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