History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 29

Author: Brodhead, John Romeyn, 1814-1873. 4n
Publication date: 1871
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Number of Pages: 844

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* Alb. Rec., ii., 3-12, 19, 21, 1SS ; Hazard's Ann. Penn., 49.

278

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CHAP. IX. had it written or made the statement. Consequently, the 1638. director and council could not know the truth of matters, as was proper, and as justice demanded."*

If, however, the new director seemed chiefly engrossed in reforming the civil administration, he did not neglect Domine Bo. the cause of religion. Bogardus, the clergyman at Fort

gardus re- tained at Fort Am- sterdam.

18 July.

Amsterdam, upon learning the charges which Van Dinck- lagen, after his return to Holland, had laid before the Classis of Amsterdam, petitioned Kieft for leave to return to the Fatherland and defend himself. But the director and council resolved " to retain the minister here, so that the increase of God's word may in no manner be prevent- ed." The Consistory of the Church, however, earnestly defended and justified their conduct in 1636; and Kieft himself seems to have supported their prayer, that the Classis would " be pleased to look into their case with care, and to decide the same against Lubbertus van Dinck- lagen, for the protection of the reputation of their es- teemed preacher Domine Everardus Bogardus."+

Multifari- ous popula -- tion at Manhattan.

Passports.

In spite of Kieft's proclamations, abuses continued. The population of New Netherland not having yet become generally agricultural, was too much disposed to a lax morality, owing partly to the mixed character of the per- sons attracted to Manhattan for purposes of trade, and partly to the example which the late director had himself set. Kieft attempted to introduce a more rigid system of police ; and fresh proclamations threatened all evil-doers with fines and penalties. The people were forbidden to leave Manhattan without passports ; but, in spite of pla- cards, they would go when they pleased. Complaints were frequently made, that private parties were enriching themselves at the company's expense. All persons were, therefore, ordered to restore, without delay, every thing in their possession belonging to the company, unless they could " prove that they bought it from the former direct- or." And criminal prosecutions, and executions for homi-

18 Nov. Peculation.

* Hol. Doc., v., 360 ; ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 318, 336.

t Alb. Rec., ii., 17; Cor. Cl. Amst., 19th Nov., 1641, 1st Ap., 1642 ; ante, p. 273.

279

WILLIAM KIEFT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

cide and mutiny, were unhappily too frequent to leave CHAP. IX. the new director much repose from the cares of his gov- 1638.

ernment .*

Though the colony at Rensselaerswyck was steadily Slow prog- prospering, the oppressive trading monopoly of the West ricultural

settlement.

ress of ag- India Company retarded the agricultural settlement of other parts of New Netherland. A few "free colonists," however, from time to time came out from Holland, and established themselves chiefly in the neighborhood of Man- hattan. Pavonia, having now become the property of the Pavonia. company, Kieft, in the name of the directors, sold some 1 May. land at Paulus' Hook, east of Ahasimus, to Abraham Isaack Planck, who soon established a flourishing farm upon his purchase ; and other tracts in that neighborhood were leased, before long, to respectable emigrants. Near "Corlaer's Hook," on Manhattan Island, a plantation was 20 July. Corlaer's bought by Andries Hudde, the " first commissary of Ilook. wares ;" and La Montagne and others began to make permanent improvements. In the course of the summer, I August Kieft also secured for the company the Indian title to a large tract of land upon Long Island, between the East River and the swamps of Mespath, now known as New- Mespatlı. on Long town ; and active husbandmen soon began to occupy the Island. fertile regions adjoining the early Waal-bogt.t

Important events had, meanwhile, occurred on the Affairs on southern frontier of New Netherland. After the miscar- River. the South riage of West's seheme in 1635, and the re-occupation of Fort Nassau, the Dutch had retained the tranquil posses- sion of the South River. Arendt Corssen, whom Van Twiller had appointed commissary there, was succeeded, soon after Kieft's arrival, by Jan Jansen, of Ilpendam, in Jan Jansen North Holland ; and Peter Mey was directed to act as as- commissa- appointed sistant commissary at Fort Nassau during Jansen's ab-"y. sence.# Sir John Harvey, having defeated the intrigues of his enemies in London, returned to Virginia with a

* Alb. Rec., G. G., 57; i., 65 ; ii., 33 ; iii., 419.

+ Hol. Doc., v., 399 ; ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 338; Alb. Rec., i., 16, 55 ; O'Call., i., 185 ; ii., 591. La Montagne's farm, on Manhattan Island, was called Vredendael, or " Peaceful Vale." It was between the Eighth Avenue and Haerlem River. # Hol. Doc., viii., 32, 51.

280

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1636. 2 April. Virginia and Mary- Land.

CHAP. IX. new royal commission as governor, in which post he re- mained until he was succeeded by Sir Francis Wyatt in 1639 .* Harvey's influence, though weakened by the fac- tions which distracted his administration, was still suffi- cient to restrain the Virginians from further invasion of New Netherland ; and the Maryland colonists, under Lord Baltimore's tolerant government, were too busily occupied in harmonious efforts for peopling the beautiful shores of the Potomac to think of encroaching upon the adjoining terri- tory of the Hollanders. A friendly intercourse was all that they desired ; and Calvert, under the official seal of the 1638. province, encouraged trade and commerce "with the Dutchmen in Hudson's River."" But while English ag- gression was pausing at the South, fresh annoyance from an unexpected source visited the Batavian possessions.

12 Feb.

Colonial policy of Sweden.

14 June.

Swedish West India Company.

Sweden was now to become the competitor of France, and England, and Holland for a foothold in North Amer- ica. The liberal mind of Gustavus Adolphus early dis- cerned the benefits to his people of colonies and an ex- panded commerce ; and William Usselincx, the projector of the Dutch West India Company, visiting the Baltic, 1626. quickened the zeal of the sagacious sovereign. The plan which Usselincx proposed was adopted by Gustavus, and confirmed by the Diet. Even while the gallant northern monarch was sweeping Germany with victorious armies, his views of American colonization became more enlarged ; 1632. and at Nuremberg he drew up a recommendation of the undertaking as "the jewel of his kingdom." But the fa- tal field of Lützen soon afterward deprived Sweden of her magnanimous sovereign; and the grand enterprise he had so much at heart was suspended for several years.#

16 October.

3 Nov.

Queen Christina.

On the demise of Gustavus, the crown descended to his daughter Christina, a child of six years of age; and the states intrusted the government, during her minority, to a regency, at the head of which was the illustrious states- man Axel, count of Oxenstierna. One of the few great

* Harvey's commission is in Rymer's Federa, xx., p. 3; Hazard, i., 400 ; and Wyatt's in Rymer, xx., 484 ; Hazard, i., 477.

+ Bozman, ii., 593. # Moulton, 408-411 ; Bancroft, ii., 284 ; Hazard's Annals of Penn., 16-20, 30.

281

WILLIAM KIEFT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

men of all time, the Swedish chancellor viewed the con- CHAP. IX. sequences of American colonization as " favorable to all Christendom, to Europe, and to the whole world." He 1633. therefore published the Nuremberg proclamation, which 10 April. "Gustavus had left unsigned ; and the next year, the char- 1634. ter which Oxenstierna proposed for the Swedish West In- 12 Dec. dia Company, was confirmed by the deputies of the Ger- man eireles at Francfort .*

uit in Swe.

It was more than three years, however, before the scheme was carried into effect ; and when it was at length accomplished, it was by the ageney of a former officer of the Dutch West India Company. After his recall from Peter Min- New Netherland, Minuit, going to Stockholm, offered to den the regency the benefit of his colonial experience. The counsels of the discarded direetor won the confidence of . the sagacious Oxenstierna; and toward the close of 1637, 1637. Minuit sailed from Gottenburg, with a commission from the infant queen, "signed by eight of the chief lords of Sweden," to plant a new colony on the west side of the Delaware Bay. The selection of this region was probably owing to Minuit, who, during his directorship of New Netherland, had become well acquainted with the situa- tion of Swaanendael and the neighboring territories on the South River, and who knew that there was now no European colony there. A man-of-war, "the Key of Cal- Minuit mar," and a tender, "the Griffin," were fitted out, in which South Riv- about fifty emigrants were embarked, some of whom being er. " bandits," were to be employed as galley-slaves in ereet- ing fortifications. The care of the Swedish government added a pious Lutheran elergyman, Reorus Torkillus, and supplied the expedition with provisions, ammunition, and goods for traffic with the natives.t

Early in the spring of 1638-about the time that Kieft 1638. anchored at Manhattan-the Swedish expedition put in at March. Anchors in Jamestown, where it remained about ten days, "to refresh

with wood and water." The treasurer of Virginia, learn-

sails for the

the Chess- peake.

* Bancroft, ii., 286 ; Hazard, Ann. Penn., 34, 39.

t Hol. Doc., viii., 34 ; Hazard, Ann. Penn., 43-47 ; Holm, 73, 109; Acrelius, 408.

282

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CHAP. IX. ing that it was "bound for Delaware Bay, which is the 1638. confines of Virginia and New England," there " to make a plantation," desired to obtain a copy of Minuit's com- mission. This, however, he declined to furnish, " except he might have free trade for tobacco to carry to Sweden." But Governor Harvey "excused himself thereof," as it was "contrary to his majesty's instructions;" and Minuit, pursuing his voyage, reached the Delaware Bay early in April .*

Arrives in the Dela- ware Bay. April.

Purchases land at the " Minquas' Kill."

Running up as far as the " Minquas' Kill," Minuit pur- chased, for " a kettle and other trifles," from the Sachem Mattehoorn, who had his wigwam there, as much land, " included between six trees," as would serve to build a house upon and make a plantation. For this land a deed was given, " written in Low Dutch, as no Swede could yet interpret the Indian." By this conveyance, the Swedes . claimed to have obtained all the territory on the west side of the river, from Cape Hinlopen to the falls at " Santic- kan," or Trenton, and as far inland " as they might want."t

Visited by the Dutch from Fort Nassau.

The news of the Swedes' arrival quickly reached the Dutch at Fort Nassau, about fifteen miles further up the river ; and persons were sent down to demand the reasons of their coming. But Minuit represented that he was only on a voyage to the West Indies, and would leave as soon as he had supplied his ships with wood and water. Re- visiting the Minquas' Kill soon afterward, the Dutch offi- cers found that the Swedes "had done more," and had already made a small garden. They inquired " what it meant ;" and Minuit again excused himself " by various reasons and subterfuges." In a few days, the real inten- tions of the Swedes were made apparent. Minuit dis- patched his tender, the Griffin, up the river to trade ; but she was stopped at Fort Nassau, and Peter Mey, the as- sistant commissary, going on board, demanded to see her

25 April. Minuit sends his tender up the river trade.

* Murphy's notes on Vertoogh van N. N., in ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 327; Letter from Jerome Hawley, Treasurer of Virginia, to Secretary Windebanke, dated 8th of May, 1638, in Lond. Doc., i., 57 ; N. Y. Col. MSS., iii., 20 ; Hazard, Ann. Penn., 42, 43.

t Hol. Doc., viii., 70; Acrelius, in ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., i., 409 ; Hudde's Report in same vol., p. 439.

283

WILLIAM KIEFT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

commission. This the Swedish officer refused to show, CHAP. IX. avowing that it was their intention to establish a fort on the river, and that "his Queen was as justifiable in build- 1638. ing a fort there as was the company."

As soon as Kieft received intelligence of this new en- Kieft's first croachment, he ordered Commissary Jansen to go to the to Holland.

dispatches Minquas' Kill, and in case he saw Minuit acting to the injury of the Dutch, "immediately to protest against it in proper form." The director's first dispatches home con- 28 April. veyed an account of the affair to the Amsterdam Chamber .*

Kieft pro-

Notwithstanding the warning from Fort Amsterdam, 6 May. Minuit persisted ; and the New Netherland government, tests therefore, sent him a formal protest, in which the title of Minuit. against the Dutch to the whole of the Delaware was distinctly asserted. "I make known," wrote Kieft, " to you, Peter Minuit, who call yourself commander in the service of Her Royal Majesty of Sweden, that the whole South River in New Netherland has been many years in our possession, and has been secured by us with forts above and below, and sealed with our blood,t which also happened during your own direction in New Netherland, and is, therefore, well known to you. But as you do now make a begin- ning of a settlement between our forts, and are building a fort there to our prejudice and disadvantage, which we shall never endure or tolerate, and as we also are per- suaded that it has never been commanded by Her Swedish Majesty to build fortresses on our rivers and coasts, or to settle people on the adjoining lands, or to trade in peltries, or to undertake any other thing to our prejudice ; now, therefore, we protest against all the evil consequences of such encroachments, and declare that, while we will not be answerable for any mishap, bloodshed, trouble, and dis- aster which you may hereafter suffer, we are resolved to defend our rights in all such ways as we shall deem proper."# Minuit, however, was not deterred by proclamations,

* Hol. Doc., viii., 50, 70 ; Hazard, Ann. Penn., 44, 47 ; Vertoogh van N. N., ut sup., 282.

t By this expression, Kieft meant the massacre of the Dutch at Swaanendael, during Minuit's time.

# Alb. Rec., ii., 7; Acrelius, 409 ; O'Call., i., 191 ; Hazard's Ann. Penn., 44.

284

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CHAP. IX. which "he did not feel inclined to answer." A trading-

1638. house and fort were soon erected on the north bank of the Minquas' Kill, about two miles from its confluence with Minuit per- sists in his design. the South River, near the spot where Wilmington now stands ; the name of the kill was changed to that of " Christina Creek ;" and the establishment was called The Swedes " Fort Christina," in honor of the young queen. To de- build "Fort fine its boundaries, posts were erected, on which were on the Min- carved the royal initials, surmounted by the crown of Swe- Christina" quas' Kill. den. " Perfectly acquainted with the Indian trade, Minuit soon drew "all the skins toward him, by his liberal gifts." Twenty-four men were placed in garrison at Fort Chris- tina, which was well supplied with merchandise and pro- visions ; and the vessels returned to Sweden, about mid- July. summer, with the first cargoes from the new colony .* Thus the Swedes under Minuit, more fortunate than the earlier Dutch colonists under the patroons of Swaanendael, became the first permanent European occupants of the State of Delaware.

October. Swedish in Holland by the West India Company. The new director's first dispatches scarcely reached Am- ship seized sterdam, before a heavily-laden Swedish vessel arriving at Medemblick, on her return voyage " from the West In- dies," was seized by the Chamber at Enckhuysen, for having illegally traded within the company's American territory. The Swedish minister at the Hague, learning the circumstances, immediately demanded her release from the States General. It was not the policy of Hol- land to offend a power whose victorious generals were Released ty the eral. humbling Denmark and Austria. The flag of Sweden States Gen- protected the Swedish ship in the ports of the Fatherland, as it had already commanded respect in New Netherland ;

* Hol. Doc., viii., 50, 51 ; Hazard, Ann. Penn., 45, 47 ; Holm, 85; Acrelius, 17, 307 ; Hudde's Report, 428 ; Ferris, 42, 45. Kieft, in writing to the Amsterdam Chamber, on the 31st of July, 1638 (Hol. Doc., viii., 50), says that Minuit, after building the fort on the South River, &c., "is van daer vertrocken, met zyn twee byhebbende scheepen," &c. The Dutch word "vertrocken" literally means " departed ;" and the phrase. seems to im- ply that Minuit went back to Sweden with his two ships. But Kieft, who wrote his dis- patch on hearsay, and not from personal observation, perhaps expressed himself inaccu- rately ; for Acrelius, who drew his narrative from reliable sources, distinctly states that Minuit, " during three years," protected Fort Christina, where he died [in 1641?] ; and that " his successor was Peter Hollændare, a native Swede."-ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., i., 410

285

WILLIAM KIEFT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

the arrest was promptly removed ; and the liberated ves- CHAP. IX sel sailed onward to the Baltic .*

In the mean time, several shareholders of the West In- dia Company had represented the unsatisfactory condition of their American province to the States General, who in- structed their deputies to the College of the XIX. to aid in concerting such "effective order" as should attract thither proper emigrants from the Fatherland, " so that this state may not be robbed of the aforesaid New Neth- erland by the indirect intrigues of any of the inhabitants of this country, nor by the intrusions and invasions of the subjects of foreign princes and powers." The report of the 30 April. deputies was a gloomy picture. The limits of New Neth- erland, according to the special grant in 1614, and the charter of the West India Company, were claimed by the directors as extending " from Virginia upward; to wit, from Ciçapoa, along the sea-coast, to Terra Nova." Of these territories, the Dutch were in possession of the North River ; the English reached to the Fresh River, and their right " is that. of the strongest." The company could re- tain the remaining territory, if it were populated. "From the North River men can go into the interior as far as they please ;" but colonization was retarded "because the directors can not agree among themselves." " Would it not then be expedient," asked the deputies, "to place the distriet of New Netherland at the disposal of the States General ?" " We have no such intention," replied the The com- company, " unless we can thereby gain some advantage ; we hope that it will prove-profitable in time, now that province. some order has been taken about Brazil. The chief ap- prehension is about the English ; and we are considering the policy of surrendering the Indian trade, or something else."t

Thus the directors, while obliged to confess their mis- management of the fertile province which had now been nearly fifteen years under their control, refused to surren- der it to the States General. It would have been happy

* Hol. Doc., ii., 229

t Hol. Doc., ii., 186-195 ; O'Call., i., 176.

1638. The States General in- quire into the condi- tion of New Nether- land. 26 April.

pany de- line to sur- render their

286

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CHAP. IX. for New Netherland if, instead of remaining the depend- 1638. ency of a mercantile corporation, it could now have be- come a government colony of the United Provinces. The . statesmanship of the Hague did not guide the Chamber Unsuccess- ful man- at Amsterdam. From the first the company had sought agement of to people its province with its own dependents. This was the West India Con pany.

the cardinal error ; for these persons, returning home, took nothing with them, " except a little in their purses, and a bad name for the country." The capital which would have been more wisely employed in bringing over people and importing cattle, was expended at Manhattan “in building the ship New Netherland at an excessive outlay, in erecting three expensive mills, in brick-making, tar- burning, ash-burning, salt-making, and like operations." The Charter of Privileges and exemptions, which offered such large inducements to patroons, discouraged individual enterprise. Private persons who might wish to emigrate " dared not attempt it." Though the company had at first sent over some emigrants, it had not persevered ; and while foreigners were quietly allowed to encroach upon the frontiers of New Netherland, the company had not encouraged the colonization of the Fresh and South Riv- ers by its own countrymen. Its mercantile directors looked more to their immediate interests, than to the wel- fare of the province which their bad government threat- ened with ruin .* -

Result of the investi- gation. The searching investigation which the government had instituted convinced the company, however, that effectual measures must now be adopted to regenerate New Neth- erland. After several months' consideration, a draft of New " Ar- new "Articles and 'Conditions" was accordingly presented, ticles" pro- posed by the compa- ny. by the historian John de Laet, for the approbation of the States General. But it did not meet the exigency. It 30 August. was prolix and theoretical, instead of precise and practical. It was a political constitution-which was not the desid- eratum-instead of a simple plan of emigration, which was really wanted. It promised no abrogation of the op-

* Vertoogh van N. N., in Hol. Doc., iv., 71 ; ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., 1i., 288, 289.

287

WILLIAM KIEFT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

pressive trading monopoly of the company, and proposed CHAP. IX. no effectual method of'colonization. It was at once dis- carded by the States General as " totally inadmissible." 1638.

There was another important question to be adjusted. The difficulties between the directors and the patroons had been partially arranged by the purchase of Swaanen- dael and Pavonia. But the patroons now attempted to enlarge their "privileges," and boldly presented to the The pa- States General a " new plan," in which they demanded mand new troons de- privileges. that they should be allowed to monopolize more territory ; have longer time to settle colonists ; bc invested with the largest feudal powers ; be made entirely independent of the control of the company with respect to the internal government of their colonies ; enjoy free-trade throughout and around New Netherland ; have a vote in the coun- cil of the director ; be supplied with convicts from Hol- land as servile laborers, and with negro slaves ; and, final- ly, that all " private persons" and poor emigrants should bc forbidden to purchase lands from the Indians, and should be required to settle themselves within the colo- nics, and under the jurisdiction of the great manorial lords. The Island of Manhattan, the precinct of Fort Orange, and Swaanendael and Pavonia, should alone remain un- der the company's exclusive authority.

The patroons' grasping demands of new " Privileges and Exemptions" were as offensive to the States General Action of as the diffuse clauses of the company's new " Articles and General. Conditions" were unsatisfactory. Both the proposed in- struments were immediately sent back to the Amsterdam Chamber, with directions to reconsider " the whole busi- ness of New Netherland ;" so that such measures might be taken by their High Mightinesses, respecting its colo- nization, " as should be found most advisable for the serv- ice of the state and for the benefit of the company."*

The authoritative injunction of the States General was promptly obeyed. The "Privileges" of the patroons were reserved for future consideration ; but it was now determ-

* Hol. Doc., il., 146, 206, 224. 225 ; O'Call., i., 192-200.

the Statce 2 Sept.

288

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1638. The West India Com- pany's proclama- tion of free trade.

CHAP. IX. ined that the experiment of opening to free competition the internal trade of New Netherland should be at once attempted. The Amsterdam Chamber accordingly pub- lished a notification, that all inhabitants of the United Provinces and of friendly countries might freely convey to New Netherland, "in the company's ships," any cattle and merchandise they desired, and might " receive what- ever returns they or their agents may be able to obtain in those quarters therefor.". All shipments were to be made by the company's officers ; a duty of ten per cent. was to be paid to the company on all merchandise sent from Hol- land, and a duty of fifteen per cent. on all goods exported from New Netherland ; and freight was also to be paid for the conveyance of goods and cattle. The Director and Council of New Netherland were to be instructed to ac- commodate every emigrant, "according to his condition and means, with as much land as he and his family can properly cultivate." A quit-rent of a tenth of all the prod-' uce was reserved to the company, which would assure le- gal estates of inheritance to the grantees. In subordina- tion to the States General, the company and it's officers were to maintain police and administer justice in New Netherland ; and each colonist or trader proceeding thith- er was to sign a pledge "voluntarily to submit to these regulations and to the commands of the company, and al- low all questions and differences there arising to be de- cided by the ordinary course of justice established in that country."*

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History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 29

Author: Brodhead, John Romeyn, 1814-1873. 4n Publication date: 1871 Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers Number of Pages: 844

Author: Brodhead, John Romeyn, 1814-1873. 4n
Publication date: 1871
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Number of Pages: 844