History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 47

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

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Van Har- denburg.

Doughty.

16 August. Kieft em- barks for Holland.

27 Sept. Shipwreck.

Elated with his full measure of personal revenge, Kieft embarked for 'Holland a few weeks afterward in the ship Princess, carrying with him specimens of the minerals of New Netherland, and " a fortune," which his enemies es- timated at four hundred thousand guilders. Domine Bo- gardus, and Van der Huygens, the late fiscal, were his fellow-passengers in the richly-laden ship, on board which Kuyter and Melyn were also brought " like criminals .?? But the "man of blood" never revisited the Fatherland. Within four years, De Vries's parting malediction was ter- ribly fulfilled. The Princess, navigated by mistake into the Bristol Channel, struck upon a rock, and was wrecked on the rugged coast of Wales. Seeing death at hand, Kieft's conscience smote him, and turning toward Kuyter and Melyn, he said, " Friends, I have been unjust toward you-can you forgive me ?" Toward morning, the ship went to pieces. Kieft, and "eighty other persons," includ-

* Vertoogh, in ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 309, 310 ; Breeden Raedt, 30 ; ante, p. 417.

473

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

ing Bogardus, Van der Huygens, and a son of Melyn, were CH. XIV. drowned. Of all on board, only twenty were saved. Kuy- ter, clinging to a part of the wreck on which stood a can- Lives lost. 1647. non, was thrown on shore " to the great astonishment of the English, who crowded the strand by thousands, and who set up' the piece of ordnance as a lasting memorial." Melyn, floating on his back, was driven on a sand-bank, Escape of from which he reached the main land in safety. As both Melyn. Kuyter and Melyn "were more concerned for their papers than for any thing elsc," they caused them to be dragged for ; and on the third day, Kuyter succeeded in recover- ing a small box of them, which he carricd to Holland. Kieft's retributive fate produced no sympathy in the prov- ince he had misgoverned ; and when intelligence of the sad calamity reached New England, it was considered to be " an observable hand of God against the Dutch at New Netherland," and a special mark of the Lord's "favor to his poor people herc, and displeasure toward such as have opposed and injured them."*

The grand principle of "taxation only by consent," which the Fatherland had maintained since 1477, was now to be recognized, to a limited extent, by the provin- cial government of New Netherland. According to his in- structions, the director was bound to " use dispatch in the repairs of Fort Amsterdam ;" and as the company's rev- enue was embarrassed, the colonists themselves werc to be " induced to aid in the work." Trouble, too, was appre- hended with the neighboring savage tribes, whose prom- ised presents remained in arrear. But the provincial treas- ury was "actually unprovided with money or goods," and Popular the people were unwilling to. be taxed without their own tion de- consent. In this exigency, Stuyvesant, distrusting " the 26 August. manded. wavering multitude, ready to censure him if war should break out,"t demanded the advice of his council.

Necessity produced concession, and prerogative yielded to popular rights. The council recommended that the

*_ Alb. Rec., iv., 1, 4, 11 ; Breeden Raedt, 30, 31 ; Doc. Hist. N. Y., įv., 111, 112; Van der Donck's N. N., p. 30, and in ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., i., 162; Winthrop, ii., 316 ; De Vries, 183 ; ante, p. 266, 371. t Alb. Rec., vii., 73 ; ante, p. 192, 437.

Kuyter and

representa-

474

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK ..

1647. Concession by Stuyve- sant.

CH. XIV. principle of representation should be conceded to the peo- ple. Stuyvesant assented ; and an election was ordered to be held, at which the inhabitants of Manhattan, Breuck- elen, Amersfoort, and Pavonia chose eighteen "of the most notable, reasonable, honest, and respectable" persons among themselves ; from whom, "as is customary in the Father- land," the director and council were to select NINE MEN, to advise and assist, when called upon, in promoting the welfare of the province at large.

In a few days, the powers and duties of the Nine Men were defined in a proclamation by the council. Stuyve- sant was reluctant to yield at all to the people ; the con- cessions to which he finally assented were jealously lim- ited and guarded. Yet the cause of popular rights gained largely. Under Kieft, the Twelve Men, and afterward the Eight Men, had possessed scarcely any influence, and had been treated with scarcely any respect. Under Stuyve- sant, the Nine Men were to form an important element in the provincial administration. The proclamation, which may, perhaps, be regarded as in some sort a charter of popular rights, while it declared that nothing was more desirable than that New Netherland, " and principally New Amsterdam, our capital and residence, might con- tinue and increase in good order, justice, police, popula- tion, prosperity, and mutual harmony, and be provided with strong fortifications, a church, a school, trading-place, harbor, and similar highly necessary public edifices and improvements," at the same time avowed the desire of the council to obtain the voluntary assistance of the whole commonalty, " as nothing is better adapted to promote their own welfare and comfort, and as such is required in every well-regulated government." As it was difficult. "to cover so many heads with a single cap, or to reduce so many opinions into one," it had therefore been proposed to the people to elect eighteen persons, nine of whom should be selected, to confer with the director and council " as their tribunes, on all means to promote the welfare of the commonalty, as well as that of the country." The, Nine

25 Sept.

The Nine Men.

475

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

Men who had been chosen from the double popular nom- CH. XIV. ination were, " as good and faithful interlocutors and trust- ces of the commonalty," to exert themselves " to promote 1647. Their du- the honor of God, and the welfare of our dear Fatherland, ties. to the best advantage of the company, and the prosperity of our good citizens ; to the preservation of the pure Re- forined religion, as it is here, and in the churches of the Netherlands, inculcated." They were not to "assist at any private conventicles or meetings," and they were to meet only when convened, "in a legitimate manner." After consulting together upon the propositions of the di- rector and council, they might then " bring forward their advice." The director, as one of the council, might at any time attend the meetings and act as president. Three of the Nine Men, in rotation, were to have seats at the council once in cach week, "on the usual court-day," to whom, as arbitrators, civil cases might be referred. By their award the parties were to be bound ; though an ap- peal might be made to the colonial council upon the pay- ment of one pound Flemish. "The number of nine chosen men shall continue until lawfully repealed, provided that Term of of- annually six leave their seats, and from the most notable fice. citizens again twelve be nominated, who, with the nine assembled, shall be communicated to Us, without Our be- ing required to call in future the whole commonalty to- gether. This meeting shall take place, after next New Year's day, on the last of December annually."

Thus jealously did Stuyvesant hedge the meagre priv- ileges he was forced to concede to the people. In the first clection alone ,was the voice of the " wavering multitude" to be expressed ; the Nine Men were to nominate their own successors. The popular tribunes selected by the director, and who were immediately sworn "to conduct Oath of of. themselves reasonably, and be faithful to their instruc- fice. tions," were Augustine Heermans, Arnoldus van Harden- burg, and Govert Loockermans, from among the mer- chants ; Jan Jansen Dam, Jacob Wolfertsen van Couwen- hoven, and Hendrick Hendricksen Kip, from the citizens ;

476

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CH. XIV. and Michael Jansen, Jan Evertsen Bout, and Thomas Hall, from the farmers .*

1647. Stuyve- sant's first communi- cation to the Nine Men.

15 Nov.

The Nine Men were soon summoned to deliberate. The fort was dilapidated ; the houses in New Amsterdam were chiefly built of wood, and thatched with straw; and no school had been kept for three months, owing to the want of a proper school-house. Confined to his room by an epidem- ical influenza, which raged " through the country, among Indians and English, French and Dutch," Stuyvesant was obliged to communicate his views to the meeting in writ- ing. For their own security, the people should repair the fort. The company, however, would defray a part of the expenses of education, and would continue their assistance " to promote the glorious work ;" while temporary accom- modation for a school and schoolmaster would be provided in one of the government houses. The church which Kieft had commenced in 1642, should be promptly completed ; and proper municipal regulations should be adopted for the prevention of fires. "

Action of the Nine Men.

Most of these propositions were approved by the Nine Men, and arrangements were made for finishing the church and reorganizing the public school. For these pur- poses the commonalty were willing to tax themselves. But the suggestion respecting contributions for the repair of Fort Amsterdam was promptly rejected. The company had distinctly bound itself by the charter of 1629, ".to finish the fort on the island of the Manhattes, and put it in a posture of defense without delay." As the common- alty was obliged to pay customs duties, excises, and tolls at the company's mill, the expenses of maintaining the

* Alb. Rec., vii., 72-84 ; O'Call., ii., 36-39. Heermans, a Bohemian by birth, came out under the patronage of the Chamber at Enckhuysen, as agent of the mercantile house of Gabry of Amsterdam ; Van Hardenburg emigrated to New Netherland in 1644, and was fined by Kieft., in 1646, for attempting to appeal from one of his decisions ; Loockermans, who was a brother-in-law of Oloff Stevensen van Cortlandt, and Jacob van Couwenhoven, came out with Van Twiller in 1633 ; Dam was one of the " Twelve Men" who instigated Kieft to attack the savages; Van Couwenhoven came out with his brother-in-law Loock- ermans in 1633 ; Kip was a tailor, and in 1643 had advised the deposition of Kieft, and afterward opposed his treaty of 1645 ; Michael Jansen emigrated to Rensselaerswyck in 1636, whence he removed to Manhattan ; Jan Evertsen Bout was Pauw's superintendent at Pavonia in 1634, and one of the Eight Men in 1643 ; Thomas Hall, the only Englishman in the board, was also one of the board of Eight Men. Ante, p. 317, 365, 453, 454.

477 .

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

fortifications should be paid out of the company's revenue CH. XIV. from these sources .*

1647.

While the director was thus engaged, his attention was called to a new effort to dismember the company's Amer- iean territory. Lord Stirling dying the year after the un- successful attempt of Farrett, his agent, to take possession of the western portion of Long Island, his widow determ- ined to maintain her title, and accordingly gave a power of attorney to Andrew Forrester, a Seotehman, with which she sent him to America. On his arrival at Vlissingen, September. Forrester boldly announced himself to the English settlers there and at. Heemstede as Governor of Long Island, un- der the Dowager Countess of Stirling. The Sehout of Vlissingen sent intelligence of these proceedings to Stuy- vesant ; and, the day after, Forrester himself visited Man- hattan. He had come, he said, to see the Duteh director's commission ; if that were better than his, he would give way ; if not, Stuyvesant must yield to him. The direct- Arrest of or, surprised at Forrester's "very consequential" airs, or- ling's Lady Stir- agent.

dered him to be arrested and examined before the council, 27 Sept. where he stated that he was a native of Dundee, and pro- 28 Sept. dueed a parchment with a mutilated seal, and Lady Stir- ling's power of attorney. But Stuyvesant promptly rejeet- ed the insufficient claims of "this pretended governor." Copies of his papers were taken, and the agent himself was Forrester sent on board the Faleoner, to be conveyed to Holland, land. where he might defend himself if he could. But the ship put into an English port, and Forrester escaping, " never troubled the captain afterward."

sent to Hol-

By the same vessel was sent Picquet, a Frenchman, who Case of had been sentenced to banishment from New Netherland, 4 October. Picquet. and eighteen years' confinement in the "rasp-house" at Amsterdam, for threatening to shoot the director and fis- cal. The convict escaped ashore in England ; but the 1648. Amsterdam Chamber hastened to admonish Stuyvesant 7 April. that he had exceeded his authority in sentencing a pris- oner to punishment in Holland. The magistrates of the

* Alb. Rec., vii., 106-116 ; Winthrop, ii., 310; O'Call., ii., 41, 42 ; ante, p. 196.

, 478

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CH. XIV. Fatherland would hardly "deem themselves justifiable" in 1647. executing a provincial sentence. "We would advise you," added the directors, "to punish, after due inquiry, all de- linquents in the country in which they are condemned."*

Corre- spondence with New England. Soon after his inauguration, Stuyvesant addressed court- eous letters to the governors of the neighboring colonies, announcing his arrival, and expressing his feelings of am- 25 June. ity. In writing to Winthrop, he distinctly asserted "the indubiate right" of the Dutch to all the territory between the Connecticut and the Delaware; and suggested an in- terview for the purpose of arranging all differences. This letter Winthrop immediately communicated to the com- missioners then sitting at Boston. Some of the members advised that Stuyvesant's proposition should be accepted, and a "visit at his own home," or a meeting at any of the New England towns, be tendered. But the Connecticut commissioners "thought otherwise, supposing it would be more to their advantage to stand upon terms of distance." 17 August. Winthrop, therefore, merely replied that a meeting would be given " in proper time and place." The commission- ers on their part also joined in a letter, remonstrating against the " dangerous liberty" the Dutch traders were in the habit of taking, in selling guns and ammunition not only at Fort Orange, but along the coasts of Long Island Sound ; complaining of the high recognitions imposed in New Netherland upon imports and exports, and request- ing to be informed of their precise nature, so that the New England merchants "might steer a course accordingly."t Customs' duties in erland., · The colonial duties which the West India Company ex- New Neth- acted were injuriously high, and in Stuyvesant himself they had a faithful agent in executing their system of ex- clusion and selfishness. An opportunity soon occurred to 17 Sept. Dutch ship illegally trading at New Ha- ven. test the zeal of the new director. Secretary Van Tienho- ven, accidentally visiting New Haven, found lying at an- cher àn Amsterdam ship, the Saint Beninio, which had been trading there for a month without the license of the

* Alb. Rec., iv., 2-5; vii., 85-88, 95; Vertoogh, in ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 275, 322; O'Call., ii., 46, 47; ante, p. 298, 299.

t MS. Letters, Alb., i., 1-4; Winthrop, ii., 314 ; Hazard, ii., 97, 98. .

479

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

West India Company. Meeting the Secretary of New CH. XIV. Netherland, Westerhouse and Goedenhuysen, two of the owners of the eargo, applied for permission to trade at Man- 1647. hattan, upon the payment of the usual duties. Van Tien- hoven, on his return, reported the circumstances to Stuy- vesant, and the desired permit was sent to New Haven. A few days afterward, Goedenhuysen, arriving at Man- hattan, informed Stuyvesant that the ship was about to sail from New Haven directly to Virginia ; but he neither produced his manifest, nor offered to pay any duties. The case, which from the first had been an infringement of the charter of the West India Company, now assumed the aspect of an open violation of the colonial revenue laws ; and Stuyvesant determined to seize the ship as she lay at anchor in New Haven harbor, which he considered to be within the jurisdiction of New Netherland. A short time before he had sold one of the company's vessels to some merchants of New Haven, and agreed to deliver it to them at that place. On board this vessel he embarked a com- Seized by pany of soldiers, with instructions to capture the Saint sant, and Stuyve- Beninio. The stratagem was successful. The smuggler Manhattan. brought to was seized in New Haven harbor, "on the Lord's day," 11 October. and with a fair wind was soon brought to Manhattan, and confiscated .*

This bold movement, which was executed so adroitly Excite- that the New Haven people had no time to interfere, nat- New Ha- ment at urally produced a great excitement there. Stuyvesant ven. had accompanied his proceeding with a letter to the New Haven authorities, in which he claimed all the regions from Cape Hinlopen to Cape Cod as a part of the territory of New Netherland, and asserted his right to levy duties upon all Dutch vessels trading at New Haven. Eaton immediately protested against the Dutch director as a dis- 18 October turber of the peace, by " making unjust elaims to our lands and plantations, to our havens and rivers, and by taking a ship out of our harbor without our license." An- other cause of embarrassment had meanwhile occurred.

* Alb. Rec., iij., 315 ; vii., 70-79, 95-102 ; Winthrop, ii., 314; IIazard, ii., 101-103.

480

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1647. Retaliatory measures.

Advice of Massachu- setts.

15 Nov.

25 Nov. Eaton's let- ter to vesant.

CH. XIV. Three of the West India Company's servants had fled from Manhattan to New Haven, where, " being pursued," they were apprehended and imprisoned. The provision in the Articles of Union between the New England colonies of 1643, for the mutual delivery of fugitives from justice or servitude, had been virtually extended to New Nether- land ;* and Eaton had agreed to surrender the prisoners. But as Stuyvesant now so boldly asserted a claim of ju- risdiction over New Haven, the delivery of the fugitives might be interpreted. " as done in a way of subordination," and it was therefore. " not thought fit to send them." This decision was communicated to the Massachusetts govern- ment, and their advice requested. The General Court wrote at once to the New Haven authorities, that they "might deliver the fugitives without prejudice to their right or reputation." Eaton, however, rejecting the ad- vice of Massachusetts, detained the runaways, and took them into the public service. The Commissary of Fort Amsterdam arrived soon afterward at New Haven, with a letter from Stuyvesant, justifying his seizure of the ship, and entreating that the fugitives might be delivered to him. But Eaton declined, and sent back a sharp reply. " You have imposed an excessive high custom for all goods sold within your jurisdiction, with seizures for omissions or misentries; our vessels must anchor under your erect- ed hand, a place very inconvenient ; and, as if you meant to shut up the passage by the Manhattans, or by insuffer- able burthens to weary the English out of trade, you be- gin to take recognitions upon goods traded elsewhere, and in their return passing only by the Manhattans." The post on the Paugussett had been threatened by the Dutch, and slanders against the English had been circulated among the savages. "I doubt not but we may retaliate," added Eaton, who, referring to the " sending Captain For- rester to Holland," suggested, in closing his letter, that the English colonies might hereafter have occasion "to write after the same copy."

* Hol. Doc., v., 360 ; ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 335.

481

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

Indignant at Eaton's "unjust charges," Stuyvesant de- CH. XIV. clined replying to his lecturing letter, but sent a full vin- dication of his own conduct and administration to Good- 1647. 16 Dec. Stuyve- sant's vin- dication. year, the deputy governor of New Haven. Eaton's letter was " but as an aggravating of former passages to the worst sense," said the irritated director ; " ripping up, as he con- ceives, all my faults, as if I were a school-boy, and not one of like degree with himself." With regard to the recog- nitions cxacted at Manhattan, "every state hath power to make what laws and impose what customs in its own pre- cinets it shall think convenient, without being regulated or prescribed by others; yet, notwithstanding we have been so favorable to your countrymen trading here that they pay eight per cent. less than our own." As Eaton was " so full of his retaliation, he must, according to his own words and practice, give us leave to give liberty to any that shall elope from your jurisdiction to remain un- der our protection until our fugitives arc delivered."*

The threatened measure was promptly executed. A 5 Dec. proclamation was issued, reciting the provocations which ant's re Stuyve- taliatory

the director had received from Eaton, and declaring that proceed- " if any person, noble or ignoble, freeman or slave, debtor ings. or creditor, yea, to the lowest prisoner included, run away from the colony of New Haven, or seck refuge in our lim- its, he shall remain frec, under our protection, on taking the oath of allegiance."t

This unwise step placed Stuyvesant in a false position, both at home and abroad. The New Netherland colonists objeeted to it as tending to convert the province into a ref- uge for vagabonds from the neighboring English settle- ments, who would not be a desirable addition to their pop- ulation. This view, however, did not impress the director as strongly as the apprehension that his proclamation might " cmbitter" the other English colonics against the Dutch. He therefore wrote to the governors of Massachu- setts and Virginia, " blaming the practice in general, but excusing it in this particular casc" as a measure of neces-

* Stuyvesant Letters, Alb., i., 4-9.

t Alb. Rec., iv., 18 ; vii., 111, 112.

H H

182

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1648. March.

CH. XIV. sity, and which had reference to New Haven alone. The following spring, finding that his unwise policy produced no good result, "he wrote privately to the fugitives," offer- ing them pardon and satisfaction if they would return to New Amsterdam. Stuyvesant's offer, backed by letters from Domine Backerus, was gladly embraced, and the run- aways "made an escape and returned home." Eaton be- ing thus signally foiled, the obnoxious proclamation was revoked .*

1647. Almost as soon as Stuyvesant landed at Manhattan, he was informed of the injurious behavior of Printz, and a South Riv- er. courier was promptly dispatched to the South River with 17 August. a protest against the Swedish governor. Soon afterward, 28 Sept. Hudde re- appointed commissa- ry. 1648. 3 April. Insults of the Swedes. the director and council " having considered the abilities of Andries Hudde," confirmed him in office as commissary at Fort Nassau. In the beginning of the next year, a Swedish bark, going up the river, passed the Dutch post without stopping or displaying her colors, was fired at, and, on returning, her master was required to explain his conduct. But the schipper only boasted that he acted so to insult the Dutch commander, and would "certainly do 4 April. so in future." Some of the Passayunk sachems now came to Fort Nassau with intelligence that the Swedes had col- lected a great quantity of logs for a new fort on the Schuyl- kill, where they had already constructed some buildings. By this means they hoped to cut off the Dutch from all access to " the large woods," and secure to themselves a trade with the Minquas, which would yield some thirty or The sav- ages invite the Dutch to build on forty thousand beaver skins annually. " Why do you not build on the Schuylkill yourselves ?" demanded the sa- the Schuyl- chems ; and Hudde, feeling that without the trade with kill. the inland Minquas, the possession of the South River " would deserve very little consideration," determined to follow the suggestion of the friendly savages.

27 April.

Preparations were immediately made to build, and Hudde went to the Schuylkill " with the most necessary

* Winthrop, ii., 315 ; Hol. Doc., v., 18, 43 ; O'Call., ii., 48-57 ; Vertoogh, in ii., N. Y. H. S. Coll., ii., 312, 335.

483

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

timber." The sachems themselves warned the intruding CH. XIV. Swedes to depart, and told them that they had already ceded the spot to the Dutch, who, moreover, "should build 1648. there." Two of the principal chiefs then "planted there, with their own hands, the colors of the Prince of Orange," and asked Hudde to fire a gun three times "as a mark that he had taken possession." This was done ; and the first house in the new Duteh Fort " Beversrede" was raised Fort Be- versredo. in the presence of the sachems .*

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History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 47

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