History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 53

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

USA > New York > History of the state of New York Vol I > Part 53

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

* Megapolensis to Classis, 5 Aug., 1657; Doc. Hist. N. Y., iii., 107 ; O'Call., ii., 357, 394, 588 ; ante, p. 76, 306 In 1672, Chambers became proprietor of the manor of Foxhall.

537

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

ies were threatened by the savages, did not thrive. Two CH. XVI other large traets, the one adjoining the company's lands at Gowanns, and the other at " Nyaek," within the pres- 1652. ent town of New Utrecht, were also purchased by Cornelis New van Werckhoven, an influential member of the provincial Utrecht. government of Utrecht. Van Werekhoven had previously 1651. notified the Amsterdam Chamber of his intention to plant 7 Nov. two colonies in New Netherland ; and Augustine Heer- mans had purchased for him the lands now known as the 6 Dec. Van

" Raritan Great Meadows," and the territory along the Werckho- ven's pur- Staten Island Kills, from " Ompoge," now Amboy, to the chases in New Jer- "Pecheiesse" Creek. A tract on the south side of the Rar-sey. itan, opposite Staten Island, called " Kehackanick Wako- naback," was also bought. Van de Capellen, however, objeeting to these acquisitions, the question was brought before the Amsterdam Chamber. Upon their decision, Van 1652. Werckhoven abandoned his purchases in New Jersey, and 13 Dcc. began' a settlement on his Long Island lands; but his death, which happened in 1655, retarded the prosperity of New Utrecht .*

After nearly two years' absence in New Netherland, Ecclesias- Domine Grasmeer had meanwhile returned to Holland, 12 Feb. Domine with warm testimonials from the people at Rensselaers- Grasmeer. wyek and Manhattan, and had besought the Classis to rec- ommend him to the West India Company for appointment as second minister at New Amsterdam. The Classis, how- ever, declined his request; and the directors requested the appointment of Domine Samuel Drisius, of Leyden, who, Domine having lived in England, could preach in Dutch, French, 26 Feb. Drisius and English, and who, upon his examination, gave full satisfaction. The company soon completed its arrange- 18 March. ments with Drisius to become the colleague of Megapo- lensis, at a salary of fourteen hundred and fifty guilders ; and with the spring fleet, the Domine sailed for New Am- 4 April. sterdam. At the same time, the directors agreed that the publie school should be established in the "city tav- Public school.

* Alb. Rec., iv., 88, 97 ; vii., 318-320 ; viii., 20, 55, 151, 161, 191 ; Hol. Doc., vi., 221 ; New Amst. Rec. ; Flatbush Rec. ; Thompson's L. I., ii., 137, 200; O'Call., ii., 185-187, 194; Whitehead's East Jersey, 19, 20 ; Doc. Ifist. N. Y., i., 633 ; ante, p. 333, 410.

tical affairs.

538

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CH. XVI. ern," if practicable ; and La Montagne was, for the pres- ent, appointed schoolmaster .*

1652.

6 May. Domine Schaats.

8 May. Called to Rensse- laerswyck.

It was more difficult to procure a proper clergyman for Rensselaerswyck. At last, Gideon Schaats, a schoolmas- ter at Beest, and a candidate in theology, signified his will- ingness to go to America ; and his examination being found satisfactory, he was ordained, in full Classis, by the im- position of hands. Two days afterward; the patroon and co-directors of Rensselaerswyck signed an agreement with the Domine, pledging themselves to pay him an annual salary of eight hundred guilders for three years. Besides his regular services as clergyman of the colony, he was "to use all Christian zeal there to bring up both the heathens and their children in the Christian religion; to teach, also, the Catechism there, and instruct the people in the Holy Scriptures, and to pay attention to the office of schoolmas- ter for old and young." Under this agreement, Domine Schaats soon afterward sailed for New Netherland .;

4 April. Views of the Am- sterdam Chamber respecting Fort Casi- mir.

The news of the demolition of Fort Nassau and the erection of Fort Casimir reaching Amsterdam, the directors wrote to Stuyvesant. "Your journey to the South River, and what has passed there between you and the Swedes, was very unexpected to us, as you did not give us before so much as a hint of your intention." "We can not give an opinion upon it, until we have heard the complaints of the Swedish governor to his queen, and have ascertained how these have been received at her court. We hope that our arguments to prove that we were the first possessors of that country will be acknowledged as sufficient." " Time will instruct us of the design of the new-built Fort Casimir. We are at a loss to conjecture for what reason it has received this name. You ought to be on your guard that it be well secured, so that it can not be surprised."

* Cor. Cl. Amst. ; Alb. Rec., iv., 68, 75.

t Cor. Cl. Amst. ; Renss. MSS .; O'Call., ii., 567. In 1657, Domine Schaats became minister of Beverwyck and Fort Orange, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1694. I have in my possession an old spoon, given, according to custom, to one of the pall-bearers at his funeral, bearing a Dutch inscription to this effect : "Gideon Schaats, preacher at Albany, died the 27th of February, 1694, being eighty-six years old, in the forty-second of his service," See also post, p. 624, 625 .-

539

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

The expenses of the last year's expedition to the South CH. XVI. River now pressed so severely on the provincial exchequer that the director and council were obliged to postpone the 1652. 4 August. payment of one half of the "just demands" against them .*

In the mean time, Van der Donek had not ecased to urge on the attention of the States General the complaints of the commonalty of New Netherland. Stuyvesant's Hart- 10 Feb. ford treaty, too, was severely eensured in a long " Dedue- tion," prepared by the indefatigable agent. Too much had been surrendered. The Fresh River should have formed 16 Feb. Van der the eastern boundary of New Netherland, and the whole Donck in of Long Island should have been retained. The Dutch censures Holland trade was seriously injured ; for by the treaty New En- ford treaty. the Hart- gland had obtained the control of the chief manufactories of wampum-the lawful currency of the provinec-and New Netherland must henceforth "cat oats from English hands."

The States General now required again the opinions of 16 Feb. the several Chambers of the West India Company upon the proposed " Provisional Order." To gain more influ- ence at the Hague, the Amsterdam directors, in the mean time, had addressed a memorial to the burgomasters of 13 Feb. that eity, detailing their views respecting the " disorders" in New Netherland. The municipal authorities, siding with the Chamber, instructed their deputies at the Hague 15 Feb. to support the directors, and defend their privileges against infringement.

Emboldened by the support of the burgomasters of their 23 Feb. city, the Amsterdam directors replied to the States Gen- opposition Continued eral. They had already given an opinion adverse to the visional Provisional Order ; they were surprised that that plan Order. should now be revived ; and they had hoped that their High Mightinesses would have disregarded the groundless complaints of " the pretended and disaffected delegates of a few evil-disposed persons in New Netherland." The 1 March. Zealand Chamber at Middelburgh was opposed to the mo- nopoly which the Amsterdam Chamber enjoyed. If the

to the Pro-

* Alb. Rec., iv., 73; vi., 8; S. Hazard's Ann. Penn., 133, 134.

540

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

2 March.

CH. XVI. existing arrangement should be changed, it would assist 1652. in introducing reforms into New Netherland ; but at pres- ent it did not feel disposed to interfere. The Chamber at Dordrecht, which had already approved the Provisional Or- der, also thought that the trade to New Netherland should be shared by the several Chambers of the company ; should be open to private enterprise ; and that fifty thousand guilders should be advanced to promote emigration. In any settlement of boundaries, Long Island, "lying right in front of the coast," should continue a part of New Neth- erland. The Groningen Chamber, and the Chamber at Delft, expressed similar opinions .* The "Provisional Or- der" was popular every where but at Amsterdam.

6 March. 8 March.

It was now evident to the directors of the " Presiding Chamber" that they must make concessions, or else lose all control over New Netherland. The "commonalty at Manhattan" was therefore informed that, to show their 4 April. Conces- colonists. " good intentions," the Amsterdam directors had determ- sions to the ined to take the export duty off tobacco ; to reduce the price of passage to the province; and to allow the colo- nists to procure negroes from Africa. At the same time, 4 April. Burgher govern- ment to be stablish at Manhat- tan. they communicated to Stuyvesant their assent to the es- tablishment of a "burgher government" in Manhattan ; which the Nine Men had demanded on behalf of the com- monalty in 1649, and which the Provisional Order of 1650 had contemplated. The citizens were to be allowed to Burgomas- elect a schout, two burgomasters, and five schepens, " as ters and schepens. much as possible according to the custom of" the metrop- olis of the Fatherland. These officers were to form a mu- nicipal court of justice, subject to the right of appeal to the Supreme Court of the province. In the election of these magistrates, " every attention must be paid," added the directors, " to honest and respectable individuals, who, we hope, can be found among the burghers ; and especial- ly do we wish that those promoted thereto be, as much as possible, persons of this nation, who, we suppose, will give the most satisfaction to the burghers and inhabitants."

* Hol. Doc., vi., 1-86, 88-112 ; Alb. Rec., viii., 8-13.

541

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

The instructions for the schout or sheriff declared that CH. XVI. he should, "as the director-general and couneil's guardian of the law in the district of the city of New Amsterdam, Instruc- preserve, proteet, and maintain, to the best of his knowl- edge and ability, the pre-eminences and immunities of the privileged West India Company, in as far as these have been delegated by previous instruction to the board of Burgomasters and Sehepens." He was to convoke and pre- side at the meetings of the city government. He was to prosecute all offenders against the laws of the city ; and take care that all judgments of the burgomasters and sehepens, not appealed from, be executed "according to the style and custom of the Fatherland, and especially the city of Amsterdam." He was also to communicate, onee ev- ery year, to the director general and council, all the pro- ceedings of the city fathers ; and to refer all cases within his knowledge, but not subject to his jurisdiction, to the schout-fiscal of the province .*

Manhattan had now won the concession, to a great ex- tent, of the burgher government, for which her people had so long prayed. But there were other grievances in the province at large which required redress ; and the States General ordered Stuyvesant to come immediately to Hol- 27 April. land, and render an account of his administration, as well General re- The States as of his negotiations with the United Colonies of New En- vesant. call Stuy- gland. Van der Donck being about to return home, with a special privilege of making a testamentary disposition of his estate at Colendonck, the mandate of their High Might- inesses was intrusted to him; and Stuyvesant was at the same time commanded to offer no molestation to Van Schelluyne in the practice of his profession as notary.t

The recall of their director amazed the Amsterdam 27 April. Chamber, who wrote at once to Stuyvesant that this sudden the Amster- Action of step of the States General was a violation of their eharter, ber. dam Cham- and that he should not " be in too much haste to commence his voyage, but delay it until the receipt of further orders."

* Alb. Rec., iv., 68-75 ; viii., 16-19, 29-14, 139-142; Doc. Hist. N. Y., i., 599-602; O'Call., ii., 187-192 ; Bancroft, ii., 305. t Hol. Doc., vi., 117-128 ; ante, p. 421.

1652. tions for the city schout Amster- dam.

542

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

16 May. Stuyve- sant's re- call re- voked.

CH. XVI. Their secretary was also sent to the Hague to procure the 1652. revocation of the order ; and the deputies from Amster- dam and several other members of the provincial states protested that the subject " ought to have been first pro- posed to the states of Holland.". The States General, now on the eve of open hostilities with England, yielding to the force of circumstances, revoked their recall, and ordered Van der Donck to deliver up their letter. The general government had shown itself fully disposed to listen to the complaints of the people of New Netherland ; and, had not the presence of an experienced soldier been necessa- ry to protect their American province, Stuyvesant would scarcely have escaped his threatened humiliation. The Amsterdam Chamber gratefully thanked the States Gen- eral for their concession, and offered to give such full ex- planations as would render unnecessary the return of their director to Holland .*

27 May.

1650. 16 Nov.

The premature death of William II., prince of Orange, had left vacant the office of stadtholder, and the dignity remained in abeyance during the minority of William III .- This event, weakening the ascendency of the Orange par- ty in the Netherlands, led to the recognition of the En- 1651. glish commonwealth by the Dutch Republic ; and Saint 28 January. John and Strickland were dispatched to the Hague, to ne- gotiate a league of amity and confederation between the two nations. Some of the visionary enthusiasts in Par- Proposed union be- tween En- gland and he Neth lands, liament even entertained designs of making the " two sov- ereign states one," to be governed by a council sitting at London, composed of Dutchmen and Englishmen. To ef- fect this object, the embassy was instructed to use the most adroit diplomacy. The ambassadors, however, de- manding, as a preliminary, that the English fugitives should be expelled from Holland, the Dutch government determined not to interfere in any way between Cromwell and the Royalist party ; and the English negotiators were openly insulted by the populace, whose attachment to the house of Orange would not tolerate the presence of the * Hol. Doc., vi., 130-140, 153, 156 ; Alb. Rec., iv., 63-68 ; viii., 45-49 ; O'Call., ii., 194.

543

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

" executioners" of the unhappy grandfather of William CH. XVI. III .*

1651.

2 July. English jealousy of the Dutch.

On his return to England, Saint John gratified his rc- venge by devising a measure whereby he hoped the com- mercial ascendency of the Dutch might be destroyed. Grotius, one of the most glorious of the sons of Holland, had been the first to proclaim the doctrine that " frce ships make free goods," and had boldly appealed to the judg- ment of the world against the maritime restrictions " which humanity denounced as contrary to the principles of social intercourse ; which justice derided as infringing the clear- est natural rights ; which enterprise rejected as a mon- strous usurpation of the ocean and the winds." The coun- try of Grotius, though her colonial policy was apparently paradoxical, had herself become great by practicing the doctrines which Grotius had so cloquently announced. The commerce of Holland covered every sea over which the navy of Holland rode in triumph. In Asia, in Africa, in America, the tricolor of the United Provinces floated over the Dutch colonial outposts. England saw and felt her inferiority ; already her ships began to lie idle at her quays, and her mariners to seek employment in the ves- sels of the Dutch. The celebrated "Act of Navigation" was, therefore, carried through Parliament ; and the scr- 9 October geant-at-arins was ordered to proclaim it at the old Lon- "Act of English don Exchange, " with sound of trumpet and beat of drum." tion." Naviga. This act decreed that no productions of Asia, Africa, or America should be brought to England, except in English vessels manned by English crews ; and that no produc- tions of Europe should be brought to England, unless in English vessels, or in those of the country in which the im- ported cargoes were produced. This step was accompa- nied by the issue of letters of reprisal to such persons as considered themselves aggrieved by the Dutch.t

The States General dispatched ambassadors to London 20 Dec.

* Aitzema, iii., 638-663 ; Thurloe's State Papers, i., 174, 179, 182, 183, 187-195 ; Verbael van Beverning, 61, 62 : ante, p. 499.

+ Commons' Journal, vii., 27 ; Anderson, ii., 415, 416 ; Lingard, xi., 127, 128 ; Bancroft, i., 215, 216 ; Davies, ii., 707-710.

544

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1651 Protest of the Dutch.

21 Feb. Treaty pro- posed

CR. XVI. to protest against these hostile measures, and at the same time gave orders for the equipment of a fleet of one hund- red and fifty ships of war. The ambassadors were also instructed to propose a treaty, which, among other things, should provide for a free trade to the West Indies and Vir- ginia, and for the settlement of the boundaries between the Dutch and English colonies in America. Schaep, one of the ambassadors, who had been sent to London the year before as the special agent of the province of Holland, had been then empowered to propose the arrangement of a boundary between New Netherland and New England. 1652. The proposition was now made by the ambassadors in form; and the eleventh and. twelfth articles in the draft of the treaty which they submitted to the English Coun- cil of State, provided that Dutch and English subjects, not- withstanding any recent prohibitions, might freely sail and trade to the Carribee Islands and to Virginia as they had before done; and that "to maintain good friendship, peace, and neighborhood between both of the aforesaid nations on the continent of North America, a just, certain, and immovable boundary line there shall be settled and de- termined as soon as possible."*

25 March. Failure of negotia- tions.

Neither of these propositions was acceptable to the Coun- cil of State. They replied that the English had always been forbidden to trade with any of the Dutch colonies, and that they should now acquiesce in that policy ; and, on the other hand, as the Dutch were excluded from trad- ing to any of the English plantations by the recent Navi- gation Act, from that measure the council did not "deem it fitting to recede." In regard to the colonial boundary question, the English had been the " first planters" of North America, from Virginia to Newfoundland ; and not knowing any plantations of the Dutch there, " save a small number up in Hudson's River," they did not think it nec essary "at present to settle the limits, which may be done hereafter in a convenient time." In the correspondence that followed, the English defended their restrictive colo-

5 May

* Alb. Rec., iv., 35 ; Hol. Doc., v., 419; vi., 184 ; Aitzema, iii., 694-699.

545

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

nial policy on the ground of retaliation; but suggested CH. XVI. that, if the Dutch would propose to establish a mutual freedom of trade, their proposition would be respectfully 1652. considered. Unfortunately, the States General were not now in a position to incorporate a principle so congenial to the national sentiment' of the United Provinces into the policy of the world. They had unwisely hampered them- selves with two enormous commercial monopolies, to which they had intrusted the government of their colonies ; and the influence of these two companies was fatal to any prop- osition for the emancipation of colonial commerce. The Dutch ambassadors were not instructed to offer to the En- glish a reciprocal free trade to New Netherland, for New Netherland was in the hands of the West India Company. It was not surprising, therefore, that the negotiations at London were fruitless. The ambassadors soon received 13 May. instructions from Holland to defer the consideration of a boundary line in America until a more fitting time .* The States General had not yet ratified Stuyvesant's treaty at Hartford ; and they did not, in fact, ratify it until several years afterward.t

, A naval war, which had been brewing so long, at last Naval war broke out between England and the United Provinees. the Dutch between Holland ships were arrested, without warning, in English glish. and En- ports, and their crews impressed. The Dutch fleet had been intrusted to the command of Martin Harpertsen Tromp,# with instructions from the Admiralty to protect Dutch vessels from visitation or search by foreign cruisers ; and not to strike his flag to English ships of war. In a few days Tromp encountered the British fleet, under Blake, 29 May. in the Straits of Dover, and a bloody but indecisive battle followed. All hopes of peace were now at an end. Par- liament was resolved on war, and the Dutch ambassadors soon afterward left England. A series of brilliant naval 17 July.

* Aitzema, ili., 701-710 ; Hol. Doc., vi., 136, 139.

+ Hol. Doc., viii., 124; i., N. Y. II. S. Coll., i., p. 301 ; ante, p. 520 ; post, p. 621.

# It is strange that so many English and American writers insist upon prefixing a su- perfluous " Van" to Tromp's name. Bancroft and Davies are among the few who avoid the vulgar error. The name of the Dutch admiral was no more Van Tromp than that of the English admiral was Van Blake.

M M

546

HISTORY OF.THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1652. 10 Dec.

CH. XVI. engagements followed, in which Tromp and De Ruyter, and Blake and Ayscue, all gained immortal laurels. The first year of hostilities closed with a victory which forced Blake to take refuge in the Thames; and Tromp placed a broom at his mast-head, in token that he had swept the channel free of all English ships .*

tions of the

eral. 17 July.

Precau- The States General did not neglect the precautions States Gen- Which a state of war demanded. The Admiralty was di- rected to send a swift-sailing frigate to New Netherland and the West Indies, with instructions to the provincial 22 July. governors. Stuyvesant was also instructed to keep a care- ful watch, in the present condition of affairs with England, and to employ no person in the public service of whose loyalty and devotion to the Fatherland he was not assured. The views of the West India Company were also desired respecting the best mode of protecting their American pos- 30 July. sessions. The company recommended that five or six frig- ates should be sent to New Netherland, to harass British commerce on the coast and in the West Indies ; but that, as the English colonists on the continent were very strong, it would be impolitic to attempt any thing against them.t

6 August. Letter of the Am- sterdam Stuyve- sant.

The directors, at the same time, wrote to Stuyvesant, " Although we do not doubt but that you have agreed Chamber to with those of New England about limits, in conformity with our intentions, or have entered into a more close union and harmonious compact with them as once before, so that we have nothing to fear from New England ; neverthe- less, we consider it an imperious duty to recommend you to arm and discipline all freemen, soldiers, and sailors ; to appoint officers and places of rendezvous ; to supply them with ammunition ; and to inspect the fortifications at New Amsterdam, Fort Orange, and Fort Casimir. To this end, we send you, for your protection, a fresh supply of ammu- nition." * * * "We warn you," they added, "not to place an unbounded confidence in our English inhabitants, but to keep a watchful eye on them, so that you may not

* Aitzema, iii., 711, 713, 764, 781 ; Thurloe, i., 205-212 ; Basnage, i., 251-261 ; Davies, ii., 713 ; Hume ; Lingard, xi., 128-134 ; Bancroft, i., 217.

+ Hol. Doc., vi., 163, 165, 166, 169, 170-178.

547

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

be deceived, through their sinister machinations, by a show CH. XVI. of service, as we have been before deceived. If it should happen, which we will not yet suppose, that those New 1652. Englanders ineline to take a part in these broils, and in- jure our good inhabitants, then we should advise your Engage honor to engage the Indians in your cause, who, we are dians ad- informed, are not partial to the English. You will further employ all such means of defense as prudence may require for your security, taking care that the merchants and in- habitants convey their valuable property within the forts. Treat them kindly, so that they may be encouraged to re- main there, and to give up the thought of returning to Hol- land, which would cause the depopulation of the country. It is advisable, therefore, to inclose the villages, at least the principal and most opulent, with breast-works and pal- lisades, to prevent surprise."*

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 53

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