USA > New York > New York City > Leslie's history of the greater New York, Volume I > Part 6
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In the midst of the stress of the Indian wars Kieft had been com- pelled more than once to resort to the people of the colony for advice and support. The " twelve men " having been soon sent about their business, after securing the concessions they demanded, a new repre- sentative body had to be elected. This consisted of eight men. " The good people of the Twelve," and " the good people of the Eight " were municipal institutions of Holland dating back to the 14th century; and thus in these bodies called into existence by the emergencies of the Indian war, we recognize the first traces of municipal govern- ment in Greater New York. The eight men continued to watch the interests of the people after the war was over. They protested against excessive duties levied by Kieft to meet the expenses of the war, but he treated the representatives of the commonalty with dis- dain. Then the eight men, under the leadership of Patroon Melyn, of Staten Island, drew up a formal complaint against Kieft's arbi- trary and oppressive measures, reciting also that his ernelty had pro- voked the disastrous Indian troubles, and charging that by his con- nivance they were prolonged. This complaint was sent to the West India Company, and produced a profound effect. Indeed, so deeply discouraged was the Company by the state of affairs in New Nether- land that it was serionsly debated whether it were not better to trans- port the colonists in a body back to the Fatherland, and abandon the unprofitable enterprise altogether.
The year 1642 was made memorable by the erection of two impor- tant buildings. At that time trade with the neighboring colonies, both of the south and east, seems to have been quite brisk. Fre-
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quently ships came into the harbor carrying merchants who needed to be politely entreated in order to secure business for the colony. They were nsnally entertained at the director's house. But this be- ginning to prove something of a burden, Kieft determined to erect a building such as graced every important town of Holland a Stadt llerberg, or city tavern. That which had served Amsterdam in this way stood upon the Harlemmer Street, and had been assigned to the use of the West India Company for offices and directors' rooms. 1 goodly building was accordingly erected at the head of what is now Coenties Slip. It was built of stone or brick, two or three stories in height, with a high sloping roof, in which were placed two or three tiers of dormer windows. The site is marked to-day by a bronze tablet in the wall of the building occupying it now. It is of special interest, as it be- came the town hall in the days both of Dutch and English municipal govern- ment.
In the same year was built the " church in the fort." One day De Vries remarked to the Director that it was a shame the people at Fort Am- sterdam should worship in a church building " as mean as a barn," while the New England villages all pos- sessed handsome buildings. Kieft asked how much the captain would be willing to subscribe toward a proper edifice. De Vries at once promised to pay 100 florins, if Kieft would give as much. Kieft agreed to the bargain. STUYVESANT PEAR TREE. and then resorted to a curious expedient to get the remaining funds that were needed. A wedding was soon to take place. Sarah, the daughter of Anneke Jans, was to be married to Hans Kierstede, the surgeon or physician of the post. Anneke Jans was the widow of Roelof Jans, to whom had been granted, in 1636, the Company's farm No. 1, or part of it, a tract of sixty-two acres running north of Warren Street, now owned by Trinity Church. In 1638 she had married the Rev. Everardus Bogardus, and thus the wealth and social position of the parties made the wedding a prominent one. It would bring to- gether all the notable people of the colony, and Director Kieft formed a shrewd plan for getting subscriptions for his church. When the potations had been indulged in more than once, and the company was in a mellow mood, Kieft suddenly came forward with his propo- sition and asked for subscriptions on the spot, exhibiting his own and De Vries's, heading the list. Some of the subscribers looked
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rather dubiously at the amounts opposite their names when the fumes of the liquor had subsided, but Kieft held every one strictly to his word. A stone church at a cost of 2,500 guilders ($1,000) was put up within the quadrangle of the fort, to the sonth of the governor's honse, and against the east wall, an inscription over the front door informing the reader that Director Kieft had cansed it to be built for the congregation.
The proximity of the church to his residence did not prevent subse- queut hostilities between Kieft and the pastor. Bogardus took to denouncing the present director as he had the former one. His tem- per was none of the best, and Kieft accused him of being too fond of wine. The quarrel grew from bad to worse. Kieft would order the drums to be beaten during the services, or cannons to be discharged by the soldiers. He enconraged the soldiers to play noisy games in the quadrangle, and otherwise to annoy and insult the church people. Kieft accused Bogardus before the Classis of Amsterdam of drunken- ness and improper condnet, and in 1638 the Classis seriously thought of recalling him. It was abont this time Domine Michaelins was re- quested to again assume the duties of pastor at Fort Amsterdam. But nothing came of the matter then. Finally, when the complaints against Kieft compelled the Company to remove him, Bogardus was also summoned to Amsterdam to answer the charges against him.
Toward the close of Kieft's term the population in and abont Man- hattan Island had grown to about one thousand souls. The houses were as yet mostly of very primitive construction; generally of wood, and, what seems strange, with wooden chimneys. These and the roofs of reed or straw, must have made fires frequent and disastrous. There was as yet not much regularity about the disposition of the honses into streets; the fort formed the nuclens, and rows of houses in its vicinity or along the shores wonld naturally prove the begin- ning of the streets we discover there later, some of which are yet easily identified. In Kieft's time several small plots for residences. fifty feet or more in width, were sold below Wall Street. A line of planks or pickets already indicated the location of the future Wall Street. There was a ferry to Long Island and a road to it from the fort. On the map of 1642 a road leads into the country along the line of Broadway, and a by-road runs down to the East River from the other about where Maiden Lane is now. As we have seen, ere Kieft was recalled, nearly all the territory covered now by Greater New York had begun to be settled.
Kieft remained on Manhattan Island for a short time after the ar- rival of his successor. This was in order to stand trial in a caso brought against him by Patroon Melyn. of Staten Island, and Joachim Knyter, of Zegendael on the Harlem, both members of the " Eight Men." The new Director sentenced to severe penalties the acensers instead of the accused, whereupon they appealed to the authorities in
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Holland. The ex-Director, his acensers Melyn and Kuster, and Domine Bogardus all took passage in the Princess, sailing on Angust 10. 1647. It is said the Princess had a large quantity of iron pyrites on board, which Kieft imagined was gold, and thus proved, indeed, to be the fool's gold it is sometimes styled. The Prin- coss lost her bearings in a fog. ran upon the rocks on the coast of Wales, and Kieft, Bo- gardns, and eighty of their fellow passen- gers perished. Melyn and Kuy- tor were saved. and Knyter even recovered the CANAL IN BROAD STREET. box containing the papers in their case against Kieft. Kieft's last words were an acknowledgement of his wrong-doing toward his ae- «users, and a request to be forgiven ; so that nothing in his life became him so well as his leaving of it.
The same good ship that met with so sad a fate, accompanied by three others, had brought to Manhattan colony Kieft's successor, the last of the Directors-General who kept aloft the flag of the Dutch Re- public over Fort Amsterdam. How familiar is the figure of Peter Stuyvesant, compared with those of his predecessors! Of Minnit's incumbeney we were not even sure until abont fifty years ago. Wal- ter Van Twiller, rotund and roystering, William Kieft, spare and testy, short of body as of temper, live thus only in our imaginations, and we know of them only from books. But Stuyvesant still seems a living presence in our city. His portrait adorns private homes and halls of learning; his effigy, wooden leg and all, figures here and there upon our streets. Every one has trod the thoroughfare leading to his farm or Bonwery, still bearing that name to indicate the con- nection. And there are not a few who have gazed upon the pear tree planted by his own hands, which stood until thirty years ago upon the corner of Third Avenne and Thirteenth Street. His fine, strong, reso- Inte face, and especially his wooden leg, adorned with silver bands, stand vividly before our minds the instant his name is mentioned. He does not, therefore, seem nearly so distant from our own day as the men who preceded him; he belongs to our city by a closer pro- prietory right than any of the others.
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We are told it was a bright warm day in May, the 27th of the month, 1647, exactly two hundred and fifty years ago as we write these words, when Director Stuyvesant and his party landed on Man- hattan Island. The people had become so tired of Kieft that they were prepared to welcome any one who replaced him with enthusi- asm. But apart from this, the man who towered in stature and dig- nity above the retiring official beside him was of a far superior stamp in every way. He was of a good family in Holland, the son of a clergyman. He had attained honorable distinction in military life, having lost a leg in the service of the Republic. He had held colonial office before, having been governor of Curaçao and other islands of the Dutch West Indies. His private character was above reproach, his sense of honor of the highest, his honesty of purpose and integrity in the administration of affairs not to be doubted for a moment. lle might be despotie in temperament and disdainful of popular rights, but in the midst of all the troubles he encountered not a word could be said reflecting upon his personal character or official conduct.
A cireminstance deserving of notice is that the Director-General was accompanied by his wife. We read of no Mrs. Minnit, or Mrs. Van Twiller, or Mrs. Kieft; and if they had been it seems as if history would have had some record of them. But it is pleasant to observe that Stuyvesant brought a lady into the governor's house. Indeed he brought more than one. His sister had married Mrs. Stuyvesant's brother, Samuel Bayard, who had died. And Mrs. Bayard, with her three sons, Peter, Balthazar, and Nicholas, destined to play important parts in the subsequent history of the city, sometimes creditable, sometimes not, had accompanied her brother and sister-in-law to seek a home with them in wild America. These were ladies of refinement and some education, and their arrival augured well for an elevation of the tour of society at Fort Amsterdam, of which it was doubtless somewhat in need.
As Stuyvesant was to retain his command over Curaçao and the West Indies, the office of Vice-Director had been created. The duties of that position were intrusted to the able and upright Lubbertus V'an Dincklagen, who had served the people of the colony by oppos- ing Van Twiller and cansing his removal. He had been quite as nse- ful in exposing the injurions nature of Kieft's administration, and had therefore been largely instrumental in ridding the people of him also. He was to manifest equal independence, and an intelligent re- gard for popular rights, under the arbitrary government of his pres- ent chief.
The need of money has always forced the tyrant's hand to yield con- cessions to popular liberty. And Stuyvesant proved no exception to the rule. He began on the very day of his arrival and reception to in- timate plainly by words in what spirit he expected to govern. Before the first three months were over, he gave evidences by action of his ar-
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bitrary notions. Melyn and Kuyter, who had brought charges against ex-Director Kieft, were denounced as traitors. Stuyvesant chose to declare that it was treason and rebellion to bring an accusation against a magistrate, no matter how good the grounds for it. Hence these gentlemen found the tables effectnally turned, and instead of securing the conviction of the guilty Kieft, they were themselves sentenced to banish- ment and heavy fines. The rights or wishes of the people stood but a poor chance of recogui- tion on the part of a ruler who cherished sentiments of this sort, and acted upon them so vigorously. And yet be- fore another three months were gone, we find an assembly of "Nine Men," represent- ing the settlements on STUYVESANT'S HOUSE IN THE "BOUWERIE." Manhattan and Long Is- lands, in session, and solicited by Stuyvesant for assistance in defraying the expenses of re- pairing the fort. He had found it impossible to get funds otherwise than by calling this assembly, so thoroughly was the principle of taxation only by representation ingrained into the nature of Dutch Republicans. But, although the Director had been com- pelled to call the " Nine Men" into existence, it can easily be understood that he did not cordially approve of the institution. Neither could harmony be expected in the dealings between the two. Stuyvesant disregarded their demands, and set aside their recommendations, and they on their part kept on with more ur- gent demands and stronger remonstrances. In the midst of the turmoil the hands of the enemy were signally strengthened by the return of Melyn and Kuyter, their sentence completely reversed by the authorities at home, and bearing in triumph a summons upon Stuyvesant to appear in Holland to answer grave charges of miscon- duet in their trial. They contrived to have this summons read in church, where it had the effect of a thunderbolt out of a clear sky upon the unsuspecting Governor. The Nine Men now drew up a me- morial or remonstrance, presumably from the pen of Adriaen Van der Donck, of Yonkers; and delegated the latter with two others to go to Holland to present the remonstrance in person. Stuyvesant, ou his part, showed his fighting mettle. He cansed Van der Donck's arrest without a moment's notice, seized his papers, and upon the testimony
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derived therefrom proceeded to condemn him. Vice-Director Van Dineklagen protested against this despotie measure, but it was of no avail. Another memorial was drawn up, and Van der Donck sent with that to Holland. It gave an elaborate account of conditions in' America, and a succinct history of colonial affairs up to date, 1650, more or less partial, as may be expected. Still, the States-General learned enough to make up their minds that some changes in admin- istration should be made. They determined to separate the functions of provincial and local government. It would be well enough to let Stuyvesant rule the province, but it seemed best to give the govern- ment of the people in his immediate vicinity more into their own hands. This could be effected in no better way than by making a city of Fort Amsterdam. In the civil policy of the Dutch Republic the city was the seat and source of all political authority. The Pro- vincial States or legislature of each province was the creature of the town councils, whose delegates composed its members. In turn, the States-General of Congress of the Republic was the creature of the several Provincial States. No measure of any importance could be passed upon in the States-General without first having been referred back to the Provincial States, and by these to the several town govern- ments for express instructions.
From this it will be seen that there was great significance in the purpose to bestow municipal being upon the community clustering about Fort Amsterdam. The form adopted was that common among the Dutch towns, the officers consisting of two burgomasters, five schepens, and a schont. The burgomaster of a Dutch city to-day is exactly equivalent to a mayor, and only one functiouary bears the name. But at the time of the Dutch Republic there were never less than two. This twofold headship was the relie of an ancient cus- tom, dating from the time of the counts of Holland, when one burgo- master represented the feudal Jord, and watched over his interests, and the other was the people's representative, and guarded their lib- erties or privileges. The schepens (from the Latin Scabini) possessed mainly judicial functions, sitting as a court, the legislative depart- ment belonging rather to the burgomasters, of whom there were often four or more in large cities. The schont, somewhat equivalent to the English sheriff, was the exeentive officer, at this time subordinate to the others, but in earlier periods the supreme functionary, ruling in the place of the count. In the beginning these municipal officers were chosen by the people, more or less directly in conjunction with the fendal lord. Later the trade guilds became the electors, but finally the councils became self-perpetuating close corporations; or at best the electors were contined only to the body of ex-officers, called the " Wisdom " or " Prudence " or " Riches," or simply the Old Council, or ex-Council. But the corporation as such, and however elected or constituted, was a little sovereignty by itself, treating with other like
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sovereigns in the province or in the Republic by means of plenipoten- tiaries in the provincial or general assemblies.
Thus Fort Amsterdam now became New Amsterdam, one of the sovereign cities of the Dutch Republic. It is somewhat hard to com- prehend, however, since this arrangement was intended to neutralize Stuyvesant's arbitrary assumptions of power, why the Company or the States-General should have allowed him to make all the appoint- ments, giving the people themselves no choice in the matter. The Director appointed as the first burgomasters Arendt van Hattem and Martin Krigier; as schepens, Paulus Van der Grist, Maximilian van Gheel. Allard Anthony, Peter van Couwenhoven, and William Beek- man. The Company had prepared a very unkind cut for the Director
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STADT'S HERBERG
OR
CITY TAVERN ( AFTERWARD CITY HALL ).
by ordering him to appoint Joachim Kuyter as schout. But before the time came for carrying the new state of things into effect, Kuyter had been murdered by an Indian, and Stuyvesant appointed his friend and supporter, Secretary Van Tienhoven, to the office. Jacob Kip became Town Secretary. By proclamation of the Director the new order of things went into effect on February 2, 1653. The old city tav- ern, built eleven years before, was remodeled and made the Stadt Huys, or Town Hall. The council met on Mondays from nine to noon. but sometimes, under press of business, would devote a few hours of the afternoon to it. Later, in consideration of the fact that most of the officers were tradespeople whose time cost money, burgomasters were assigned a stipend of 350 guilders ($140) per annum, and the schepens one of 250 guilders ($100). The people had now their own rulers, distinct from the provincial government. but frictions were nevertheless continually occurring between the citizens and the Di-
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rector regarding the election or appointment of this or that officer, or other complex questions of authority.
An expedient naturally suggested itself to Stuyvesant by the fact that New Amsterdam was now a city. In Dutch cities of the olden time, when the people still had a voice in electing their magistrates, they were restricted in the way of candidates to office to those who paid a certain amount of taxes, or owned a certain amount of prop- erty. Stuyvesant proposed now to divide the population of New Am- sterdam into two classes. Those who were willing to pay fifty florins ($20) would be enrolled as greater burghers; all those who would pay 25 florins ($10) were to receive the privileges of small burghers. Ou a list of 1657 appear twenty great burghers and two hundred and four small burghers. By this arrangement Stuyvesant raised a good round sum for the repairs on the fort. But the small number who applied for greater burgher rights made it impossible to confine 10 their ranks alone the choosing of magistrates for the city.
As if by the irony of fate, the sway of the most despotie of colonial governors saw the establishment of an assembly of the most demo- cratie character. On November 26, 1653, there gathered in the City Hall at the head of Coenties Slip, nineteen men representing the city and eight village communities, all situated within the bounds of Greater New York. Its purpose ostensibly was to concoet meas- ures of defense against the Indians; but other matters of public in- terest were not excluded from their deliberations. Stuyvesant was in- vited to partake of a parting banquet, but he refused to have any- thing to do with them. Yet so strong was the clamor of the people for the reassembling of this body that, in order to avoid the odium of having it meet in spite of him, he was fain to call its next meeting himself, thus giving it legal sanction. It met in the City Hall on De- cember 10, 1653. The two burgomasters and Schepen Van der Grist represented New Amsterdam; there were three delegates from Breuckelen, two from Flushing, two from Newtown, two from Hemp- stead, three from Amersfoort (Flatlands), two from Midwout (Flat- bush), and two from Gravesend. Perhaps it was a little ungracious, after forcing Stuyvesant into calling it together, to make its main business the preparation of a paper memoralizing the States-General complaining of the unbearable tyranny of the Director. But what- ever its proceedings, we agree with Lossing in viewing this assembly as of the greatest interest as " the first real representative assembly in the great State of New York." To us of Greater New York it is still more significant as unconsciously foreshadowing the municipal assembly which is to gather its members from the very boroughs tand one or two more) which sent their delegates to beard the lion in his den in 1653.
Events of a general nature transpiring outside the bounds of the city have no claim to our particular attention. The Director was more
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successful in coping with these than in repressing the republican in- stinets of his own people. The English kept np their game of harass- ing New Netherland, and claiming title to part or all of it. But Stuyvesant, by calm remonstrance and amicable conference, suc- ceeded in keeping them at arms' length. A dispute as to boundary lines was settled by arbitration, the arbitrators on the Dutch side being two English citizens of New Amsterdam, whose appointment occasioned bitter complaint against the Director. When the Swedes in the Delaware section of New Netherland became too ag- gressive, an expedition of seven armed vessels quickly averted all con- troversy, the Swedish settlers retiring gracefully before the superior force. Stuyvesant had some difficulties with the anthorities at Fort Orange or Albany, and he made a personal visit to that region. The English on Long Island too continned to annoy Stuyvesant, as they had done Kieft. Previous to 1640 a number of Yau- kees from New England had crossed the Sound and pur- chased lands from the Indians at the eastern ex- tremity of the island. By every right that discov- ery could give. the whole island was the property of the Dutch. But the Long Island "WHITE HALL," STUYVESANT'S TOWN HOUSE. settlers had little regard for that right ; they kept pressing westward, and threatening to invade the Dutch villages, and the English patents granted by the Dutch. Both Kieft and Stuyvesant nsed diplomatic arts and military demonstrations to arrest their progress. But they could not be driven off the island, and retained their positions at Sonthampton and Southold, a constant threat to the peace of the island, and a potent instrument in the final dislodgment of Dutch power.
There is also a brief story of Indian massacre and war during the term of Stuyvesant. The savages and colonists in the main got along pretty well. But it is no wonder that once in a while a settler would lose patience and commit an act likely to excite such inflammable neighbors. Yet the act that brought the final catastrophe can hardly be justified. Hendrick Van Dyck, Fiscal to Stuyvesant's council, had
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