USA > New York > The Empire State: a compendious history of the commonwealth of New York > Part 8
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At that conference soft words were used by both parties, kindly feel- ings were.engendered, and while both the Dutch and the English were equally resolved to maintain their respective rights, there were no words of defiant anger uttered. Their farewell and parting were most friendly. Diplomacy and contention between the Dutch and their neighbors con- tinued fully twenty years, when the whole matter was settled, as far as possible, in 1650.
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THE EMPIRE STATE.
CHAPTER V.
GOVERNOR STUYVESANT, peacefully inclined, determined to attempt a settlement of the disputes between New Netherland and New England by diplomacy. He made arrangements for a conference at Hartford between himself and commissioners appointed by the united New Eng- land colonies .* Late in September, 1650, accompanied by George Baxter, liis English secretary, and a large suite, he sailed from Manhat- tan, touching at several settlements on the shores of Long Island Sound. He arrived at Hartford on the fourth day of the voyage.
Ges: Bakker
Negotiations began on September 23d. SIGNATURE OF GEORGE BAXTER. After a discussion for five days it was agreed that "all differences should be referred to two delegates on each side." The commis- sioners appointed Simon Bradstreet and Thomas Prenee, and Stuyvesant chose Captain Thomas Willett and Ensign George Baxter, both English- men. The referees recommended that a line drawn from the westerly side of Oyster Bay directly across Long Island to the sea should be made the boundary between the Dutch on the west side of the line and the English on the east side of the line. Also that a line from the west side of Greenwich Bay, in Long Island Sound, extending north twenty miles, and after that not less than ten miles from the Hudson River should be the boundary line between New The Willest Netherland and New England on the mainland. Judgment as to what had already happened between the Dutch SIGNATURE OF THOMAS WILLETT. and New Haven Colony, in Kieft's time, was postponed until advice should be received from Holland. The former, regardless of the warnings of Governor Kieft, had bought
* In 1643 delegates from Connecticut, New Haven, Plymouth, and the General Court of Massachusetts assembled at Boston to consider measures against common danger from the Dutch on Manhattan and the Indians. Rhode Island, considered schismatic, was not invited to the conference. A Confederacy was formed of the colonies named, under the title of " United Colonies of New England." It continued for more than forty years, 1643-86.
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CONDITION OF NEW AMSTERDAM.
lands of the Indians on both sides of the Delaware within the Dutch domain, and proceeded to make settlements there. These settlements were speedily broken up by military force.
The recommendations of the referees were adopted. The two chosen by Stuyvesant, being Englishmen, his countrymen felt slighted, nay, insulted, and accused the governor of partiality for the interests of the English and neglect of theirs. They opposed the treaty, and made new demands for more popular liberty.
Having so far settled all differences with the New Englanders, Stny- vesant turned his attention to the Swedes on the Delaware, whom he regarded as intruders upon Dutch territory. The accession of a new monarch to the throne of Sweden made an adjustment of the long- pending dispute desirable.
Stuyvesant had been directed to act firmly, but discreetly, in the matter. Accompanied by his suite of officers, he went to Fort Nassau, and thence sent to Governor Printz an abstract of the title of the Dutch to the domain, and called a council of the Delaware Indians. Sachems and chiefs in the council declared the Swedes to be usurpers, and by a solemn treaty gave all the land to the Dutch. Then Stuyvesant crossed the river, and near the site of New Castle, Del., built a fort, and named it Casimer. Returning he demolished Fort Nassau. Printz protested in vain. He and Stuyvesant held friendly conferences, and agreed to " keep neighborly friendship and correspondence together." That was in the year 1651.
Meanwhile the director-general had done much to improve his capital, which now had a population of nearly seven hundred persons. He found it an irregularly built and straggling village, without sanitary appliances and very little government. Each burgher was a law unto himself. Various ordinances were now promulgated by the governor and enforced by him for the regulation of the construction of buildings in reference to street lines ; for the maintenance of order, cleanliness, and sobriety ; for the prevention of conflagrations, the support of religion, the promotion of morality, and the regulation of emigration and trade. Scores of other matters for the general good of society were attended to by the director-general, until Manhattan was made a very pleasant dwelling-place. Though Stuyvesant was a strict member of the Dutch Reformed Church, beliefs and divine worship in any form were tolerated. With a patriotic feeling the director-general dropped the pretty Indian name of the village of Manhattan, and called it New Amsterdam.
Stuyvesant had some unpleasant experience in the spring and summer
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THE EMPIRE STATE.
of 1648 with Brandt van Slechtenhorst,* the patroon's commissary at Rensselaerwyck, who assumed an independent position for "the Colonie." The director-general issued a proclamation for the observ- ance of a fast day throughout New Netherland. The patroon's com- missary protested against it as an invasion of "the rights of the lord patroon." This controversy and the fact that illicit trade was carried on with the Colonie induced Stuyvesant to visit Fort Orange at mid- summer. He was loyally received at the fort. He summoned Van Slechtenhorst to answer for his contempt of the company's authority. The commissary answered by complaining of Stuyvesant's infringement of the privileges of the patroon. The director-general, incensed by the commissary's words and manner, had no further oral communication with him, but by writing he forbade him to put up any building within the range of the guns of Fort Orange ; to make any new ordinances affecting trade with the Colonie without the assent of the officers of the company, and declared the pledge which the patroons exacted from the colonists not to appeal from the decisions of the manorial courts a "crime." He also demanded from the commissary an annual return to him of all the affairs of the Colonie. Then he returned to Manhattan.
" You aet as if you were the B.V. Stiften gogh SIGNATURE OF VAN SLECHTENHORST. lord of the patroon's Colonie," was the answer which the stub- born commissary sent after the irate director-general, and persist- ed in defying that officer's orders. He forbade the commissary of the company to quarry stone or cut timber within the Colonie, and erected houses close by Fort Orange. Stuyve- sant sent troops to restrain Van Slechtenhorst and to bring him to Manhattan if he would not desist. They failed to do so. Then the. commissary was ordered by a peremptory summons to appear at Fort Amsterdam the next spring.
In the mean time popular discontents were everywhere manifest. THE NINE were compelled to act in behalf of the commonalty, but were
# Van Slechtenhorst was a native of Guelderland, bold, fiery in disposition, self-willed, and honest. He had been appointed commissary for the young patroon, whose father, Killian van Rensselaer, had lately died. His persistent practical assertion of the inde- pendence of Rensselaerwyck made him a rankling thorn in the side of Stuyvesant. Among other offences, he acquired a cession of lands at Kaatskill, which had already been granted, and refused to recede. He also purchased lands at Claveraek, opposite, for the patroon. He soon got into trouble, and was arrested and confined at New Amster- dam. Ile escaped, and sent his son to explore the Kaatsbergs in search of silver. He bought the land on which the city of Troy now stands, and finally returned to Holland.
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OPPOSITION TO STUYVESANT'S ADMINISTRATION.
thwarted at every step by the sturdy director. At the next election (1649) the energetic Adriaen van der Donek, who had been the schont- fiscal of Rensselaerwyck, and Oloff Stevensen van Cortlandt became members of the COUNCIL OF NINE. Stuyvesant stoutly persisted in main- taining his dictatorial power. At the same time he carried on controver- sial correspondence with the New Englanders, which was terminated by the conference at Hartford already mentioned.
The contest between THE NINE and the director continued. The
SIGNATURE OF VAN DER DONCK.
latter proceeded with a' high hand. He seized the papers of THE NINE and imprisoned Van der Donck for "calumniating the provincial officers." But the popular desire for reform and freedom could not be repressed. Finally THE NINE, in the name of the commonalty, pre- pared a " Memorial " and a "Remonstrance" to the States-General boldly setting forth the grievances of the people and asking for the estab- lishment of a burgher government in the colony such as their "High
SIGNATURE AND SEAL OF VAN CORTLANDT
Mightinesses should consider adapted to the province and resembling somewhat the laudable government of our Fatherland." These papers were drawn up by Van der Donck, and he and two others of THE NINE took them to Holland to present them in person.
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THE EMPIRE STATE.
Again, when Stuyvesant had concluded his treaty at Hartford and threatened to abolish THE NINE and rule as an autocrat, the popular representatives presented a statement of affairs in New Netherland to tlie States-General, and Van der Donck in Holland strongly pleaded the cause of the commonalty, who yearned for the freer system of govern- ment which prevailed in New England. In this memorial and plea Van Dineklagen, the vice-director, and Van Dyke, the fiscal, joined, and Melyn, who had been cruelly persecuted by Kieft and Stuyvesant, added his powerful support.
At length, after Stuyvesant had administered the government of New Netherland more than four years, continually making arbitrary efforts to repress the spirit of popular freedom, the voice of the com- monalty of New Amsterdam and its vicinity was heeded by the College of Nineteen, and they informed the headstrong director-general, in the spring of 1652, that they had given their assent to the establishment of a " burgher government" on Manhattan-a government like that of the
Comiris Pau Junhoww Suivre
SIGNATURE OF VAN TIENIIOVEN.
free cities of Holland, the officers, however, to be appointed by the governor. The soul of Stuyvesant was troubled by this "imprudent intrusting of power with the people," as he said.
In February, 1653, New Amsterdam was formally organized as a city by the installation of Cornelis van Tienhoven," schout ; Arendt van Hattem and Martin Kregier, burgomasters, and Paul L. Van der Grist, Maximilian van Gheel, Allard Anthony, William Beeckman, and Peter
* Van Tienhoven was a conspicuous character in the early history of New Netherland. He came with Van Twiller, became the company's book-keeper, and afterward provincial secretary and schout-fiscal. He purchased lands in Westchester, led an expedition against the Raritans, made a treaty at Bronx River, and urged Kieft to attack the Indians. Retained as provincial secretary by Stuyvesant, the latter sent him to Holland as his rep- resentative. He was sent to negotiate with Virginia, also to New Haven for the same purpose. He superintended the South River Expedition against the Swedes in 1655. In 1656 he, a sehout-fiscal, was charged with malfeasance in office ; so also was his brother, and both were dismissed from the public service, when Cornelis returned to Amster- dam.
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IMMIGRATION OF NEW ENGLANDERS.
Wolfertsen van Couwenhoven, schepens." Jacob Kip was appointed secretary to the municipal government. A building known as the City Tavern, standing at the head of Coenties Slip, which had been taken for the public use, was now named the State House or City Hall.+ The city then contained about seven hundred and fifty inhabitants, and embraced the whole island of Manhattan.
Stuyvesant had scarcely recovered from his chagrin at this turn in public affairs when, through the influence of the democratic Van der Donck, he was summoned to appear before the States-General to answer concerning his government in New Netherland. This summons amazed the Amsterdam Chamber of the company. They wrote to Stuyvesant to delay his departure from America. Political considerations soon afterward caused the revocation of the order, and Stuyvesant never left Manhattan until after the sceptre had departed from the Dutch.
THE FIRST CITY HALL.
Another trouble vexed the soul of Peter Stuyvesant. A new element of social progress had begun to work vigorously in New Netherland, and in harmony with the free spirit of Dutch policy in social and political life. "Numbers, nay, whole towns," wrote De Laet, the historian, +
* The schout was a prosecuting attorney, a judge, and a sheriff ; a burgomaster was a governing magistrate and a schepen was an alderman.
+ This was a large stone building erected by Governor Kieft for the entertainment of strangers. He called it his harberg, or house of entertainment. It was known as the City Tavern after Stuyvesant came, and until he appropriated it to the public use.
# John de Laet was one of the most influential directors of the Dutch West India Company. In 1625 he published at Leyden, in a folio, black-letter volume, a History of the New World ; or Description of the West Indies, which he dedicated to the States-Gen-
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THE EMPIRE STATE.
"to escape from the persecutions of the New England Puritans, who made their narrow human creed the higher law," had come to New Netherland to enjoy the theoretic liberty of conscience in Church and State under Belgie rule. They had lands assigned them all around Manhattan. New Englanders intermarried with the Dutch. Being free to act as citizens, they exercised much influence in public affairs.
More than ten years before New Amsterdam became a city an English secretary (George Baxter, already mentioned) had been employed by the director-general. The " strangers" readily adopted the republican ideas of the Dutch commonalty, and bore a conspienous part in the democratic movements which gave Stuyvesant so much trouble during the latter years of his administration. The Dutch sighed for the freedom enjoyed in Fatherland, and the English settlers were determined to exercise the liberty which British subjects then enjoyed under the rule of Cromwell. Stuyvesant saw the tidal wave of popular feeling rising, but, firm in his integrity and con- victions of the righteousness of his course, he main- tained liis position until he was com- pelled to yield or perish.
6 Johande Laet
Republicanism, SIGNATURE OF JOIIN DE LAET. like any other truth, has remarkable vi- tality. It is nourished by persecution. The more Stuyvesant attempted to stifle it, the more widely it spread and blossomed. The popular will, fully bent on reforms, became bold enough, in the autumn of 1653, to call a convention of nineteen delegates, who represented eight villages or communities, to assemble in the City Hall at New Amsterdam, ostensibly to take measures to secure themselves against the depredations of barbari- ans and pirates. They met on November 26th. Stuyvesant tried to con- trol their action, but they paid very little attention to his wishes and none to his commands ; yet they treated him with great courtesy. When they adjourned they gave a parting collation, to which the director-general was invited. Of course he would not sanction their proceedings by his presence. The delegates told him plainly that there would be another
eral. IIe quoted largely from Hudson's private journal. In 1630 he became a share- holder in the estate of Rensselaerwyck, which the proprietor had divided into five shares. He also became interested in Swaanendael, on the shore of Delaware Bay.
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FIRST REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE PROVINCE.
convention soon, and that he might act as he pleased, and prevent it if he could.
This revolutionary movement in his capital aroused the ire of the director-general. He stormed and threatened, but prudently yielded to the demands of the people that he should issue a call for another conven- tion, and so give legal sanction for the election of delegates thereto. They were chosen, and assembled at the City Hall on December 10th .* The object of the convention was to prepare and adopt a true statement of public affairs in New Netherland, and a remonstrance against the tyrannous rule of the director-general.
This paper was drawn up by Baxter, Stuyvesant's former secretary, t and signed by every delegate. After expressions of loyalty to the States- General, it proceeded with a narrative, arranged under six heads, of the grievances which the colonists had endured. That narrative was a severe indictment of Stuyvesant for maladministration or mismanagement of public affairs. The paper was sent to the governor with a demand for a " categorical answer" to each of its heads.
Stuyvesant met this document with his usual pluck. He denied the right of some of the delegates to seats in the convention. He denounced the whole thing as the wicked work of the English, and expressed a doubt whether " George Baxter, the author, knew what he was about." He wanted to know if there was no one among the Dutch in New Netherland " sagacious and expert enough to draw up a remonstrance to the director and council ;" and he severely reprimanded the city govern- ment of New Amsterdam for " seizing this dangerous opportunity for conspiring with the English [with whom Holland was then at war], who
* As this was the first real representative assembly in the great State of New York, I give here the names in full of the delegates and the districts which they represented. The metropolis (New Amsterdam) was represented by Arendt van Hattem, Martin Kregier, and P. L. Van der Grist ; Breuckelen (Brooklyn), by Frederick Lubbertsen, Paul Van der Beech, and William Beeckeman ; Flushing, by John Hicks and Tobias Flake ; Newtown, by Robert Coe and Thomas Hazard ; Heemstede (Hempstead), by William Wash- burn and John Somers ; Amersfoort (Flatlands), by P. Wolfertsen van Couwenhoven, Jan Strycker, and Thomas Swartwout ; Midwout (Flatbushi), by Elbert Elbertsen and Thomas Spicer ; Gravesend, by George Baxter and J. Hubbard.
+ George Baxter was an exile from New England, and was appointed English secretary and interpreter by Kieft in 1642. Stuyvesant retained him as such, and he gave the director efficient service for several years. He became a leader in seditious proceedings at Gravesend, where he hoisted an English flag. He was arrested and imprisoned at New Amsterdam, but escaped, went to New England, and thence to London in 1663, where he stimulated the animosity of the English against the Dutch. With Samuel Maverick (who had lived in Massachusetts from his boyhood) and Scott he advised the Council of Foreign Plantations as to the best means for subduing New Netherland.
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THE EMPIRE STATE.
were ever "hatching mischief, but never performing their promises, and who might to-morrow ally themselves with the North," meaning Sweden and Denmark.
This blister did not turn the convention from its purpose. Beeckman, of Breuckelen, was sent to tell the governor that if he refused to consider the several points of the remonstrance they would appeal to the States- General. This threat enraged Stuyvesant, and seizing his heavy cane, he ordered Beeckman to leave his presence. The plucky ambassador of the convention folded his arms and silently defied the governor. When Stuyvesant's wrath had subsided he politely begged his visitor to excuse his sudden ebullition of passion, assuring him that he had great personal regard for him. But he was less courteons toward the convention as a body. He ordered the members to disperse on pain of incurring his " high displeasure." "We derive our authority," he said, " from God and the company, not from a few ignorant subjects ; and we alone can call the inhabitants together." The convention executed its threat, and appealed to the States-General.
While thus perplexed by domestic annoyances, the tranquillity of the director-general's "foreign relations" was serionsly disturbed. The pacific and " neighborly" Governor Printz had left New Sweden, and was. succeeded in office by John Risingh, a more warlike magistrate, who came to the Delaware bringing with him some soldiers commanded by the bold Swen Shute. These speedily appeared before Fort Casimer, which Stuyvesant had built, on Trinity Sunday, 1654. " What can I do ? I have no powder," said the commander of the little stronghold to the Dutch settlers who flocked to it for protection. He could do nothing ; so he walked out of the fort, leaving the gate wide open, and shaking hands with Shute and his men, welcomed them as friends. The Swedes fired two shots over the fort in token of its capture, and then blotting out its Dutch garrison and its name, occupied it and called it Fort Trinity.
When news of this event reached Stuyvesant he was made very angry and perplexed, for he was hourly expecting an attack from a British force, and he was at his wit's end. But the cloud soon passed. The English did not come, for the war was suddenly closed by treaty. Then Stuyvesant made a voyage to the West Indies for the purpose of estab- lishing a trade between New Netherland and those islands. Before he left he delivered to the authorities of the city of New Amsterdam the painted coat-of-arms of the municipality, the seal, and the silver signet which the College of Nineteen had just sent over. They soon afterward sent an order to the director-general to retake Fort Casimer and to wipe
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THE SWEDES SUBDUED AND ABSORBED.
ont the stain which the " infamous surrender" of that post had imparted to Belgic heroism. He was also ordered to annihilate Swedish dominion on both sides of the Delaware.
This important task the director-general undertook in the summer of 1655, and accomplished it speedily and without bloodshed. After a day of fasting and prayer (August 25th), and " after sermon" on Sunday, Septem- ber 5th, a squadron of seven vessels, bearing more than six hundred sol- diers (mostly volunteers), sailed from New Amsterdam for the Delaware. The flag-ship was the Balance, con- manded by the valiant Frederick de Konick. In her cabin might have SIN TOBE 10 been seen the director-general, Vice- director Nicasius de Sille, and Domi- SEAL OF NEW AMSTERDAM. nie Megopolensis. The squadron ascended the Delaware. The troops landed not far from Fort Christina, and an ensign and a drummer were sent to demand the surrender of Fort Casimer. This demand was speedily complied with. Then the commander drank the health of Stuyvesant in a glass of Rhenish wine ; and so ended the expedition, without firing a gun or shedding a drop of blood. So also ended Swedish dominion on the Delaware, and "New Sweden" perished in a day. Like Alfred of England, the director-general wisely made citizens of many of the conquered Swedes, who generally became the most loyal friends of the Dutch. They prospered exceedingly, and when, nearly thirty years afterward, they welcomed William Penn as their governor, they declared that it was the happiest day of their lives.
Nicofuis de sulle de siles
SIGNATURE OF DE SILLE.
During the absence of the expedition New Am- sterdam was menaced with destruction. Van Dyck, a former civil officer, de- tected an Indian woman
stealing peaches and slew her. The fury of her tribe was kindled. The long peace with the barbarians was suddenly broken. Before daybreak one morning almost two thousand River Indians in sixty canoes appeared before New Amsterdam. They landed, and with the pre-
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THE EMPIRE STATE.
tence of looking for hostile Indians they distributed themselves through the town and broke into several houses in search of the murderer. The alarmed citizens held a eouneil at the fort and summoned the Indian leaders before them. The latter agreed to leave the city and pass over to Nutten (Governor's) Island before sunset. They broke their promises, shot Van Dyck, menaced others, and filled the inhabitants with alarm. The citizens flew to arms and drove the Indians to their canoes, when they crossed over the Hudson River and ravaged a large region in New Jersey and on Staten Island. Within three days one hundred white people were slain, one hundred and fifty were made captive, and more than three hundred estates were utterly ruined.
Stuyvesant returned from the Delaware when the excitement in New Amsterdam was at its height. IIe soon brought order out of confusion. L'et distant settlements were broken up, the inhabitants flying in fear to Manhattan for protection. To prevent a like calamity in the future, Stuyvesant issued a proclamation ordering all who lived in secluded places in the country to gather themselves into villages "after the fashion of our New England neighbors." The Dutch had very little trouble with the Indians afterward while the former remained masters of New Netherland.
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