parts to be very strong, and such as we cannot deny, yea, such as some of us look at to be a sufficient proof thereof; yet, in conscience to that text, 'With good advice make war,' and also considering how unexpedient and unsafe it will be to such a people as ourselves to err either in point of lawfulness or expediency, or both, in a matter of this nature; we present it to your godly wisdoms, whether in this great question it doth not best become a people professing to walk in the Gospel of peace, having to do with a people howsoever pretending to the same profession, that the Dutch Governor have an opportunity given him to answer for himself, either by purgation, or acceptance or disacceptance of satisfactory propositions of security, as the matter shall require; by whose answer whereunto our call to peace or war may be further cleared, and the incolumity of the Colonies in the interim provided for." 1

May 1.

The Dutch Governor had written to the Governors of Massachusetts and New Haven, proposing to vin- April 12. dicate himself before them, either personally or by agents, or in conference with messengers to be sent by them to his settlement. The latter course was preferred; and a commission, consisting of Francis Newman, a magistrate of New Haven, and John Leverett 2 and William Davis, officers in the Boston regiment, proceeded to New Amsterdam. In their absence," the Preparations

May 2.

Commissioners considered what number of sol- for war. diers might be requisite if God called the Colonies to make war against the Dutch," and decided on the number of five hundred; three hundred and thirtythree to be furnished by Massachusetts (which had twice the population of the rest of the Confederacy), sixtyfive by Connecticut, sixty by Plymouth, and forty-two

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 225. 2 This was several months before that second visit of Leverett to Eng

land, from which he returned with the naval force. See above, p. 285; comp. Mass. Rec.,IV. (i.) 179.

by New Haven.1 "By way of further preparation, they advised with the military officers of Boston about a commander-in-chief, who, upon due consideration, propounded four as fit for such a trust; namely, Major-General Denison, Major Atherton, Captain Leverett, and Captain Savage, of which..... the Commissioners made choice of Captain Leverett, unless the General Court of Massachusetts should propound some considerable exception against him." The reason for their preference was "the opportunity he now had to view and observe the situation and fortification at the Manhatoes," which place, it seems, they thought of assailing, if hostilities should follow.3

4

The conference had no result. The messengers came back dissatisfied. The Dutch Governor had refused to accede to such arrangements for taking testimony respecting the transactions reported, as they considered requisite to entitle it to confidence. They proceeded to collect evidence ex parte, which, on their return, they laid before their employers.5 It was not what had been expected. To not a few discreet and calm judges, it seemed to fall short of proving any concert among the natives for a hostile. movement, and to fall far short of proving any agency of

1 Thus it appears that Massachusetts and Connecticut had been lately increasing more rapidly, in proportion, than the other Colonies. See above, p. 271, note 1.

2 Mr. Daniel Denison, then of Cambridge, took the freeman's oath April 1, 1634. (Mass. Rec., I. 368.) He was a Deputy the next year (Ibid., 145), and for several years afterwards; Captain of the train-band at Ipswich in 1638 (Ibid., 237); Speaker of the House in 1649 (Ibid., III. 147); Sergeant Major-General in 1653 (Ibid., 296); and an Assistant (Ibid.) in that year and thenceforwards. Thomas Savage, husband of a daughter of Wil

liam and Ann Hutchinson, became a freeman, May 25, 1636. (Ibid., I. 372.) He was one of the Antinomians of Boston who were disarmed in the following year. (Ibid., 212.) He went away with his father-in-law to Rhode Island (R. I. Rec., I. 52), but soon thought better of that step, and returned to Boston, where he was chosen a Deputy in 1654 (Mass. Rec., III. 340), having been a Captain at least as early as 1652. (Ibid., 285.)

3 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 225 – 231.

* Ibid., 233 - 241.
5 Ibid., 241–249.

Doubts of

the war.

the Dutch in exciting them to insurrection. On the other hand was the strong presumption against such a conspiracy on the part of the Dutch Governor the justifiaas was alleged, arising from the obvious probabil bleness of ity, that, when he should have aided the natives to extirpate the English, his own people, who had never lived peaceably with them, would be their next victims. Further, he had frankly proposed to the English envoys to make "a defensive and offensive war against all Indians and natives, and other enemies, disturbers of the good inhabitants of both provinces."1 Accordingly, at this stage of the business, the General Court of Massachusetts, which was in session at the time, interfered, and desired "a consultation" with the Federal Commissioners by a committee of their own body and by some of the Elders.

May 25,

Statements of the case, drawn up by Governor Eaton for the Commissioners, and by Major-General Denison for the General Court, were considered at this meeting. Eaton was clamorous for war; but, with all his facilities for acquaintance with the facts, his argument was not satisfactory. The representation made by Denison showed him to be without confidence in that view of them which would be a justification for the extreme measure that was proposed. "The Elders, called to give their opinion what the Lord calleth to do in the present case," took the papers, and, after two days' consideration, delivered their judgment against the precipitating of hostilities. “ "Concerning," they said, "that late execrable plot, tending to the destruction of so many dear saints of God, which is imputed to the Dutch Governor and Fiscal, we conceive the proof and apprehensions alleged to be of much weight to induce us to believe the reality thereof; and have great cause to acknowledge the special favor of God in its discovery, and the faithful care of his servants in authority over us, as the means, under God, 1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 239.

of our continued safety and peace. Yet, upon serious and conscientious examination of the proofs produced, we cannot find them so fully conclusive as to clear up present proceeding to war before the world, and to bear up our hearts with that fulness of persuasion that is meet in commending the case to God in our prayers and to his people in our exhortations. . . . . . Therefore we humbly conceive it to be most agreeable to the Gospel of peace which we profess, and safest for these Colonies, to forbear the use of the sword, till the Lord, by his providence and by the wisdom of his servants set over us, shall further clear of his mind." The next day the House of Massachu- Deputies communicated to the Commissioners setts. their Resolve, that "they did not understand they were called to make a present war with the

Dissent of

May 28.

Dutch."1

June 2.

2

The Commissioners persisted. With the exception of Bradstreet, one of the Commissioners for Massachusetts, they were unanimous for war. A committee was raised by the General Court to report an answer to the question, "whether the Commissioners have power by articles of agreement to determine the justice of an offensive or vindictive war, and to engage the Colonies therein." The sixth Article of Confederation authorized the Federal Commissioners to "examine, weigh, and determine all affairs of war or peace." From general considerations, and from the language of other Articles, the committee argued, in their report, that this provision extended no further than to matters of defen

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 250 the western Colonies, certifies, that they - 254.

66

2 It was upon the consideration of the national ground" that the Plymouth Commissioners, in September, 1653, "did freely pass their vote for the justice of the war against the Dutch." And a paper signed by Hathorne of Massachusetts, and by the Commissioners for

approved" a present expedition against the Dutch upon a quarrel of England with the Dutch in Europe, . . . . . and upon other grounds expressed at the previous meeting." (Ibid., 302, 303.) Perhaps neither Hathorne nor the Plymouth Commissioners had faith in the Dutch plot with the Indians.

sive war; and they concluded with declaring it to be a scandal in religion, that a General Court of Christians should be obliged to act and engage upon the faith of six delegates against their conscience."1

June 7.

The Gen

June 29.

The report was approved by both branches of the Legislature of Massachusetts. When intelligence of what had been done reached Plymouth, the General Court of that Colony raised a committee to examine "the Articles of Confederation, and to give in their thoughts" at another meeting, which was to be held in the following month; 2 but it does not appear that anything was done in pursuance of this measure. eral Court of New Haven were strongly incensed. The Governor prepared an elaborate argument with a protest against the course which had been taken by Massachusetts; and two messengers- to be joined by two others from Connecticut-were instructed to proceed with it to Boston, and endeavor to obtain a reversal of the decision which had been there announced. Should they fail in that attempt, they were to ask "leave to use some means whereby volunteers might be procured out of that Colony, with shipping, victuals, and ammunition." The Court agreed that, if volunteers could be obtained in Massachusetts, New Haven would embark in the war with the aid of Connecticut alone. And the question being raised, whether, "in case the Massachusetts Colony would not revoke their interpretation they had given of the Articles of Confederacy, the Commissioners should meet

1 Records, &c., in Hazard, 249 – 273; comp. Mass. Rec., III. 311-316. When the Commissioners had been, at this time, a month in session, the year for which the Commissioners from Connecticut had been chosen expired (Conn. Rec., I. 233); and a week later, the term of service of the Commissioners from Massachusetts came to an end in the same manner. (Mass.

Rec., III. 258.) The session was accordingly suspended (May 18) till the Commissioners elected anew by these Colonies should have time to present themselves. A new session began, at the request of Massachusetts, May 31. (Records, &c., in Hazard, II. 267; comp. Mass. Rec., III. 314.)

2

Plym. Rec., III. 33.