CHAPTER II. Correspondence with the New England Colonies--Stuyvesant to Governor Winthrop His letter laid before the United Colonies-Their resolution thereupon-Governors of Rhode Island, &c., complain of the Dutch tariff-The Indians assume a threatening appearance-Messengers sent to allay their discontents-A Dutch vessel discovered at New Haven-Obtains a permit to trade at the Manhattans on certain conditions-The Dowager Lady Stirling claims Long Island-Her agent visits New Amsterdam-Interview between him and Stuyvesant-Is arrested and shipped to Holland-Escapes to England -The owner of the Dutch vessel fails to comply with the conditions on which he was permitted to trade-Stuyvesant determines to seize the ship, which is cut out of the harbor of New Haven-Great excitement in consequenceGovernor Eaton's letters to Stuyvesant-The Director-general explains his conduct-Fails in satisfying the New Haven Governor, who threatens retaliation-Stuyvesant rejoins-Correspondence broken off-New Haven harbors fugitives from New Amsterdam-Stuyvesant in return, offers protection to all runaways from New Haven-Comments on such proceeding-Stuyvesant writes to Massachusetts and Virginia-Outwits Governor Eaton-Succeeds in persuading the Dutchmen to return-Recalls his proclamation. II. THE state of confusion in which Kieft left the relations CHAP. between the Dutch and those of New England, claimed at an early date the particular attention of Director Stuy- 1647. vesant. He was already aware of the encroachments on the Company's territory, of the ill-feeling in consequence, and could not but perceive that sound policy dictated an early settlement of the many differences which had so long existed. With a view, therefore, to pave the way for a favorable arrangement at some future period, should propitious circumstances offer, he addressed letters, couched in courteous terms, to the several governors of the adjoining colonies, expressive of his desire to live in peace and good fellowship with them; and to promote, by mutual acts of kindness, good government and respect for the laws among the people under their charge. In that to Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts, he reiterated his June 25. willingness to co-operate, at all times, in the friendly composition of all questions between them, saving always "the indubiate right" of the States General or West BOOK India Company, "to all that land betwixt that River IV. called Connecticutt, and that by the English named Dela1647. ware." He invited the Governor, with other indifferent persons of his countrymen, to appoint a time and place, where they might consult in a friendly and Christian-like manner on past occurrences, and do their best to reconcile present, and prevent future misunderstandings; and concluded by requesting a continuance of his good offices, to such Dutch traders as may visit his ports, and of that friendly correspondence which had hitherto existed between Stuyvesant's predecessors and him. Governor Winthrop laid this communication before the Commissioners of the United Colonies, then in session at Boston, with a view to have their opinions as to what answer he should return. Some advised, in consideration of its professions of good will and desire of neighborly correspondence, that it would be well to endeavor to gain on the Director-general by courtesy, and therefore to accept his offer, and tender him a visit at his residence, or a meeting at any of the towns he should select. But the majority of the assembly thought otherwise, and concluded that it would be more advantageous to preserve terms of disAug. 17. tance. Governor Winthrop, therefore, confined himself in his reply, to stating that he had laid the letter before the Commissioners, whom its contents properly concerned, who embraced the friendly proposal for a meeting, "in proper time and place." He expressed his willingness to attend such meeting, in the course of the winter, if the state of his health permitted. O. S. The Governors of New Haven, Rhode Island, and Plymouth, expressed equally friendly feelings. They, however, took occasion to complain in each of their letters, of the high tariff established by the Dutch at New Amsterdam. So general, indeed, was the dissatisfaction on this head, that the Commissioners of the United Colonies joined in a remonstrance against it, demanding that a system of reciprocity should be observed, and that the English colonists should be permitted the same liberal intercourse among the Dutch, that the latter enjoyed in New Eng II. 1647. land, for the high duties imposed at New Amsterdam CHAP. tended to the serious discouragement of mutual trade. The Commissioners requested to be furnished with a correct table of the customs exacted on exported furs and other merchandise, and the cases in which fines were imposed and seizures made. They took occasion to complain, at the same time, of the practice at Fort Orange, of selling arms and ammunition to the Indians, even in the English plantations, against which they protested in the strongest terms. No answers were returned to the Commissioners' complaints, nor was any information given regarding the customs imposed on English imports, or the cases in which the property of traders became liable to seizure; so that the latter complained that they found it extremely difficult to know on what terms they could do business, or how to escape fines and forfeitures.' It was whilst absorbed in the consideration of these and other pressing matters, that the delegates arrived at Fort Aug. 23. Amsterdam from Heemstede with intelligence that Mayawettennema, otherwise called Antinoometone, Sachem of Necochgawodt, was endeavoring, by offers of wampum, to induce the savages to attack the English and Dutch inhabitants of that settlement, in which attack the Sachem of Catsyagock, it was said, had consented to co-operate, as well as his brethren on the east end of Long Island. Secretary Van Tienhoven and Commissary Van Brugge were immediately dispatched to enquire into the truth of the report, and to allay, by suitable presents, the discontents of the Indians. Having succeeded in the object of this embassy, these Sep. 17. emissaries on their return reported, that they had discovered, trading at the Roodberg, called by the English New Haven, within the limits of New Netherland, a Dutch ship, called the St. Beninio, of North Holland, (belonging to one Benzio, an Italian merchant at Amsterdam,) and that Messrs. William Westerhuyzen and Samuel Goedenhuyzen, the owners of merchandise on board, had applied MS. letters in Governor Stuyvesant's time in Secretary of State's Office, Albany, I., 1-4; Trumbull's Conn. i., 168-174; Hazard's State Papers, ii., 97. Sep. 20. BOOK to Secretary Van Tienhoven for a permit to trade at New IV. Amsterdam, on payment of the legal duties on the cargo. 1647. This proposition was taken into consideration by the Director and Council, who, finding that it was impossible to capture the vessel and bring her to the Manhattans, as she carried ten guns and twenty-seven men, concluded to grant, on payment of the usual recognitions, the required permit, which was accordingly made out and transmitted to New Haven to the owners of the ship.' Intelligence of a more startling nature was now brought in from Long Island. By the death of the Earl of Stirling, this island devolved on his widow, the Dowager Countess of Stirling, who dispatched an agent to America to superintend the settlement of these possessions. Whilst engaged in investigating the affair of the St. Beninio, Sep. 26. Stuyvesant received information from the sheriff of Vlissingen, that a Scotchman, named Forrester, had arrived there with a commission as Governor, not only of Long Island, but of all the islands within five miles around, which commission he had exhibited to the English settlers at Heemstede and Flushing, where he had remained several nights. As if to corroborate the sheriff's report, Capt. Forrester arrived at New Amsterdam next day, on his way to Gravesend and Amersfoort, to exhibit his authority to the settlers there also. The Director-general immediately called for his commission, and demanded by whose order he had dared to come within the Dutch limits. Forrester boldly replied that he had come to New Amsterdam to examine Stuyvesant's commission, and if that were better than his he would retire; but if not, then Stuyvesant must. Sep. 28. He was arrested on the following day in the city tavern, and brought before the Council and examined on interrogatories in the presence of Carl Van Brugge, Adriaen Van der Donck, and Philip Gerardy, all well acquainted with the English language. After having stated his name, and that he was a native of Dundee in Scotland, he produced a large parchment, dated in the eighteenth year of King 1 Alb. Rec. vii., 70, 76, 77, 79. II. James's reign, and written in the usual manner of commis- CHAP. sions, from which depended a broken seal, but without any signature, or the name of any place. He also produced a 1647. power of attorney, signed Maria Stirling. On being asked why the commission was not signed, he answered that such was not the custom, the seal alone being sufficient; and stated further that it had been reported in Britain, in the lifetime of the late Earl of Stirling, that the Ambassador of their High Mightinesses to the Court of England had renounced, in behalf of his master, that part of New Netherland embraced in his commission. These explanations and authorities having been deemed insufficient, the Director and Council determined to send "this pretended Governor" to Holland to defend his commission before their High Mightinesses, in company with one Michel Picquet, a native of Rouen in France, who, in the beginning of the summer, used violent language toward Kieft, and threatened to shoot Director Stuyvesant and Fiscaal Van Dyck, for which he was sentenced to per- Oct. 4. petual banishment from New Netherland, and eighteen. years' confinement in the rasphouse at Amsterdam. But the Falconer, in which these individuals were shipped, put into a British harbor, where both succeeded in taking leave of their keepers.' Mr. Goedenhuyzen, one of the owners of the St. Beninio, having, by this time, received the permit to trade, arrived now at the Manhattans; but neither he nor his partner paid the duties as they had promised, nor produced any manifest or invoice. On the contrary, he informed the authorities that his ship was ready to sail to Virginia. This neglect was construed into a preconcerted determi 1 Alb. Rec. iv., 4; vii., 85-88, 95. Van der Donck's Vertoogh. In condemning Picquet to the rasphouse, Stuyvesant exceeded his powers. "We do not see, (say the Directors,) if the magistrates could, as you requested, have acqui esced in the judgment of your government, as we are incompetent to decide if the judiciary here would deem themselves justifiable in executing a sentence which originated in your judicature. Wherefore we deem it inexpedient to make any further experiments on the subject, at the peril of lessening the authority of the judicature of your government. We would advise you to punish, after due enquiry, all delinquents in the country in which they are condemned." Alb. Rec. iv., 2, 3. |