Treat them kindly,so that they may be encouraged to remain there,and to give up the thought of returning to Holland,which would depopulate the country.It is therefore advisable to inclose the villages,at least the principal and most opulent,with breastworks and palisades to prevent surprise. Looking into the future with prophetic eyes,which discerned the future glories of the rising republic,the Director added,When these colonies once become permanently established,when the ships of New Netherland ride on every part of the ocean,then numbers,now looking to that coast with eager eyes,shall be allured to embark for your island. This prophecy is now emphatically fulfilled when often one or two thousand emigrants,from the old world,land at the Battery in a day.When the prophecy was uttered,New Amsterdam was a small straggling village of one story huts,containing about seven hundred inhabitants.The whole island of Manhattan belonged in fee to the West India Company.A municipal government was soon organized,which about the year 1653,gave birth to the city of New Amsterdam.Holland and England were now in open warfare. It will hardly be denied by anyone,that England was responsible for the conflict.The New England colonies wished to avail themselves of the opportunity to wrest New Netherland from the Dutch,and to extend their sway from Stamford to the Chesapeake.Governor Stuyvesant percieved his danger.He could easily be overpowered by the New England colonies.He wrote very friendly letters to the governors,urging that,notwithstanding the hostilities between the mother countries,commercial intercourse between the colonies should continue on its former peaceful footing.At the same time he adopted very vigorous measures to be prepared for defence should he be assailed.Rumors reached New Amsterdam of active military preparations in New England.It was manifest that some hostile expedition was contemplated.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 21:19:11 +0000