History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 1. Frederic Shonnard

Чтение книги онлайн.

      The writing-book for the magistrates provided, with other necessary articles, by Governor Stuyvesant, was at once put to use; and from that time forward the records of the town were systematically kept. All the originals are still preserved in excellent condition. The identical magistrates' book of 1657, with many others of the ancient records of Westchester, and also of West Farms, are now in the possession of a private gentleman in New York City.

      In accepting and quietly submitting to Dutch rule, the English were merely obeying the dictates of ordinary prudence. Their hearts continued loyal to the government of Connecticut, and they patiently awaited the time when, in the natural course of events, that government should extend its jurisdiction to their locality. After seven and one-half years definite action was taken by Connecticut. At a court of the general assembly, held at Hartford, October 9, 1662, an order was issued to the effect that "this assembly doth hereby declare and inform the inhabitants of Westchester that the plantation is included in ye bounds of our charter, granted to this colony of Connecticut." The Westchester people were accordingly notified to send deputies to the next assembly, appointed to meet at Hartford in May, 1663; and also, in matters of legal proceedings, to "take the benefit," in common with the towns of Stamford and Greenwich, of a court established at Fairfield. readily attaching much importance to the will of Connecticut thus expressed, they abstained from their usual custom of nominating magistrates for the next year to Governor Stuyvesant. The latter, after some delay, sent to make inquiries as to the reason for this omission; whereat Richard Mills, one of the local officers, addressed to him a meek communication, inclosing the notifications from Connecticut and saying: "We humbly beseech you to understand that wee, the inhabitants of this place, have not plotted nor conspired against your Honor." This did not satisfy Stuyvesant, who caused Mills to be arrested and incarcerated in New Amsterdam. From his place of confinement the unhappy Westchester magistrate wrote several doleful and contrite letters to the wrathful director. " Right Hon. Gov. Lord Peter Stevenson," said he in one of these missives, " thy dejected prisoner, Richard Mills, do humbly supplicate for your favor and commiseration towards me, in admit ting of me unto your honor's presence, there to indicate my free and ready mind to satisfy your honor wherein I am able, for any indignity done unto your lordship in any way, and if possible to release me or confine me to some more wholesome place than where I am. I have been tenderly bred from my cradle, and now antient and weakly," etc. The claims of Connecticut to Westchester being persisted in, Stuyvesant made a journey to Boston in the fall of 1663 to seek a permanent understanding with the New England officials about the delicate subject. But no conclusion was arrived at, and the Westchester affair remained in statu quo until forcibly settled by the triumph of English force before New Amsterdam in the month of September, 1664.

      The Dutch-English controversy regarding the Westchester tract was one of the incidental phases of the general boundary dispute, which Stuyvesant, from the very beginning of his arrival in New Netherland as director-general, had in vain sought to bring to a decision. In 1650, as the result of overtures made by him for an amicable adjustment of differences, he held a conference at Hartford with commissioners appointed by the United English Colonies; and on the 19th of September articles of agreement were signed by both parties in interest, which provided that the bounds upon the main "should begin at the west side of Greenwich Bay, being about four miles from Stamford, and so to run a northerly line twenty miles up into the country, and after as it shall be agreed by the two governments, of the Dutch and of New Haven, provided the said line come not within ten miles of the Hudson River."

      But these articles, constituting a provisional treaty, were never ratified by the home governments. In 1654 the States-General of the Netherlands instructed their ambassadors in London to negotiate a boundary line, an undertaking, which, however, they found it impossible to accomplish. The English government, when approached on the subject, assumed a haughty attitude, pretending total ignorance of their High Mightinesses having any colonies in America, and, moreover, declaring that, as no proposal on the boundary question had been received from the English colonies in America, it would be manifestly improper to consider the matter in any wise. Subsequent attempts to settle this issue were equally unsuccessful. Nevertheless, it was always urged by Stuyvesant that, in the absence of a regularly confirmed treaty, the articles of 1650 ought to be adhered to in good faith on both sides, as embracing mutual concessions for the sake СКАЧАТЬ