Document: Further resolution on measures of defense to be adopted

Holding Institution
Document ID
NYSA_A1809-78_V05_0111
Description

Further resolution on the above subject.

Document Date
1653-03-17
Document Date (Date Type)
1653-03-17
Document Type
Document Type Unlinked
Resolution
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Translation
Translation

[ The mayors and schepens of this city, Martin Cregier, who is absent, excepted, advise and demonstrate upon the propositions made on 13 March 1653. ]

First, whether it is not necessary to enclose, above all, the greater part of this city of New Amsterdam in the most convenient manner with palisades, and after this has been done as speedily as possible to put Fort New Amsterdam into good shape for defense in order to serve as a place of retreat. They offer for the accomplishment of this to provide the sum of 4, 5 or 6 thousand guilders, to be collected from the interested community after completion of the work.

The aforesaid mayors and schepens further propose to the director-general and council, whether it not be expedient to send, besides the already dispatched letters, some special agents to the respective colonies of New England, our neighbors, whose commissioners, so the report goes, are to meet on next April first. They could obtain a speedier and more decisive answer to the aforesaid letters and could offer them personally good and favorable conditions for a continuation of our former neighborly friendship, mutual correspondence and commerce; and they might also ascertain how far they are interested in the regrettable disputes and the European war which has broken out between their High Mightinesses and the present government of England. Thus done and enacted the 15th of March 1653 at New Amsterdam.[1] Aernt van Hallem P.L. van die Grift Will. Beeckman Pieter Wolfersen Maximilianus van Gheel Allard Anthony

[ The director-general and council of New Netherland having read and considered the propositions of the mayors and ] schepens of this city of New Amsterdam, in which they submit that, above all, the greater part of this city should be strengthened and enclosed with palisades, and the fort be placed in a proper state of defense, offering to contribute 5 to 6 thousand guilders, accept the propositions and the offer even though in some respects they do not agree with the directions of the lords superiors and the resolution adopted yesterday; therefore, for the sake of peace and harmony, they consent that the proposed and requested enclosure shall first be made properly and the defenses, etc. constructed, and the work shall be contracted for and undertaken under the orders and directions of the director-general and council or their deputies and the mayors and schepens or their deputies; the director-general and council appointing herewith out of their number as deputy: the first councillor, Mr. La Montagne, who is to promote this work with the deputies from the magistrates.

Concerning the further proposition to send agents to our neighbors of New England, although the letters sent to the respective colonies of Boston and Pleymuyen[2] should be sufficient for the purpose; however, as no definite answers have been received so far, the director-general and council agree with the proposition of the mayors and schepens and consent to send properly accredited agents to the respective colonies [ with credentials and instructions to be drawn up by the director-general and council of which the mayors and schepens shall have due information. When these credentials and instructions are ready the director-general and council will consider who to send. Done in council by the director-general and council of New Netherland, 14 March 1653. ]

Translation Superscripts
[1]: This proposal is dated 14 March 1653 in The Records of New Amsterdam, 1653-1674, edited by Berthold Fernow, 7 vols., 1897 (reprinted Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1976), 1:68.
[2]: Plymouth.
References

From the collections of the New York State Archives, Albany, New York.  https://www.archives.nysed.gov/  

Translation link see: http://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=tei/A1809/NYSA_A1809-78_V05_0111.xml

Published bound volume is also available: Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 4, Council Minutes, 1638-1649 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.

Copyright to the published bound volume is held by the Holland Society of New York.
A complete copy of this publication is available on the
New Netherland Institute website.

A1809 Additional Party
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