9 October
At the session, present: the right honorable director general Petrus Stuyvesant, the lord councilor Lamontagne, the lord fiscal Tienhoven, the lord Allard Antony, the lord Oloff Stevensen, burgomasters, and the lord Johannis Nevius, emeritus notary of this city.
[ The above letter, received last night ] from the Dutch of Gravesend, [ having been read and opinions ] for and against [ having been expressed ] in the session, it was resolved that each member should express his opinion separately, as to what action ought to be taken.
Opinions given by the gentlemen themselves and dictated by them.
The lord general advises that it would not be bad if the Messrs. Montagne and Allard Antony went as deputies to Gravesande to find out what was going on and to sound out the feelings there.
The lord Montagne recommends:
That 20 to 25 men should be sent there for relief of the Dutch in the village of Gravesande.
Recommendation of the lord fiscal Tienhoven made by himself:
At the session, having read a letter written in English from Westchester to those of Gravesande and sent by some of the same to the lord director and council with a letter and request for assistance, council and advice, about which opinions were offered pro and con at the session, Cornelis van Tienhoven advised that for urgent reasons no soldiers should be sent to the aforesaid village for the time being, but first to agree to invite some of the magistrates, by a friendly letter, to appear here in the fort before the council as soon as possible for the purpose of showing them the letter from Westchester, and to remind them of their proper honor, oath and duty, and to recommend that the Dutch maintain their position in Gravesande and not leave their homes without necessity. Ady ut supra (was signed:) Cornelis van Tienhoven.
[ Advice of Mr. Allard Antony, written ] by himself:
Having heard the proposal of [ the honorable director general regarding ] the letter from Gravesande to send [ two delegates ] to them, [ my advice is that it is only necessary ] to write to the magistrates of [Gravesande] that they [ should appoint ] two from their board to come here to the [ honorable general ] with two of the Dutch nation, and that because we have understood here [ that they ] had received a letter of advice from Lieutenant Wheeler of Westchester to communicate the same to the honorable lord general and councilors. Ady ut supra.
Recommendation of the lord burgomaster Oloff Stevensen:
That two deputies should be sent there to learn what is going on, for if only two are invited from there, they will most likely be unable to make a complete report.
Recommendation of the lord Joannes Nevius made by himself:
My advice is to send a letter to those of Gravesande to send two deputies and two Dutchmen to us who have kept themselves well informed of the rumors circulating among them there, and to ascertain the veracity thereof as much as possible, and to do it with dispatch as this situation cannot suffer a long delay. Then we can, according to the state of affairs, institute the best means for the prevention of further harm for the benefit of this country. Ady ut supra (was signed:) Joannes Nevius.
