Document: Remonstrance of a committee from the merchants of New Amsterdam

To the honorable and most esteemed director-general and council of New Netherland.

Honorable and esteemed gentlemen:Whereas by your honors’ decision upon the request made in the name and on behalf of the merchants and traders of this place on the 22nd of this month,[1] in which the petitioners were directed to specify and prove by which goods and merchandise they had suffered the greatest losses and how the most average and leakage had occurred, also which goods and merchandise they could not afford to sell here at this time with a mark-up of 120 percent; therefore, the aforesaid merchants and traders have empowered and authorized us, the subscribers, to report to your honors, as we herewith do. First, that in the course of business a merchant is not well able to give specific proof as to how his goods have been damaged and depreciated by leakage, average, decay or otherwise, because it would require a too detailed investigation and examination which cannot be made without creating great confusion in the trade, but that (with due respect) the notoriety of excessive losses by leakage and otherwise should be sufficient to prevent the enforcement of such rules and limitations for the commerce, as your honors have already been pleased to draft and publish. Secondly, even if the respective merchants each were able to show with which goods they incurred the greatest losses, then (with all due respect) such proof should have led to the establishment of regulations, which are to be in force not only for the present and concern a few merchants who have suffered losses, but also for the future and apply to the merchants in general. For if they who had lost more should have permission to sell their goods at a higher price than they who had lost less, a great confusion would arise in the trade and the merchants would necessarily become suspicious and uneasy in the expectation of being at all times and occasions examined concerning the sale of their goods. In addition, each merchant would have to be furnished, in such a case, with a special document and order by which to govern oneself; and furthermore, such orders or regulations are practiced in none of the places under the jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses, the States-General of the United Netherlands, but rather all, whether buyer or seller, are permitted a free disposition of their respective goods - for how great a benefit and growth of commerce is well- known to your honors and the whole world. Therefore, we, the subscribers, permit, for ourselves and on behalf of those as stated above in the previous petition, and have resolved (in case of refusal) to hold the goods which we now have here and not to order anymore, because we cannot believe that to enforce the aforesaid ordinances will tend to the advantage of the country or city, to the benefit of the citizens and inhabitants or to the growth of commerce, but only to the benefit and enrichment of those persons who are already or may be authorized to carry out the regulations. In the margin was written: In N. Amsterdam, New Netherland, 28 November 1653. And was signed: J. V- Beeck, Cornelis vander Veen, Jan Laurensz Appel, J. van Brugge, Cornelis Steenwyck [ ] After collation it was found that this agreed with the original. And was signed: Cornelis van Ruyven, secretary.