Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/70

 Amsterdam Chamber. Two vessels were sent out under command of Cornelis Jacobsen May, the companion of Block, who became the first Director of New Netherland. During his brief administration of one year, a fort was built on the Delaware called Nassau: there was also built, on the Hudson, where Albany now stands, a fort named Fort Orange. A number of Walloons, who had been denied the privilege of settlement within the territory of the Virginia Company, came out in the vessel under command of May: these, who were, properly so called, the first colonists, settled on the north-west corner of Long Island, at Waal-Bogt—"Walloon's Bay"—now, Wallabout.

In May, 1626, Peter Minuit arrived at Manhattan as Director-general of New Netherland, and entered vigorously upon the duties of his office. Manhattan Island was purchased of the Indians for sixty gilders—about $24—and a block-house, surrounded by a palisade, was built at the southernmost point: this was called Fort Amsterdam. Staten Island was also purchased of the Indians, and the Dutch sent over to Holland specimens of wheat, rye, barley, flax, etc., as evidence of the fertility and goodness of the soil. Although the fur trade had already reached, in the value of the exports, about $20,000 per annum, the Dutch had not as yet entertained seriously the project of actual colonization and settlement on tho banks of the Hudson. They were content to enjoy the profits of trade, and to have friendly intercourse with the English at New Plymouth, who, however, with characteristic feeling on the subject, did not fail to remind them that England claimed the region of country they were occupying; and when England claimed any thing, she was not likely very soon or easily to give it up.

The States-general were induced, however, the next year, to approve a plan for colonization which the Assembly of Nineteen had drawn up. "Any member of the Company, who might establish in any part of New Netherland, within four years after the notice of his intention, a colony of fifty persons upwards of fifteen years of age, was to be entitled, by the name of Patroon, to a grant of territory so occupied, sixteen miles in extent along the sea shore, or the bank of some navigable river, or eight miles where both banks were occupied, with an indefinite extent inland. The island of Manhattan and the fur trade with the Indians were expressly reserved to the Company; and upon all trade carried on by the patroons, an acknowledgment of five per cent, was to be paid. These patroons were to extinguish the Indian title, and were to settle their lands with tenants, farmers having indented servants the same with those of Virginia; but the feudal privileges reserved to the patroons, some traces of which still exist, present a marked difference between this Dutch scheme of settlement, and the free tenure of lands adopted in Virginia. Free settlers who emigrated at their own expense, were to be allowed as much land as they could cultivate, and settlers of