Lights and Shadows of New York Life | Page 8

one.
He energetically opposed from the first all manifestations in favor of
popular government. His will was to be the law of the province. "If any
one," said he, "during my administration shall appeal, I will make him a
foot shorter, and send the pieces to Holland, and let him appeal in that
way." He went to work with vigor to reform matters in the colony,
extending his efforts to even the morals and domestic affairs of the
people. He soon brought about a reign of material prosperity greater
than had ever been known before, and exerted himself to check the
encroachments of the English, on the East, and the Swedes, on the
South. He inaugurated a policy of kindness and justice toward the
Indians, and soon changed their enmity to sincere friendship. One thing,
however, he dared not do--he could not levy taxes upon the people
without their consent, for fear of offending the States General of
Holland. This forced him to appoint a council of nine prominent
citizens, and, although he endeavored to hedge round their powers by
numerous conditions, the nine ever afterwards served as a salutary
check upon the action of the Governor. He succeeded, in the autumn of
1650, in settling the boundary disputes with the English in New
England, and then turned his attention to the Swedes on the Delaware,
whom he conquered in 1654. His politic course towards them had the
effect of converting them into warm friends of the Dutch. During his
absence on this expedition, the Indians ravaged the Jersey shore and

Staten Island, and even made an attack on New Amsterdam itself. They
were defeated by the citizens, and Stuyvesant's speedy return
compelled them to make peace. This was the last blow struck by the
savages at the infant metropolis.
In 1652, the States General, much to the disgust of Stuyvesant, granted
to New Amsterdam a municipal government similar to that of the free
cities of Holland. A Schout, or Sheriff, two Burgomasters, and five
Schepens, were to constitute a municipal court of justice. The people,
however, were denied the selection of these officers, who were
appointed by the Governor. In February, 1653, these officers were
formally installed. They were, Schout Van Tienhoven, Burgomasters
Hattem and Kregier, and Schepens Van der Grist, Van Gheel, Anthony,
Beeckman, and Couwenhoven, with Jacob Kip as clerk.
During Stuyvesant's administration, the colony received large
accessions from the English in New England. "Numbers, nay whole
towns," says De Laet, "to escape from the insupportable government of
New England, removed to New Netherlands, to enjoy that liberty
denied to them by their own countrymen." They settled in New
Amsterdam, on Long Island, and in Westchester county. Being
admitted to the rights of citizenship, they exercised considerable
influence in the affairs of the colony, and towards the close of his
administration gave the Governor considerable trouble by their
opposition to his despotic acts.
In 1647, the streets of New Amsterdam were cleared of the shanties and
pig-pens which obstructed them. In 1648, every Monday was declared
a market-day. In 1650, Dirk Van Schellyne, the first lawyer, "put up his
shingle" in New Amsterdam. In 1652, a wall or palisade was erected
along the upper boundary of the city, in apprehension of an invasion by
the English. This defence ran from river to river, and to it Wall street,
which occupies its site east of Trinity Church, owes its name. In 1656,
the first survey of the city was made, and seventeen streets were laid
down on the map; and, in the same year, the first census showed a
"city" of 120 houses, and 1000 inhabitants. In 1657, a terrible blow fell
upon New Amsterdam--the public treasury being empty, the salary of

the town drummer could not be paid. In that year the average price of
the best city lots was $50. In 1658, the custom of "bundling" received
its death blow by an edict of the Governor, which forbade men and
women to live together until legally married. In that year the streets
were first paved with stone, and the first "night watch" was organized
and duly provided with rattles. A fire department, supplied with
buckets and ladders, was also established, and the first public well was
dug in Broadway. In 1660, it was made the duty of the Sheriff to go
round the city by night to assure himself of its peace and safety. This
worthy official complained that the dogs, having no respect for his
august person, attacked him in his rounds, and that certain evil-minded
individuals "frightened" him by calling out "Indians" in the darkness,
and that even the boys cut Koeckies. The city grew steadily, its suburbs
began to smile with boweries, or farms, and in 1658 a palisaded village
called New Harlem was founded