Netherland and principally New Amsterdam our capital and residence might continue and increase in good order, justice, police, population, prosperity and mutual harmony, and be provided with strong fortifications, a church, a school, trading place, harbor and similar necessary public edifices and improvements.”[1] Brodhead regards this proclamation as “in some respects a chart of popular rights”,[2] the first of its kind to have been formulated and recognized in New Netherland. Little by little the powers and authority of the Board of Nine Men centered in the hands of Herrman, Van der Donck and Loockermans. Since, after numerous appeals to the Governor, and finding him more and more self-willed, they determined to send in their own name a delegation to Holland. But before resorting to this extremity, they decided to make one more appeal to Stuyvesant. The Board applied to him for leave to confer directly with the commonalty. The Director General grew more recalcitrant and moodily replied in a “very long letter” that “communication must be made through the Director and his instructions followed.”
Almost at once open conflict began between the Director General and the Nine Men. The people were prevented from assembling to voice their approval of their representative body. Van der Donck kept a journal of the proceedings of the Nine Men; but one day, as it was thought, the record and other papers were stolen from his house during his absence.[3] The next day, March 4, 1649, Van der Donck was placed under arrest. One member of the Council, the Vice-Director, Van Dincklagen alone opposed Stuyvesant’s arbitrary proceeding and demanded that Van der Donck be admitted to bail, but his
