After considering the matters presented in the petition, the Commissioners resolved, that a letter should be directed in their name, to the Director of New Netherland In this communication they stated, that the conduct of Stuyvesant was regarded by all the colonies as directly contrary to the agreement he had made; that the New Haven settlers had only signed to improve their just rights, and that the terms of the treaty expressly allowed of planting and trading upon lands, as the parties might choose. They also demanded that satisfaction should be made to their friends and confederates, for the damage that had been done. But the Commissioners informed the people of New Haven, that they did not think meet at the time, to enter into any engagement against

other inhabitants of New Haven and Sotocket." After some preface the Petition proceeds, "and whereas your petitioners streightened in the respective plantations, and finding this part of the country full, or affording little encouragement to begin any new plantations for their own comfort and convenience of posterity, did upon a serious consideration of the premises and upon encouragement of the treaty between the honorable Commissioners and the Dutch Governor, the last year at Connecticut by agreement and with consent of the said merchants and others, resolve upon a more difficult remove to Delaware; hoping that our aims and endeavours would be acceptable to God and to his people in these colonies, being assured our title to the place was just; and resolving (through the help of God) in all our carriages and proceeding, to hold and maintain a neighborly correspondence both with the Dutch and Swedes, as was assured them both by the tenor of the Commissioners, and by letters of the honored Governor of this jurisdiction; to these ends, and with these purposes preparations were made, in the winter, a vessel was hired, and at least fifty of us set forward in the spring and expecting the fruit of that wholesome advice given at Hartford the last year in the case by the Manhattoes, which we might have avoided, and from our honored governor presented a letter to the Dutch Governor, upon perusal whereof, (without further provocation) he arrested the two messengers and committed them to a private house, prisoners under a guard, that done, he sent for the master of the vessel to come on shore to speak with him, and committed him also, after which two more of the company coming on shore and desiring to speak with their neighbors under restraint, he committed them as the rest, then desiring to see our commissions and copy them out, promising to return them the next day, though the copies were taken, and the commissions demanded, he refused to deliver them, and kept them, and the men imprisoned till they were forced to engage under their hands not to proceed on their voyage to the Delaware, but with loss of time and charge, to return to New Haven." &c.

the Dutch, choosing rather "to suffer affronts for a while than to seem to be too quick;" yet if the petitioners should think proper to attempt the improvement of their lands at any time within twelve months, and for that purpose, should, at their own charge transport together one hundred and fifty, or at least one hundred able men, armed in a proper manner, that in case they should meet with any opposition from the Dutch, or the Swedes, the Commissioners would assist them with such a number of men as should be thought meet.

But the Director of New Netherland stood firm to his purpose. He insisted that according to the terms of agreement, affairs were to remain in their former state, and that no improvement should be made which would change, in any respect, the rights of the claimants; and he declared in a letter to Governor Eaton, that he would resist, even to the last extremity, any attempt to settle or plant upon the lands in dispute.

The people of New Haven made various attempts to strengthen their interests, and to maintain their claims, they applied to their confederates both singly, and in union, but no decisive result was obtained; the opposition between New England, and New Netherland was constantly increasing in strength, but the period of crisis had not yet arrived.

The attention of Governor Stuyvesant was now directed to making provision for the vindication of the claims of the Dutch, against the demands and advances of the Swedes. The latter people continued to hold possession upon the Delaware; they had secured a great portion of the trade of the country, and had compelled the Dutch to submit to numerous indignities. But Stuyvesant was little disposed to passive submission, or further forbearance. By his direction, a tract of land was purchased from the Indians, in the name of the States General and the West India Company, lying between Christina Creek and Bomptie's Hook, and by this movement an opportunity was given to the Dutch, to penetrate nearly to the heart of the Swedish settlements. Preparations were also made for erecting a fort.

'This purchase was made on the 19th of July, 1651.

These vigorous proceedings gave much alarm to the Swedish authorities; and Governor Printz immediately protested against them; the lands, he said, were the property of the Swedes, by rightful purchase. But no more regard was paid to the Swedish protest, than a similar instrument had formerly received, from the Swedes themselves; the Dutch persisted in their course, and soon completed their fort; it was placed but a few miles from the primitive seat of Swedish authority. It was called Fort Casimer. Governor Printz had sufficient discernment to perceive, that his authority would be wholly and quickly subverted, unless the movements of the Dutch could be checked; he therefore despatched some agents to Sweden, with orders that full information should be given to the government, of his perilous condition." But before the support he required, could be expected to arrive, the Governor, who was hasty and impatient, became wearied with delay, and resolved to depart from the province. He had formerly intimated a desire to relinquish the government, and his present departure was probably in pursuance of his previous design, yet the abandonment of his post at the present conjuncture, was not calculated to confirm the opinion which his superiors seem to have held, in favor of his character and conduct. He had rendered himself unpopular in the province by his rigorous exercise of power. He departed in 1653, and deputed his authority to his son-in-law, John Pappegoia."

In the mean time, before it was known in Sweden, that Printz had surrendered the government, measures were adopted for the releif of the province, and an assistant to the Governor appointed. The individual who was chosen for this situation was John Rysing. 10 He received his commission in 1653, and ample in

Ferris' Settlements, p. 79.

9

10 66

Clay's Annals, p. 25. Upsal, Dec. 12th, 1653. "We Christina, &c. make known that having elected our very faithful subject John Rysing, formerly Secretary of the General College of Commerce, to make a voyage to New Sweden, in order there to aid for a certain period our present Governor of the said country, agreeably to the orders and instructions which he has received from the said College, and being willing that in consequence of the hazard and fatigue he will experience during so long a voyage—

structions were also given, directing the course to be pursued by the government.

The Governor was directed to be careful that the South River should be fortified, protected and defended, as far as practicable. He was to extend the limits of the country, if this could be done with prudence and propriety, without hostility, or any risk to what was already possessed. With respect to the fortress that the Dutch had built upon the coast, (Fort Casimer,) if he could not induce them to abandon it by argument, and serious remonstrances, and without resorting to hostilities, he should avoid the latter, and confine himself solely to protestations; suffering the Dutch to occupy the fortress, rather than it should fall into the hands of the English, who it was said were more powerful, and therefore more to be dreaded in the country. But it would be proper to construct a fortress nearer the mouth of the river, below that of the Dutch, in order to defend the passage, and render theirs useless. But the mildest measures only, were to be employed.

To encourage the cultivation of land in New Sweden, her Majesty resolved and ordained, and the Governor on the part of her Majesty, was to give assurance, that all who should wish to purchase either from the company, or the savages, as her subjects, recognizing the jurisdiction of the Crown of Sweden, should enjoy in respect to the lands thus purchased, all franchises and allodial privileges, both themselves and their descendants, forever; being assured that they should be admitted into the company, or otherwise secured in the franchises aforesaid. Nevertheless, no one should enter into possession of land without the sanction of the Governor, in order that no one should be deprived improperly, of what he already possessed.

that his pay and support be there rendered therein, we command that the Sieur John Rysing, in virtue of this letter patent, and in the capacity of Commissary of the said General College of Commerce, shall receive annually the sum of Twelve Humdred Dollars in silver, in addition to the special appointments which he may receive from the Company of the South." Rysing also received the sum of One Hundred Rix Dollars for his equipment and voyage. Hazard's Register.

Some changes were also made in the Constitution of the Government. The military, was separated from the civil department, and provision was made for a permanent Council, to act with the Governor.

It was ordered, that before the present Governor should leave the country, he should render to the Commissary Rysing, an exact account of all the affairs of justice and police, and of the revenues of the company, and all similar matters. That he should in the -mean time, and until new orders were received, resign into the hands of John Amundson, (who went out at the same time with Rysing,) all that relates to the military, and to the defence of the country; establishing also a Council formed of the best instructed and most noble officers in the country, of which Rysing should be Director, in such manner however, that neither he in his charge, or John Amundson, as governor of militia, in his, should decide or approve any thing without reciprocally consulting each other. The Governor, in case of his leaving the country, should give written instructions to the subordinate officers, in order, that the government might be duly administered. But if the Governor should remain longer in the province, he should accept as Commissary, and Assistant Counsellor, the aforesaid John Rysing, and for the Council those whom he should judge the most proper; and that all affairs should be decided after due deliberation, and with unanimous agreement.

Upon the arrival of Rysing, it was found that the Governor had already departed, and had left authority in the hands of Pappegoia. The latter was superseded upon the arrival of Rysing, and after remaining for a time in a subordinate situation, departed from the province.

Rysing, who was now the principal in command, assumed the title of Governor, or Director General, and with it, a degree of authority not warranted by the instructions that had been given. The direction of military affairs, and all that related thereto, had been expressly assigned to another individual, but Rysing retained the entire control; he also proceeded to exercise his powers in a prohibited case. The instructions he had brought to the province, directly forbade that any hostile attempt should be made to effect the removal of the Dutch, from their fort on the coast. But Rysing