To fan this rising flame of animosity against the Dutch, a rancorous pamphlet was published in London, entitled,
"The second part of the Amboyna Tragedy; or a faithful
account of a bloody, treacherous and cruel plot of the Dutch
in America, purporting the total ruin and murder of all the
English colonists in New England; extracted from the various
letters lately written from New England to different
merchants in London."
This was indeed an inflammatory pamphlet. The most violent language was used. The Dutch were accused of the "devilish project" of trying to rouse the savages to a simultaneous assault upon all the New England colonists. The crime was to be perpetrated on Sunday morning, when they should be collected in their houses of worship. Men, women and children were to be massacred, and the buildings laid in ashes.
The Amsterdam Directors had this "most infamous and lying libel," translated into their own language and sent a copy to Governor Stuyvesant and his council, saying: "We wish that your honors may see what stratagems that nation employs, not only to irritate the populace, but the whole world if possible and to stir it up against us."
The position of Governor Stuyvesant had become exceedingly uncomfortable. He was liable at any day to have from abroad war's most terrible storm burst upon him. And the enemy might come in such force that he would be utterly unable to make any effectual resistance. On the other hand the Dutch settlements were composed of emigrants from all lands. Many Englishmen, dissatisfied with the rigid rule of the New England colonies, had taken their residence in New Netherland.
The arbitrary rule of Stuyvesant was obnoxious to the majority of his subjects, and they were increasingly clamorous for a more liberal and popular government. On the 16th of December, 1630, a very important popular convention was held at New Amsterdam, composed of delegates from eight towns. There were nineteen delegates, ten of whom were Dutch and nine English. Unanimously they avowed fealty to the government of Holland. But they remonstrated against the establishment of an arbitrary government; and complained that laws had been enacted without the consent of the people.
"This," said they,
"is contrary to the granted privilege of the Netherland
government and odious to every free-born man; and especially
so to those whom God has placed in a free state in
newly-settled lands, who are entitled to claim laws not
transcending, but resembling as near as possible those of
the Netherlands."
There were several minor offences enumerated to which we need not here refer. The memorial was drawn up by an Englishman, George Baxter. The imperious Stuyvesant was greatly annoyed by this document. To weaken its effect, he declared that the delegates had no authority to act or even to meet upon such questions. He endeavored to rouse national prejudice against the document by saying:
"The most ancient colony of Manhattan, the colonies of
Rensselaerswyck and Staten Island and the settlements at
Beaverswyck and on the South river are too prudent to
subscribe to all that has been projected by an Englishman;
as if among the Netherlands' nation there is no one
sagacious and expert enough to draw up a remonstrance to the
Director and council."