It will be remembered that John Scott had received a commission from Connecticut, and it was expected that, as their agent, he would cause the English towns on western Long Island to be annexed to the Connecticut province. Instead of this, those towns declared themselves independent, and Scott allowed himself to be chosen their president. The Court at Hartford, upon being made acquainted with these facts, was very indignant. A proclamation was soon issued by the Assembly of Connecticut, charging Scott with various high crimes and misdemeanors, and ordering his arrest. A party of soldiers was sent under the command of John Allyn, secretary, "to seize on the body of John Scott." Mr. Allyn returned to the Honorable Court the following interesting report of his procedure on the occasion:
"When we came within sight of the house of John Scott we saw
him draw forth those men which came from New Haven to aid
him, with some others, unto a body. When we came up towards
the house, within twenty or thirty rods thereof. John Scott
commanded us, in his Majesty's name to stand, upon our
peril. John Scott charged us in his Majesty's name, to get
off from his land. John Scott desired to know what our
business was.
"Then it was replied, by Nathaniel Seely, that he desired a
parley. John Scott granted a parley, and we met, each of us
with a couple of musketeers. Then Nathaniel Seely told him
that he had come to arrest him, and read the commission unto
him. When it was read Seely demanded of him whether he would
surrender himself according to commission?
"John Scott replied that he would sacrifice his heart's
blood on the ground, before he would yield to him or any of
Connecticut jurisdiction. With that the New Haven men
answered, 'So will we.' John Scott said, 'Stay awhile and I
will fetch you a letter, from under Governor Winthrop's
hand, which I do not question much will satisfy you.' So he
went into the house and fetched it forth and read it before
us, bearing date as he said, of March 25, 1664.
"It was concerning the governor's desiring him to meet him
to end some difference in the Narragansett country about a
tract of land. John Scott said, 'If you will return to your
body, I will fetch a commission under his Majesty's hand,
which shall command you all.' Whereupon he made a flourish
and said that he would go down unto the face of the company
and read it, and he would see if the proudest of them all
dared to lay hands upon him. 'Let them,' said he, 'take me
if they dare.'
"Then he came down to the head of the company, and read the
commission, which he said had the seal manual upon it.
Whereupon he renewed his challenge that he would see if the
proudest of them all dared to lay hands upon him. Then
Nathaniel Seely arrested him in his Majesty's name to go
with him according to law."
Scott was taken to Hartford and thrown into jail, where, it is said, he experienced much harsh usage. Soon after this Governor John Winthrop, from Hartford, visited the English Long Island towns, removed the officers appointed by Scott, and installed others who would be devoted to the interests of Connecticut.
Governor Stuyvesant being informed of his presence, immediately crossed the East river to Long Island, to meet the Connecticut governor, who was thus encroaching upon the Dutch domains. He urged upon Governor Winthrop the claims of Holland upon New Netherland, by the apparently indubitable title of discovery, purchase and possession, as well as by the clearly defined obligations of the Hartford treaty of 1650. It will be remembered that by that treaty it was expressly agreed that,
"Upon Long Island a line run from the westernmost part of
Oyster Bay, in a straight and direct line to the sea, shall
be the bounds between the English and the Dutch there; the
easterly part to belong to the English, the westernmost part
to the Dutch."
But here was Governor Winthrop, in total disregard of this treaty, many miles west of this line, endeavoring to wrest several towns from the Dutch dominion, and to annex them to the Connecticut colony. All Governor Stuyvesant's arguments were unavailing. Governor Winthrop paid no heed to them. He knew very well that the Dutch governor had no military power with which to enforce his claims. Governor Winthrop therefore contented himself with simply declaring that the whole of Long Island belonged to the king of England.
"All Governor Stuyvesant could address, writes O'Callaghan,
"was of no avail. The country was the king's, the people his
subjects. When priority of title from the Indians was
invoked, those from whom the Dutch purchased were, it was
replied, not the right owners and had no right to sell. But
when deeds which the English held from natives, happened to
be older than those of their opponents, then the title could
not be gainsayed. All must be received without
contradiction.
"The truth is, the Directors in Holland were mistaken in
their reliance upon Winthrop's friendship. He now manifested
the greatest hostility to the Dutch, and was the head and
front of all the opposition they experienced. He was no
doubt well-advised of the designs of the Duke of York, and
of his brother the king of England, which were about to
develop themselves against this province."
While New Netherland was thus fearfully menaced by England, the internal affairs of the province were in a state of prosperity. The rich soil was producing abundant harvests and farms were extending in all directions. Emigrants were continually arriving and were delighted with their new homes. The population of the province now amounted to full ten thousand. New Amsterdam was a flourishing city, containing fifteen hundred inhabitants.
This prosperity excited both the jealousy and the covetousness of the British court. The king resolved, by one bold blow, to rob Holland of all her American possessions. On the 12th of March, 1664, the king of England granted to his brother James, the Duke of York, the whole of Long Island, all the islands in its neighborhood, and all the lands and rivers from the west side of Connecticut river to the east side of Delaware Bay. This sweeping grant included the whole of New Netherland. This was emphatically expelling the Dutch from the New World.