Last
Dutch governor of New York; born in
Holland in 1602; was a brave soldier in the
Dutch military service in the
West Indies, and was director, or governor, of the colony of Curacoa.
He was a remarkably strongheaded official.
He had lost a leg in battle in the
West Indies, and, with a wooden one, bound with silver bands, he came to New Netherland as its director-general, or governor, late in May, 1647.
He was received with joy as the successor of
Kieft.
He assumed great dignity; marched from the vessel to the fort with great
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pomp, and assured the people that justice should rule.
He began his administration by the assertion of vice-regal authority, and frowned upon every expression of republican sentiment, declaring it to be treason to petition against one's magistrate, “whether there be cause or not.”
He defended
Kieft's conduct in rejecting the interference of the council of twelve (see
Kieft, William), saying: “If any one, 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.”
Stuyvesant was an honest despot, and acted wisley.
He set about needed reforms with great vigor, and into the community he infused much of his own energy.
Enterprise took the place of indifference.
He soon regulated the troubles between the
Dutch on
Manhattan and the Swedes on the
Delaware (see
New Sweden), made arrangements for adjusting difficulties with the Puritans in the
East, and pacified the surrounding tribes of barbarians.
In 1650 he arranged, at
Hartford, the boundary in dispute between the
English and
Dutch possessions.
Finding the finances of the province in a wretched condition, he perceived that taxation would be necessary, so he summoned representatives of the people to meet at New Amsterdam to provide for it. This germ of popular rule he tried to smother, but in vain, and there were angry controversies between the governor and the people during nearly the whole of his administration.
A fort built by the
Dutch on the
Delaware in 1651 was captured by the Swedes in 1654.
This caused
Stuyvesant to lead an expedition in person against the Swedes the next year, which resulted in the subjugation of New Sweden.
In 1653 a convention of two deputies from each village in New Netherland demanded certain political rights for the people, and gave the governor to understand that they should act independently of him. He stormed and threatened, but to no purpose.
The spirit of resistance increased.
Disturbed by encroachments of the
English on the east, he remonstrated, but in vain, and was compelled to yield to the pressure of changing circumstances around him. Finally, when an English military and naval force came from
England to assert the claim of the
Duke of
York to New Netherland, and revolutionary movements occurred on
Long Island, his troubles tried him most severely; but his fortitude and obstinacy never forsook him.
When
Col. Richard Nicolls appeared
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Sounding machine on a cable steamer. |
with four ships-of-war and 450 soldiers operated by in front of New Amsterdam (August, tion.
1664) and demanded the surrender of the province (Aug. 31), he found his alienated people willing to submit to English rule.
Yet he stoutly refused the demand.
Nicolls sent
Governor Winthrop, of
Connecticut, with a letter to
Stuyvesant, repeating his demand.
He laid it before the council, who said, “Read it to the people.”
Stuyvesant would not. The council and magistrates insisted that he should, when the enraged governor, who had fairly earned the title of “Peter the headstrong,” unable to control his passion, tore the letter in pieces.
Stuyvesant held out for a week, but on Sept. 8 he yielded, and the formal surrender took place.
The governor went to
Holland to report to his susuperiors, in 1665, and, returning, spent the remainder of his days on his bowery, or farm, on
Manhattan Island, bordering on the
East River.
He died in August, 1682.
His remains rest in St. Mark's church-yard, New York City.
See
New Netherland;
State of New York.
