The Anglo-Dutch war was a turning point for the two nations as well. Separated by the sliver of water once called the “Narrow Sea”, the two peoples were more alike and akin than any other two nations in Europe. Of course there had been occasional quarrels as happens between close relatives. Cromwell had energetically built up his navy while the Dutch had weakened theirs in part to weaken the monarchical ambitions of the Prince of Orange. The war was fought entirely at sea – another novelty.
But, it left Adriaen stranded. Instead of being listless, he frantically traveled between ‘sGravenhage, Amsterdam, Leyden, and Breda to further his cause . In Leyden, he obtained a law degree that allowed him to appear before the highest court. In Amsterdam, he gained a meeting with officials of the DWIC, only to be called a “notorious ringleader … of a lawless and mutinous rabble.” In ‘sGravenhage he appealed to the government, but found no sympathy. Always a fighter, he started writing about the colony and its huge potential. It was eventually published in 1655 under the name, A Description of New Netherland. As if clairvoyant, he described how, modeled on the Republic, America would become a haven for refugees from “eastern Europe, Germany, Westphalia, Scandinavia, Wallonia, etc.” and how they could find opportunity in the Dutch system; a system that was free, capitalist, tolerant, and social all at once. His ideals proved so remote that late in 1653, his quest had been thoroughly crushed and the government deemed it safe to give Adriaen permission to return home. It may sound familiar to us that in a nation at war, the corporate powers and commercial interests win out over the power of the people. Adriaen promised to refrain from all public engagement and obey the Company . Then he went on to hire a number of artisans in Amsterdam and eventually sailed back to Manhattan in the winter of 1653/54.
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Stuyvesant made sure not to be burned again by the wily lawyer. He refused him access to the archives (presumably for research for his upcoming book about New Netherland) and banned him from practicing law, knowing that no one in the colony could match Adriaen’s knowledge and cunning. Adriaen was busy anyway. His estate had suffered during his absence. He had much planning to do and put to work the artisans he brought back with him. And then he had to help settle the relatives that had come over.
But politics would not leave him alone. To the colonists and their representatives, he was still a hero and they sought his advice. New arrivals from both the Republic and New England swelled the population of the towns near Manhattan and inevitably attracted thieves and pirates . One notorious fellow specialized in stealing horses up and down the north coast of Nassau . Several leaders, which no doubt included Francis Doughty in Flushing, demanded action from the DWIC, failing which they would not pay their taxes. Stuyvesant accused them of siding with England in the war. It is true that most were of English descent, but they preferred relatively free Dutch rule over invigorated Puritan rule of the English.
In 1653, the people of seven towns presented Stuyvesant with a petition that was written in English but followed Dutch legal forms. It was similar in tone to Adriaen’s earlier writings and complained of the “arbitrary government” of Stuyvesant’s. They wanted what New Amsterdam had — a municipal government – and that city supported their demand. Stuyvesant suspected Adriaen’s hand, but there was no proof. More likely, the colonists had by now learned enough from their friend and from books shipped from the Republic to make compelling arguments themselves. All that Adriaen was guilty of was that he had started a movement that still was alive and well. Nevertheless, Stuyvesant rejected the petition. In June 1654 the first Anglo-Dutch War came to an end.
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After the publication of his book about the colony in 1655, there are few references to Adriaen. He probably concluded that he had done all that could be done. He had failed and he had succeeded. He must have spent more time at home, away from the limelight in the City. In September 1655 there was a raid by natives on his "boerderij" . He was killed or mortally wounded. His wife, Mary, survived.
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Adriaen’s tail:
Adriaen’s widow, Mary, moved to Maryland, as did her brother Enoch. Her brothers Francis and Elias remained in Flushing, where Elias was involved in a protest about religious tolerance. After their father, Francis, unsuccessfully intervened on the behest of Governor Stuyvesant in a problem concerning newly arrived Quakers, Stuyvesant banned all Quaker meetings. Of course they were held anyway and, in 1657, a respected resident of Flushing was fined and banished. A number of townspeople protested their Governor’s intolerance and drew up a document dated December 27, 1657 and known as the Flushing Remonstrance. It was signed by people of different denominations and was America’s first popular appeal for religious freedom (as guaranteed under Dutch law). Unfortunately Stuyvesant continued his policy. He also continued to suppress the people’s participation in government. When the English fleet arrived in 1664, the people had little enthusiasm to defend their limited freedoms and refused to take up arms and defend their colony. Stuyvesant had no choice other than to surrender the colony to the British.
Excerpts from MANY HEADS AND MANY HANDS, James Madison’s Search for a More Perfect Union by Mau VanDuren (author of this blog)
http://www.governance4us.com/...