Morning journal and courier., 1881-11-22
Historical Society.


 spacious and interesting rooms of the society ip the State House, the attraction of the evening being a promised paper by Prof. Dexter, of Yale College, on 'sThe Early Re- lations between the New Netherlands and New England" A large audience listened to the valuablea paper given by MT. Dexter. President Porter, Profs. Fisher and Hoppin, ex-Gov. IngersolI, Thomas R. Trowbridge and many other noted citizens were present and many ladies. The paper discussed the salient points of the question involved in the sub ject and presented the facts and deductions in an attractive style, interspersed with sug gestive comment. The early relations of the New Netherlands and New England have al- ways been involved in considerable obscurity and the paper was very successful attempt 1 to throw light upon the subject. The paper, while it rehearsed such historic facts as were | woven in the web of the subject, was often enlivened by quiet flash of humor and in- ! teresting glimpses of life in the colonies. The speaker rehearsed the causes which led the Dutch and the English into an attitude of belligerency, and maintained that attitude with more or less of spirit over quite pe- | | onies was for war, to which Massachusetts | demurred and even threatened to withdraw from the confederacy. They were moved by conscientious feeling in such an attitude, de- claring that they would be willing to fight if | ttGod called unto a warn The whole subject was exhaustively argued at 8 meeting in Bos- ton, and the speaker said that the utterance of Massachusetts could not but be deemed | worthy of respect. While Massachusetts thus stood, the western colonies, who had had ! closer contact with the Dutch, with difficulty l restrained themselves from engaging in war l with the Dutch.
 The English Protector saw in this war ! flame chance for stroke of policy, and commissioned an armed fleet to proceed l against the Dutch in aid of the colonists. The Protector, however, not long after made peace with the Dutch and called of his dogs | of war. The news that feet was coming excited joy in those inclined to bellicose measures in Boston, and Massachusetts be- gan to feel aggravated too when the Dutch headed her of from establishing post on the Hudson, near what is now Albany, as she tried to do in 1859. An attempt by colenists to settle at Westchester was the next fea- ture. But soon the New Netherlands were added to the British crown. In the spring of 1864 the Duke of York was ceded the whole of the New Netherlands, backed by sufficient power to take and keep it. The speaker now entered into the moral aspects of the case.
 tHad the Dutch right to settle in North America or were they mere squatters ?" Prof. Dexter's view was that they had 8 right to settle where they did, and that the Cabot dis coveries were too i'll defined to exclude others than English from settling The evidence was that Cabot did not touch on the entire coast except at Nova Scotia, and his merely sailing along a great extent of coast should not rightfully debar other nations from set ting. This seemed to be the sum total of 1 the discoveries which gave the name Virginia | to such vast extent of territory in the new world and brought the first Englishmen to settle here. Again, the paper of Prof. Dexter asked what ground could the Dutch prop erly claim. This question was an- swered by the claim by the Professor that they did not properly occupy the territory they claimed. They did not make actual bona fide occupation. Neither Kief nor Stuyvesant thought it wise to attempt to enforce their claims. A moments compari- son of the numerical strength of the respec- tive colonists throws light on this point. The New Netherlands at the time of the conquest numbered only 10000 souls, while the Eng fish settlements had ran up from p, GOO to Az, GOO. The latter figure was in 1864. The New Netherlands commissioners knew well that they held sway with dire uncertainty as to how long the company would continue. It was frail tenure and they naturally hesitated about going to war with their nearest neigh bors. The New England colonies were at an immense advantage over the Dutch colonies, the former being based on self government, every citizen having voice in their affairs of State, the Dutch none at all in theirs The Dutch powers purposely withheld indi- vidual interest or citizenship interest in the direction of the body polite. With such na- tion and it's agents it was a mercy to this continent to be delivered, so that we see Gods purpose in that the New England and the New Netherlands came under one authority and subject to the one destiny.
 The thanks of the society, on motion of Thomas R. Trowbridge, seconded by Charles Peterson, were passed to Professor Dexter, and he was requested to deposit it in the ar chives of the society. Remarks being in or der, Professor Fisher spoke on the subject elucidated in the paper, saying he had been much interested in the paper. The contact of European nations with the colonial inter ests formed an interesting chapter in our his tory as nation. The conflict with the French was another specially in- teresting feature, and the speaker was pleased to know that Mir Parkman, of Bos- ton, the well known writer of several works, had in preparation history of the old French and Indian war. This relation of the Dutch to New England had always been an obscure part of our history, and Prof. Dexter had cleared up many points tonight. l It was remarkable fact that the Dutch church made such small progress in New York, considering the advantage that the church had in the start there. The reten- tion of the Dutch language in the services probably accounted for the rapid increase of the Episcopal and English Presbyterian l churches over the Dutch.
 On motion of Hon. Charles l.. English, the society was declared adjourned by the presi- dent, Rev. Dr. Beardsley.
 At the preliminary meeting previous to the paper, Hon. Erastus Brooks and Commodore Gorringe, U. s. N, were constituted honor ary members of the society. Both these prominent gentlemen, it will be recollected, lectured before the society at old Music Hall 1 last season, the former on the character of Arnold and Andre, the latter on the Obelisk. Commodore Gorringe has also favored the so- lfciety with interesting Egyptian relics, now to be seen in the society's large and exten- sive collection.
 A much desired and important work is nearly completed by Henry Trowbridge, jr, viz, the preparation of a catalogue of the so- ciety's acquisitions.
 Among the many new acquisitions is an original oil portrait of Jeremiah Atwater, who was steward of Yale College for many years. At the meeting last evening the following resolution was adopted:
 Resolved That this society has heard with pleasure that the distinguished historian DT. E. A. Freeman
 is to deliver of six lectures in this city on Practical Lessons General European History and would express the hope that citizens will generally avail themselves of this opportunity seeing and hearing of the sblest of living Engsh | historians.
 Dedication of a Church.
 The new Catholic church at Montville will be dedicated at o'clock next Thursday, Thanksgiving day. by the Right Reverend Bishop McMahon, assisted by the Revs. T.