New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
IN THE DAYS OF NEW. AMSTERDAM.

IN THE DAYS OF NEW-AlSTERDAM
PETER sTUYvESANT. Drcctor-Gene for the West
India Company In the New Netherand. BY iiayard
Tuckerman. Pp 1913. Dodd. Mead a Co. tMakers
OF Amertca).
Mr. Tuckermans little book Is studlously moderate
in Its tone II he thinks highly OF early Du'ch
achievement in the New World especially In the valley
of the Hudson River he avoids any show OF partisan
ship as against the eager and griShng EhsiSn 'oio
pists. Yet the picture he draws, In when 'he hs"'0
of the great Stuyvesnt Is but one among laN Il "'
to which the reader may be glad 10 turn from the
bewildering turmoil OF scene where 'he a''oiS '"e
now counted by the million individually Is ioS' 10
observation at this day in the swelling tide OF
humanity: but when 1t was easy TO NUMBER the III
hobtants OF Manhattan by tens, every unit had us
value.
II ia curious to remember the futile effort OF those
.,ues IN introduce the feudal distinctions OF Europe
into the little colony In this episode may lie STUDIED
tho beginnings of the OliGarchic movement which In
Furope went unnoted, except In later and sometimes
oppreSsive phases. Stuyvesant and his council IKE
the leaders of Venice. hoped to keep the power OF
their small but growing state In the hands OF the
nrosperous few among the Holland settlers as against
the increasing numbers of foreigners. The plan was
the outcome OF loyalty to the traditions Of race Dun
such plan has never been carried out anywhere
without destructive limitations upon freedom AT
New Amsterdam it not carried ont at all. III
some wsy the air of America and the practical feeling
which II gives to those who breathe II, wer" op
posed to that wonderful experience of Europe winch
these old theorists. who deemed themselves ''c no'
practical of men, were never weary of citing 40"
oddly II sounds now 10 hear that the proposed us
rnction between Great Citizens and small CiuzehS
Was grounded In reason; how one smiles 10 learn
that II was ain conformity with the custom OF 'he
CITY OF Amsterdam in Europe" very simpic 'nlnS
reduced the inCpent aristocracy 10 nuii'!. in
cr.at citizens were 10 be those who had held high
in no
the cruel oligarchy of Venicc-clergymeh ana 'ncii
aasc.neans military Offices and her des' endans ana
ena,,v those who were willing TO pay MY guiiuerS
for the honor of being enrolled among the seieo''
was the com emptuous neglect OF the mohe!eu '''
n rart with their guders which stopped these oo!e'
lessons in the growth Of nrs'ocracy al WHAT HAY w
called The kindergarten stage. OF course America
.rd nor,iuarly New York. now has an arstocracy uu'
=, LONG as no two men OF intelligence on the 'Sh-
.,r.n, can agree about the constituents OF 'hh'
arstocracy II must remain very harmless anu 'e'
able upper class. For the fun OF the 'hhe' no"
ever 1ust imagine an arstocracy OF present u"S o'
holders. , $3.50. -,
But the plan must have been dear TO the near VI
that proud man, the last Drector"eherdl vi -
Nethersnd lie had much experience Win coioidi
affairs and the promiscuous disorder OF the he" ~
ciety everywhere must have puzzled MAJ" VIVA
military training, conscious OF caste anu " "
clearly only the dangers of freedom. AS MI i"'N''
ma dpliQpateS
nassionate headstrong man, rashly brave ioH"i ~
his country but exacting In the matter OF ooeo"'e.
He would have treated the coonists ike cluIen. -
tho Dutch prospered In those days around Ne"'i''N
Row II was because neither the director HOT INV
neople had their way exclusively. IL mas o'''
snoppshlv remarked that "Providence taxes carr VI
drpnLards children and the United States Of America
This Providence began early to look AFTER the We"
World Expressed in a less epgramma'lc way IL
,ros tho combination Of all the forces OF 'he com
munitv into a resultant the impact OF winch Is pouu
IN he beneficial as long the majority OF the people
aro not hopeessy immoral. Thus, o'uyNcsah' was
doubtless bitterly disappointed when the coions'S
vould not Join him in hopeless batue Win .'i'
British fleet On the face of il he had reh' Oh Ne
eide The British movement was morally haruls
hotter than an expedition Of freeboo'ers though o'
Quoted in a more kindly way; but in the lohe run
the common. sense Of the people proved to be rsh'
In order To present with cearness the lesson oi ''s
vssant,s. administration. Mr. Tuckermah mas r'd''S
narrated briefly the whole history OF Du'ch coo'N"
t,on in New Netherland In its relation 10 po'ucni
and religions impulses IN the Old World s'"us
~ s,uvvesant's career in Office Is followed ny an
other upon the social aspect OF New-Ams'eroam Ill
tho closing wears OF Dutch supremacy ana 'hat ny
roc,,al of the boodless English conquest Inc pooA
has for frontispiece portrait OF the man "nose
features should be familiar TO Us all.