Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-12
DELAWARE. THURSDAY AUGUST IL 1897.

upon his majesty took thnrein special
and particular interest, aud resolved
that no would sond unto you rot only
ministers, but also sorts Of cody books. /"
The following extract is takon from
the letter at acknowledgment written
to Mr.. Thslin by the Delaware Swedes
Their Independent spirit il shown by
the promise therein contained OF
"punctual payment when ths books
which they specified were received lat
such as you may think lit TO order. "
LETTER OF THE SWEDISH SETTLERS.
GAS to what concerns our situation
in this country, we arc for the most part
husbnndmen. We plough and SOW,
and till the ground and as to our meat
and drink, we live according Ia the old
Swedish custom. This country is very
rich aud fruitful, and here grow all
sorts of grain in great plenty, 10 that we
are richly suppliad with meat and
drink; and we send out yearly TO out
neighhors on this continent and the
neighboring islands, broad, grain. fiUur
aud oil. Wa have here also all sorts oil
beasts, fowls and flames. Our wives
and daughters employ themselves ia
spinning wool and fax, and many Of
them 10 weaving; SO that we have great
reason TO thank the almighty for his
manifold niorcios and benefits. God
grant that we may also have good shep-
herds, 10 feed us with his holy word
and sacraments. We live also in peace
and friendship with one another; and
the Indians have not molested us for
many years
Further, since this country has
ceased to be under the government OF
Sweden, we arc bound TO acknowledge
and declare, for the sake OF truth, that
We have been well aud kindly treatetl
as well Ivy the Dutch az by his ma iesty,
thu King OF England, our gracious
sovereign; Oh the other hand, We, the
| SweieH have been and still ars true and
faithful to him in words and In deeds.
We have always had over US good and
gracious magistrates; and We live with
one another in peace and quietnsss.
So that we desire. as soon az this our
letter comes to hand, that speedy atton-
tion may he paid TO our request; for
We believe that God has certainly his
hand In this Cbrisiian work, and pray
that he may bring 1t to happy ter
mination.
"It was." says Or. Reynolds. in his
| Introduction to the History" OF
Acrelius, "only after the Swedish Ian
guago had almost entirely Disappeared
from among the descendants OF the col.
onists sent from Sweden. and thu great
body of the members OF their churches
upon the Delaware spoke the Englirh
language exclusively, that tho Swedish
nation ceased 10 supply thom with
their ministers There is not upon
record more remarkable instance Of
disinterested cars for it's oYpatriatcd
citizens. than that OF the Swedish gov
eminent for these obscure members Of
its race, no longer hound to it by any
political ties, and separated from it by
the wide expanse of the stormy Allan
tie. Tho amount thus expended by tho
Swadish government cannot havo been
lesh than Sl00, 600. and may have
reached double that sum. 1t must alsn
no horne in mind that money was scarce
during that perioi, aud that Sweden
was then in "A declining condition, and
frequently suffering from financial EN-
bhrrassment ~
DELAWARE FROM THE DUTCH CONQUEST
UNTIL THE REVOLUTION.
The history of Delaware from its con,
|
tiOnary War, Is principally record Of
interminahlu disputes arising from the
conflicting territorial claims first OF
New netherlands. Maryland and Con,
neGticut; ami later OF Maryland aud
Pennsylvania.
Sir Dudley Cartoons protest to the
States General in 1922 against tho send
ing OF Dutch ships ito fetch fura''
from New Netherlands. was hut the
assertion of EDRland's claim to the
whole North American continent, based
upon its discovery by the Cabots and
their voyage along its Atlantic coast.
Although few years later, the Eng
lish had followed up thor protest
by the seizure OF "a great shin be-
longing to the Dutch West India Co,
no serious international difficulty arose
until shortly after situyvesant's con
quest Of the Swedish settlements.
Meanwhile. however, an event had oc
Cured which was to result in hun
dred years of fruitiess negotiation,
border warfare aud litigation.
In 1872, Lord Baltimore had been
granted by Charles !. not only the ter
ritory included within tho present State
of Maryland, but aB he afterwartI
claimed, all Of Delaware and parts OF
Pennsylvania and Virginia. AS If Ia
mako matters worse, in 1910 Capt.
Turner, an agent of the New Haven
Colony, hal purchased from the In
dians land bordering on both sides Of
the Delaware An extract from deed
for land similarly purchased at some.
what later day, itsmIZes the usual con.
sideratiOn for which the Delaware chief
would batter away the hirthright of hit
tribe. IL records tho sale Of that Tract
OF Land commonly called by the Chris
tiana l3ompies Hook Bombay Hool,
lsandl, and by the Indians Navsink,
for and in consideration Of one Gum,
fower handsfulls Of Powder, three Mats.
coats, one Anchur Of liquor, aud one
kittle. ;"
1t was not long before tho Now Haven
settlers came into conflict with the
Dutch. In 1870, four years before the
conquest OF Now Sweden, commissioners
representing New Netherlands and Now
England. mad met at Hartford, and aftei
n fruitlrss attempt 10 settlo tho diff
Guilty, agreed that the rival peoples
should not interfere With each other In
tho disputed territory Until Enclanr
and Holland came TO an understanding
regarding it. The trouble, however,
soon broke out afresh, owing to tho ar
rest at New Amsterdam of d number OF
Now Haveners on their way, az the,
claimed to settle on territory already
in their possession, hut, as the Dutch
feared, 10 make further inroads into
land claimed by Holland.
A little later affairs BECAME still more
complicated when. in answer TO mos
songer sent by tho council of New
Amstc New CastleD to iumand the re
turn al six Dutch dOsnrters, Col Ute,