CHAPTER IL

DUTCH OCCUPATION OF MANHATTAN ISLAND.

General Review of the Dutch Claim—the Walloons among the First Settlers—Cornells
Jacobson May—Peter Minuit, Director—the Patroons of New Netherlands—the Dutch
Church formally Established—Religious Intolerance and Persecution—Dissatisfaction
with Dutch rttle—Gradual Deterioration and Decline of the Colony—Surrender to the
English in 1664.

THE most interesting episode in the history of Man¬
hattan Island is its occupation by the Dutch for 40
years, from 1624 till the final surrender to the English,
1664. The City of New York bears to this daj' the
impress of that early colonization, and will, no doubt,
retain it for years to come. We concede to the doughty
and honest folk who once ruled over their little village at
the end of the island the honor and credit of having set an
example of many admirable and praiseworthy qualities,
but decline to countenance the pretensions recently made
in their behalf, by persons who seem persuaded that all
that was best in English civilization was due to Dutch in¬
fluence, and that the New World was chiefly indebted
to Holland for what it secured on the line of popular
government, religious toleration, and cultivation in learn¬
ing and the arts. The Hollanders were a most interesting
people ; there is much that is attractive and pleasant in
the story of " New Amsterdam." Their manners were
simple ; their attachment to home and home life intensely
strong ; they laid great stress on the education of their
children, and paid due respect to religion ; their annals