Translation
Remonstrance of a committee from the merchants of New Amsterdam
To the honorable and most esteemed director-general and council of New Netherland.
Honorable and esteemed gentlemen:
Whereas by your honors’ decision upon the
request made in the name and on behalf of the merchants and traders of this place on
the 22nd of this month,[1] in
which the petitioners were directed to specify and prove by which goods and
merchandise they had suffered the greatest losses and how the most average and
leakage had occurred, also which goods and merchandise they could not afford to sell
here at this time with a mark-up of 120 percent; therefore, the aforesaid merchants
and traders have empowered and authorized us, the subscribers, to report to your
honors, as we herewith do. First, that in the course of business a merchant is not
well able to give specific proof as to how his goods have been damaged and
depreciated by leakage, average, decay or otherwise, because it would require a too
detailed investigation and examination which cannot be made without creating great
confusion in the trade, but that (with due respect) the notoriety of excessive losses
by leakage and otherwise should be sufficient to prevent the enforcement of such
rules and limitations for the commerce, as your honors have already been pleased to
draft and publish. Secondly, even if the respective merchants each were able to show
with which goods they incurred the greatest losses, then (with all due respect) such
proof should have led to the establishment of regulations, which are to be in force
not only for the present and concern a few merchants who have suffered losses, but
also for the future and apply to the merchants in general. For if they who had lost
more should have permission to sell their goods at a higher price than they who had
lost less, a great confusion would arise in the trade and the merchants would
necessarily become suspicious and uneasy in the expectation of being at all times and
occasions examined concerning the sale of their goods. In addition, each merchant
would have to be furnished, in such a case, with a special document and order by
which to govern oneself; and furthermore, such orders or regulations are practiced in
none of the places under the jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses, the
States-General of the United Netherlands, but rather all, whether buyer or seller,
are permitted a free disposition of their respective goods - for how great a benefit
and growth of commerce is well- known to your honors and the whole world. Therefore,
we, the subscribers, permit, for ourselves and on behalf of those as stated above in
the previous petition, and have resolved (in case of refusal) to hold the goods which
we now have here and not to order anymore, because we cannot believe that to enforce
the aforesaid ordinances will tend to the advantage of the country or city, to the
benefit of the citizens and inhabitants or to the growth of commerce, but only to the
benefit and enrichment of those persons who are already or may be authorized to carry
out the regulations. In the margin was written: In N. Amsterdam, New Netherland, 28
November 1653. And was signed: J. V- Beeck, Cornelis vander Veen, Jan Laurensz Appel,
J. van Brugge, Cornelis Steenwyck [ ] After collation it was
found that this agreed with the original. And was signed: Cornelis van Ruyven,
secretary.