Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University
Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University
the area north of the Amazon River. 4 “The general belief,” he wrote, “is that the greatest riches from the Indies are derived from Gold and Silver,” but in fact, This is a great misunderstanding: because the greatest riches lie in the diverse fruits that can be found there, such as Sugar, Ginger, Indigo, Cochineal, Sasparilla, and dry goods such as diverse sorts of Wood, Skins, Pearls, and Stones: and then again in the diverse Manufactures, Wares, and Trade Goods that the Spanish send there, whereby the Merchants, Officials, Sailors, Inhabitants, and all the others live. 5 Settlement and trade, in other words, were the twin foundations for success in the New World. Usselincx advocated peaceful relations with the Indians and opposed slavery, not only because it was contrary to Christian morals, but because it would prohibit the development of a free population with the means necessary to consume Dutch manufactures. 6 Over the next two decades Usselincx repeated these themes in literally dozens of pamphlets and proposals meant to persuade the States General, city councils, and provincial assemblies of the benefits of erecting a West India Company. 7 But the company’s birth did not come about as Usselincx envisioned. During the final set of negotiations, his carefully conceived draft for the company's new charter was set aside in favor of a rival draft generated by a committee within the States of Holland, and by the time the charter was approved Usselinx found himself marginalized. In place of his plans to promote 4 Willem Usselincx, Vertoogh, hoe Nootwendich, Nut ende Profytelick het sy voor de Vereenighde Nederlanden te Behouden de Vryheyt van te Handelen op Westindien, 1608. Knuttel 1442. 5 Cited in Rees, Geschiedenis der Staathuishoudkunde in Nederland tot het Einde der Achttiende Eeuw, 90. “Het ghemeen ghevoelen hiervan is, dat den meesten Rijckfom van dyen handel soude ghelegen zijn inde rijcke Goudt ende Silvere Mijnen die Indien heeft. Dan t’selve is een groot misverstant: want den meesten Rijckdom bestaet inde verscheyden vruchten ende ghewassen die in die Landen van Indien vallen, als daer zijn Suycker, Gember, Indigo, Cochenille, Salsaperille, ende ander Drogheryen: als mede diversche soorten van Houdt, Huyden, Peerlen ende gesteenten: ende wederom inde verscheyden manufacturen, Waren ende Coopmanschappen, die van Spaengien derwaerts ghevoert werden, waer by den Coopman, Ambachtsman, Schippers, Landtlieden, ende meest alle de ghemeenten leven.” 6 Ernst van den Boogaart and Pieter C. Emmer, “Dutch Participation in the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1596-1650,” in The Uncommon Market: Essays in the Economic History of the Atlantic Slave Trade, ed. Henry A. Gemery and Jan S. Hogendorn (New York: Academic Press, 1979), 355. 7 Ligtenberg, Willem Usselinx. 95
peaceful settlement along the fringes of Spain’s New World empire, the new company’s directors began planning for direct attacks on Spanish and Portuguese positions in Bahia, Elmina, and Loanda. Usselincx was stunned and bitterly disappointed. As Henk den Heijer describes it, his ideas, especially for the company's charter, ultimately “amounted to nothing.” 8 This chapter revises this now well-established interpretation. By examining five separate drafts of the charter—along with the annotations of various participants in the negotiations—it suggests that Usselincx's proposals were more influential than previously thought. In particular, the chapter looks at Usselincx’s idea for a Raedt van Indien (Council of the Indies) that would strengthen central authority over the company by giving noblemen and the States General an important say in the company’s affairs. This was one of the most controversial elements of Usselincx’s draft, and it was firmly rejected by the States of Holland. A closer look, however, reveals that important elements of such a council were in fact included in the final language of the charter during the last phase of the negotiations. A careful reconstruction of these negotiations helps us to better understand the mechanisms for coordinating between the company and the States General, and the ways that the Heren XIX evolved from a clone of the VOC’s board of directors to a body tailored to the specific needs of Atlantic conquest. It also permits fresh examination of the first few meetings of the Heren XIX, when the formal terms of the charter were put into practice and a working balance was struck between the diverse interests involved in the new company. Despite its central role, the Heren XIX has received almost no attention from either economic or colonial historians. 9 This is due in part to the fact that the WIC has for centuries lived under the shadow of the VOC, and in part to the scarcity of sources. This applies not only 8 Henk den Heijer, De Geoctrooieerde Compagnie: de VOC en de WIC als Voorlopers van de Naamloze Vennootschap (Amsterdam: Stichting tot Bevordering der Notariële Wetenschap, 2005), 50. 9 An important exception is Den Heijer in Ibid., 121-128. 96
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peaceful settlement along the fringes of Spain’s New World empire, the new company’s<br />
directors began planning for direct <strong>at</strong>tacks on Spanish and Portuguese positions in Bahia,<br />
Elmina, and Loanda. Usselincx was stunned and bitterly disappointed. As Henk den Heijer<br />
describes it, his ideas, especially for the company's charter, ultim<strong>at</strong>ely “amounted to nothing.” 8<br />
This chapter revises this now well-established interpret<strong>at</strong>ion. By examining five separ<strong>at</strong>e<br />
drafts of the charter—along with the annot<strong>at</strong>ions of various participants in the negoti<strong>at</strong>ions—it<br />
suggests th<strong>at</strong> Usselincx's proposals were more influential than previously thought. In particular,<br />
the chapter looks <strong>at</strong> Usselincx’s idea for a Raedt van Indien (Council of the Indies) th<strong>at</strong> would<br />
strengthen central authority over the company by giving noblemen and the St<strong>at</strong>es General an<br />
important say in the company’s affairs. This was one of the most controversial elements of<br />
Usselincx’s draft, and it was firmly rejected by the St<strong>at</strong>es of Holland. A closer look, however,<br />
reveals th<strong>at</strong> important elements of such a council were in fact included in the final language of<br />
the charter during the last phase of the negoti<strong>at</strong>ions. A careful reconstruction of these<br />
negoti<strong>at</strong>ions helps us to better understand the mechanisms for coordin<strong>at</strong>ing between the company<br />
and the St<strong>at</strong>es General, and the ways th<strong>at</strong> the Heren XIX evolved from a clone of the VOC’s<br />
board of directors to a body tailored to the specific needs of Atlantic conquest. It also permits<br />
fresh examin<strong>at</strong>ion of the first few meetings of the Heren XIX, when the formal terms of the<br />
charter were put into practice and a working balance was struck between the diverse interests<br />
involved in the new company.<br />
Despite its central role, the Heren XIX has received almost no <strong>at</strong>tention from either<br />
economic or colonial historians. 9 This is due in part to the fact th<strong>at</strong> the WIC has for centuries<br />
lived under the shadow of the VOC, and in part to the scarcity of sources. This applies not only<br />
<br />
8 Henk den Heijer, De Geoctrooieerde Compagnie: de VOC en de WIC als Voorlopers van de Naamloze<br />
Vennootschap (Amsterdam: Stichting tot Bevordering der Notariële Wetenschap, 2005), 50.<br />
9 An important exception is Den Heijer in Ibid., 121-128.<br />
96
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