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Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University

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of the Heren XVII to manage the company's shipping and trade. 27 This body would be elected<br />

from among the chief shareholders in each of the chambers. But weightier decisions rel<strong>at</strong>ing to<br />

war, coloniz<strong>at</strong>ion, and justice Usselincx reserved for the Raedt van Indien. He described the<br />

council's purpose in Article 36:<br />

And so th<strong>at</strong> the Company may be provided with the necessary and appropri<strong>at</strong>e authority, and the<br />

directors saved from considerable trouble and expense from soliciting our assistance and support,<br />

and so th<strong>at</strong> they may be able to <strong>at</strong>tend to their trade and the outfitting of ships, as little as possible<br />

bothered with problems of st<strong>at</strong>e, so should there be elected [after the directors and represent<strong>at</strong>ives<br />

of the chief participants] a certain number of qualified persons, from among the noblemen as well<br />

as others, to form a Council of the Indies, whom we will recognize with appropri<strong>at</strong>e authority and<br />

instructions, in our name to provide assistance and support to the company, raise armies, appoint<br />

governors, make laws, administer justice, and consult with the directors concerning the means<br />

necessary for the preserv<strong>at</strong>ion of the company. 28<br />

This Raedt van Indien would consist of approxim<strong>at</strong>ely eight to ten members. Anyone investing<br />

more than 800,000 guilders in the company would autom<strong>at</strong>ically receive one se<strong>at</strong>; the remaining<br />

se<strong>at</strong>s would be filled by election from amongst the chief investors. The Prince of Orange would<br />

serve as the council's chair and the meetings would take place in The Hague, r<strong>at</strong>her than in<br />

























































<br />

27 NA 1.01.07 inv.nr. 1<strong>25</strong>64.1, fol. 123. A transcription of Usselincx's draft is also available as Appendix II in the<br />

second volume of Rees, Geschiedenis der Sta<strong>at</strong>huishoudkunde in Nederland tot het Einde der Achttiende Eeuw,<br />

2:384-408.<br />

28 NA 1.01.07 inv.nr. 1<strong>25</strong>64.1, fol. 121. “Ende op d<strong>at</strong> deze Comp. soude mogen worden versien van noodige,<br />

behoorlycke, ende wettige autoriteyt ende ansien, ende de Bewindhebbers ontlast van veel moeyten, ende oncosten,<br />

die by haer souden moghen gedaen worden int soliciteren om noodige hulpe ende bystandt, ende andere saecken, die<br />

sy met ons souden mogen te behandelen ende voor te dragen habben, ende op d<strong>at</strong> sy haer te beter souden mogen<br />

besigh houden met de saecken, haeren Coophandel ende vuytrustinge betreffende, ende oock om haer met de<br />

saecken van Staet, die hier aen nootwendelyck zyn hangende, soo weynich te bemoyen als het doenlyck is, Soo<br />

sullen wy nae t’ verkiesen vande Bewindhebbers ende deelgenoten, verkiesen seecker getal van gequalificeerde<br />

persoonen, soo van adel als andere, tot eenen Raedt van Indien, die wy sullen verkiesen met behoorlycke<br />

Authoriteyt ende Instructie, om vuyt onsen twegen achtinge te nemen op het verleenen van hulpe ende bystandt,<br />

aenneminge van krygsvolck, stellen van Gouverneurs, t’ maecken van wetten, keuren ende ordonnantien tot<br />

onderhoudinge van t’ recht ende alle borgerlycke eendracht, met de Bewinderhebbers te beraedtslagen over de<br />

middelen tot haerder bescherminge noodich, ende waer men die met de minste beswaringe, soo van t’ landt als<br />

vande compaignie sal becomen ende te wege brengen, als oock om alle verschillen, die onder de deelgenoten van<br />

dese Comp. souden mogen risen, vuyt eenige oorsaecken deselve Compagnie betreffende, de plano sonder eenige<br />

forme van proces te mogen afdoen.”<br />


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