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
4. The Role of the States General The precise role of the States General in the company's board has never been clearly explained. Cornelis Goslinga’s assertion that the Heren XIX “operated under a mandate from and were directly responsible to their sovereign the States General” is both too crude and, on a crucial point, manifestly incorrect. 86 The delegates from the States General certainly were accountable to that body, and the Heren XIX as a whole were bound by the charter to consult with the States General on matters of war and peace. But the company's board of directors had many masters, as should be evident from the discussion in this chapter. Regular delegates were accountable to their respective chambers, not the States General, and investor-directors had to answer to the specific pool of investors that had sent them, which in most cases meant participants from one city, rather than the entire chamber. In practice both groups were largely independent of the States General, except in the abstract sense that their legitimacy derived in the first instance from the company’s charter. All of this left the States General’s representatives at the Heren XIX in a highly ambiguous position. Though inspired by the Raedt van Indien, they had none of the formal role envisioned by Usselincx. On the one hand they represented the States General as a quasi-sovereign body responsible for the company as a whole, while on the other they acted in a concrete way as a concerned shareholder, with one of nineteen votes. Navigating these uncertain waters was an important problem for the representatives of the States General as they assumed their role within the newly created board. Johan van der Meer’s report from the first meeting of the Heren XIX provides a nice illustration. By the end of the meeting the delegation from Zeeland had still not appeared, so a committee was tasked with drafting a letter to the States of Zeeland to apprise them of what had 86 Goslinga, The Dutch in the Caribbean and on the Wild Coast 1580-1680, 93. 121
taken place. Once the draft letter had been read aloud and approved, a lengthy discussion ensued as to who should sign it. At stake, of course, was which delegates among the nineteen were vested with the authority to represent the body as a whole. In his report, Van der Meer indicated somewhat cautiously that he had agreed to sign in the capacity of “President,” along with Jonas Witsen, Burgemeester of Amsterdam and a director of the company, whom he referred to as “Vice President.” 87 This language is nowhere to be found in the charter, but it evidently served as the best available compromise. The effect was to elevate Van der Meer, and thereby the States General, to a procedural position senior to that of the formal chair, a role unambiguously assigned to either Amsterdam or Zeeland (on a rotating basis). Johan van Goch, who served as the senior delegate of the States General at the following two meetings of the Heren XIX, exercised a much firmer hand, with important implications for the manner in which the board functioned. On the first day of the meeting—August 3, 1623—the minutes indicate that Van Goch collected the letters of credential from the various delegates and read a short document (sadly no longer extant) outlining the manner in which the meetings’ business would be conducted. He then requested that each of the delegates take his seat, following a predetermined order: first to be seated were himself and Van der Meer, followed by the senior delegate from Amsterdam, the senior delegate from Zeeland, and then a descending order of delegates from the remaining chambers, in a manner which clearly established the hierarchy within the company. Such a hierarchy was a fundamental element of the order of 87 NA 1.01.02 inv.nr. 4941, entry for December 21, 1622. “Is voorts gelesen een concept van een brief aen die van Zeelant te senden […] ende naer lange disputen aldaer voorgevallen wie d’selve brieven soude tekenen, mitsdien alsnoch geen Secrets en was aengenomen. Is eyntel. goetgevonden dat d’selve by my als Preses & by Jonas Witters. als Vice Preses soude worden get.” It is interesting to note that van Goch was paid 212 guilders for his expenses at this meeting, a substantial sum. See the Resolutien der Staten Generaal, entry for March 22, 1623. 122
- Page 81 and 82: When the meeting resumed on Monday
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4. The Role of the St<strong>at</strong>es General<br />
The precise role of the St<strong>at</strong>es General in the company's board has never been clearly explained.<br />
Cornelis Goslinga’s assertion th<strong>at</strong> the Heren XIX “oper<strong>at</strong>ed under a mand<strong>at</strong>e from and were<br />
directly responsible to their sovereign the St<strong>at</strong>es General” is both too crude and, on a crucial<br />
point, manifestly incorrect. 86 The deleg<strong>at</strong>es from the St<strong>at</strong>es General certainly were accountable to<br />
th<strong>at</strong> body, and the Heren XIX as a whole were bound by the charter to consult with the St<strong>at</strong>es<br />
General on m<strong>at</strong>ters of war and peace. But the company's board of directors had many masters, as<br />
should be evident from the discussion in this chapter. Regular deleg<strong>at</strong>es were accountable to<br />
their respective chambers, not the St<strong>at</strong>es General, and investor-directors had to answer to the<br />
specific pool of investors th<strong>at</strong> had sent them, which in most cases meant participants from one<br />
city, r<strong>at</strong>her than the entire chamber. In practice both groups were largely independent of the<br />
St<strong>at</strong>es General, except in the abstract sense th<strong>at</strong> their legitimacy derived in the first instance from<br />
the company’s charter. All of this left the St<strong>at</strong>es General’s represent<strong>at</strong>ives <strong>at</strong> the Heren XIX in a<br />
highly ambiguous position. Though inspired by the Raedt van Indien, they had none of the<br />
formal role envisioned by Usselincx. On the one hand they represented the St<strong>at</strong>es General as a<br />
quasi-sovereign body responsible for the company as a whole, while on the other they acted in a<br />
concrete way as a concerned shareholder, with one of nineteen votes. Navig<strong>at</strong>ing these uncertain<br />
w<strong>at</strong>ers was an important problem for the represent<strong>at</strong>ives of the St<strong>at</strong>es General as they assumed<br />
their role within the newly cre<strong>at</strong>ed board.<br />
Johan van der Meer’s report from the first meeting of the Heren XIX provides a nice<br />
illustr<strong>at</strong>ion. By the end of the meeting the deleg<strong>at</strong>ion from Zeeland had still not appeared, so a<br />
committee was tasked with drafting a letter to the St<strong>at</strong>es of Zeeland to apprise them of wh<strong>at</strong> had<br />
<br />
86 Goslinga, The Dutch in the Caribbean and on the Wild Coast 1580-1680, 93.<br />
121
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