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
guilders to expand and defend the colony. If the WIC were to command the trade, which Amsterdam itself calculated to be worth more than 5 million guilders, it would be able to offset these costs. Notably, they argued that the difference could be made up by the new trade in slaves, which the company also should be permitted to keep to itself. 88 The committee supplemented these two positions with information they had received from conversations with company directors and others who visited The Hague over the preceding week. To their frustration, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, one of the most influential Amsterdam hoofdparticipanten, refused to say almost anything at all. 89 When asked his view on the question of free trade, he stated only that the magistrates of the city of Amsterdam were currently debating the issue, and that he would prefer not to speak on the matter without their permission. When Van der Capellen offered to release him from this obligation, so he could share his thoughts freely, Rensselaer again refused. As a patroon with private interests of his own in New Netherland, and as signatory to Amsterdam's letter of complaint, Rensselaer almost certainly supported free trade. 90 But after nearly a decade of wrangling with both the company and the States General to get his own fledgling colony up and running, he may have thought it prudent to stay silent rather than to engage in a contentious discussion with a committee that only recently had taken the opposite view. Sebastian Franck, a director from Dordrecht, was more forthcoming. 91 He explained that the chamber of the Maas had become so weak as a result of the war effort, with no prospect for making profit from trade, that the only solution was to reserve the trade to the company; without 88 Ibid., fol. 380. 89 On Van Rensselaer, see Venema, Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1586-1643): Designing a New World; Merwick, “A Genre of Their Own”; Rensselaer, Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts. 90 NA 1.01.04, inv.nr 5754, fol. 288. Van Rensselaer was delegated as one of 17 representatives of the Amsterdam chamber that requested permission to visit the States General on January 21, 1637. 91 On Dordrecht's position, see also Den Heijer, “Het Recht van de Sterkste in de Polder: Politieke en Economische Strijd tussen Amsterdam en Zeeland over de Kwestie Brazilie, 1630-1654,” 81. 197
this measure, he said, “no one in Dordrecht was willing to provide new capital.” 92 Those who had invested had done so not in order to wage war and collect recognition fees, but to conclude the war as swiftly as possible and engage in trade. Under the current system, however, the private merchants were supplying the company and the enemy alike, which only prolonged the war and its associated costs. 93 When asked if the private traders were taking any interest in sending settlers and cultivating the land, Franck indicated that they were not, but that the company was making efforts to do so. The last person with whom the committee spoke, a lieutenant named Beyma, was also pressed on the question of how best to populate Brazil. His response, like that previously offered by Zeeland, emphasized a combination of African slaves and soldiers whose terms had expired. If the company could ensure a regular flow of both, the colony would thrive. 94 Beyma's argument echoed that in the anonymous memorandum in conversational style discussed at the beginning of this chapter. 95 There the author had asked, “who would want to go to live in the colony, if they could not trade freely there?” As in the East Indies, the memorandum's author argued, it was not people of means who would go to Brazil, but the poor and landless. Spain, he wrote, “peopled its empire at first with bandits and delinquents.” Only with time did these individuals amass wealth sufficient to support a thriving society. With proper incentives, soldiers in the company's employment could be expected to remain in Brazil once their contracts had expired and to cultivate the land. And their labor would be significantly augmented by slaves from Africa, who would increase the colony's productivity at little cost to 92 NA 1.01.04, inv.nr. 5754, fol. 381. 93 Boxer, The Dutch in Brazil, 1624-1654, 78. 94 NA 1.01.04, inv.nr. 5754, fol. 382. 95 NA 1.01.07, inv.nr. 12564.5. Discourse ondervrage en antwoort hoe die Westind. Comp. sal comen gestabiliseert en gebeneficeert worden buyten costen vant lant, tot merckel. voordeel van die participanten. 198
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guilders to expand and defend the colony. If the WIC were to command the trade, which<br />
Amsterdam itself calcul<strong>at</strong>ed to be worth more than 5 million guilders, it would be able to offset<br />
these costs. Notably, they argued th<strong>at</strong> the difference could be made up by the new trade in slaves,<br />
which the company also should be permitted to keep to itself. 88<br />
The committee supplemented these two positions with inform<strong>at</strong>ion they had received<br />
from convers<strong>at</strong>ions with company directors and others who visited The Hague over the<br />
preceding week. To their frustr<strong>at</strong>ion, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, one of the most influential<br />
Amsterdam hoofdparticipanten, refused to say almost anything <strong>at</strong> all. 89 When asked his view on<br />
the question of free trade, he st<strong>at</strong>ed only th<strong>at</strong> the magistr<strong>at</strong>es of the city of Amsterdam were<br />
currently deb<strong>at</strong>ing the issue, and th<strong>at</strong> he would prefer not to speak on the m<strong>at</strong>ter without their<br />
permission. When Van der Capellen offered to release him from this oblig<strong>at</strong>ion, so he could<br />
share his thoughts freely, Rensselaer again refused. As a p<strong>at</strong>roon with priv<strong>at</strong>e interests of his<br />
own in New Netherland, and as sign<strong>at</strong>ory to Amsterdam's letter of complaint, Rensselaer almost<br />
certainly supported free trade. 90 But after nearly a decade of wrangling with both the company<br />
and the St<strong>at</strong>es General to get his own fledgling colony up and running, he may have thought it<br />
prudent to stay silent r<strong>at</strong>her than to engage in a contentious discussion with a committee th<strong>at</strong> only<br />
recently had taken the opposite view.<br />
Sebastian Franck, a director from Dordrecht, was more forthcoming. 91 He explained th<strong>at</strong><br />
the chamber of the Maas had become so weak as a result of the war effort, with no prospect for<br />
making profit from trade, th<strong>at</strong> the only solution was to reserve the trade to the company; without<br />
<br />
88 Ibid., fol. 380.<br />
89 On Van Rensselaer, see Venema, Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1586-1643): Designing a New World; Merwick, “A<br />
Genre of Their Own”; Rensselaer, Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts.<br />
90 NA 1.01.04, inv.nr 5754, fol. 288. Van Rensselaer was deleg<strong>at</strong>ed as one of 17 represent<strong>at</strong>ives of the Amsterdam<br />
chamber th<strong>at</strong> requested permission to visit the St<strong>at</strong>es General on January 21, 1637.<br />
91 On Dordrecht's position, see also Den Heijer, “Het Recht van de Sterkste in de Polder: Politieke en Economische<br />
Strijd tussen Amsterdam en Zeeland over de Kwestie Brazilie, 1630-1654,” 81.<br />
197
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