herland, or
otherwise incurred any obligation to it. With this remark we proceed
to the reasons and sole cause of the evil which we indeed have but too
briefly and indistinctly stated in the beginning of our petition to
Their High Mightinesses.

Of the Reasons and Causes why and how New Netherland is so Decayed.

As we shall speak of the reasons and causes which have brought New
Netherland into the ruinous condition in which it is now found to be, we
deem it necessary to state first the difficulties. We represent it as
we see and find it, in our daily experience. To describe it in one word,
(and none better presents itself,) it is _bad government,_ with its
attendants and consequences, that is, to the best of our knowledge, the
true and only foundation stone of the decay and ruin of New Netherland.
This government from which so much abuse proceeds, is twofold, that is;
in the Fatherland by the Managers, and in this country. We shall first
briefly point out some orders and mistakes issuing from the Fatherland,
and afterwards proceed to show how abuses have grown up and obtained
strength here.

The Managers of the Company adopted a wrong course at first, and as we
think had more regard for their own interest than for the welfare of
the country, trusting rather to flattering than true counsels. This is
proven by the unnecessary expenses incurred from time to time, the heavy
accounts of New Netherland,(1) the registering of colonies--in which
business most of the Managers themselves engaged, and in reference to
which they have regulated the trade--and finally the not peopling the
country. It seems as if from the first, the Company have sought to stock
this land with their own employees, which was a great mistake, for when
their time was out they returned home, taking nothing with them, except
a little in their purses and a bad name for the country, in regard to
its lack of sustenance and in other respects. In the meantime there was
no profit, but on the contrary heavy monthly salaries, as the accounts
of New Netherland will show.

(1) In 1644 the Bureau of Accounts of the West India Company
reported that since 1626 the company had expended for New
Netherland 515,000 guilders, say $250,000. At the time of
the report the company was practically bankrupt.

Had the Honorable West India Company, in the beginning, sought
population instead of running to great expense for unnecessary things,
which