the past history of the colony, the administration of Stuyvesant was
reviewed with much severity.

"In our opinion," said the remonstrants,

"this country will never flourish under the present
government. The country must be provided with godly,
honorable and intelligent rulers, who are not very indigent,
and who are not too covetous. The mode in which this country
is now governed is intolerable. Nobody is secure in his
property longer than the Director pleases, who is generally
strongly inclined to confiscating. A good population would
be the consequence of a good government. Many would be
allured here by the pleasantness, situation, salubrity and
fruitfulness of the country, if protection were secured."

Three of the signers were deputed to convey the remonstrance to the
Hague and lay it before the authorities there. The pastor of the
church at Manhattan, Domine Backerus, returned to Holland with the
commissioners. He was greatly dissatisfied with the regime of the
governor, and upon his arrival in Holland, joined the complainants.

Domine Megapolensis, who had been pastor of the church at
Rensselaerswyck, having obtained letters of dismission from his
church, was also about to sail to the fatherland. The colonists,
generally religiously disposed, were greatly troubled, being
threatened with a total loss of the gospel ministry. By the earnest
solicitation of Stuyvesant, he consented to remain at Manhattan, where
he was formally installed as pastor of the church, upon a salary of
twelve hundred guilders, which was about four hundred dollars. At the
same time the energetic governor manifested his interest in education
by writing earnestly to Amsterdam, urging that a pious, well-qualified
and diligent schoolmaster might be sent out. "Nothing," he added, "is
of greater importance than the right, early instruction of youth."

The governor was sorely annoyed by the action of the States-General,
reversing his sentence against Melyn and Kuyter. He wrote that he
should obey their decision, but that he would rather never have
received their commission as governor, than to have had his authority
lowered in the eyes of his neighbors and friends.

The three commissioners, bearing the memorial of the Nine Men, reached
Holland in safety. The States-General received their memorial, and
also listened to the reply of the agent, whom Stuyvesant had sent out
to plead his cause. The