the Dutch to land them at a distance from the Hudson river.
This has been shown, over and over again, to have been a
calumny; and, if any farther evidence were requisite, it is
now furnished, of a most conclusive nature, by the petition
in behalf of the Rev. Mr. Robinson's congregation, of Feb.
1620, and the rejection of its prayer by their High
Mightinesses.

"That the Dutch were anxious to secure the settlement of the
Pilgrims under them, is freely admitted by the latter.
Governor Bradford, in his History of the Plymouth Colony,
acknowledges it, and adds that the Dutch for that end made
them large offers.

"Winslow corroborates this in his 'Brief Narrative,' and
adds that the Dutch would have freely transported us to the
Hudson river, and furnished every family with cattle. The
whole of this evidence satisfactorily establishes the good
will of the Dutch people towards the English; while the
determination of the States-General proves that there was no
encouragement held out by the Dutch government to induce
them to settle in their American possessions. On the
contrary, having formally rejected their petition, they
thereby secured themselves against all suspicion of dealing
unfairly by those who afterwards landed at Cape Cod. It is
to be hoped, therefore, that even for the credit of the
Pilgrims, the idle tale will not be repeated."

There were many indications that a conflict would ere long arise
between the Dutch and the English. The English repudiated entirely the
Dutch claim to any right of possession on the Atlantic coast. They
maintained their right to the whole American coast, from the Spanish
possessions in Florida, to the French posts in Canada. The English
government founded its claim upon the ground of first discovery,
occupation and possession. Various companies, in England, had, by
charters and letters patent from their sovereigns, been entrusted with
these vast territories. It was quite evident that these conflicting
claims between England and Holland must eventually lead to collision.

The Dutch merchants continued to push their commercial enterprises in
New Netherland with great energy. They were preparing to send quite a
large fleet of merchant vessels to the extensive line of coast which
they claimed, when the British merchants composing what was called the
Plymouth Compa