REASON FOR THE REMOVAL TO NEWARK
Historical Notes

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The settlers of the New Haven Plantation were Puritans of no compromising sort, and watchful above all for their purity and independence. From the first they distrusted the more lax and liberal way of the Connecticut Colony, and accordingly sought safety by settling at the utmost distance from them on the borders of the Sound. For a small state Connecticut began early to contain large differences and magnificent distances between brethren. Not a score of years passed since the landing on Plymouth Rock and yet here was a colony on he River already revolting against the strictness of the Puritan policy, inventing a Half-way Covenant scheme and practicing on it to admit others than church members to the privileges of citizenship ! And the New Haven settlers will have no fellowship with such defection.

For a time they rejoiced in their security. But after some twenty years a project was started for a union of the two plantations under a common civil administration. The first hint of this created intense dissatisfaction and alarm along the Sound. They must flee yet again sooner that come into communion with such errors. The restoration of Charles II also deepened their anxiety, and looking about them for a possible refuge, they began to negotiate with the Dutch authorities at New Amsterdam; but finding Gov. Stuyvesant a little slow to grant them the large religious liberty they desired, and still hoping the dreaded union might be reversed, they left their plans incomplete for the present. Suddenly their utmost fears were realized. The Connecticut Colony, through its politic Governor, john Winthrop, Jr. had managed to obtain a Royal Charter, so drawn as to comprehend the New Haven Plantations. in spite of protests, the formal union was accomplished in 1665, and the withdrawal was at once resolved on by many leading families of the more conscientious sort, especially in the Milford, Guilford and Branford settlements.

But meanwhile Dutch New Amsterdam had become English New York and Charles II, gaining possession, had granted it and its dependencies to his brother, the Duke Of York, afterwards, James II. He again had sub-granted New Jersey (Nova Caesarea) to his two favorites, Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, who in August, 1663 sent over Philip Carteret as Governor of New Jersey. He brought with him thirty families; and finding four families already settled in Elizabeth, he added himself and his followers to that most populous town of the territory and made it the seat of his government. Gov. Carteret, craving settlers for his very vacant realm, seems to have opened negotiations with the New Haven malcontents; and they, with Robert Treat, of Milford, and Robert and Samuel Kitchel of Guilford, as their leaders, found better terms and more liberal concession of civil and religious privilege under the most intolerant of the Stuarts than the Dutch had been willing to grant them. So in the autumn or winter of 1665, the terms of settlement were arranged, and a tract of land on the Passaic was secured for their intended colony.

It may be pleasant to listen back for a moment to the curious negotiation, as it went on between the Pilgrim Fathers of Connecticut and the authorities of New Amsterdam. History phonographs for us the very English they did it in. And altogether the transaction is most honorable to both parties.

As early as November 8, 1661, "a Companie of Considerable persons that came into New England that they might serve God with a pure conscience & enjoy such liberties & privileges both Civil and Ecclesiassticall as might best advantage vnto and strengthen them in the end & worke aforesaid," sent messengers to Gov. Stuyvesant with propositions. And first of all; that any "Churches they shall form in the adjacent parts of the American wilderness shall enjoy all such power priuledges-liberties in the congregationall way as they enjoyed them in new England aboue twentie yeares paste without any disturbance Impedin or Impositions of any forms order or customs to be obsuzed by them." Moreover, secondly: if "these English churches planted vnder the duch government shall consent to consociate together for mutual helpfulnesse, they may be allowed by the authoritie & with approbation aforesaid soe to doe and to call a Synod & therein to establish by comon consent such orders according to scripture as may be requisite for the suppressing of herisies schismes & false worship & for the etablishm of truth wth peace."

To these points the Lord Director Generall & Cousels thus acted in the fortres named Amsterdam, Vppon Mooneday 28th of Novembr 1661: They doe make noe Difficulte to give way and Consent vnto the two first propositions, because in our Natyff Country, alsoo here, was never practised restraint of Consciences, in the meane tyme wee wish and hope that by a neerer meeting & Conference between oure and theire Ministers further obstructions in this poinet shall be removed and that all Lovinge Vnity shall be observed." For, they add, "it is known (:Honnor & thanks be given for it, to the Bountifull God:) that there is no at the least differency in the fondamentell points off Religion, the difference in Churches orders & gouernment so small that wee doe not stick at it, therefore have left, and Leave it still, to the fredom of your owne Consciences."

But a third point, The English planters Doe desire that they may have libertie and power by ye authority and wth ye app'bation aforesaid to haue the ordering of all judicature and all their civil affaires-to chuse their owne magistrates and all officers, constitute and keep Courts, make all suitable laws." binding all without appeal; in short, a little Puritan Sovereignty. To this the Dutch demur, with the shrewd hint that, "in civil matters which doe not schruppel the Consciency, it is a Common Proverb, in strange places we may finde but must make noe laws," and insist on the right of at least confirming their nominations for office, and the right of appeal. They say, "Uppon the Thirth Proposition-unto the petitioners shall be granted in the ways of Magistrature, Judicature & Sivill affairs, all such Authoritie, Priueledge & Liberty, as all other townes & Colonies of N. Netherlands have obtained, to wit, the Nomination off their owne majistrates within her salfes yearely in a double Number to be present vno the Director Generall & Counsell, for to be Elected out of the same the Magistrates for that yeare & confirme them, the which shall be qualified, with sufficient power & authority for to make, & see approbated & confirmed by the Director general & Counsell, all such ordinances as they shall find good for the benefit of heire townes or plantations, According to the same, to doe Right & justice, the Appell being Reserved Vnto the high Court, in Conformite of the general Order & Exemption granted vnto all the Inhabitants of the N. netherland."

A fourth article, stipulated that all their lands be "clearly & vndeniably purchased of the Indeans by an Athentic Instrumt or Instrumnts & that wee may haue one of them in our Custodie, & that the lands of those indeans that haue ye natural & civill right be subscribed & soe owned by them in the prsence of English duch & indeans as lawfully bought & sold, & that then these lands shall be made ye pp Inheritans of the English planter & their posterite for euer." Also: "That not innhabitants be put upon us by the Dutch & but that wee haue the sole power of disposing our lands & entertaining or rejecting all Inhabitants according to agreements that shall from time to time be made amongst ourselves."

To this last the reply was that "none of the Townes in the N. Netherlands are troubled with Inhavitance which doe not Lyke her or her Magistrates, being reserved that they doe not admit any Inhabitance without approbatioon & knowledgement of the Director genl; & Counsell, & give their OIath for the Affirmation of Fidellyty."

But finaly, in 1665, they yielded nearly everything to the "scruppled Consciency" & persistency of the Puritans, only reserrving some right to see that their Laws & orders Concure with the holy Scripture," and that in darke & dubious matter, especially in Wich Craft, sentences off death" must have Dutch approval. For the rest this answer: "Loviing frind Mastr Treat; Yours of 20 juny send bii Mesr Alsop I haue rescued the 18 July New Styl. In answer whereoff I sal say that we haue receaued from our lords & masters in holland, a ful and satisfactory answer and consent to al wich haue been done and agitated with........still vnherhand and withal, they advys how far to condescent att the points and questions the wich, that they might to better bee evamined conned over and understanded, we haue thought meet to copie them from word to word for as they in writings were deliuered and presented vnto us, and haue by present pti sett in the margin our Clare and Catecorical answer to each off them, wych beingh communicated to your Companye we sal bii te bearer off postylle, or else wyth the first oppertunity, expect the Companys anewer & resolution weyther they are intnd to proceed with.....off that wee may order our occasions thereunto, soo after my service sal rest. 20 July 1663:"

Alas! while they lingered in such diplomatic chaffer, the Dutch found they had no Newark to deliver. Only this came of it for the Puritans, that they negotiated a little later with the English Gov. Carteret, by mutual consent all was assumed which the Dutch had yielded, with even more liberal "Concessions" to the end.

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