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Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 by Unknown
page 65 of 97 (67%)
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The fort under which we are to shelter ourselves, and from
which as it seems all authority proceeds, lies like a molehill
or a tottering wall, on which there is not one gun-carriage or
one piece of cannon in a suitable frame or on a good platform.
>From the first it has been declared that it should be repaired,
laid in five angles, and put in royal condition. The
commonalty's men have been addressed for money for the purpose,
but they excused themselves on the ground that the people were
poor. Every one, too, was discontented and feared that if the
Director once had his fort to rely upon, he would be more
cruel and severe. Between the two, nothing is done. He will
doubtless know how to lay the blame with much circumstance
upon the commonalty who are innocent, although the Director
wished to have the money from them, and for that purpose
pretended to have an order from Their High Mightinesses. Had
the Director laid out for that purpose the fourth part of the
money which was collected from the commonalty during his time,
it certainly would not have fallen short, as the wine-excise
was expressly laid for that object. But it was sought in a
thousand ways to shear the sheep though the wool was not yet
grown. In regard, then, to public works, there is little
difference between Director Kieft and Director Stuyvesant,
for after the church was built the former was negligent, and
took personal action against those who looked him in the eye.
The latter has had much more opportunity to keep public works
in repair than his predecessor had, for he has had no war on
his hands. He has also been far more diligent and bitter in
looking up causes of prosecution against his innocent
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