NEW AMSTERDAM GARDENS 57 



fonned a barrier against which it beat in vain, ulti- 

 mately shattering itself. Hallam says "their self- 

 government goes beyond any assignable date." And 

 another writes, "Here," (in Holland) "art was first 

 made the servant of the home, glorifying the things 

 of common life, and the people rather than the kings 

 and nobles." 



The States-General of Holland seem not to have 

 Tealized this spirit of the people, when they took the 

 first definite steps towards establishing a permanent 

 colony in New Netherland, in 1629; for to the mem- 

 bers of the West India Company — the holders of the 

 Charter of 1621 — each of whom was already assigned 

 a large grant, they gave the privilege of extending 

 their limits sixteen English miles on one side of the 

 Tiver, or half that distance on both sides — exclusive 

 •of the island itself, which was reserved to the Com- 

 pany — and "so far into the country as the situation of 

 the occupiers will permit," on condition of their 

 planting, each of them — as "Patroon" or master — a 

 colony of fifty souls, above fifteen years of age. 

 These lands the Patroons were to hold as "a perpetual 

 inheritance"; they were also allowed and instructed 

 ■"to establish oflBcers and magistrates in the cities," and 

 to dispose of the property by will. To others who 

 should go to the Colony and settle independent of the 

 Patroons, as much land was granted, under the ap- 



