The Colony of Surinam. 235 
daring in her resolution of 4th February 1669 her readi- 
ness to cede and transfer the colony to the States 
General, in particular however opposing any inter- 
ference of the West India Company with the colony ; 
but, on the 14th December of the same year, the 
States of Zeeland addressed the States-General stating 
the conditions on which they agreed to renounce their 
right of possession and administration, in behalf of the 
West India Company. Negotiations followed. They 
came to a close on the 6th of June, 1682, by an agree- 
ment entered between the States of Zeeland and the 
West India Company, which was ratified by the States- 
General and afterwards finally concluded on the 6th 
January, 1683. The colony was then ceded and ren- 
dered into possession of the West India Company for a 
consideration of $100,000 (/26o,ooo Dutch florins) 
payable to the Province ot Zeeland. 
But previous to the Company taking possession of the 
colony, soon after the agreement of June 1682 be- 
tween Holland and Zeeland, the States-General in their 
right as Sovereign, had granted to the colony an octroy 
or privilege by Letters Patent of the 23rd September, 
1682, containing the fundamental laws and privileges 
under which the administration and the government of 
the colony were conceded to the West India Company: 
which laws and privileges were to be maintained unal- 
tered and from which neither the Sovereign nor the Com- 
pany could in future by any means recede or deviate, in 
any way detrimental to the colonists, or infringing on 
their privileges. — Groot PL Book 3, p. 1424. 
It appeared however, that the West India Company 
had overtaxed her powers. She had already many 
EE2 
