464

NEW-AMSTERDAM IN AN UPROAR.

And now much does it grieve me that I must leave the gallant Peter in this imminent jeopardy: but it behoves us to hurry back and see what is going on at New-Amsterdam, for greatly do I fear that city is already in a turmoil. Such was ever the fate of Peter Stuyvesant; while doing one thing with heart and soul, he was too apt to leave every thing else at sixes and sevens. While, like a potentate of yore, he was absent attending to those things in person, which in modern days are trusted to generals and ambassadors, his little territory at home was sure to get in an uproar-All which was owing to that uncommon strength of intellect, which induced him to trust to nobody but himself, and which had acquired him the renowned appellation of Peter the Headstrong.

How the people of New-Amsterdam were thrown into a great panic, by the news of a threatened invasion, and the manner in which they fortified themselves.

THERE is no sight more truly interesting to a philosopher than to contemplate a community, where every individual has a voice in public affairs, where every individual thinks himself the Atlas of the nation, and where every individual thinks it his duty to bestir himself for the good of his country-I say, there is nothing more interesting to a philosopher than to see such a community in a sudden bustle of war. Such a clamour of tongues—such a bawling of patriotism—such running hither and thither-every body in a hurry-every body up to the ears in troubleevery body in the way, and every body interrupting his industrious neighbour-who is busily employed in doing nothing! It is like witnessing a great fire, where every man is at work like a hero-some dragging about empty enginesothers scampering with full buckets, and spilling the contents into the boots of their neighbours and others ringing the church bells all Little night, by way of putting out the fire. firemen like sturdy little knights storming a

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breach, clambering up and down scaling-ladders, and bawling through tin trumpets, by way of directing the attack.-Here one busy fellow, in his great zeal to save the property of the unfortunate, catches up an anonymous chamber utensil, and gallants it off with an air of as much self-importance as if he had rescued a pot of money—another throws looking-glasses and china out of the window, to save them from the flameswhile those who can do nothing else to assist the great calamity run up and down the streets with open throats, keeping up an incessant cry of Fire! Fire! Fire!

"When the news arrived at Sinope," says the grave and profound Lucian-though I own the story is rather trite, "that Philip was about to attack them, the inhabitants were thrown into violent alarm. Some ran to furbish up their arms; others rolled stones to build up the walls-every body, in short, was employed, and every body was in the way of his neighbour. Diogenes alone was the only man who could find nothing to dowhereupon, determining not to be idle when the welfare of his country was at stake, he tucked up his robe, and fell to rolling his tub with might and main up and down the Gymnasium." In like manner did every mother's son in the patriotic community of New-Amsterdam, on receiving the missives of Peter Stuyvesant, busy himself most mightily in putting things in confusion, and assisting the general uproar. Every man"-saith

66

PANIC AT NEW-AMSTERDAM.

467

the Stuyvesant Manuscript-" flew to arms!"by which is meant, that not one of our honest Dutch citizens would venture to church or to market without an old-fashioned spit of a sword dangling at his side, and a long Dutch fowlingpiece on his shoulder-nor would he go out of a night without a lantern; nor turn a corner without first peeping cautiously round, lest he should come unawares upon a British army-And we are informed that Stoffel Brinkerhoff, who was considered by the old women almost as brave a man as the governor himself, actually had two onepound swivels mounted in his entry, one pointing out at the front door, and the other at the back.

But the most strenuous measure resorted to on this awful occasion, and one which has since been found of wonderful efficacy, was to assemble popular meetings. These brawling convocations, I have already shown, were extremely offensive to Peter Stuyvesant; but as this was a moment of unusual agitation, and as the old governor was not present to repress them, they broke out with intolerable violence. Hither, therefore, the orators and politicians repaired; and there seemed to be a competition among them who should bawl the loudest, and exceed the others in hyperbo. lical bursts of patriotism, and in resolutions to uphold and defend the government. In these sage and all-powerful meetings it was determined nem. con. that they were the most enlightened, the most dignified, the most formidable, and the most ancient

468

POPULAR RESOLUTIONS.

community upon the face of the earth. Finding that this resolution was so universally and readily carried, another was immediately proposedwhether it were not possible and politic to exterminate Great Britain? upon which sixty-nine members spoke most eloquently in the affirmative, and only one arose to suggest some doubts -who, as a punishment for his treasonable presumption, was immediately seized by the mob, and tarred and feathered-which punishment being equivalent to the Tarpeian Rock, he was afterwards considered as an outcast from society, and his opinion went for nothing. The question, therefore, being unanimously carried in the affirmative, it was recommended to the grand council to pass it into a law; which was accordingly done. By this measure the hearts of the people at large were wonderfully encouraged, and they waxed exceedingly choleric and valorous. Indeed, the first paroxysm of alarm having in some measure subsided-the old women having buried all the money they could lay their hands on, and their husbands daily getting fuddled with what was left -the community began even to stand on the offensive. Songs were manufactured in Low Dutch and sung about the streets, wherein the English were most wofully beaten, and shown no quarter; and popular addresses were made, wherein it was proved to a certainty that the fate of Old England depended upon the will of the NewAmsterdammers.