The Patroons on their side claimed that the Company not only had no right to restrict them, but had not fulfilled its own obligations as laid down in the articles of the Freedoms and Exemptions.

These controversies led finally after much discussion, to a determination by both parties, concurred in by the States-General, to which both had appealed, that the charter of 1729 should be revised, changed in some important respects, and re-enacted in the form of an entirely new Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions.

One of the memorials of the Company to the States- General presented in October 1734, growing out of these difficulties and those arising from the claim set up by the English to authorize trade to New Netherland, is of extreme interest for its clear and succinct account of the Dutch discovery and settlement from 1609 to 1634.

It states, "That said river" ("the North River in New Netherland," so styled in the memorial which is believed to be the first time "it is so named in any official document) " and adjacent countries had been discovered in the year 1609, at the cost of the East India Company, before any Christians had ever been up said river, as Hudson testified, who was then in the service of said Company, for the purpose of discovering the north-west pas-age to China.

" And that your High Mightinesses' grant hath conferred from that time down, on divers merchants, the exclusive trade in peltries there.

" Likewise, that one or more little forts were built, also under your High Mightinesses' chief jurisdiction, even before the year 1614, and supplied with people for the security of the said trade ;