In 1025 wheeled vehicles were introduced, and a large importation of domestic animals from Holland was made, including horses, cattle, swine, and sheep. Moreover, some new families and single people, mostly Walloons, were brought over. With the arrival of Peter Minuit, as director-general, on May 1, 1020, the concerns of the colony first came under a carefully ordered scheme of management. The settlements in New York Bay were now made the seat of government of New Motherland. The director-general was to exercise the functions of chief executive, subject to the advice of a council of five members, which, besides acting as a legislative and general administrative body, was to constitute a tribunal for the trial of all cases at law arising, both civil and criminal. There were two other officers of importance -- a secretary oft lie council and a schout-fiscaal. The latter performed the combined duties of public prosecutor, treasurer, and sheriff. There was
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no provision for representative government, although it was customary in cases of considerable public moment to call in some of the principal citizens as advisers, who in such circumstances had an equal voice with the members of the council. Of this custom the directors sometimes took advantage in order to place the responsibility for serious and perhaps questionable acts of policy upon the citizens. The conduct of Director Kieft in entering upon his course of violent aggression against the Indians, which resulted in great devastation in our county, was given the color of popular favor iu this manner. In the early months of Minuit's administration the Island of Manhattan was purchased from the Indians " for the value of sixty guilders," or $24. The same ship which carried to Holland the news of this transaction bore a cargo of valuable peltries (including 7,246 beaver skins) and oak and hickory timber.