amidst the toils and hardships of colonial life, removed at so great a distance from the scenes of their early associations, deserve a very different commemoration at the hands of their descendants and successors. " The New -York Historical Society -- an institution that has done much to preserve the historical records of our State -- first suggested to the Legislature the propriety of searching the archives of the Netherlands, and other European governments, for documents illustrative of the early history of the State. In compliance with a memorial from that institution, the Legislature passed the act of May 2d, 1839, authorizing the Governor and Senate ' to appoint an Agent to visit England, Holland and France, for the purpose of procuring copies of all such documents and papers, in the archives and offices of those governments, relating to or in any way affecting the Colonial or other history of this State.' The sum of four thousand dollars was at the same time appropriated to carry out the objects of the Agency, which, by two subsequent appropriations, was increased to twelve thousand dollars. On the 15th of January, 1841, nearly two years after the passage of the law, .John Romeyn Brodhead, of the county

xxxviii GENERAL INTRODUCTION. of Ulster, was appointed to tliis Agency, and embarked for England on the first of May following, for the purpose of entering upon the duties of his mission. A copy of his instructions, from the Executive of the State, is annexed to this report. " In pursuance of these instructions, Mr. Brodhead, on his arrival in London, applied to the British government for permission to make transcripts of such documents in its archives as related to our Colonial history. The application appears to have been coldly received by Lord Palmerston, then Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Aflairs, notwithstanding the kind offices rendered to the Agent by Mr.