Proposals of the Honorable Director and Council to the Commonalty.

First. Is it not right and proper to punish the scandalous murder lately perpetrated by a savage on Claes Swits ; and in case the Indians do not surrender the murderer to our demand is it not right to destroy the whole village to which he belongs? Secondly. In what manner and at what time should it be done? Thirdly. By whom shall it be executed ?

:

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS: V. 415

The Commonalty of New Netherland assembled by the Director's order, to answer three Articles proposed by him, do say thereunto as follows

To the 1". We deem it in every respect expedient that the murderer should be punished as the Director proposes, but subject to God and opportunity and meanwhile, everything necessary ;

ought to be provided and the Director ought, especially, to get 200 coats of mail (malj rocken) from the North as well for the soldiers as for the freemen who will pay for their own share of them. On the 2^. And that a friendly traffic be carried, in the meantime, yea, until the maize trade be over, and until an opportunity and God's will be made manifest; also, that no one, be his rank what it may, commit any hostility on land or water, against the Indians, the murderer excepted meanwhile, let every one be on his guard; that when the Indians are out hunting ;

we shall divide ourselves into two parties, to wit, one to land about the Archipelago,' and the other at Wyquaesquec in order to harass them in this wise, from two directions ; and that the Director shall employ hereunto as many of the strongest and most active of the Negroes as he can conveniently spare and provide them with a small ax and half-pike.