The Importance of Flushing

8 onsidering its significance— considering how foundational The it is to American history, to the root idea of a free society that we all take for granted— Cthe Flushing Remonstrance is a document that gets very little Importance respect. It could have something to do with the name: it’s an awkward mouthful, is it not? In the first place, we must admit—and forgive us, of residents of a certain city in the borough of Queens—that if “Flushing” stirs something in people, it is not especially lofty. As to “remonstrance,” it Flushing might be interesting to query your co-workers or members of your family to see how BY RUSSELL SHORTO many can give you a reason- ably close definition of the Seventeenth-century settlers in Flushing word. Perhaps calling it The Long Island Protest would drafted a protest that became a watershed of have gotten the document bigger play over the centuries. religious freedom in the New World and “one Or something poetically in keeping with its era (only a reason why New York became New York.” few decades from that of Shakespeare): say, The NEW YORK archives • WINTER 2008 9 Complaint of Conscience. the New World colony. One directors of the West India The 350th anniversary of the Let’s both put this remark- of the principles of Dutch Company, which administered Flushing Remonstrance was able piece of paper in context tolerance was freedom of the colony, and to the provision celebrated throughout the fall with and outline its significance. conscience. According to Dutch in Dutch law that dictated a series of special programs and Flushing—the city in Queens— law, you couldn’t be harassed freedom of conscience. events in Queens, Manhattan, and Albany. The actual document was originally Vlissingen, after because of your religious Stuyvesant was overruled, will be on display at the Queens a Dutch city of that name. It beliefs. Naturally, not everyone and had to allow the Jews to Library from December 5, 2007 was part of the Dutch colony went along with this. In fact, remain. (He managed to make to January 7, 2008, and at the of New Netherland, which a goodly portion of Dutch their lives miserable, though, Queens Museum of Art from stretched across the Middle society thought it was exactly so that most eventually left.) April 6 to June 29, 2008. Atlantic region of what would the wrong approach. In this, Then, in 1657, the issue become the United States. New they were only following came back in a new form. Netherland is best remembered what was common belief The Dutch colony had been today for its capital—New nearly everywhere. The seven- receiving more and more Amsterdam—which became teenth century was the age English settlers, thanks in New York City, and for its last of religious war, when it was large part to the fact that the director, Peter Stuyvesant. almost universally held that Puritan rule in England (and The Dutch brought several in order for a society to be New England) meant that things to the region they strong it had to be unified, those of other religious colonized. Most notable was an particularly in matters of persuasions were unwelcome Its Dutch character idea they more or less invented religion. Religious intolerance there. Many of these non- in the seventeenth century: was thus more or less official Puritan English pilgrims thus is one reason why “tolerance.” As everyone policy in England, France, settled in parts of the future New York grew into knows, the Dutch provinces are Spain, and elsewhere. boroughs of New York. mostly below sea level, and Peter Stuyvesant—the son One such group was the a vibrantly this geographical fact meant of a Calvinist minister—was Quakers, whose penchant for that they were a relatively among the Dutch who were spirit-fueled frenzy—quaking— multi-ethnic culture: easy place to invade or run also of this mind, and to be caused some residents one reason why to. Thus, throughout the fair he had good practical discomfort. Stuyvesant in 1500s and 1600s, Europeans reasons for it. He was the ruler particular seems to have felt New York became fleeing war or seeking freedom of a small, weak colony that they were out of their minds; to think or write or worship was surrounded by would-be at any rate, he believed their New York. made their way to the Low enemies: Indians, but most form of religious belief was a Countries. As a consequence, dangerously of all the English threat to the public order, and the major Dutch cities— to the north and south. in 1657 he barred the town Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Unlike the English colonies, of Vlissingen from allowing NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY/MANUSCRIPTS AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY/MANUSCRIPTS NEW YORK STATE Hague, Utrecht—became New Netherland comprised a them to settle. In response, multicultural centers. The idea mixture of nationalities and the English residents crafted a of tolerance developed not religions. Stuyvesant believed complaint, or remonstrance. through lofty ideals but as a this weakened it, and no The most memorable way for these disparate peoples doubt he was right; bickering phrase from the Flushing to get along with each other. among different ethnic and Remonstrance, to my mind, is At the same time, the Dutch religious groups was more or the one in which the residents found that it worked: tolerance less constant. He tried, there- appeal to “The law of love, allowed a mixed society not fore, to keep the tolerance in peace and liberty in the [Dutch] only to get by but to do check. When Jews arrived in states extending to Jews, business, to flourish. It became 1654, seeking asylum, he Turks, and Egyptians, as they one of the keys to the success barred them from settling. are considered the sonnes of of the Dutch Golden Age. The Jews went over his head, Adam, which is the glory of the This idea got transferred to however, appealing to the outward state of Holland…” Left: The tip of Manhattan, 1650. www.nysarchives.org 10 The inhabitants informed in American history as being their leader that “our desire is an English-versus-Dutch not to offend one of [God’s] statement. That is, it has little ones, in whatsoever form, been viewed in terms of “the name or title he appears in, English believe in religious whether Presbyterian, Indepen- liberty, while the Dutch do not.” This is simply wrong. The context was Dutch. The laws to which the residents of NEW YORK STATE ARCHIVES NEW YORK STATE Vlissingen/Flushing appealed were Dutch laws. The situation is unique to New Netherland—and thus to New York. Its Dutch character is one reason why New York grew into a vibrantly multi- ethnic culture: one reason why New York became New York. The English of New England undeniably gave us their language and many aspects of government, but they were at this time in Both the text and American history very far the signatures of the Flushing from enunciating such an Remonstrance ideal of religious freedom. were evidently What we see in the Flushing copied and incor- Remonstrance is a fledgling porated into the American colony applying Dutch Colonial hard-won rights from the Council minutes, Old Country to a New World which were setting, where they would singed in the 1911 flourish in an entirely new Capitol fire. The dent, Baptist or Quaker, but way. The mixed peoples who signatures on shall be glad to see anything founded New Netherland this copy of the remonstrance all of God in any of them.” would become a wellspring of appear to be in Therefore, they went on, American religious liberty, and the same hand- “if any of these said persons also a source of America’s writing, a clear come in love unto us, wee notion of equality. indication that the cannot in conscience lay Many places in the world document is a violent hands upon them, but today still have state religions contemporary copy, give them free egresse and and bar faiths other than not the original. regresse unto our Town, and the approved one. When What happened to houses, as God shall persuade Americans want to tally the the original peti- our consciences.” things they value most in tion is unknown, This is an outright state- their society, the things to be but it may have been returned to ment of religious freedom, proud of and hold close, the the individual and it is a watershed. But let Flushing Remonstrance—by who presented it me add something else. It whatever name—should be to Stuyvesant. has often been misinterpreted high on their list. NEW YORK archives • WINTER 2008 11 Transcript of the Remonstrance REMONSTRANCE nothing. And as the Lord hath taught Written this 27th day of December, Of the Inhabitants of the Moses or the civil power to give an in the year 1657, by mee Town of Flushing outward liberty in the state by the law To Governor Stuyvesant written in his heart designed for the good EDWARD HART, Clericus of all, and can truly judge who is good, Tobias Feake December 27, 1657 who is civil, who is true and who is false, Nathaniel Tue Right Honorable, and can pass definitive sentence of life or The Mark of William Noble You have been pleased to send up unto death against that man which rises up Nicholas Blackford us a certain prohibition or command that against the fundamental law of the States The Mark of Micah Tue we should not receive or entertain any of General; soe he hath made his ministers a William Thorne, seignor those people called Quakers because they savor of life unto life, and a savor of The Mark of William Thorne, junior are supposed to be by some, seducers death unto death.

Load more