HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 41

and an overstepping of his legitimate power. Displeased with their advice, Kieft angrily reminded them that his will was yet supreme, and a few clays after he issued, without their knowledge, a proclamation stating that for the purpose of carrying on the wax, and “by advice of the Eight Men chosen by the commonalty,” he had decided to impose the tax. This roused the ire of the Eight Men, whose sanction had been thus unwarrantably assumed, and the brewers refusing to pay the excise, their beer was confiscated and given to the soldiery. From that moment the spirit of resistance to arbitrary power became an element of the politics of New Netherland, and party spirit divided the community. The Eight Men became the representatives of the democracy, while the parasites of power espoused the cause of the director. And, although the Eight counselled active operations against the savages, and the available force at his command was strengthened by the opportune arrival of one hundred and thirty soldiers from Curacoa, Kieft contented himself during the summer with a “masterly inactivity” The Indians finding themselves unmolested, grew more insolent than ever; so that, even at the distance of a thousand paces from Fort Amsterdam, no one dared “move a foot to fetch a stick of firewood without a strong escort.” So deplorable was now the condition of public affairs, that the Eight representatives, on 28th of October, addressed a second memorial to the West India Company, stating their grievances, demanding the recall of Kieft, and the introduction into New Netherland of the municipal system of the Fatherland. This letter reached the College of Nineteen at an opportune moment, when, in obedience to a mandate of the States-General, they were in session to deliberate about the affairs of the colony. It was felt that the voice of the people could no longer be disregarded, and Kieft's recall was therefore determined upon. The College, likewise, referred all the papers in their archives relating to New Netherland to the newly organized “Chamber of Accounts,” with instructions to report fully upon the condition of the province, and upon such measures as should be necessary for its advancement. Their report, communicated to the States-General a few days after, and which is one of the most important documents relating to New Netherland, fully reviewed the history of that province from its first settlement;