thumb|200x200px|Scan of the original petition of 1657

The Flushing Remonstrance was a 1657 petition to Director-General of New Netherland Peter Stuyvesant, in which some thirty residents of the small settlement at Flushing requested an exemption to his ban on Quaker worship. It is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights.

Background

thumb|Flushing Green in 2025

In 1645, New Netherland governor Willem Kieft granted a patent to a group of English colonists from the New England Colonies to settle in the colony. The majority of the colonists settled in the newly established colonial settlement of Vlissingen. Kieft's patent granted the English colonists, most of them non-Anglican Protestants, the same freedom of religion which existed in the Dutch Republic, which was one of the most religiously tolerant nations in Europe.

Eleven years later, in 1656, the colony's new governor, Peter Stuyvesant, issued an ordinance which formally proscribed all religious congregations that were not part of the Dutch Reformed Church (including the various forms of Protestantism practiced by the English colonists).

Stuyvesant's policy was not very different from the one evolving in the Netherlands: an official recognition of the Dutch Reformed Church bundled with broad tolerance within the church and a policy of connivance, turning a blind eye to non-conformist religious practices. At the same time, Stuyvesant opposed Jewish arrival in New Amsterdam. On another front, the Stuyvesant family was broadly tolerant. Judith, Stuyvesant's wife, was a fierce advocate for New York's slaves, promoting the practice of baptism as a first step toward freedom.

His policy met with resistance from many English colonists in Vlissingen, Rustdorp and 's-Gravesande, all of which had been host to previous Quaker missions. Stuyvesant's actions, however, also met with the support of other English colonists, including local magistrates, who informed on those embracing unorthodox teachings and meeting in small and unsanctioned religious meetings of lay people called conventicles. Thus, Stuyvesant found himself drawn into the religious debates of the English Atlantic World and debates in England which culminated in the Conventicle Act 1664.

This policy resulted in numerous acts of religious persecution and harassment. In 1656, William Wickenden, a Baptist minister from Rhode Island, and William Hallett, Sheriff of Flushing, were arrested by Dutch colonial authorities, jailed, fined, and exiled for baptizing Christians in Flushing. In the same year Robert Hodgson was arrested, tried, and sentenced to two years of manual labor with slaves for his preaching of Quakerism.

In 1661, in the town of Rustdorp, Henry Townsend (Norwich) and Samuel Spicer were fined for holding Quaker conventicles and Townsend was banished as well. Stuyvesant sent three new magistrates, all English colonists, and six colonial militiamen to gather information on dissidents. The militiamen were billeted in the homes of the dissidents until they agreed to conform. In 1662, in 's-Gravesande, Samuel Spicer and his mother, Micha, along with John and Mary Tilton, were imprisoned and later banished. They moved to Oyster Bay, then outside of the authority of New Netherland, and returned to their town after 1664 when the English took control of the colony.

Events

thumb|right|John Bowne House on 16 May 2023

The Flushing Remonstrance was signed at the home of Edward Hart, the town clerk, on December 27, 1657, by a group of Dutch citizens who were affronted by persecution of Quakers and the religious policies of Stuyvesant. None of them were Quakers. The site of the signing is presently occupied by the former State Armory, now a police facility, on the south side of Northern Boulevard between Linden Place and Union Street. The Remonstrance ends with:

In response Stuyvesant dismissed the local government and chose new Dutch replacements as leaders. Four who signed were arrested by order of Stuyvesant. Two immediately recanted, but the writer of the remonstrance, Edward Hart, and sheriff of Flushing Tobias Feake remained firm in their convictions. Both men were remanded to prison where they survived in isolation on rations of bread and water for over a month. After friends and family petitioned Stuyvesant on behalf of the elderly Hart, the clerk was released on penalty of banishment. Feake held out for a few more weeks, but eventually recanted and was pardoned after being fined and banned from holding public office.

Stuyvesant asserted that he was not violating the signers' "freedom of conscience", only their right to worship outside of family prayer meetings. In addition he proclaimed March 13, 1658 a Day of Prayer for the purpose of repenting from the sin of religious tolerance.

The Quaker Meeting House in Flushing, built 1694, is now the oldest house of worship in continuous use in New York State.

Signers

The 30 signers were:

  • Nicolas Blackford
  • George Clere
  • Elias Doughtie
  • Edward Farrington, magistrate
  • Tobias Feake, sheriff
  • Antonie Field
  • Robert Field, Sr.
  • Robert Field, Jr.
  • John Foard
  • Edward Griffin
  • Edward Hart
  • Nathaniel Hefferd
  • Benjamin Hubbard
  • John Mastine
  • Michael Milner
  • William Noble, magistrate
  • Nicholas Parsell
  • William Pidgion
  • Henry Semtell
  • Richard Stockton
  • John Store
  • Edward Tarne
  • William Thorne Sr.
  • William Thorne, Jr.
  • John Townsend
  • Henry Townsend
  • Nathaniel Tue
  • Micah Tue
  • Phillip Udall
  • George Wright

Hart signed first as clerk of the group; each of several other signers wrote an X that is labeled as their mark.

Account of John Bowne

thumb|FoxOaksStone engraved side

John Bowne's account of the Flushing Remonstrance and its aftermath is found in his journal of events. Bowne, who had arrived in 1651, soon began to host Quaker meetings in his home, although he did not convert until 1659. He was to become a leader of American Quakers and a correspondent of Quaker founder George Fox.

Later history

The earliest version of the document in English dates also from 1657 as an official copy of the original, but the original, likely in Dutch, has been lost.

See also

  • Jewish arrival in New Amsterdam
  • Remonstrants

References

  • Text of Flushing Remonstrance and information
  • Flushing Remonstrance
  • John Bowne house and historical material
  • Designed for the Good of All – A thesis by Tabetha Garman