Document: Remonstrance of the burgomasters and schepens of New Amsterdam against being deprived of the revenue arising from the city excise

With all due reverence and humility, the present schepens of this city of New Amsterdam make known:Whereas they have learned from the posted notices that your honors intend to farm out at the next public auction on 25 November to the highest bidder the tapsters' excise for wines and beers within this aforesaid city; therefore, they, the petitioners, (with all due humility) object to your honors that this city was granted the excise within this city by a letter from the honorable lords-directors at the chamber of Amsterdam, lords and patroons of this province, and then we submitted to your honors several documents on 31 August,[221] in which we made such promises that we had hoped everything was satisfactorily settled; however, as yet we have received no answer, so that we have not been able to do one thing or the other, and we trust that your honors will not deprive the city of the revenue from the aforesaid excise (conceded and granted to us by the lords-patroons). However, if your honors should be in need, it is our opinion (subject to correction) that it would be more equitable to acquire it from the people in general rather than just from this city. Therefore, we refer these matters to your honors' wise discretion and commend your honors to the merciful