Governor Printz protested in vain.

The two magistrates held friendly personal intercourse, and they mutually promised to "keep neighborly friendship and correspondence together." This strange friendly conquest was in the year 1651.

The following year an important concession was made to the inhabitants of New Amsterdam.

A constant war was waged between Stuyvesant and the representatives of the people called the "Nine." The governor tried to repress the spirit of popular freedom; the Nine fostered it.

They wanted a municipal government for their growing capital and, fearing the governor, made a direct application to the states-general for the privilege.