Flushing Remonstrance

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For other uses, see Remonstrance (disambiguation).

A U.S. Postage Stamp commemorating religious freedom and the Flushing Remonstrance.

The Flushing Remonstrance, considered by many to be in some ways a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights, was signed on December 27, 1657 in Flushing, at the time part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland (now part of Queens, New York) by a group of English citizens who were affronted by persecution of Quakers and the religious policies of the Governor of New Netherland, Peter Stuyvesant. Stuyvesant had formally banned all other religions outside of the Dutch Reformed Church from being practised in the colony, in accordance with the laws of the Dutch Republic.

Four who signed were arrested by order of Stuyvesant. Two immediately recanted, but the writer of the remonstrance, Edward Hart, and the 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 Edward Hart, the clerk was released on penalty of banishment. Tobias Feake held out for a few more weeks, but eventually recanted and was pardoned after being fined and banned from holding public office. The town government of Flushing was removed and Dutch replacements were appointed by Stuyvesant.

Subsequently, John Bowne of the colony allowed Quakers to meet in his house. He was arrested in 1662 and brought before Stuyesant. Unrepentant, Bowne was sentenced to banishment to Holland, though he spoke no Dutch and was of English descent. After several months in the foreign land, Bowne petitioned the directors of the Dutch West India Company. After a month of deliberation, the WIC agreed to support Bowne, and advised Stuyvesant by a letter (1663) that he was to end religious persecution in the colony. One year later, in 1664, the colony fell to British control.

A New York Times article dated March 18, 2007 discusses that the Queens Borough President's Office will be holding a celebration of the 350th anniversary of the Remonstrance later in the year. Descendants of the signers will be invited, and the original copy of the Remonstrance will be brought down from the State Archives in Albany for display.