“Then appeared Walter S. Church, who bought the rest of the claims on speculation. He spared no labor, no expense in any direction which he thought might aid him. He magnificently entertained legislators, lawyers, and judges. He was indefatigable, exacting, demanding the utmost farthing. Ejectment suits were brought and several lives were sacrificed. The final decision was against the Van Rensselaers, and thus ended a long and bitter controversy growing out of the Patroon system.” Who can estimate and properly accredit to the different nations of Europe their just due in the immigrants they sent to this country in its founding and subsequently in building up the United States as the greatest free republic on earth and the hope of the liberty-loving world? The Dutch must be among the early named with excellent traits of character, and the Patroons deserve credit for first colonizing them here. We do not want to try to conjecture what the results would have been if Hudson’s exploration of the North river had been in the interest of France or if the Pilgrims had settled in 1620 in the New Netherlands instead of New England. Nearly 300 years have passed away since Henry Hudson, in the yacht “Half Moon,” sailed over the waters of the river bearing his name and whose beauties he so greatly admired. That majestic, noble river continues to flow on from the mountains to the sea with a great unabated pure stream in its primeval beauty and loveliness. This statement must, however, be qualified, for man’s greed, cupidity, has caused him in some localities to contaminate its waters and to mar and to an extent destroy its matchless palisades. Now that the governments have taken matters in hand it is to be hoped that these abuses will be summarily ended.