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to vote, or be elected to office, who was not a Church member, and that no Church could be formed but by a license from a magistrate, the civil and ecclesiastical affairs were more intimately combined than in England. The granting or withholding political rights being thus centred in the ministers, the leveling propensity of Congregationalism was curbed and restrained by this new power, and all were compelled to submit and pay court to the very men it was their original intention to have divested of all authority. Bigotry, intolerance, and hypocrisy were infinitely increased and aggravated by this extraordinary alliance. The preachers were consulted on all affairs of State and legislation, were often present at the passing of laws, and lent their powerful aid to have them executed.

The attention of the king was again called to the colony of Massachusetts. He was informed that there was a great stream of emigration flowing steadily thither, of persons known to be ill-affected to him, his church, and government. An order was accordingly issued by the Privy Council to stay several ships in the Thames, ready to sail to New England, with settlers and provisions, for the exhibition of passenger lists, and for the production of the charter. This was the first time its removal was discovered or avowed, and the plausible Craddock promised to send for it immediately. He informed the council that the royal right was well protected by the clause enforcing the oaths of allegiance and supremacy (although he knew they had not been administered to the emigrants), and entreated that they who had so recently and affectionately addressed the Church, as their dear mother, and avowed before God and man their attachment to it at parting, should be believed in preference to their slanderers, and wound up with a glowing description of naval stores that the planters would soon be able to send to England. After some little delay they were permitted to proceed on their voyage, and emigration again revived.

In the mean while, the inhabitants having proceeded step by step to consolidate their power at Boston, in evasion or defiance of the charter, now altered their constitution in a manner to suit the exigencies of the times, and their own wants, without asking permission or seeking authority from the king. In consequence of some severe regulations made by the magistrates relative to trespasses, which were exceedingly unpopular in the rural dis

tricts, two delegates chosen by each town assembled at Boston and demanded a sight of the charter, upon the examination of which they arrived at the conclusion, that the legislative authority rested not with the magistrates, but with the freemen.

On this

point they asked the opinion of the governor, who told them, that when the patent was issued, it was supposed the freemen would be so few, that all could conveniently assemble, but now they had become too numerous to meet for deliberation. At the same time he said, he was of opinion, they did not yet contain sufficient materials to constitute a distinct branch of the Legislature, but proposed that a certain number of delegates should be chosen annually to prefer grievances, but not to make laws; though their consent perhaps might be required to all assessments of money and grants of land. They were not satisfied with any such restricted power, and accordingly at a General Court, held in the year 1634, twenty-four of the principal inhabitants of the colony, presented themselves as the representatives of the body of freemen, and demanded on behalf of their constituents the right to share in all legislative proceedings of that body, a claim which, though it had no foundation whatever in the charter, was supported by analogy to the constitution of the mother country, and was too congenial to their own democratic views to be refused. The governor and assistants, however, were not prepared for what followed. They were aware that a House of Commons would naturally diminish much of their own weight and influence, but they were astonished to find, when their admission was conceded, that their first step, before proceeding to business, was to define the power and jurisdiction of the General Court in its amended form; and in that definition, to appropriate to themselves a full share of executive as well as legislative authority. Hitherto, although the government had been elective, the choice of officers had usually fallen upon the same persons. Mr. Winthrop had been appointed governor every year since the foundation of the commonwealth, and most of the assistants had also been re-elected. As judges and justices they were the dignitaries of the land. Their discretionary power, in the absence of a regular code of laws, was very great. Severe penalties were enacted for disobeying them, and still heavier punishments awarded for discourteous or contumelious behavior toward them. Democracy, however, is no

respecter of persons. Where all authority emanates from the mass, all must finally bow to that source of power. The natural order of society is soon reversed: officials first become courtiers to the people, and then are degraded to a menial dependence on their masters. This universal law of politics was now made

palpable to the founders of the republic.

One of the first acts of the representatives was to impose a fine on the Court of Assistants for having presumed, during the preceding year, in the exercise of their discretion, not to act in conformity to an order of the General Court. The governor, a most able, zealous, liberal and laborious officer, who had discharged all the gubernatorial duties gratuitously for several years, was quietly passed over without any reason whatever that can be discovered, beyond the vile and contemptible propensity of democrats to humble and degrade to their own vulgar level all that are distinguished among them for character or talent. Not content with this unprovoked and unmerited insult, he was coarsely interrogated as to the receipts and disbursement of the public money during his administration, as if he had been a defaulter, and enriched himself with the spoils, instead of exhausting his means, and impoverishing his family, by private charities and public benefactions, as was well known to be the case. At the termination of this ungrateful and humiliating proceeding, he handed in the following dignified and temperate protest:

In all these things which I offer, I refer myself to the wisdom and justice of the court, with this protestation, that it repenteth me not of my cost or labor bestowed on this commonwealth, but do heartily bless the Lord our God that He hath pleased to honor me so far as to call for any thing He hath bestowed upon me for the service of His Church and people here: the prosperity whereof and His gracious acceptance, shall be an abundant recompense to me. I conclude with this one request (which in justice may not be denied me), that as it stands upon record, that upon the discharge of my office I was called to account, so this my declaration may be recorded also, lest hereafter, when I shall be forgotten, some blemish may lie upon my posterity, when there shall be nothing to clear it.

"September 4th, 1634."

"JOHN WINTHROP.

It is a painful, but instructive page of history. The colony was founded by Mr. Winthrop, in a spirit of defection to his Sovereign and his Church. The first act of the Legislature, a child of his own creation, was a rejection of himself as their governor, the imposition of a fine and censure upon his Court of Assistants, and an accusation against both, having as little foundation in truth as those he had himself so lightly adopted, and so little examined, against his king and his primate.

The establishment of a representative body was a bold exercise of independence, but it completed and consolidated the power of the state, which being based altogether on the elective system, was purely republican. This innovation created an inquiry into the nature of the liberty and privileges of the people, which threatened to convulse the colony by the numerous abstract questions to which it gave rise. Among others was a dispute as to the veto of the Assistants, both as regarded its existence and its limits. A number of persons having memorialized the court for leave to remove out of the jurisdiction, the Assistants refused their assent, assigning, among other reasons, one that in modern times would expose them to much sectarian abuse. "The removal of a candlestick," they said, "is a great judgment, which ought to be avoided." By far the greater part of the delegates were for granting the prayer of the petitioners, and numerically they formed a majority of the whole court. The dispute on this contested point was very warm, and the session was adjourned. What they refused to grant to the assumptions of the magistrates, they yielded to the fervid eloquence of Mr. Cotton, who preached before them, when they reassembled; "for it pleased the Lord so to assist him, and to bless His own ordinances that the affairs of the court went on cheerfully."

At this time was first introduced the custom, now so prevalent in America and the British provinces, of paying the members of the Legislature. It was ordered that the charge of dieting the assistants and delegates during the General Court be paid out of the public treasury. About the same period the vote by ballot for the delegates was established. The aid of the minister, and some of the ablest men in the province was now requested, to compile a uniform order of discipline for all the churches in the colony.

CHAPTER V.

A Commission issues to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and eleven other Persons, for governing the Colonies, &c.-Abbot and Laud, their Conduct contrastedSevere Trials of the Church-Its Character and Conduct-Colonists assume the Right of making Treaties-Free-Trade with the Narragansetts-Offer of hereditary Rank made by Lord Say and Sele-Reasons for declining it— Petition of the People debarred of civil Rights for Nonconformity-They are summoned to appear before the Governor and Assistants, and denounced by the Ministers-Heavily fined and bound over to keep the Peace-Their private Papers searched, and a Memorial found addressed to the Earl of WarwickIts Contents-The People extend their Jurisdiction to Wethersfield, situated beyond the Limits of Massachusetts-Justification of Encroachment-Gorton's Settlement broken up, and his Followers severely punished-The Grand Council of Plymouth surrenders its Charter on the Ground of the Colonists claiming Independence-A quo warranto ordered to be issued for the Revocation of the Charter--Sir Ferdinando Georges nominated Governor-General -The Ministers convened to advise-They recommend Resistance-Dissenters from the Churches of Massachusetts settle at Connecticut, Rhode Island, and other Places-War with the Pequods-The Army under a Covenant of Works-Extermination of the Indian Tribe-Troubles in England— The Colony is left unmolested.

In England great astonishment was expressed at this usurpation, which naturally drew attention also to the artful manner Episcopalians were excluded, if not from the country, at least from all participation in its government. A royal commission, therefore, was granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and eleven other persons, for the management of colonial affairs, conferring or revoking patents, appointing public officers, and other more extensive powers. The recital reasserts, in distinct terms, that the object of the king, in granting the charter, was not merely to enlarge the territories of our empire, but more especially to propagate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The contumacy and intractability of the Puritans at home increased the alarm that was felt at the extension of the sect in America. Every means had been tried and exhausted for reconciling or conciliating them, but in vain. Concessions led to further demands, kindness only served to infuse a belief of weakness; and, in the exasperated state of public feeling, nothing

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