From 1606 to 1682, under various grants from the British crown, made at different times, from different causes, and of very unequal extent, eleven additional colonies were settled along the Atlantic coast; and to these, the colony of Georgia was added in 1732. The public have been furnished with valuable histories of most of these colonies. Many of these histories, however, are not brought down to a late period, and some of them are imperfect.

A summary view of the political and civil state of these colonies, from their first settlement to the peace between Great Britain and France, in 1763, is here only contemplated. This will embrace a general account of their first settlement, the extent of the several grants, under which these settlements were made, the governments established in the various colonies, with the general character of the colonists; their plans of union among themselves, either general or partial; their political relation and connection with the parent country, together with a brief review of their various disputes with the king and parliament, during this period, with the causes of them, and particularly those in which all the colonies were more or less concerned.

The peace of 1763, was an important epoch in our colonial annals. The French power in North America was then annihilated, and the parent country at that time, not only commenced a system of imposing internal taxes upon the colonists, without their consent, but declared her right to bind them, in all cases whatever. This led to a more intimate union among the colonies, in defence of their rights; their affairs assumed a national aspect, and from this period the history of the United States may be said to commence. A more particular account of the political and civil transactions of the country, from that period through the revolution which followed, with the causes which led to that memorable event, down to the close of the administration of President Washington, is the principal object of these sketches. But to resume our colonial summary.

In 1609, a new charter was granted to the southern colony, with extended powers, as well as more definite limits, and with

the addition of many adventurers. The grantees were now incorporated by the name of "The Treasurer and company of adventurers and planters of the city of London, for the first colony of Virginia." To this company was granted that part of North America called Virginia, "from the point of land, called cape or point Comfort, all along the sea coast to the northward, two hundred miles, and from the said point of cape Comfort, all along the sea coast to the southward, two hundred miles, and all that space or circuit of land, lying from the sea coast of the precinct aforesaid, up into the land throughout, from sea to sea, west and northwest." The lands were to be holden, as of the manor of East Greenwich, in free and common socage, and not in capite, rendering to the crown one fifth of all ore of gold and silver, found there for all manner of services.*

This grant was the foundation of the extensive claim, afterwards made by Virginia, to the western lands. Under the grant to the north Virginia colony, George Popham and others, to the number of about one hundred, in 1607, attempted a settlement on an island at the mouth of Kenebeck river since called Parker's island. They here remained during the winter; but on account of the death of Mr. Popham, the leader of these adventurers, and the severity of the winter, this settlement was abandoned the next spring, and no further attempts made to settle this part of the country until 1620.† In the mean time, the French commenced settlements on the St. Lawrence, and in 1608, laid the foundation of Quebec and the province of New France or Canada. The coast, however, continued to be explored, and a traffic carried on with the natives, and particularly by the celebrated Capt. Smith. This chivalrous traveller, as he was justly called, whose various adventures both in Asia and America, as related by his able biographer, Mr. Belknap, bear the marks of romance, rather than reality, in 1614, sailed along the northern coast, made a map of the country, which he presented to prince

Charles, who gave English names to most of the places on the

ㄓ

Stith's Appendix. † 1 Vol. Massachusetts' Historical Collection, p. 251.

coast, and from that period, this part of America was called New England.†

By the discoveries of Capt. Smith, as well as those made by the Dutch, a little farther south, about the same time, this part of America became better known in England; and in November 1620, a new patent was granted, comprehending all that part of America, "lying in breadth from 40° to 48° north latitude, and in length by all the breadth aforesaid, throughout the main land from sea to sea." This was called by the

name of "New England in America." The grantees were incorporated, by the name of "the council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering and governing of New England in America."

successors.

This grant was made to the duke of Lenox, the lords of Arundel and Warwick, the marquisses of Buckingham and Hamilton, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and thirty-four associates and their The same powers and privileges were conferred on this company as had been given to the Virginia company, and they were empowered to exclude all persons from trading within their limits, and from fishing in the neighboring seas. Under grants from this company, most of the New England colonies, were settled. These colonies consisted originally of New Plymouth, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Haven.

The settlement of Plymouth commenced in 1620, Massachusetts in 1628, New Hampshire soon after Massachusetts, Rhode Island in 1634–5, Connecticut in 1635, and New Haven, in 1637.

New York was first settled by the Dutch, as early as 1614. The claim of the Hollanders to this part of the country, was founded on the discoveries of Henry Hudson, an Englishman, in the service of the Dutch East India company, in 1609.

Hudson was one of the boldest navigators of his time. In the years 1607 and 1608, he, in two successive voyages, attempted a passage to India round the north Cape, but without success. In the year 1609, he engaged in the service of the Dutch

+ Smith's General History of New England in 1626, p. 204.

East India company, in a third voyage, with the same view. He sailed from the Texel on the 4th of April, of that year, but again meeting with insurmountable obstructions, from ice and fogs, he passed over to the American coast. He here attempted to find a passage through Davis' Straits, but in vain. He then sailed along the coast as far south as the bay of Chesapeak; and on his return, visited the bay of Delaware, and on the 3d of September, entered the waters of New York, near Sandy Hook, and soon after sailed up the river, afterwards, very properly called by his name, as far as Albany.

On his return to Europe, his crew, being partly Englishmen, compelled him to put into Dartmouth in England. He sent his journal and an account of his discoveries to the directors of the East India company; but, it is said, that King James would not suffer Hudson himself to go to Holland.* The next year he was again employed, by the merchants of London, on a fourth voyage, to discover a new route to India, and after suffering incredible hardships, he was left, by his mutinous crew, to perish, in a northern bay, which still bears his name. The Dutch, then one of the most commercial nations in Europe, immediately commenced a trade with the natives of the country discovered by Hudson. This trade was, in 1614, confirmed to a company called the West India company. This celebrated company, was incorporated by the States General of the United Netherlands, in June, 1621. The charter of incorporation contained forty five articles, and granted and declared, that, for the term of twenty four years, "none of the natives or inhabitants of the United Netherlands, should be permitted to sail to, or from the lands, or to traffic in the coast and countries of Africa, from the tropic of Cancer to the Cape of Good Hope, nor in the countries of America, or the West Indies, beginning at the south end of Terra Nova, by the straits of Magellan, la Maire, or any other straits and passages situated thereabout, to the straits of Anian, as well as in the north sea, the south sea, nor any Islands situated on the one side or the other,

* Yates and Moulton's History of New York, vol. 1, part I.

See Moulton's History, part II.

or between both; nor in the western or southern countries, reaching, lying, and between both the meridians from the Cape of Good Hope, in the east, to the end of New Guinea, in the west, inclusive, but in the name of this united company of these United Netherlands." Extensive and ample powers were granted to this company. They were authorized to enter into "contracts and alliances with the princes and natives of the land," and for the purpose of protecting their trade and possessions, were empowered, not only to erect and garrison forts and fortifications but to negotiate in war or peace, but in case of war, the approbation of the States General was required. They were empowered to distribute justice, preserve order, maintain police, and administer the general, civil, and military government of their transmarine affairs; to appoint a governor in chief or director general, commanders, and all officers civil and military, judicial and executive, who were to take an oath of allegiance, to the States and to the company. The government of the company was placed in the hands of five chambers or departments of directors; the directors being distributed unequally among the distant provinces and cities.

The extensive limits assigned to this trading and colonizing company, were no doubt, occasioned by the extensive discoveries which, at an early period, had been made by the enterprising Hollanders. The straits of Magellan, la Maire, as well as the land called Terra Nova, were first discovered by the bold Dutch navigators; and we cannot forbear the remark, that justice was never done, by the other European nations, to these extraordinary exertions of their rival neighbors.*

This charter at the end of the twenty four years was renewed. Under this company, new discoveries were made, and the claims of the Dutch extended to the river Connecticut on the east, and the river Delaware on the south; and indeed, included all the country west of the river Delaware, which now constitutes the State of that name. This claim brought them in collision with the English settlements to the south as well as to the east. The claim of the Dutch to any part of this country, had never

* See Hazard's State papers, vol. 1, p. 121, and Moulton, part II.