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chosen secretary. Upon the requisition of governor Fletcher, a company of sixty men were ordered to Albany, under the command of captain William Whiting. Forty dragoons were also forwarded to the county of Hampshire, for the security of the inhabitants in that part of Massachusetts.

About this time, the town of Danbury was incorporated. The whole number of families was twenty four.

At the general court, May 13, 1697, colonel Hutchinson and captain Byfield were sent from Boston, to solicit the raising of such a number of troops as should enable Massachusetts to attack the eastern enemy, at their head quarters. The legislature judged themselves unable to furnish such a number, as would be necessary for that purpose, in addition to the troops they must raise for the defence of their own frontiers, of New-York, and the county of Hampshire. The court agreed to furnish a party of about sixty Englishmen and forty Indians, to range the woods, near the walk of the enemy, and to defend the frontiers of the county of Hampshire.

At a general assembly, January 22d, 1698, an alteration was made in the constitution of the county court. It was enacted, that it should consist of one chief judge and four justices of the quorum, in each county, appointed by the assembly.

Major-general Fitz John Winthrop, having returned from his successful agency at the court of Great-Britain, was received with great joy, by the legislature and the people in general. The assembly presented him with their thanks for the good services he had rendered to the government; and as a further testimonial of the high sense which they entertained of his merit, fidelity, and labours for the public, they voted him a gratuity of three hundred pounds.

On the 18th of June, 1697, Richard, earl of Bellomont, received his commission to be governor of New-York and Massachusetts; and was, at this time, every day expected at New-York. The general court of Connecticut were desirous of honouring his majesty, by an exhibition of all proper respect and complaisance to his governor; and, at the same time, they wished to conciliate the good graces of so important a character. They, therefore, appointed general Winthrop, major Jonathan Sillick, and the Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall, upon the first notice of his arrival at New-York, to wait upon him, and, in the name of the general assembly of Connecticut, to congratulate his excellency upon his safe arrival at the seat of government. The earl arrived at NewYork the 2d of April, 1698. The committee appointed to wait on him, were gentlemen of a good appearance and elegant manners; and they presented their congratulations with such dignity and address, as not only did honour to themselves and the colony, but highly pleased his excellency. Mr. Saltonstall was particu

larly noticed by the earl, as appearing the most like a nobleman of any person he had ever seen before in America.

Notwithstanding the determination of lieutenant-governor Cranfield, and his majesty's commissioners, and the report to his majesty concerning the right of Connecticut to the Narraganset country, the controversy between Connecticut and Rhode-Island still continued. It was not the king's pleasure to confirm the judgment and report of his commissioners. The Rhode-Islanders, though they had violated every article of the agreement between Mr. Winthrop and Mr. Clark, yet were ready to plead it against Connecticut, whenever it would suit their turn. A letter from the lords of trade and plantations was laid before the assembly, advising Connecticut to a settlement of boundaries with that colony. Upon this recommendation, the general court appointed major James Fitch, captain Daniel Witherell, and the Rev. James Noyes, commissioners to treat with Rhode-Island, and, by all means in their power, to attempt an amicable settle

ment.

The peace of Riswick, September 11th, 1697, once more delivered Great-Britain and her colonies from the calamities of war. The Americans rejoiced at the return of peace. Connecticut had been happy in the preservation of her frontiers, in the loss of few men, and in the effectual aid which she had given to her sister colonies. Nevertheless, the war had been very expensive, and exceedingly vexatious. The whole amount of taxes, during the war, was about twenty pence on the pound. By the close of the year 1695, the colony had expended 7,000l. in the defence of Albany, and the frontiers of the county of Hampshire, in Massachusetts; exclusive of the expedition against Canada, under majorgeneral Winthrop. This cost the colony more than 3,000l. The expense of the troops sent to the eastward, to the defence of that part of New-England, is also excluded. It is probable that the remaining years of the war cost about 2,000l. The whole expense of the war probably considerably exceeded 12,000l.1

The expense of Mr. Winthrop's agency, and the trouble respecting the militia, were very considerable.

Governor Fletcher made the colony much unnecessary trouble and expense. Upon almost every rumour of danger, he would send on his expresses to Connecticut; and the governor and council, and sometimes the assembly, were obliged to meet, and dispatch troops to one place and another. Often, by the time they had marched, orders would come to recall them. By the time. they were returned, some new and groundless alarm would be made, and pressing orders sent on for them forthwith to march again. In this manner, he almost wore out the governor and

1 The accounts, to the close of the year '95, are particularly stated. After that time, they do not appear to be ascertained.

council with meetings, and beyond measure harassed the militia, and occasioned great trouble, and expense of time and money, both to the soldiers and officers. The whole colony was so troubled with his vexatious management, that the governor wrote to Mr. Winthrop, while he was in England, desiring him to represent his conduct to his majesty, and pray for relief.

But the clouds were now dissipated. The successful agency of general Winthrop, his safe return to the arms of his country, the blessings of peace, and the appointment and arrival of the earl of Bellomont to the government of the neighbouring provinces, united their influence to diffuse universal joy. The legislature appointed a day of public thanksgiving, and the people, with glad hearts and voices, celebrated the beneficence and glories of their COMMON BENEFACTOR.

CHAPTER XVII.

AT the election, May 12th, 1698, there was a considerable alteration in the legislature. Major-general Fitz John Winthrop, by his address, and the success of his agency in England, had rendered himself so popular, that he was elected governor. The former governor, Treat, who had, for many years, presided, and who had grown old in the service of the colony, was elected deputy-governor; William Jones, Esq. who, for a number of years, had been deputy-governor, was left out of the council.1 Mr. Joseph Curtis was chosen magistrate, to fill the vacancy made by the preferment of general Winthrop.

Until the session in October, 1698, the assembly consisted of but one house, and the magistrates and deputies appear to have acted together. But, at this time, it was enacted, that the General Assembly should consist of two houses: That the governor, or, in his absence, the deputy-governor and magistrates, should compose the first, which should be called the upper house: That the other should consist of the deputies, regularly returned from the

'Deputy-governor Jones was son-in-law to governor Eaton. He brought over a good estate from England, and made a settlement at New-Haven. He was, for the term of about six and thirty years, either magistrate or deputy-governor of the colony of New-Haven or Connecticut. In 1662, he was chosen magistrate for the colony of New-Haven. Two years after, he was elected deputy-governor. Upon the union, in 1665, he was chosen one of the magistrates of Connecticut, in which office he served until July 9th, 1691, when the assembly elected him deputy-governor. In May, 1692, he was chosen to the same office by the freemen. He was annually re-chosen, until May 12th, 1698. At that period he was about 74 years of age, and retired from public business. He died October 17th, 1706, aged 82 years. The General Assembly was sitting at New-Haven, at the time of his decease, and voted, "That in consideration of the many good services, for many years done by that honored and religious gentleman, Mr. William Jones, then deceased, a sum should be paid out of the treasury towards defraying the charges of his funeral."

several towns in the colony, which should be called the lower house. This house was authorised to choose a speaker to preside, and when formed, to make such officers and rules as they should judge necessary for their own regulation. It was also enacted, that no act should be passed into a law of this colony, nor any law, already enacted, be repealed, nor any other act, proper to this General Assembly, be passed, except by the consent of both houses.

At the general court, in October, an act passed, regulating the county court. It ordained, that it should consist of one chief judge, and two justices of the quorum.

On May 11th, 1699, the governor and deputy-governor were reelected. Richard Christopher was chosen into the magistracy, and captain Joseph Whiting, treasurer.

At this session, the lower house, for the first time, formed separately, and chose Mr. John Chester speaker, and captain William Whiting clerk. This assembly passed an act exempting the clergy from taxation. Several acts were also passed, relative to the settlement of new townships.

In June, 1659, governor Winthrop obtained liberty of the assembly, to purchase a large tract at Quinibaug. Soon after he made a purchase of Allups, alias Hyemps, and Mashaushawit, the native proprietors, of the lands comprised in the townships of Plainfield and Canterbury, lying on both sides of Quinibaug river. There were a small number of families on the lands, at the time of the purchase; but the planters were few, until the year 1689, when a number of people, chiefly from Massachusetts, made a purchase of the heirs of governor Winthrop, and began settlements in the northern part of the tract. At their session, in May, 1699, the General Assembly vested the inhabitants with town privileges. The next year, it was named Plainfield.

The legislature, in the October session, 1698, enacted, that a new plantation should be made at Jeremy's farm. It was determined, that it should be bounded southerly on Lyme, westerly on Middletown, and easterly on Norwich and Lebanon. This was most commonly termed the plantation at twenty mile river. The settlement began about 1701. In 1703, the assembly gave the planters a patent, confirming to them the whole tract. Some of the principal planters, were the Rev. John Bulkley, Samuel Gilbert, Michael Tainter, Samuel Northam, John Adams, Joseph Pomeroy, and John Loomis.

At the same session, a plantation was granted, upon the petition of the inhabitants of Guilford, at a place called Cogingchaug. It was bounded northerly on Middletown, easterly on Haddam, westerly on Wallingford, and southerly on Guilford. The petitioners were thirty-one, but few of them moved on to the lands. For this reason, the settlement went on very slowly. The two

first planters, were Caleb Seward and David Robinson, from Guilford. Some others afterward removed from the same town, and made settlements there. May 11th, 1704, it was named Durham. But the whole number of inhabitants was very small. In 1707, the number of families was no more than fifteen. The inhabitants held meetings, and acted as a town, but were not incorporated with town privileges, until May, 1708. After this time, the plantation increased rapidly. There was a great accession of inhabitants from Northampton, Stratford, Milford, and other towns.

Committees were again appointed, at the session in October, to attempt a settlement of the boundaries between Massachusetts and Connecticut, and between this colony and Rhode-Island. However, like all former ones, they were unsuccessful.

March 28th, 1700, his majesty, king William, in council, was pleased to confirm the agreement made between Connecticut and New-York, in 1683, respecting the boundary line between the two colonies. New-York neglected, however, to run the line. Connecticut, therefore, about twelve years after, applied to governor Hunter, to appoint commissioners to complete the running of the line, and mark it with proper bounds. He laid the affair before the legislature of New-York: but, as they would adopt no measures for that purpose, and, as there was no appearance that they designed it, Connecticut presented a petition to his majesty king George the first, praying that he would issue his royal commands to his government of New-York, that they should forthwith appoint commissioners, in concert with Connecticut, to complete the running of the line, and the erecting of proper monuments. In consequence of this, the legislature of New-York, in 1719, passed an act empowering their governor to appoint commissioners to run the line parallel to Hudson's river, to re-survey the former lines, and to distinguish the boundary. In May, 1725, the commissioners and surveyors of the two colonies, met at Greenwich, and, having agreed upon the manner in which the work should be accomplished, the survey was executed, in part, immediately, and a report of what they had done, was made to the respective legislatures of Connecticut and New-York. On the 14th of May, 1731, a complete settlement was made. By the partition line, finally established, Connecticut ceded to New-York a tract of 60,000 acres, as an equivalent for lands which New-York had surrendered to Connecticut, lying upon the sound. This tract, from its figure, has been called the Oblong.

In 1700, the governor and council were all re-elected.

Many acts of violence, since the last session of the assembly, had been committed against the inhabitants of Windsor and Simsbury, by the people of Enfield and Suffield. They had made encroachments two miles upon the land of those towns, beyond all

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