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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 itPetition 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 EnglandThe Colony is left unmolested.

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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, 66 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

appeared to be left but compulsion. The indulgence of Abbot rather emboldened their opposition, as they affected to see in his mildness or negligence a similarity of opinions with their own. Laud, warned by the failure of his predecessor, was more vigilant and more rigid, and endeavored to compel these refractory Nonconformists to obedience by a strict enforcement of the law, in the execution of which he showed himself as zealous, active, and almost as severe as the Puritans themselves. These people exhibited the most melancholy specimen of the arrogance, obstinacy, and inconsistency of the human mind to be found in any age or country. At the very time that they were depriving every person in Massachusetts of all civil rights, who was not in full communion with them, or imprisoning, fining, or banishing whoever dared to maintain doctrines at variance with their own, they denounced as a bigot and a demon the archbishop, who, unfortunately, adopted the same error of compulsory conversion as themselves.

It was not without great alarm, therefore, they were informed that a quo warranto had been issued against them, and that the governor was ordered by the Board forthwith to send back to England the charter which had been so surreptitiously removed. They had now a man to deal with who knew their principles too well to be duped by professions, whose duty it was to protect his own Church, and to see that no part of his majesty's dominions was closed against her members, and who had penetrated the designs of their co-religionists to subvert the monarchy. From his well-known integrity and piety they knew that they might look for justice; but they saw nothing in the contumely and insults they had heaped upon him to lead them to hope that he would make another fruitless attempt to try the effect of indulgence.

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The conduct of these two prelates, Abbot and Laud, has been variously viewed, both by contemporary authors and historians of the present day, according to the uncertain standard of their own morals and politics.. By some the moderation or connivance of the first has been extolled as an example of Christian virtue, worthy of all praise; while a rigid adherence to ecclesiastical discipline, and a strict observance of the law of the land, has earned for the other a character for cruelty and tyranny. But the agitated state of the times, the fury of party, the ferocity and

disloyalty of schismatics, and the intrigues of an unscrupulous Court, if they do not afford a justification for the negligence of the one, or the rigor of the other, will warrant us in putting a charitable construction on the conduct of both. Where the shelter of non-interference merely aggravated the evil, it was natural to try the only other alternative, severity; and subsequent events have now clearly disclosed to us that the middle course, in which justice is tempered with mercy, so difficult at all times to be found, and especially in civil commotions, would have been equally unavailing. It is probable, however, that if Abbot had been more firm, Laud would have been less severe; and it is certain that a proper discharge of his duty, without periling his own life, would have saved that of his martyred successor.

No religious establishment has had so much to contend against as the Anglican Church. For centuries before the Reformation she had to endure the assaults of Rome, and ever since the furious attacks of fanatics; while lately she has had to withstand them both, under the serious disadvantage of being crippled by the State, in the freedom of her actions. Formerly, the government, to suit their own political views, found it necessary to fill the bench of Bishops with persons holding high prerogative opinions. In more recent times the selection for a similar purpose has been too often made from latitudinarians, while during the whole period of time, she has had within her own pale a numerous party who receive her pay, and eat her bread, but refuse to do her bidding, or teach her doctrines. Deprived of her convocation, she has been powerless to preserve uniformity, defend herself, or enforce her discipline, and, above all, to exert her whole voice in demanding her ancient right of electing her own prelates. Hence the soundness of one diocese contrasts strangely with the license and disorder of another, and the anomalous appeals in matters of belief to a lay court, evince less unity than Rome, and less independence than Dissent.

During all these afflictions her conduct has been worthy of herself. Her firmness in resisting encroachments, and patience under persecutions, moderation in prosperity, devotion to the cause of truth and learning, her zeal and munificence in propagating the Gospel to the furthermost parts of the earth, are well attested by the fruit she has borne. Her sterling worth is stamped on her children, and an Englishman may well be proud

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