because some of the people and inhabitants of the same colony cannot, in their private opinion, conform to the public exercise of religion according to the liturgy, form, and ceremonies of the Church of England, or take or subscribe the oaths and articles made and established in that behalf; and for that the same, by reason of the remote distances of these places, will, as we hope, be no breach of the unity and uniformity established in this nation, have therefore thought fit, and do hereby publish, grant, ordain, and declare that our royal will and pleasure is, that no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter, shall be anywise molested, punished, disquieted, or called in question for any differences in opinion in matters of religion; but that all and every person and persons may, from time to time and at all time hereafter, freely and fully have and enjoy his and their own judgment and consciences in matters of religious concernment throughout the tract of land hereafter mentioned, they behaving themselves peaceably and quietly, not using this liberty to licentiousness and profaneness, nor to the civil injury or outward disturbance of others." (a) This is a noble declaration, and worthy of any prince who rules over a free people. It is lamentable to reflect how little it comports with the domestic persecutions authorized by the same monarch during his profligate reign. It is still more lamentable to reflect how little a similar spirit of toleration was encouraged either by the precepts or examples of any other of the New England colonies. § 98. Rhode Island enjoys the honor of having been, if not the first, at least one of the earliest of the colonies, and indeed of modern States, in which the liberty of conscience and freedom of worship were boldly proclaimed among its fundamental laws. 2 If at any time afterwards the State broke in upon the broad and rational principles thus established, it was but a momentary deviation from the settled course of its policy. At the present day, acting under this very charter it continues to maintain religious freedom with all the sincerity and liberality and zeal which belonged to its founder. It has been supposed, that in the laws passed by the General Assembly first convened under this charter, 2 Walsh's Appeal, 429. 12 Haz. Coll. 613. Hutch. Coll. 413, 415; 1 Chalm. Annals, 276, 284; 1 Holmes's Annals, 336. (a) Arnold, Hist. of Rhode Island, I. 292. (1644), Roman Catholics were excluded from the privileges of freemen. But this has been very justly doubted; and, indeed, if well founded, the act would deserve all the reproach which has been heaped upon it. The first laws, however, declared that no freeman shall be imprisoned or deprived of his freehold, but by the judgment of his peers or the laws of the colony; and that no tax should be imposed or required of the colonists, but by the act of the General Assembly.2 § 99. It is said that the general conduct of Rhode Island seems to have given entire satisfaction to Charles the Second during the residue of his reign. Upon the accession of James the inhabitants were among the first to offer their congratulations, and to ask protection for their chartered rights. That monarch, however, disregarded their request. They were accused of a violation of their charter, and a quo warranto was filed against them. They immediately resolved, without much hesitation, not to contend with the crown, but to surrender their charter, and passed an act for that purpose which was afterwards suppressed. In December, 1686, Sir Edmund Andros, agreeably to his orders, dissolved their government, and assumed the administration of the colony. The Revolution of 1688 put an end to his power; and the colony immediately afterwards resumed its charter, and, though not without some interruptions, continued to maintain and exercise its powers down to the period of the American Revolution. It still continues to act under the same charter, as a fundamental law, it being the only State in the Union which has not formed a new constitution of government. It seems, that until the year 1696, the governor, assistants, and deputies of the towns sat together; but by a law then passed they were separated, and the deputies acted as a lower house, and the governor and assistants as an upper house. 5 1 On this subject, see 1 Chalmers's Annals, 276, 284; and Dr. Holmes's valuable note to his Annals, vol. i. p. 336, and Id. p. 341; Hutch. Coll. 413, 415; Walsh's Appeal, 429 to 435. 21 Chalm. Annals, 276; 1 Holmes's Annals, 336; R. Island Colony Laws (1744), p. 3. 81 Chalm. Annals, 278. 41 Chalin. Annals, 280, 281; 2 Doug. Summ. 85. 1 Chalm. Annals, 278, 279; 1 Holmes's Annals, 415, 420, 428, 442; 2 Doug. Summ. 85, 377; Dunmer's Defence, 1 American Tracts, 7. • R. Island Colony Laws (1744), 24. § 100. In reviewing the colonial legislation of Rhode Island some peculiarities are discernible, though the general system is like that of the other parts of New England. No persons but those who were admitted freemen of the colony were allowed to vote at elections, and they might do it in person or by proxy; and none but freemen were eligible to office. Wills of real estate were required to have three witnesses. The probate of wills and the granting of administrations of personal estate were committed to the jurisdiction of the town councils of cach town in the colony, with an appeal to the governor and council as supreme ordinary.2 Every town was a corporate body, entitled to choose its officers, and to admit persons as freemen. Sports and labor on Sunday were prohibited. Purchases of land from the Indians were prohibited. By a formal enactment, in 1700, it was declared, that in all actions, matters, causes, and things whatsoever, where no particular law of the colony is made to decide and determine the same, then in all such cases the laws of England shall be put in force to issue, determine, and decide the same, any usage, custom, or law to the contrary notwithstanding. About the same period the English navigation laws were required, by an act of the colonial legislature, to be executed.7 Twenty years' peaceful possession of lands, under the claim of a title in fee-simple, was declared to give a good and rightful title to the fee; and thus a just and liberal effect was given to the statute of limitations, not as a bar of the remedy, but of the right. The acknowledgment and registration of conveyances of lands in a public town registry were provided for. The support of the ministry was made to depend upon free contributions. Appeals to the king in council, in cases exceeding £300 in value, were allowed. A system of redress, in cases of abuses of property devoted to charitable uses, was established; 10 fines and common recoveries were regulated; and the trial by jury established. The criminal code was not sanguinary in its enactments; and did not affect to follow the punishments denounced in the Scripture against particular offences. 11 Witchcraft, however, was, as in the common law, punished with death. At a 6 9 later period, lands of persons living out of the colony or concealing themselves therein were made liable to the payment of their debts. In respect to the descent of real estates, the canons of the common law were adopted, and the eldest son took the whole inheritance by primogeniture. This system was for a short period repealed by an act (4 & 5 George I., 1718) which divided the estate among all the children, giving the eldest son a double share. But the common law was soon afterwards (in 1728) reinstated by the public approbation, and so remained to regulate descents until a short period (1770) before the Revolution. Contracts for things above the value of ten pounds were required to be in writing; and conveyances in fraud of creditors were declared void. And we may also trace in its legislation provision respecting hue and cry in cases of robbery; and of forfeiture in cases of accidental death, by way of deodand.3 § 101. We have now finished our review of all the successive colonics established in New England. The remark of Chalmers is in general well founded. "Originally settled," says he, "by the same kind of people, a similar policy naturally rooted in all the colonies of New England. Their forms of government, their laws, their courts of justice, their manners, and their religious tenets, which gave birth to all these, were nearly the same." Still, however, the remark is subject to many local qualifications. In Rhode Island, for instance, the rigid spirit of Puritanism softened down (as we have seen) into general toleration. On the other hand, the common-law rules of descents were adhered to in its policy with singular zeal, down to the year 1770, as necessary to prevent the destruction of family estates, while the neighboring colonies adopted a rule dividing the inheritance among all the children.5 § 102. One of the most memorable circumstances in the history of New England is the carly formation and establishment of a confederation of the colonies for amity, offence and defence, and mutual advice and assistance. The project was agitated as early as 1637; but difficulties having occurred, the articles of 1 R. Island Col. Laws (1744), p. 192. 2 Colony Laws of Rhode Island (edit. 1719, printed at Boston), pp. 95, 96. 1 Chalm. Annals, 296. 5 Gardner v. Collins, 2 Peters's Sup. Ct. Rep. 58. union were not finally adopted until 1643.1 (a) In the month of May of that year, the colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Haven, and Plymouth formed a confederacy by the name of the United Colonies of New England, and entered into a perpetual league of friendship and amity, for offence and defence, and mutual advice and succor. The charges of all wars, offensive and defensive, were to be borne in common, and according to an apportionment provided for in the articles; and in case of invasion of any colony, the others were to furnish a certain proportion of armed men for its assistance.2 Commissioners, appointed by each colony, were to meet and determine all affairs of war and peace, leagues, aids, charges, &c., and to frame and establish agreements and orders for other general interests. This union, so important and necessary for mutual defence and assistance during the troubles which then agitated the parent country, was not objected to by King Charles the Second, on his restoration; and with some few alterations, it subsisted down to 1686, when all the charters were prostrated by the authority of King James. Rhode Island made application to be admitted into this union, but was refused, upon the ground that the territory was within the limits of Plymouth colony. It does not appear that subsequently the colony became a party to it. (b) 3 1 1 Holmes's Annals, 269, 270; 1 Winthrop's Jour. 237, 284. 2 2 Haz. Coll. 1 to 6; 2 Winthrop's Jour. 101 to 106; 1 Hutch. Hist. 124, 126. * 1 Holmes's Annals, 270 and note; 1 Hutch. Hist. 126, note; 2 Haz. Coll. 7, et seq. 630. 41 Holmes's Annals, 287 and note; 1 Hutch. Hist. 124; 2 Haz. Coll. 99, 100. (a) Palfrey, Hist. of New England, I. (b) The application of Rhode Island and its rejection are given in Hutch. Coll. 226, 227. |