You are to apply your selves to all prudential meanes for the rendering those dominions usefull to England and England helpfull to them, and for the bringing the severall Colonies and Plantacons, within themselves, into a more certaine civill and uniforme of goveremt and for the better ordering and distributeing of publique justice among them.—Documents, New York.

5. Political life.

James, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., whereas Sir Thomas Gates (and others) consisting of certain Knights, Gentlemen, Merchants, and other adventurerss, have been humble suitors unto us, that We would vouchsafe unto them our License, to make Habitation of America commonly called VIRGINIA,

in that part

situate

between four and thirty Degrees of Northerly Lati

and five and forty Degrees of the same Lati-
We, greatly commending,
. their

which may

the Glory of his Divine Majesty, the Infidels and Savages

hereafter tend to

and in time bring

to human civility, and to

a settled and quiet government: Do, &c., agree. Poore, II, 1888. Charter, 1606.

We

do

Give, Grant and Confirm to our

trusty and well-beloved subjects, Robert, Earl of Salisbury,

iff of London, Wm. Crashaw, Clerk, Batchelor of Divinity,

Thomas Harris, Gentleman,

Geo. Walker,

Sadler, John Swinhow, stationer, Wm. Brown, shoemaker, Frances Binley, minister, Richard Shepherd, preacher, William Shirley, haberdasher, Wm. Gibbs, merchant, Thomas Gypes, cloth-maker, John Dike, fishmonger, Christopher Vertue, vintner,

the Company

Robert that they shall be one Body or

of Goldsmiths, the Company of Brewers Chening, yeoman,

Commonalty perpetual "having that part of America called Virginia [description follows, but it is too long

to quote].-Charter, 1609. Poore, Charters.

1610. Virginia.-Sir Thomas Gates draws the character of the first settlers. There was

a great shipwrack in the continent of Va. by the tempest of dissention: every man overvaluing his own worth, would be a Commander; every man underprising an others value, denied to be commanded. . . . The next fountaine of woes was secure negligence, and improvidence, when every man sharked for his present bootie, but was altogether carlesse of succeeding penurie. Unto idlenesse you may joyne treasons, wrought by those unhallowed creatures that forsooke the Colony. Unto Treasons, you may joyne covetousnesse in the Mariners, who partly imbezzled the provisions, partly prevented our trade with the Indians, making the matches in the night, and forestalling our market in the day.

.

Cast up this reckoning together: want of government, store of idlenesse, their expectations frustrated by the traitors, their market spoyled by the Mariners, our nets broken, the deere chased, our boats lost, our hogs killed, our trade with the Indians forbidden, some of our men fled, some murthered, and most weakened, and indanngered, famyne and sicknesse by all these meanes increased.-Hart, I, 206–208.

1619. Virginia.-We have an official "Reporte of the... General Assembly convened at James City, in Virginia, July 30, 1619, consisting of the Governor, the Counsell of Estates, and two Burgesses elected out of eache Incorporation and Plantation, and being dissolved the 4th of August."

The most convenient place we could finde to sitt in was the Quir of the Churche Where Sir George Yeardley, the Governor, being sitt down in his accustomed place, those of the Counsel of Estate sate nexte him on both handes, except onely the Secretary then appointed Speaker, who sate right before him, John Twine, Clerke of the General assembly, being placed next the Speaker, and Thomas Pierse, the Sergeant, standing at the barre, to be ready for any Service the Assembly should command him. But forasmuche as men's affaires doe little prosper where God's service is neglected . . a prayer was said. .. Prayer being ended, to the intente that as we had begun at God Almighty, so we might proceed with awful and due respecte towards the Lieutenant, our most gratious and dread Soveraigne. Assembly proceeded immediately to pass laws "Against Idleness, Gaming, durunkenes & excesse in apparell" within three days.]-Colonial Records of Virginia.

[The

1620. Massachusetts.-Rev. John Robinson wrote his advice after the Pilgrim colonists, whom he could not accompany.

Whereas you are to become a Body Politick

and

are not furnished with Persons of special Eminency to be chosen by you into Office of Government; Let your Wisdome and Godliness appear not onely in choosing such Persons as do intirely love the common Good; but also in yielding unto them all due Honour and Obedience in their lawful Administration, not beholding in them the Ordinariness of their Persons, but God's Ordinance for your Good; and this Duty you may the more willingly,

are

and ought the more conscionably to perform, because you to have them for your ordinary Governours which you yourselves shall make choice of for that Work.Hazard, Collections.

1620.-Mayflower Compact.

This day, before we came to harbor, observing some not well affected to unity and concord

it was thought good

to

there should be an association and agreement submit to such government and governors as we should by common consent agree to make and choose.

In ye name of God, Amen. We . . the loyall subjects of our dread Soveraigne Lord King James haveing undertaken, for ye glorie of God, and advancemente of ye Christian faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plan ye first colonie in ye Northene parts of Virginia. Doe by these presents . in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick; for our better ordering, and preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute and frame such just & equall lawes

as shall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye 11 of November Ano Dom. 1620.-Winthrop, History of Mass.

1632.-Governor Winthrop tells us in his Journal that (2-17-1633)

The governour and assistants called before them divers of Watertown. The occasion was, for that a warrant

the pas

being sent to Watertown for levying of £8 tor and elder, etc., assembled the people and delivered their

opinions, that it was not safe to pay moneys after that sort, for fear of bringing themselves and posterity into bondage.. After much debate, they acknowledged their fault. The ground of their error was, for that they took this government to be no other but as of a mayor and aldermen, who have not power to make laws or raise taxations without the people; but understanding that this government was rather in the nature of a parliament, and that no assistant could be chosen but by the freemen and therefore at every general court they had free liberty to declare their grievances they were fully satisfied; and so their submission was accepted, and their offence pardoned."

1634.-The general court came to a deadlock. So when they could proceed no farther, the whole court agreed to keep a day of humiliation to seek the Lord, which accordingly was done, in all the congregations. [And then when they met again] although all were not satisfied yet no man moved aught about it; . [and thus Puritan theology ruled and softened Puritan politics].—Winthrop's Journal.

. 1635.

At this court, one of the deputies was questioned for affirming that the power of the governor was but ministerial, etc. He had also much opposed the magistrates, and slighted them, and used many weak arguments against the negative voice, as himself acknowledged upon record. He was adjudged by all the court to be disabled for three years from bearing any public office.-Winthrop, History.

1637. For an interesting case of political division and party manipulation, see Hart, I, pp. 378-9.

1639.-Governor Winthrop gives us this very interesting view of theocratic government:

When the people have chosen men to be their rulers, and to make their laws, and bound themselves by oath to submit thereto, now to combine together . . in a public petition to have any order repealed, which is not repugnant to the law of God, savors of resisting an ordinance of God amounts to a plain reproof of those whom God hath set over them, and putting dishonor upon them, against the tenor of the fifth commandment.-Winthrop, History.

1646.-The Presbyterians demanded a share in the government.

We therefore desire that civill liberty and freedom be forthwith granted to all truely English, equall to the rest of their countrymen and as all freeborne enjoy in our native country. Further, that none of the English nation, who at this time are too forward to be gone, and very backward to come hither, be banished, unless they break the known lawes of England in so high a measure as to deserve so high a punishment . . . and we likewise desire that no greater punishments be inflicted upon offenders than are allowed and met by the laws of our native country.-Hutchinson.

1653. In this year Massachusetts furnished the first American example of the nullification of a federal act-i. e., of the New England Confederation.

It can be noe lesse then a contradiction to affeirme the Supreame power; which wee take to bee the Generall Courts of every Jurisdiction Can bee commanded by others an absurditie in pollicye; That an Intire gov'r' ment and Jurisdiction should prostitute itselfe to the comaund of Strangers; a Scandall in Religion that a generall court of Christians should bee oblidged to acte and engage upon the faith of six Delligates against theire consience all which must be admitted.—Plymouth Records.

1639. Connecticut.-"Fundamental Orders" made by "a Gen'all Cort at Harteford."

This constitution consists of eleven articles, but the lack of space necessitates very brief quotations.

we

the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Harteford and Wethersfield . . . doe ... conjoyne our selves to be as one Publike State or Commonwealth. to mayntayne . . . the liberty and purity of the gospell as also in our Civil Affaires to be guided and governed according to such Lawes, Rules, Orders and decrees as shall be made .. as followeth : that there shall be yerely two

(1.) It is ordered

generall Assemblies;

.

.

the first shall be called the

Courte of Elections [to choose officers].

(5.) Also the other General Courte in September shall be

for makeing of lawes.