Colonial Commissions
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Colonial Commissions. The first royal of two commissions to what is now the United States was made in 1634. Morton of Merry Mount had made serious charges against the people of Massachusetts before the privy council. That body summoned the council for New England before them to answer the charges. They denied having had anything to do with the matters complained of, and added new and serious charges of their own, declaring themselves unable to redress their grievances. They referred the whole matter to the privy council. A commission of twelve persons was appointed, with Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, at its head, to whom full power was given to revise the laws, to regulate the Church, and to revoke charters. The members of the Massachusetts Company in England were called upon to give up their patent, and Governor Cradock wrote for it to be sent over. Morton wrote to one of the old planters that a governor-general had been appointed. Orders were also issued to the seaport towns of England to have all vessels intended for America stopped. The colonists were alarmed. The magistrates and clergy met on an island at the entrance to the inner harbor of Boston, and, resolving to resist the commissioners, agreed to erect a fort on the island, and to advance the means for the purpose themselves until the meeting of the general court. They sent letters of remonstrance to England, and refused to send over the charter before the meeting of the court. When that body met, in May, active measures for defense were adopted. They ordered a fort to be built in Boston. Military preparations were ordered, and three commissioners were appointed to conduct " any war that might befall for the space of a year next ensuing." The English government threatened, but did nothing. In September, 1635, a writ of quo warranto was issued against the Massachusetts Company; but everything went on in the colony as if no serious threats were impending. The political disorders in England were safeguards to the infant colony. It was after the appointment of this commission that Endicott cut the cross from the standard at Salem. The second of these commissions was sent over in
1664. Territorial claims, rights of jurisdiction, boundaries, and
other matters had created controversies in New England, which were
continually referred to the crown, and in 1664 the King signified
his intention to appoint a commission for hearing and determining
all matters in dispute. This occasioned alarm in Massachusetts,
which had been a narrow oppressor of other
colonies, especially of
Rhode Island, and against which serious complaints had been made. A
large comet appearing at that time increased the general alarm, for
it was regarded as portentous of evil, and a fast was ordered.
Fearing a design to seize their charter might be contemplated, it
was intrusted to a committee for safe-keeping. The commission was
appointed, consisting of Sir Richard Nicolls, Sir Robert Carr, Sir
George Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, of Massachusetts. They came
with an armament to take possession of New Netherland. Touching at
Boston, the commissioners asked for additional soldiers, but the
request was coldly received. The magistrates said they could not
grant it without the authority of the general court. That body soon
met and voted 200 soldiers. In Connecticut the commissioners were
cordially received, and Governor Winthrop accompanied the expedition
against New Netherland. After the conquest, they proceeded to settle
the boundary between New York and Connecticut. Leaving Nicolls at
New York as governor, the other commissioners proceeded to Boston.
Meanwhile the authorities of Massachusetts had sent a remonstrance
to England against the appointment of the commissioners. It was
unheeded. The Massachusetts authorities were unyielding, the
commissioners were haughty and overbearing, and a bitter mutual
dislike finally made their correspondence mere bickerings. The
commissioners proceeded to settle the boundary between Plymouth and
Rhode Island. More difficult was the settlement of the boundary
between Rhode Island and Connecticut, because of opposing claims to
jurisdiction over the Pequod country. The commissioners finally
directed that the region in dispute should constitute a separate
district, under the title of the " King's Province." Neither party
was satisfied, and the boundary dispute continued fifty years
longer. |
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