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GOVERNMENT OF THE PROVINCE.

257 still ordered to press the general measure, he seems to have concerned himself very little about the matter, and thus the Assembly, by dogged perseverance, finally gained this important object. They had remarked, that in these long controversies, ministers uniformly sought to overawe them by threatening to lay their conduct before the British legislature. Yet this menace having never been executed, they were led to suspect that body to be more favourable to them than the court represented. At all events they felt themselves encouraged to transmit a petition, desiring to have the direction and control of all public moneys; and hence their surprise and indigna tion were extreme when they learned that a vote had been passed pronouncing it to be "frivolous and groundless, an high insult upon his majesty's government, and tending to shake off the dependency of the said colony upon this kingdom, to which by law and right they are and ought to be subject."

In 1740, Belcher fell into unjust suspicion with the ministry, and was removed; but on his innocence being ascertained, he was compensated some years after with the government of New Jersey. He was succeeded by Shirley, who espoused somewhat the cause of prerogative; yet, by moderation and great kindness towards the opposite party, he retained a large share of their good will. This was heightened by his zealous promotion of the military operations against Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, which were carried on chiefly from Massachusetts, and crowned with signal success. Pownall, who was appointed in 1757, showed some preference for the popular party, though without alienating their antagonists; and his reputation was aided by certain warlike exploits in which he had some share. Bernard, who took his place in 1760, belongs to the period of revolutionary trouble.

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SETTLEMENT OF CONNECTICUT.

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T has already been mentioned that in 1635, a company from Massachusetts, led by the Rev. Mr. Hooker, settled on the Connecticut river; prior to this, however, the territory had been obtained by the Earl of Warwick from the council of Plymouth, and afterwards transferred to a company of gentleman. During the same year the territory in question was visited by Mr. Winslow.

The Massachusetts emigrants settled at Wethersfield, Windsor, Hartford, and Saybrook. The latter was named after Lord Say-andSeal and Lord Brooke, two of the proprietors.

The destruction of the Pequods has already been mentioned. Before this the Connecticut settlers were made to feel the principal

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part of the calamities inseparable from Indian warfare. When the colonial force was raised which terminated the outrages, Connecticut furnished one hundred and fifty men, of whom seventy were Mohegan Indians. The expedition marched across the country to the Pequod fort, which was reached on the 5th of June. The object was to surprise it, but this was prevented by the barking of a watchdog. A fierce battle commenced, hand to hand, in which no quarter was shown. The enemy were so numerous as to render the contest for a long time doubtful; but before daybreak Mason fired the wigwams, and, encircling the burning village, shot down the warriors with the greatest ease. Six hundred of both sexes and all ages were massacred or burnt, seven were captured, and seven escaped. The colonists lost twenty-two, of whom two were killed. This terrible visitation completely broke the spirit of the neighbouring Indians, and secured peace to the settlements.

In the latter part of 1637, New Haven was settled by some adventurers from Boston. The settlement was further strengthened in the following spring; when John Davenport, a Puritan minister, and a Mr. Eaton, brought a number of settlers from Boston. Their govern

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ment was based on strictly religious principles; Mr. Eaton was annually chosen governor until his death, and the colony seemed to have increased much faster than their more eastern neighbours.

Until this period Connecticut had acknowledged the jurisdiction of Massachusetts; but, as the territory was without the patent of the latter community, the people convened at Hartford, [January 24th, 1639,] and formed themselves into an independent colony. Their constitution provided that citizens should take an oath of allegiance to the commonwealth, instead of the crown; that all legislation should be vested in the general court; and that the governor and legislature should be elected annually. Hartford, Saybrook, and New Haven, were at this time separate colonies.

In 1643 Connecticut joined the New England Confederation. The great object of this compact seems to have been protection from the encroachments of the Dutch in New Netherlands. Disputes between the European powers disturbed the harmony of the colonies until 1650, when the Dutch governor concluded a treaty at Hartford defining the boundary line of his dominions. The occurrence of war between England and Holland [1651] opened new grounds for colonial rivalship. War was actually declared against New Netherlands

PRESERVATION OF THE CHARTER.

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by the Confederation, but Massachusetts refused to furnish her quota of men. Connecticut then obtained from Cromwell the grant of a fleet to assist their forces; but the expedition was interrupted by the conclusion of peace.

In 1662 Connecticut acknowledged her allegiance to Charles II., and through the influence of Lord Say-and-Seal, and the younger Winthrop, obtained a charter of unexampled liberality. It granted all the territory between the bay and river of Narragansett and the Pacific ocean, embracing the New Haven colony and a portion of Rhode Island. This caused dissatisfaction with the people of the latter settlement, which, on their receiving a charter in the following year, overrunning the Connecticut line, broke out into open dissensions, which lasted more than sixty years.

About the time of King Philip's war, [July, 1675,] Governor Andros, of New York, entered the mouth of the Connecticut, raised the king's flag, and demanded the surrender of the main fort; but, through the firmness of the commandant, Captain Bull, he was obliged to return to New York. A more serious attempt was made in 1687, when Andros appeared at Hartford with a commission from King James, appointing him governor of New England. The assembly being in session, he demanded the colonial charter. A fierce contention arose, which lasted until night, the charter in the meanwhile being laid upon the table. Suddenly every light was extinguished. The motive for this singular occurrence became apparent when the candles were relighted. The charter had been removed by Captain Wadsworth, and placed in the trunk of an oak, which, from this circumstance, received the appellation of the Charter Oak. Although baffled in the attempt to deprive the people of their safeguard, Andros assumed the control of affairs, and governed until the accession of King William. The inhabitants were then restored to their chartered privileges.

The difficulties with New York, however, were not yet ended. In 1693, Colonel Fletcher, governor of that province, visited Hartford for the purpose of enforcing a royal commission constituting him leader of the Connecticut militia. As this was an infringement of their charter, the legislature refused to acknowledge him; in consequence of which he summoned the militia on parade. When his instructions were about to be read, Captain Wadsworth ordered the drums to beat. Fletcher demanded silence, and his secretary again commenced the reading. The drums again beat, and again silence

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