prisoners, and collected their booty, they set fire to the village, and made a hasty retreat, whilst the houses were wrapped in flames. On the second day, Mr. Williams was called to witness a scene yet more distressing: he was torn from his wife, when sinking under the fatigues of her journey, and constrained to leave her at the mercy of the merciless savage, without one word, or one act of a husband's voice, a husband's aid, or a husband's consolation. Her distress was short, her master sunk his hatchet into her head, and she expired without a groan. About 20 others shared the fate of Mrs. Williams, on their way through the desert: and on the 25th of March, the survivors arrived in Canada, where they were treated with humanity by Gov. Vaudreuil.

This opened the scene in Massachusetts, for that war, which we have noticed before, under New-Hampshire, which was closed by the peace of Utrecht in Europe, 1713. The disgust which ushered in the administration of Governor Dudley, in his removing five of the council, opened a field of controversy which could never be healed. The general court could never act cordially with the governor, nor could they ever be induced to allow him more than 500l. per annum for his salary, which he complained of, as being inadequate to his support.

On the death of Queen Ann, August 1st, 1714, the house of Hanover succeeded to the throne, under George I. This change in the dynasty, made a general change in the administration, and this change extended to New-England, where Colonel Burges was appointed governor of Massachusetts, and New-Hampshire; in the place of Governor Dudley removed, and Colonel Tailor was appointed lieutenant-governor, and entered upon his administration, in place of the governor, until his arrival from England. Governor Burges was finally prevailed upon to resign his commission in favour of Colonel Shute, for the considera

tion of 1000l. and he was accordingly appointed in his place, and Mr. William Dummer was appointed lieutenantgovernor in place of Colonel Tailor.

Governor Shute arrived at Boston, October 1716, and entered upon the duties of his administration. His first object was to promote trade; and to effect this, he recommended a second emission of paper money. This, by its depreciation, embarrassed the colony. In 1718, the governor gave his assent to a bill, laying an impost on WestIndia and English goods, and a tonage upon English shipping. This bill opened a controversy between the House of Representatives and the Council, and rendered the governor unpopular, both in his own government and in England. This controversy in the assembly, proceeded to such lengths, that the governor dissolved the assembly, in 1719. In 1720, the dissentions in the government, the depredations of the eastern Indians, the depreciation of paper money, &c. involved the colony in general disorder. At the opening of the assembly, they chose a speaker, as usual, and sent his name up to the governor for conThe governor negatived the appointment, and the controversy began. The governor next negatived two of the council, and the controversy was increased, and the governor dissolved the assembly, with the following address:

currence.

:

"Gentlemen, out of a tender regard I have for the welfare of this province, I shall give you the following advice before we part; that when it shall please God, that we meet again in general assembly, which shall be as soon as possible, you will not let this province suffer by the perverse temper of a particular person; but that you will chuse one for a speaker, who has no other view but that of the public good-one that fears God and honors the king. It is irksome and disagreeable to me, to dis

solve an assembly; but as matters now stand, I am forced to do it, or must give up the king my master's prerogative, which nothing shall ever oblige me to do, who am the king's governor.-Gentlemen, I do not think it for the honor of the king's government, that this assembly should sit any longer, and therefore I shall dissolve them."

By this act, the people were brought to feel the loss of their liberties, under the new charter, which gave them a governor, from the crown, and they expressed their feelings, by electing the same members to attend the next general court, which the governor called in July following ; when the house elected Timothy Lindal of Saiem, for their speaker, who was approved by the governor, and the assembly proceeded to business. Amongst the first proceedings of this assembly, they passed the following address, and sent it up to the governor.

"The last assembly took no pleasure in being dissolved, before they had gone through with their usual necessary business; their asserting and maintaining their just right and ancient privilege of choosing the speaker, and not owning his Excellency's power to negative him, was nothing but what they were strictly obliged to, and the new House arc humbly of the opinion, that whoever was of advice to his excellency in this matter, did not consult his majesty's interest, nor the public weal, and quiet of this government; but officiously endeavoured to beget unhappy misunderstanding, between his excellency and this House, and break off that desirable harmony, which every one ought to keep up. We earnestly hope and desire, that the province may never have an assembly, that will willingly forego such a valuable privilege, as King William and Queen Mary, of ever blessed memory, graciously favoured the province with, when they gave their royal assent to a law, directing and governing that affair."

I have given as much of these extracts, as are necessary, to shew the feelings of the parties, that the subsequent evils which grew out of this controversy, as well as other parts of the administration, under the new charter, may be clearly understood. We have witnessed the effects of all the controversies, upon the subject of privilege and prerogative in England; and we have now opened the way to wę witness similar effects, arising from the same controversy, between the governors of the crown, and the peopic of Massachusetts.

Such was the bitterness of the people towards the gov ernor, in this controversy, that hostilities, which soon after sprang up with some of the Indian tribes, were charged upon the parties, in their turn; from this may be seen the bitterness of party, and the confusion of the government. In this controversy, the governor endeavoured to exercise, to their full extent, the powers vested in him by the charter; and the assembly, in their turn, resisted every stretch of power, which infringed their old charter, or their just liberties, and checked the governor in his administration, as well as in his supplies, either for his own support, or the support of the state, as far as was practicable. This controversy also involved the lieutenant-governor, and cut short his salary, and the governor closed the session.

At the opening of the next assembly, March 1721, the governor called up the attention of the House, to the depreciated paper currency, to an improper trade carried on with Cape Breton, to factious and seditious papers, to provision for a treaty with the Five Nations of Indians, and to an enlargement of his salary. To all these recommendations the assembly acted in direct opposition, which opened fresh collisions between the governor and the assembly, which extended to the appointment of a Fast. All this moved the governor to dissolve the assembly with the following address.

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"Gentlemen of the House of Representatives-In my speech, at the opening of this session, I gave you the reasons of my meeting you at this time. I have since received your answer, which I shall transmit, by the first conveyance, that his masjesty may see, not only how his governor of this province is treated, and supported; but what sort of regard is paid to his own royal instructions. I shall also lay before the lords commissioners of trade, and plantations, the bill prohibiting the trade to Cape Breton, which I recommended to your several sessions, and which had twice the concurrence of his majesty's council; but was as often thrown out in your House, notwithstanding the message accompanying that bill.

I am very much surprised, that you should refuse two other bills which came down from the council, the one to prevent riots, the other to prohibit the making, and publishing libels, and scandalous pamphlets, the passing of which, would in my opinion, have tended both to the honor of the government, and the public peace, &c. I must therefore recommend to you, a loyal and peaceable behaviour, and to lay aside those misunderstandings and animesities, that of late prevail so much amongst you, which you will find to be your truest and best interest."

With the close of this speech, closed the session of the assembly. At the opening of the next session, in May following, the house of assembly proceeded to elect John Clark, Esq. their speaker, (who had been negatived the preceding year by the governor as counsellor,) and informed his excellency by message, "that John Clark is chosen speaker and is now in the chair." This contempt of the governor, was followed by the removal of the old clerk, (who was agreeable to the governor) and the appointment of a new one, who was a connection of his excellenoy's most powerful enemies. This proceedure, kindled Voz. I.

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