power which they enjoyed under the company charter. At this time Plymouth was united with Massachusetts. 12. New courts were established, suffrage was based upon a property qualification, and the king's assent was required to all laws. CHAPTER XI. THE COLONIES OF CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND. CONNECTICUT. As in the other colonies, the title to the territory occupied by Connecticut was based upon Grant of Territory. a grant of land from the Council for New England. This was made to its president the Earl of Warwick, who deeded it to a company of eleven persons, of whom Lord Say and Seal was the first named. The limits of the grant were, on the east, the Narragansett River; on the north, a straight line from that river westerly; on the south, the seashore for one hundred and twenty miles; on the west, the South Sea. Within these limits, a number of detached companies settled themselves, but soon became united into two colonies. ticut Colony. About 1635 settlers from the vicinity of Boston emigrated to the Connecticut River, and The Conneclocated themselves at Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. They supposed themselves to be within the territory of Massachusetts; and the General Court granted a commission to eight of the prominent men to govern the colony for one year. These men seem to have administered all the colony affairs for, about three years. Sometimes, when special business made it advisable, the towns appointed committees to act with the court. becoming freemen could no longer be restricted to church-members. For three years New Haven refused to accede to the demand of Connecticut, and maintained its independence; but in 1665 it was obliged to yield, and the charter government went into operation. So completely was the power in the hands of the people that even the Revolution made no change necessary, and this charter formed the only constitution of Connecticut until 1818. Counties. For the administration of justice, courts were held in the counties by the resident assistants, from whose judgment appeals might be made to the Assistants' Court at Hartford, which also had jurisdiction in all capital cases. The pardoning power was vested in the general assembly. The legislation was, in the main, copied from the Massachusetts code, and was not less Legislation. minute in its provisions to promote Sabbath-keeping, chastity, and temperance; but the socalled Blue Laws, with their absurd details, were the invention of a man not in sympathy with the colony, who had returned to England. Suffrage. The right of suffrage was granted to any person twenty-one years of age, owning real estate to the amount of twenty pounds, and recommended by the selectmen of his town as of honest, civil, and peaceable conversation. Providence RHODE ISLAND. As in Connecticut, so in Rhode Island, various isolated settlements were at first made, Plantation. which soon found it necessary to unite for mutual protection. In 1636 Roger Williams and five others began a settlement at Providence. They were soon joined by others; and Williams, who had received. a deed from Indian chiefs, divided the land equally between himself and his associates. From the incomplete records of the town, it appears that the people met monthly to determine matters of general interest, but delegated no power except to a clerk and a treasurer. There is a record of an early compact in which the signers agreed to subject themselves "only in civil things to such orders as should be made by the majority of the masters of families inhabiting the town. This limitation of the civil authority to "civil things is characteristic of all the legislation of this colony. ment. Within a few years (1640), it became necessary to have a more complete civil organization, Early Governand it was determined to choose five" disposers," as they were called, to attend to the general business of the town. They were to meet by themselves monthly, and quarterly were to report to the town, and give up their trust for a new election. Instead of making these selectmen judges, as was done in the other colonies, all private disputes were to be settled by arbitrators chosen by the parties to the quarrel, or, if they refused, by the "disposers." Special town meetings could be called at the request of any citizen who was dissatisfied with the action of the selectmen. This was the most completely democratic government in New England. In fact, it was too democratic to work successfully. It allowed too much liberty to individuals, and gave too little authority to the community. In 1638 a settlement was made at Portsmouth, and in the next year one at Newport; both by people from Massachusetts who, like Wil Rhode Island becoming freemen could no longer be restricted to church-members. For three years New Haven refused to accede to the demand of Connecticut, and maintained its independence; but in 1665 it was obliged to yield, and the charter government went into operation. So completely was the power in the hands of the people that even the Revolution made no change necessary, and this charter formed the only constitution of Connecticut until 1818. Counties. For the administration of justice, courts were held in the counties by the resident assistants, from whose judgment appeals might be made to the Assistants' Court at Hartford, which also had jurisdiction in all capital cases. The pardoning power was vested in the general assembly. The legislation was, in the main, copied from the Legislation. minute in its provisions to promote Sabbath-keeping, chastity, and temperance; but the socalled Blue Laws, with their absurd details, were the invention of a man not in sympathy with the colony, who had returned to England. Suffrage. The right of suffrage was granted to any person twenty-one years of age, owning real estate to the amount of twenty pounds, and recommended by the selectmen of his town as of honest, civil, and peaceable conversation. Providence RHODE ISLAND. As in Connecticut, so in Rhode Island, various isolated settlements were at first made, Plantation. which soon found it necessary to unite for mutual protection. In 1636 Roger Williams and five |