George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 4, 15th edition.

[56]

Chapter 3:

The Exploration of Ohio.—Pelham's administration continued.

---

1749-1750.

The world had never witnessed colonies with in-

chap. III.} 1749. July.

stitutions so free as those of America; but this result did not spring from the intention of England. On the twelfth of July, 1749, all the ministers of state assembled at the Board of Trade, and deliberated, from seven in the evening till one the next morning,¹ on the political aspect of the plantations. The opinions of Sir Dudley Rider and William Murray were before them. They agreed, that ‘all accounts concurred in representing New Jersey as in a state of disobedience to law and government, attended with circumstances which manifested a disposition to revolt from dependence on the crown. . . . . . While the governor was so absolutely dependent on the Assembly, order could not possibly be restored.’ And they avowed it as their ‘fundamental’ rule of American government, that the colonial officers of the king should have ‘some appointment from home.’ Such was ‘their ’