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[226] thought it no sin to pray to God that ‘the mon-
chap. X.} 1764. Dec.
strously popular constitution’ of Connecticut might be changed; that the government at home might make but ‘one work’ of bringing ‘all the colonies under one form of government,’1 confidently hoping that the first news in the spring would be, bishops for America, and all charter governments dependent immediately on the king.2 In Rhode Island also, the few royalists made known in England their wish for a change of government.3

The ministry, in December, were deliberating how to present the affairs of America to parliament. It was certain that the commons would be all but unanimous in their assertion of the power of parliament; and that the lords would be excited to insolent scorn by the opposite doctrine. The Board of Trade,4 therefore, represented to the king, that the legislature of Massachusetts, by its votes in Juneof New-York, by its address to Colden, in September, had been guilty ‘of the most indecent disrespect to the legislature of Great Britain.’5 This the privy council6 reported ‘as a matter of the highest consequence to the kingdom;’ and Halifax7 was ordered to ‘receive the king's pleasure with respect to the time and manner of laying the papers before parliament.’ Having thus made sure in advance of the

1 Rev. Dr. S. Johnson to Benjamin Franklin, November, 1764.

2 Rev. Dr. S. Johnson to Archbishop Seeker, 20 Sept. 1764.

3 Letter from Newport, of Feb. 19, 1765, in Providence Gazette of 23 Feb. 1765. Compare Hutchinson to a friend in Rhode Island, 16 March, 1765, in Hutchinson's Letter Book, II. 132.

4 Representation of the Board of Trade, 11 Dec. 1765.

5 Council Register, Geo. III., No, 4, p. 48, 12 Dec. 1765.

6 Council Register, Geo. III., No, 4, p. 54, 14 Dec. 1765.

7 Council Register, Geo. III., No. 4, p. 62, 19 Dec. 1765.

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