Colonial commissions.
The first of two notable royal commissions to what is now the
United States was sent out in 1634.
Morton of Merry Mount had made serious charges against the people of
Massachusetts before the privy council.
That body summoned the council for
New England before them to answer the charges.
They denied having had anything to do with the matters complained of, and added new and serious charges of their own, declaring themselves unable to redress their grievances.
They referred the whole matter to the privy council.
A commission of twelve persons was appointed, with
Laud,
Archbishop of
Canterbury, at its head, to whom full power was given to revise the laws, to regulate the
Church, and to revoke charters.
The members of the Massachusetts Company in
England were called upon to give up their patent, and
Governor Cradock wrote for it to be sent over.
Morton wrote to one of the old planters that a governor-general had been appointed.
Orders were also issued to the seaport towns of
England to have all vessels intended for
America stopped.
The colonists were alarmed.
The magistrates and clergy met on an island at the entrance to the inner harbor of
Boston, and, resolving to resist the commissioners, agreed to erect a fort on the island, and to advance the means for the purpose themselves until the meeting of the general court.
They sent letters
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of remonstrance to
England, and refused to send over the charter before the meeting of the court.
When that body met, in May, active measures for defence were adopted.
They ordered a fort to be built in
Boston.
Military preparations were ordered, and three commissioners were appointed to conduct “any war that might befall for the space of a year next ensuing.”
The English government threatened, but did nothing.
In September, 1635, a writ of quo warranto was issued against the Massachusetts Company; but everything went on in the colony as if no serious threats were impending.
The political disorders in
England were safeguards to the infant colony.
It was after the appointment of this commission that
Endicott cut the cross from the standard at
Salem.
The second of these commissions was sent over in 1664.
Territorial claims, rights of jurisdiction, boundaries, and other matters had created controversies in
New England, which were continually referred to the crown, and in 1664 the
King signified his intention to appoint a commission for hearing and determining all matters in dispute.
This occasioned alarm in
Massachusetts, which had been a narrow oppressor of other colonies, especially of
Rhode Island, and against which serious complaints had been made.
A large comet appearing at that time increased the general alarm, for it was regarded as portentous of evil, and a fast was ordered.
Fearing a design to seize their charter might be contemplated, it was intrusted to a committee for safekeeping.
The commission was appointed, consisting of
Sir Richard Nicolls,
Sir Robert Carr,
Sir George Cartwright, and
Samuel Maverick, of
Massachusetts.
They came with an armament to take possession of New Netherland.
Touching at
Boston, the commissioners asked for additional soldiers, but the request was coldly received.
The magistrates said they could not grant it without the authority of the general court.
That body soon met and voted 200 soldiers.
In
Connecticut the commissioners were cordially received, and
Governor Winthrop accompanied the expedition against New Netherland.
After the conquest, they proceeded to settle the boundary between New York and
Connecticut.
Leaving
Nicolls at New York as governor, the other commissioners proceeded to
Boston.
Meanwhile the authorities of
Massachusetts had sent a remonstrance to
England against the appointment of the commissioners.
It was unheeded.
The
Massachusetts authorities were unyielding, the commissioners were haughty and overbearing, and a bitter mutual dislike finally made their correspondence mere bickerings.
The commissioners proceeded to settle the boundary between
Plymouth and
Rhode Island.
More difficult was the settlement of the boundary between
Rhode Island and
Connecticut, because of opposing claims to jurisdiction over the
Pequod country.
The commissioners finally directed that the region in dispute should constitute a separate district, under the title of the “
King's province.”
Neither party was satisfied, and the boundary dispute continued fifty years longer.
The commissioners now proposed to sit as a court to hear complaints against
Massachusetts, of which there were thirty.
The general court, by public proclamation, forbade such a proceeding, and the commissioners went to
New Hampshire and
Maine, when they decided in favor of claims of the heirs of
Mason and
Gorges.
In the latter province they organized a new government; and on their return to
Boston the authorities complained that the commissioners had disturbed the peace of
Maine, and asked for an interview.
It was denied by the commissioners, who denounced the magistrates as traitors because they opposed the
King's orders.
The commissioners having violated a local law by a carousal at a tavern, a constable was sent to break up the party, when one of the commissioners and his servant beat the officer.
Another constable was sent to arrest the commissioners.
They had gone to the house of a merchant.
The officer went there and reproved them, saying, “It is well you have changed quarters, or I would have arrested you.”
“What!”
exclaimed
Carr.
“Arrest the
King's commissioners?”
“Yes, and the
King himself, if he had been here.”
“Treason! Treason!”
cried
Maverick.
“Knave, you shall hang for this!”
The commissioners sent an account of their proceedings to the
King, and soon afterwards they were recalled (1666). Their acts were
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approved, and those of all the colonies except
Massachusetts, which was ordered to “appoint five able and meet persons to make answer for refusing the jurisdiction of the
King's commissioners.”
Although this order produced considerable alarm, the sturdy magistrates of
Massachusetts maintained their position with much adroitness, and the country being engaged in a foreign war, the nation left his Majesty to fight alone for the maintenance of the royal prerogative.
Massachusetts was victorious, and soon after the departure of the commissioners a force was sent to re-establish the authority of that colony over
Maine.