lated to introduce wicked and designing men into office, is yet but little known in Connecticut. A man who wishes to be chosen into office, acts wisely for that end when he keeps his desires to himself.

Connecticut had but a small proportion of citizens, who did not join in opposing the oppressive measures of Great Britain, and was active and influential, both in the field and in the cabinet, in bringing about the revolution. Her soldiers were applauded by the commander in chief, for their bravery and fidelity.

The revolution, which so essentially affected the government of most of the colonies, produced no very perceptible alteration in the government of Connecticut. While under the jurisdiction of Great Britain, they elected their own governors, and all subordinate civil officers, and made their own laws. Connecticut has ever been a republic, and perhaps as perfect and happy a republic, as ever existed. She has proceeded in her old track, both as to government and manners; and, by these means, has avoided some of those convulsions, which have rent other states into violent parties, producing opposition, insurrection and war.

At the anniversary election of governor and other public officers, in all the New England states excepting in Rhode Island, a sermon is preached, which is published at the expense of the state. On these occasions a great concourse of respectable citizens, particularly of the clergy, are collected from every part of the state.

Connecticut, as well as Massachusetts, has been highly distinguished in having a succession of governors, eminent both for their religious and political accomplishments.

CHAP. XII.

Settlement of Rhode-Island; this colony refused admittance: into the confederation; Narraganset Indians surrender their country to the king of England; Roman Catholics; Charter surrendered.

MOTIVES of the same kind with those, which occasioned the settlement of several other states, gave birth to RhodeIsland. The emigrants from England, who came to Massachusetts, though they did not perfectly agree in religious sentiments, had been tolerably united by their common zeal against the ceremonies of the church of England, But when they were removed from ecclesiastical courts, and possessed a charter allowing liberty of conscience, they fell into disputes and contentions among themselves.

The true grounds of religious liberty were not understood by any sect. While all disclaimed persecution for the sake of conscience, a regard for the public peace, and the preservation of the church of Christ from infection, together with the obstinacy of the heretics, was urged in justification of that, which, stripped of all its disguises, the light of na ture, and the laws of Christ, in the most solemn manner condemn.

Mr. Roger Williams, a Puritan minister, came over to New-England in 1631, and settled at Salem, assistant to the Rev. Mr. Skelton. His settlement was opposed by the magistrates, because he refused to join with the church, at Boston, unless they would make a public declaration of their repentance for maintaining communion with the church of England, while in their native country. In consequence Mr. Williams removed to Plymouth, where he remained assistant to Mr. Smith three years, or as others say, two, and

others, not one; when he disagreed with some influential characters in that town, and by invitation returned to Salem and succeeded Mr. Skelton, lately deceased. His settlement was still opposed by the magistrates, who charged him with maintaining, "That it is not lawful for a godly man to have communion in family prayer, or in an oath, with such as they judge unregenerate;" therefore he refused the oath of fidelity, and taught others to follow his example; "that it is not lawful for an unregenerate man to pray; that the magistrate has nothing to do in matters of the first table; that there should be a general and unlimited toleration of all religions; that to punish a man for following the dictates of his conscience was persecution; that the patent which was granted by king Charles was invalid, and an instrument of injustice which they ought to renounce, being in-jurious to the natives, the king of England having no power to dispose of their lands to his own subjects."* On account of these sentiments, and for refusing to join with the Massachusetts churches, he was at length banished the colony, as a disturber of the church and commonwealth.

He left his house, wife and children at Salem in the winter. Fortunately for Mr. Williams, he had cultivated an acquaintance with the Indians, and learned their language. Before he left the colony, he had privately treated with Canonicus and Osamaquin, two Narraganset sachems, for a tract of land within their territories, provided he should be under the necessity of settling among them. These circumstances, together with the advice of governor Winthrop, induced him, with four of his friends, after his banishment, to direct his course toward Narraganset Bay.

He and his companions established themselves first at Secunk or Seekhonck, now Rehoboth. But that place being

* H. Adams.

within the bounds of Plymouth colony, governor Winslow, in a friendly manner, advised them to remove to the other side of the river, where the lands were not covered by any patent. Accordingly, in 1636, they crossed Seekhonck river, and landed among the Indians, by whom they were hospitably received, and thus laid the foundation of a town, which, "from a sense of God's merciful providence to him in his distress," Mr. Williams called PROVIDENCE. Here the little colony were soon after joined by a number of oth ers, and though they were secured against the Indians by the terror of the English, yet, for a considerable time, they suffered much from fatigue and want; but they enjoyed lib. erty of conscience, and the consolation of having "provided a refuge for persons persecuted for conscience sake."

Unhappy religious dissentions still prevailed in Massachusetts; and from a zeal for the purity of the faith, governor Winthrop strove to exterminate the opinions, which he disapproved. For this purpose, on the 30th of August, 1637, a synod was convened at Newtown, (now Cambridge) to whom eighty erroneous opinions were presented; these were debated and unanimously condemned. At a court holden at the same place, the following October, Wheelright, Mrs. Hutchinson, and Underhill, the leading characters, who had embraced these errors, were banished, and several others were censured for seditious conduct. A number, who had signed a seditious petition to the general court, in which they charge them with having condemned the truth of Christ, who refused to retract, were disarmed. Of these, fifty eight belonged to Boston, six to Salem, three to Newbury, five to Roxbury, two to Ipswich, and two to Charlestown.

The subsequent election of civil officers was carried by a party spirit, excited by religious controversy; but the orthodox party maintained the ascendancy, and Mr. Winthrop

was re-elected governor. Those who were banished by the court, joined by a number of their friends, left the colony, and went in quest of a new place for settlement. They first proceeded to Providence, where they were kindly received by Mr. Williams, and with whom they remained for some time,

In March, 1638, two sachems, by virtue of their authority, and in consideration of fifty fathoms of white beads, sold to Mr. Coddington (one of the most respectable of these exiles) and his associates, the great island of Aquidneck, and the other isles in Narraganset bay, except two, which had been previously sold. The natives soon after agreed, upon receiving ten coats and twenty hoes, to remove before the next winter. The largest island was soon after called Rhode Island. Having thus acquired a title and possession on considerations, which gave satisfaction to the original owners, they here established themselves; and copying the conduct of their neighbours, they formed a similar association for the purposes of civil government. Though the numbers associated were few, yet the soil being fruitful, and the climate agreeable, many persons soon resorted where they found protection, and the island, in a few years, became so populous, as to send out colonists to the adjacent shores. The colony elected Mr. Coddington their judge and chief magistrate. This gentleman came to America in 1630, and settled at Boston as a merchant. After his removal to Rhode Island, he embraced the sentiments of the Friends, and became the father of that denomination of Christians in that colony. Their yearly meeting was held in his house, till his death, in 1688. Mr. John Clarke was another principal character among the exiles; for the sake of enjoying liberty of conscience, he voluntarily abandoned the colony of Massachusetts, and settled in Rhode-Island, where in 1644 he founded a Baptist church.