for the Protestants greatly outnumbered the Catholics, and could easily have crushed any attack. But the report led to an insurrection, and Maryland was split into two hostile parties, one crying out against the "villainous practices" of "the late Popish governors"; the other denouncing "the wicked instigation of John Coode." 254

122. Maryland becomes a royal province; the Church of England; the Catholics; Lord Baltimore; the Revolution; Articles of Confederation. In consequence of this turmoil the King decided (1692) to take the government of Maryland into his own hands, and the Assembly established the Church of England in the colony. Puritans and Catholics were now alike forced to contribute money for its support, and Catholics were forbidden to hold public worship.25 Later (1716), the introduction of the "test oath” (§ 174) had the effect of prohibiting Catholics from holding any office under the Government. Henceforth until the Revolution, despite the sturdy protest of such patriots as Charles Carroll, citizens of that faith "were taxed to sustain a religion which they believed heretical, and a Government in which they had no share." 256

Meanwhile the Baltimores had become Protestants, and Maryland was restored (1715) to Charles Calvert, the fifth Lord Baltimore. He was a member of the Church of England, and he and his descendants held the province until the War of Independence. In 1729 the great tobacco planters on the Patapsco founded the city of Baltimore, as a port from which to ship that staple. In the outset of the Revolution the Maryland colonists burned the taxed tea that was shipped to Annapolis, and sent sharp-shooters to aid the Continental army in besieging the British force shut up in Boston.

123. Summary. The colony of Maryland was established by Lord Baltimore (1634) mainly as a refuge for English Catholics. Liberty of worship was guaranteed to all Christians. Maryland became involved in a dispute with Virginia

in regard to the possession of Kent Island. The republican party in England appointed Clayborne with other commissioners to reorganize the government of Maryland. The commissioners summoned an Assembly made up of Puritan settlers, who refused to protect Catholics, and prohibited freedom of worship to any but those of their own faith. In 1692 Maryland became a royal province, and the Church of England was made the established form of worship.

Later, when the Baltimores had become Protestants, the government was restored to them, and remained in their hands until the outbreak of the Revolution.

VIII. RHODE ISLAND (1636).

124. Roger Williams founds Providence; the "lively experiment." In the spring of 1636 Roger Williams (§ 91), with a few friends, formed a settlement at the head of Narragansett Bay. In commemoration of the many mercies he had received from the Most High, he called the place "Providence." "I desired," he says, "it might be for a shelter for persons distressed for conscience." 257

Providence 01636

HODE

experiment"

River

Seekonk

What Cheerco

Rock

SACH

SETT

one that

In the colony of Providence absolute religious liberty was guaranteed to all. It was, as Roger Williams said, "a lively More had never been made before.

than a century earlier (1515) Sir Thomas More in his romance of Utopia had dared to hint at such toleration in England. The idea was regarded as an excellent jest. Well-nigh half a century later (1561) L'Hôpital, Chancellor of France, likewise pleaded, but without success, for freedom of worship. 258 Lord Baltimore (1634) granted it in Maryland, but confined it to

trinitarian Christians (§ 120). In Rhode Island (1636) Roger Williams, casting all limitations aside, welcomed men not only of every faith, Jew, Christian, or Pagan, - but men of no faith, to the enjoyment of what he called "soul liberty. "259 Complete religious toleration had its origin in America. Later, Williams (1654) explained how this "soul liberty" was to be made. consistent with the maintenance of order. He compared the colony to the passengers in a ship. No one, said he, must "be forced to come to the ship's prayers"; but on the other hand no mutiny can be permitted, and no man's religious belief can be allowed to "disturb the civil peace.'

"260

A striking illustration of the practical working of such broad toleration occurred a few years later. The commissioners of the New England Confederacy (1657) requested Governor Arnold of Rhode Island to exclude Quakers as a "common pest." The Governor replied that they had no law to punish them. He added ironically that the Rhode Island colonists had found by experience that where Quakers were "suffered to declare themselves freely [there] they least of all desire to come." 261

Meanwhile several Baptists had emigrated from Massachusetts to Providence. Williams gave them a hearty welcome, and united with them in forming (1639) the first Baptist Church in America. He soon after withdrew from it, and became what was then called a "Seeker," or independent inquirer.

125. Government of the colony; charter of the colony. The government of the colony was a democracy limited to the heads of families. Unmarried men could not vote, but must bind themselves to obey the laws. Later (1640), five men called "Disposers" were chosen to manage affairs, but their action might be modified or set aside in town-meeting.262

Subsequently, suffrage was restricted to owners of real estate, and no one could become a citizen until he had resided in the colony for some time."

268

Meanwhile, Williams had gone to England to secure a charter for Rhode Island. He procured one from the Parliamentary Commissioners (1644), which gave the colonists full power to govern themselves provided they enacted no laws contrary to those of England.24

Twenty years later (1663) a royal charter was obtained which confirmed all the privileges granted by the first instrument, and which expressly provided that no one should be "in any wise molested . . . for any difference in opinion in matters of religion." 265 This charter was so broad and liberal that it virtually made Rhode Island a "little republic." When the colony threw off the power of the Crown in 1776, the clause in the charter requiring allegiance to the King was struck out, and one was substituted requiring allegiance to the Colony; with this single change it then stood until 1842.266

126. Limitation of suffrage versus religious toleration; Brown University. Meanwhile, on paper at least, a very decided limitation of suffrage had taken place. In the statutes of Rhode Island of 1719 a law which claims to have dated from 1664 provided that "all men professing Christianity," Roman Catholics excepted, should be admitted to vote. There appears to be no evidence that this law was ever enforced; 267 but it was five times formally reënacted, and it remained on the statute-book until the close of the Revolution (1783).268

Unquestionably this act was a departure from the privileges. guaranteed by Roger Williams. It restricted political liberty for a religious reason. It imposed a serious political disability on both Catholics and Jews, nevertheless it did not directly assail the great principle of freedom of worship.

Under this law any one might settle in the colony, but not every one could legally obtain the full rights of citizenship. Rhode Island still continued to be a refuge for men of all creeds and of no creed; and it was humorously said that if any man had lost his religion he would be sure to find it somewhere in the "Providence Plantations." Perhaps after all it was a good thing that there was one place in America where a

man could find the religion he sought, and having found it could practice it in his own way without molestation.

This principle found expression in the establishment by the Baptists (1764) of Rhode Island College, now Brown University. The charter of that noble institution of learning expressly forbids the use of religious tests, and requires that not only Baptists, but Quakers, Episcopalians, and Congregationalists shall be included in the board of trustees.269

Eventually this broad principle of toleration obtained national expression in the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Whether the "soul liberty" enjoyed in Rhode Island suggested that amendment or not, it at least established a precedent for it.

127. Independent spirit of Rhode Island; resistance to Great Britain. It was inevitable that a colony which excluded no one should be at times tumultuous in its exercise of individual liberty. It was natural too that Massachusetts should be strongly prejudiced against a commonwealth established on principles of religious toleration by a man she had driven

out.

This feeling of personal independence, though at times pushed to extremes, did good service in the end. Governor Shirley of Massachusetts (1754) denounced it as the "spirit of mobbism." But later that spirit struck the keynote of the highest patriotism in its resistance to arbitrary rule.

When (1764) England by her revival of restrictions on trade with the West Indies threatened the commercial ruin of both Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Stephen Hopkins, the Quaker Governor of Rhode Island, came out in vigorous defence of the American colonies. With unmistakable emphasis he declared that "the Parliament of Great Britain had no more right to make laws for the Rhode Islanders than they had to make them for the Mohawks." In that spirit the sons of Rhode Island, led by General Greene, fought in the Revolution which established our national independence.

"270