New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-11-23
NJ Mr. " cHAsbLEn,s Lecture on The

~ Mr.. P. W. CHAsbLERs Lecture on The
Jurisprudence of the Pilgrims before the Mercan-
tile Library Association last evening, was one OF
much Historical interest. A few of its striking
facts. which NAV not be generally known, we may
here notice: In the first place, the Chsrter of the
Province OF Massachusetts, Bay strictly that
| of Land or Emigration Company, having its ex-
istence in England but after going on accordingly
for brief period it was found net TO prosper, and
the bold resolution was taken of transferring the
Company and Charter at once 10 the distant tract
which the former had undertaken to settle under
the guidance and protection OF the latter. his
bold resolve was promptly executed; the Charter
was made the basis of q Provincial Government
and though the complete perversion of It's powers
from their original purpose was a'terward re-
marked by the Crown, and its surrender thercuPon
demanded, the demand was evaded, and. not being
pressed with much resolution, wes successfully
withdrawn Such was the slender aad equlvoca
! foundation of framework OF Government, under
which tn. most extreme powers Legislative and
Judicial, were caiued and exercised for many
wears, being enforced with high hand, and utterly
unchecked by any kingy Veto or even revision {;
Legislation not having entered into the original in
tent of the Charter. 1t was in Ike manner held
that the power of the British Parliament, omnipo-
tent as it proverbialIy is did not extend to this
! Province.
The Charter contemplating Governor, Assist
ants and Freemen, (synonimous with the Presi-
dent, Directors and Stockholders of our present
Corporations the Freemen Stockholders were
required to assemble four times year to consider
the affairs of the Company. After the transfer,
the growth of the Colony rendering quarterly as
semblage of the Frcemen, as now understood
burthensome IF not impossible each Township
was, by a mere act orby-law authorized to dspue
two of its Freemen to at,end in place of TIE whole
rumber--and this was the origin of the Represent
ativc system in Ncw-England These Representa-
tiyes, with the Governor and Assistants, formed the
General Court, which a, once Legislative
Court OF Equity and Chancery, and in good part
Bench of Bishops and Controller OF Manners also
since it prescribed the Religion which should be
believed and obeyed, Furnishing infdeIs, blasphc
raers, witches, and heretics with whipping, Danish
ment and death, fined Or logged those who did not
regularly attend Church and have their children
baptizcd, and went the whole hog against Protane
and gaudy fashions, wearing costly and gay appa
rel, great breaches, long hair. using tobacco, a
sober and decent people should. There was
good deal Of merrment in he citations from these
early enactments, and the Lecturer was careful no
to increase it by any Jokes of his own
The Governor, Assistants and Fleemen tor
lime all sat together, forming but one house. A
length, in their omniverous vocation of law-naker
and Judges of law and high resort, a case cam
before them respecting a pig, which was claimed
BY widow and countercaimed by wealthy citi
zen The Freemen sided with the widow; til
Governor and Assistants with her opponent. As tn
Freemen were most numerous, they were about L
vote the pig to the widow without ceremony, but TIT
| Governor and Assistants resisted by clearing on
and breaking up tile sitting. compromise wa
finally effected, by which the Governor and AS
s:s,ants were allowed to form one House, the Free
men another, each to have negative on all act:
of the other In Judicial cases, however, all wer,
to sit and vote together. Thus pig became the
| t,.her OF tic Senate Vi Massachusetts
We have not room to follow the lecturer far
ther. A discourse less literally Historical, and
more nbued with the spirit and philosophy of the
Puritan Legislation and Jurisprudence, would have
more strictly answered the expectation we had
formed from the announcement of the Lecture
but it was well written, concise, and heard with
interest throughout.
THOMAS McCor.-A pamphlet continuing a
Memoir OF the Life and Character of Thonlas Nc
Coy, with an account Of the horrid Prize Fight at
Hastings in which he was beaten to death by Chris
topher Lilly, closing with appropriate reflections
suggested thereby, has been written by bencvo-
lent Lady of this City, and printed for the benefit
of the bereaved and destitute Mother of the vic
Tim. 1t is calculated 10 exert msst sautary in
luence on our thoughtless and giddy Youth, who
are too easily drawn into the associations and inn
pulses which have sent the generous and affection
ate Mccoy to premature and unhonored grave.
Price 81 per hundred; l24 cents single. 1t may
be obtained at this office.
Correspondence OF The Tribune.
Trial OF the PriZe.iisht nearly reached.
WHITE PLAINS Tuesday Nov e.
The Grand Jury came into Court last night with
new bill OF indictment The parties implicated in The
ro. which ended in Tie Death OF Thomas Mccoy. Th.
indictment charges Christopher Lilly, William Ford Johr
McCeester James Sanford, Henry Shanroid JAS Sullivan
John Winchester, George KeHsei, Richard Fagan John
Austen, John NcGee, John Harris, Charles Riley Sawyer
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