The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-29

on the other hand, there IS an instance
in the carly history Of New England
which so closely resembles our present
condition, that we believe that it might
he studied with profit by those who are
cropping their way, searching for the
best method Of establishing law and
order in Tennessee
The New Encland colonies, previous
to tie accession Of James II to the
throne Of Great Britain, were governed
under exceedingly liberal charters
which conferredupon thepeople notonly
al the privileges OF Engiishmer, bui
which established almost purely repub
iican institutions The people elected
their own officers, who administered the
aGGrs Of the respective colonies; and
about the only Limitation upon their ac-
tiod, was a restriction forbidding the
passage Of any act contrary TO the laws
and jurisprudence Of the mother coun-
Try. Under these guarantees, the colo
mics prospered; new settlements sprung
up schools and colleges were establish
cd and endowed and the people were
happy
Ia an evil hour, however, the Duke
Of York became King, under the title
Of James II and his first efforts were
directed against liberal institutions
throughout the British Empire. While
he aud his Ministers were engaged IN
tho attempt to overthrow home liberty,
he despatched SIR Edmund Andres to
New England, with instructions to in
augurate similar policy there An
dlos was a man OF energy, and as IN
scrupnlous as he was able; and he at
once suspended the charters; prohibi-
ted The election Of all officers except as
SCISSORS; filed places which he arbi-
trsrily made vacant, by creatures Of his
own; and took every occasion to OPP
press, which came in his way.
The officers appointed, of course, were
mer1 usuIpers, as were the rebel officers
under the government of Isham G.
Harris; they governed as long as they
had bayonets at their backs; but were
expelled by the populace, as soon as it
became known that the Prince CT
Orange had landed in England, and
while yet his success was doubtful; and
by thai expulsion, and the inprison-
ment of Andres, the New England
colonies were left in state Cf perfect
anarchy, from which they must extri-
cate themselves as speedily as possible
How a reorganization was effected in
Massachusetts, and Connecticut, the
following extracts from a recent histor-
zeal dissertation on the affair, will ex-
plain:
A revolution had been consummated,
and the government Of the Kingof Eng
land over Massachusetts was dissolved
The day after Andres was led to prison.
the persons who had been pat forward
in the movement assembled again to de
hberate on the state Of affairs. The re-
suit was, that several of them, with
twenty-five others whom they now asso-
ciated, formed themselves into a provi-
sional government, which took the
name Of a Council for the Safety OF
the People and Conservation Of the
Peace They elected Simon Brad
street, the last Charter Governor, now
eighty-seven years Of age, 10 be their
President and Wait Winthrop, grand |
son Of the first Governor, to command !
the Militia. Among the orders passed |
on the first day of this new administra- |
ton was one addressed TO Colonel Tying, |
Major Savage, and Captains Davis and /
Willard, serving in the Eastern Country,
10 send certain officers 10 Boston, and |
dismiss portion OF their force There |
was probably a threelold purpose in !
this order TO get possession OF the per-
sons of some distrusted officers; to gra- |
tify prevailing opinion that the eX-
pOsuTes Of the campaign had been need /
less as well IS cruel; and to obtain q re- |
Enforcement of skilled troops at the |
centre of affairs
The Council felt the weakness of their |
position They held their place neither !
by dcputation from the sovereign, nor |
by election Of the people. They hest
tatcd to set up the COlouial Charter /
again. for il had been formally con
denned in the Kings courts, and there /
was large party about them who bore |
il no GOODWILL; nor was il TO be expect |
cd that their President, the timid Brad /
street, whatever were his own wishes, /
IL L III
a measure. Naturally and not impro- /
perly DESTROYS to escape from such a re- 1
sponsibility, they decided to summon q /
Convention Of delegates from the towns. /
On the appointed day. sixty-six dele
gates came together They brought /
from their homes, or speedily reached, |
the conclusion that of right the old 4
Charter was still IN force; and they adj /
dressed a communication 10 that effect /
10 the Magistrates who had been cho-
sen Just before the Charter government /
was superseded, desiring them 10 re
sumo their functions, and to constitute
with the delegates Just now sent from 4
the towns, the General Court of the
Colony, according TO ancient law and /
practice Their request was denied
Either the wisdom or the tImidity of
the Magistrates held them back from so
bold @ venture. The delegates then
desired the Council to continue to act
as a Committee of Public Safety till
another Convention might assemble, of
delegates bringing express instructions
from their towns
Fiity-iour towns were represented in
the new Convention All but fourteen
of them had instructed their delegates
TO insist on the resumption of the Char
ter. in the Council, the majority was
opposed to that scheme After a debate
of two days, the popular will prevailed,
and the Governor and Magistrates cho-
sen at the last election under the Char
ter consented to assume the trusts then
committed 20 them, and, in concert
with the delegates recently elected, to
form General Court, and administer
the Colony for the present according to
the ancient forms. They desired that
the other gentlemen lately associated
with them in the Council should con-
tinue to hold that relation But this
the delegates would not allow; and &C
cordingly those gentlemen, among
whom were Wait Winshrop, the newly
appointed commander-in-chief, and
Stoughton, whom the people could not
vet forgive for his recent subserviency,