The dispersed situation of the New England colonists rendered an union among them necessary, not only for their mutual defense against the savages, but also for protection and security against the claims and encroachments of the Dutch. This union or confederation was formed in 1643, by the name of "the united colonies of New England." This union was proposed by the colonies of Connecticut and New Haven, as early as 1638, but was not finally completed until five years after. This confederacy of these infant colonies continued about forty years; and the confederacy itself, and the proceedings under it, constitute an interesting portion of the political history of New England. It consisted of the colonies of Massachusetts, New Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven. By the articles of confederation, as they were called, these colonies entered into a firm and perpetual league of friendship and amity, for offense and defense, mutual advice and succour, upon all just occasions, both for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel, and for their own mutual safety and welfare. Each colony was to retain its own peculiar jurisdiction and government; and no other plantation or colony was to be received as a confederate, nor any two of the confederates to be united into one jurisdiction, without the consent of the rest. The affairs of the united colonies were to be managed by a legislature to consist of two persons, styled commissioners, chosen from each colony. These commissioners had power "to hear, examine, weigh and determine all affairs of war or peace, leagues, aids, charges, and number of men for war,-division of spoils, and whatsoever is gotten by conquestreceiving of more confederates for plantations, into combination with any of the confederates; and all things of a like nature, which are the proper concomitants and consequences of such a confederation for amity, offense and defense; not intermeddling with the government of any of the jurisdictions, which, by the third article is preserved entirely to themselves." The commissioners were to meet annually, in each colony, in succession, and when met, to choose a president, and the determination of any six to be binding on all.

The expenses of all just wars to be borne by each colony, in proportion to its number of male inhabitants of whatever quality or condition, between the ages of sixteen and sixty.

In case any colony should be suddenly invaded, on motion and request of three magistrates of such colony, the other confederates were immediately to send aid to the colony invaded, in men, Massachusetts one hundred, and the other colonies forty five each, or for a less number, in the same proportion.

The commissioners, however, were very properly directed, af terwards, to take into consideration the cause of such war or invasion, and if it should appear that the fault was in the colony invaded, such colony was not only to make satisfaction to the invaders, but to bear all the expenses of the war.

The commissioners were also authorized" to frame and establish agreements and orders in general cases of a civil nature, wherein all the plantations were interested, for preserving peace among themselves; and preventing as much as may be, all occasions of war, or difference with others, as about the free and speedy passage of justice, in every jurisdiction, to all the confederates equally as to their own, receiving those that remove from one plantation to another, without due certificates."

It was, also, very wisely provided in the articles, that runaway servants, and fugitives from justice, should be returned to the colonies where they belonged, or from which they had fled. If any of the confederates should violate any of the articles, or, in any way injure any one of the other colonies, "such breach of agreement, or injury, was to be considered and ordered" by the commissioners of the other colonies. This confederacy, which was declared to be perpetual, continued without any essential alteration, until the New England colonies were deprived of their charter by the arbitrary proceedings of James II. In the year 1648, some of the inhabitants of Rhode Island requested to be admitted into the confederacy, but they were informed that the Island was within the patent granted to New Plymouth, and therefore their request was denied.

Regular records of the proceedings of the commissioners were kept, and will be found in Hazard's valuable collection of state papers.

This confederacy secured these infant colonies from the Indians, as well as against the claims of the Dutch. Through the influence of the commissioners, the line between Connecticut and New York, in the year 1650, was settled, and this settlement was afterwards ratified by the States General of Holland; and the united exertions of the colonies were necessary to secure themselves from the formidable attack of the Narragansetts under the celebrated King Philip, in 1675.

This confederation of the four New England colonies, served as the basis of the great confederacy afterwards formed between the thirteen states of America. An examination of the two systems will prove a similarity not only in names, but in general principles. This little confederacy, like that which succeeded it, was not without its difficulties; and disputes among the members, at times, threatened its dissolution.

Connecticut, about the year 1645, imposed a duty on certain articles carried down the river from Springfield, a town within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. The reason given for this duty, was the expense of keeping a fort at the mouth of the river, which afforded protection to all living on it above. The people of Massachusetts refused to pay the duty and the subject was at last, agreeably to the articles of confederation, referred to the decision of the commissioners of Plymouth, and New Haven, who, after a full hearing, decided in favor of Connecticut. Offended at this, Massachusetts, by way of retaliation, imposed a duty on similar articles belonging to any inhabitants of Plymouth, Connecticut, or New Haven, imported within the castle, or exported from the bay; alledging that they had been at great expense in building forts whereby the goods and vessels of all had been secured. Against this conduct of Massachusetts the commissioners of the other colonies at their next meeting, remonstrated; but as the fort at Saybrook about that time was destroyed by fire, the duties imposed by both colonies were relinquished; and a dissolution of the union in all probability thereby prevented.

Another serious dispute soon after arose between Massachusetts and the other confederates, on the subject of war with the Dutch at New York. The latter, in 1653, during the existence of the war between the Lord Protector and the United Netherlands, not only supplied the Indians, who were hostile to the English colonists, with arms, but entered into a plan with them, as the majority of the commissioners fully believed, to destroy the New England colonies. The commissioners of the colonies of Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven, therefore declared war against the Dutch, and assigned to each colony their quotas of men agreeably to the articles of confederation. Massachusetts, however, refused to join in the war, or to furnish her proportion of men, alledging that she was not satisfied the war was just. She, also, declared that even six of the commissioners had no power by the terms of the union, to make an offensive war, and thereby involve any colony in it without its consent. The commissioners of the other colonies strongly objected to this construction of the articles, and several messages passed between them and Massachusetts on the question, but the latter refused to yield or bear any part in the war.*

This was deemed by the other colonies a violation of the articles, on the part of Massachusetts.

The general court of New Haven, who were more immediately exposed, expressly declared "that Massachusetts had broken the covenant with them, in acting directly contrary to the articles of confederation." The two colonies of Connecticut and New Haven joined in sending an agent to England, to represent to the Lord Protector and to parliament their exposed situation, and to request their aid against the Dutch. In compliance with the request of these two colonies, Cromwell sent three or four ships, with a small number of troops, to assist in reducing the Dutch in their neighbourhood; and he requested Massachusetts to afford all necessary aid.‡

About the same time Connecticut received an order from parliament, requiring them to treat the Dutch, in all respects, as the Trumbull's History of Connecticut, vol. 1.

Hazard, vol. 2. Hutchinson, vol. 1. VOL. I.

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declared enemies of the commonwealth of England. Massachusetts so far complied with the request of Cromwell, as to consent that the persons appointed by him might raise five hundred volunteers in that colony, for the expedition against the Dutch.

The expeditoni itself, however, was prevented by a peace in Europe, between England and Holland.

Massachusetts, afterwards retracted her interpretation of the articles of confederation, and harmony between the united colonies was again restored.

The conduct and proceedings of the united colonies, as well as of Massachusetts, at this period evinced very little dependence on the parent country. Although war had existed between England and Holland, from October, 1651, yet it is evident, these colonies did not consider themselves as involved in it, without their consent. The united colonies had in fact, themselves declared war against the Dutch, and Massachusetts, when required by the Lord Protector, to assist in their reduction, had only consented that five hundred volunteers might be raised by him in that colony for that purpose. From a similarity of opinions in civil and religious matters, a good understanding subsisted between the New England colonies and parliament during the civil wars; and this continued after Cromwell had usurped supreme authority, under the name of Lord Protector.

The New Englanders were favored not only in their government but in their commerce.

The celebrated navigation act of 1651, was not enforced in New England, and they had the privilege of importing their goods into England, free from all customs, for a certain number of years. The charters granted to Connecticut and Rhode Island, by Charles II, soon after his restoration to the throne, secured to these colonies, so far as a royal grant could secure them, the same privileges and powers of self government, they had enjoyed from their first settlement. The people of these colonies, by the express words of their charters were entitled to the privileges of natural born subjects; and invested with all the powers of government, legislative, executive, and judicial. The only limitation to