4EI INTRODUCTION. 



sions of the colony, concluded their labors with a loyal address to the proprietor 

 and retired, without having transcended the limits assigned by his representative. 

 Yet the inhabitants had suffered so long the inconvenien3es of arbitrary govern- 

 ment, and indulged such high expectations of participating in the enjoyments of 

 the rights of subjects, on becoming a part of the British empire, that a spirit of 

 liberty was awakened among them, which was never afterwards to be repressed. 



Governor Lovelace, the successor of Nichols, continued to exercise the same 

 unlimited authority, and levied taxes and imposed duties, without consulting the 

 inhabitants. The people assembled, in many places, and addressed to the court 

 of assize, petitions, in which they reprobated their exclusion from legislation, and 

 the principle of taxation without consulting the people, as inconsistent with the 

 English constitution. Failing to obtain any important concessions, the inhabitants 

 in several towns resolved to withhold payment of taxes. These resolutions were 

 laid before the court of sessions of the West Riding, whose jurisdiction then 

 extended over Staten Island, Newtown and Kings county. That court, assisted 

 by the colonial secretary, and one of the council, adjudged the representations 

 scandalous, illegal and seditious ; and the papers having been laid by the governor 

 before his council, were, in pursuance of their orders, burned by the common 

 hangman.* 



The new patent granted to the Duke of York, in 1674, made no concession 

 of popular rights, but confirmed his power to enact all such ordinances as he or 

 his assigns should think fit, reserving a right of appeal to the king and his council. 

 No person could trade with the province, without the proprietor's permission, and 

 he was authorized to establish such imposts as he should think necessary. The 

 arbitrary proceedings of Andros, in 1675, called forth meetings, in which the 

 people expressed a firm determination to persist in their claims for a representa- 

 tive legislature. Those claims were submitted, by the governor, to his patron. 

 James replied, "I cannot but suspect assemblies would be of dangerous conse- 



* DUNLAP. 



