A BONE OF CONTENTION. 12/ 



own realms in mutual agreement through their authorized 

 deputies. The compact in the cabin of the Mayflower is 

 sometimes referred to as the germ of our United States, 

 but it is more properly the seed of a single State. 



For individuals to bind themselves voluntarily in the 

 maintenance of a government is distinct in principle from 

 the federation of states. 



Before this Cohasset trouble there was no commission 

 of the united colonies ; but afterwards a permanent one 

 was speedily formed. The practical necessity of settling 

 the dispute over our salt marsh gave the two colonies an 

 experience in confederation which convinced them of the 

 feasibility of a permanent joint commission. 



A meeting at Cambridge two years before, in 1638, had 

 been held, in which representatives of the separate colo- 

 nies had theorized somewhat over the practicability of 

 confederation, but to no success. Here, however, was an 

 actual case of forced consultation and joint action ; and 

 the way was straight from this temporary commission to 

 a permanent one. 



Before two years had elapsed, the compact was made 

 out and signed which federated the four New England 

 colonies for mutual protection and action. It is not, 

 therefore, unreasonable to find at least one of the roots of 

 the Colonial Congress in the " three score acre marsh " at 

 Cohasset Harbor. 



In coming to a decision about the details of this boundary 

 line, either some or all of the men in the commission must 

 have seen personally the places described. They call 

 themselves the namers of Bound Brook ; and their reason 

 for so naming it was, not because it traces out the bound- 

 ary of the colonies, but because a certain rock ledge at 

 the mouth of it was one end of a straight boundary line 

 to Accord Pond. That rock is now partly covered by a 

 recent building ; but it is still there, rising six or eight 

 feet above the stream on each side of it, and marked l)y 



