45 



ever entirely powerless. Though protected ])y their sovereij?n, puhlic 

 sentiment compelled su])n]ission; ;md wbnndoninfr their own pliins, 

 they continued to exist as a corponition, merely to make grants of Innds 

 to other companies, and to individunl members of their own number. 



James bequeathed the quarrel to his son. The ill-fated Charles had 

 haixlly ascended the throne before the Commons passed a bill for the 

 maintenance and increase of shipping and navigation, and for the lib- 

 erty of fishing on the coasts of Newfoundland, Virginia, and New 

 England. This bill was lost in the House of Lc^rds, but the spirit of 

 tiie Commons was not repressed. In a strong representation of griev- 

 ances, which they laid before Charles, they insisted that the restraint 

 of the subject in the matter of fishing, with all the necessary incidents, 

 was of national concern and required redress. 



This State paper, and their reflisal to grant the King a subsidy, 

 caused the dissolution of Parliament. 



It is from this dissolution that we date the disagreements between 

 Charles and his people, which, in their termination, overturned a 

 dynasty and carried the monarch to the block. In truth, I am led to 

 conclude that the question of "free fishing" was the first in the series 

 of disputes relative to the prerogatives of the crown on the one side, 

 and the rights of the subject on the other. 



The political consequences of the discussions so briefly considered, 

 might well claim further attention ; but leaving them here, the results 

 to the fisheries next demand our notice. These, for the moment, were 

 disastrous in the extreme, since I know of no other explanation to the 

 fact, that during the five years embraced in the struggle the number 

 of English fishing-vessels on the whole extent of our coast diminished 

 much more than one-half, or from four hundred to one hundred and 

 fifty; while it is certain that in the alarm which prevailed, the mer- 

 chants who had purchased the island of Mouhegan, and h;id provided 

 tliere ample accommodations for the pi^osecution of their adventures, 

 sold their property and retired from the business. 



Singuhir to remark, too, that on the immediate coast of New Eng- 

 gland — and for ships owned or entirely controlled by English merchants 

 — the right of " free fishing," so earnestly contended for, was of little real 

 value. Accounts of such ships terminate almost at the very moment 

 that the right was established, in the manner related.* In another 

 part of this report, we shall indeed find that single vessels continued 



* GovfMTior Hradfonl, in a lottor to the "Coiin(;il of New England," tlatiHl at Plymouth, 

 Juiif I"), I(i-^7, coiiiplaiiis that the Enulish fislicrnifM on the const " be^'an to leave fishini; and 

 to full wliolly to tnuliii};, to tlie ^rrat detriiiient of" the settlers there, and tiio " statt^ of 

 Entrlaiid." In the year following, eoni]»hiint wa^! made to tiie coimcil ayainst Thomas Morton, 

 who " had been often admonished not to trade or truck with the Indians," and against "the 

 fisiiinu sliips, who maile it too ordinary a pructico" to do the .same iliini,', and over whom tho 

 pi-ci]ilr of I'lymouih had no eontrol. 



In a eonmnmication to Sir I'erdinnndo OorRes, Mm- same year. (M)2H,) it is said that 

 Knulishineii, under " pretence of fishini;," sold the natives ail maimer of arms ; that "from 

 vJu! L'n-edy covefousiii-ss of tlnr fishermen, and their evil example, the like had i)ei;ati to s;row 

 amf>n^;si s(»me, wlio pretend themselves to be jilaiiiers, tliont'li indeed they intend nothitii; less 

 but to take opportunity of the time, and provide lliemselves aixl betjone, and leave others 

 to rpieneh the tire which they have kindled," &r., iS.('. 



The evil seems to have been alarmini,', sinc<J it is further said, that imless the colonists wero 

 protected aijainst these misdeeds, they must " ipiit tlii' country." The assistanctf of dories, 

 to hr\nu. Morton " to answer lliosu whom it may (concern," aud "likewise that such lishenueu 

 may be called to account," is euruo.itly entreated. 



