f>30 



Rhode Island bad its first general assembly in 1647. 



The first general assembly, representing the people of the 

 several toAvns of Plymouth colony, was in 1639. By the 

 charter of 1692 the Plymouth colony was annexed to, and 

 merged in, the colony of Massachusetts Bay. 



As Massachusetts was organized, as a civil government, so 

 long before the other New England Colonies, as it was central 

 to them, and, to a great extent, their common mother, and 

 much larger than either of the others, its history is of greater 

 significance and importance. In many, indeed in most respects, 

 they followed in its track, and conformed to its example. The 

 records of each of these colonies, are, however, of great value 

 and interest, and ought all to be secured from destruction, by 

 being printed, without further delay. 



New York was a Dutch dependency until 1664, and its first 

 legislative assembly was in 1683. 



New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the Carolinas, 

 were proprietary provinces, and Avere never organized into 

 representative governments until about the close of the period 

 of the first charter of Massachusetts — that is, the period covered 

 by these Records. 



Maryland had a legislative assembly, as early as 1639, but 

 continued for the most part under a proprietary government, 

 during its colonial period. 



The early colonial history of Virginia was much interrupted 

 and in an unsettled state. 



Upon the whole it must be admitted that the experiment of 

 civil government, the growth of the body politic, was no where 

 else so fairly exhibited as here ; and that the period covered 

 by these Records exhibits, in this colony of Massachusetts Bay, 

 the earliest and the best specimen of the formation of a state, 

 any where to be found — indeed, the only instance, in the history 

 of the world, of the natural, gradual, unrestrained and health- 

 ful origin and development of a republic. 



Mr. Upham concluded his statement with some general 

 remarks, which are here presented as they were reported in the 



