204 
HISTORY OF THE [book vi. 
are secured by sufficient ties, regulations, and re¬ 
straints? some of which seem at first inconsistent 
even with the premises I have stated. Thus as to 
the supremacy of the crown: among various other 
prerogatives, the king reserves to himself, not only 
the nomination of the several governors, the mem¬ 
bers of the council, and most of the public officers 
of all descriptions,* but he possesses also at the 
same time, as we have seen, the right of disallow¬ 
ing and rejecting all laws and statutes of the colo¬ 
nial assemblies, even after they had received the 
assent and approbation of his own lieutenant in the 
colony. Hence, the affirmative voice of the peo¬ 
ple in their representatives is opposed by three ne¬ 
gatives? the first in the council, the second in the 
governor, and the third in the crown? which pos¬ 
sesses likewise the power of punishing the two 
former branches by dismission, if they presume to 
act in opposition to the royal pleasure. 
Nor is the regal authority less efficient and exten¬ 
sive over the executive power within the colonies, 
than over the legislative. The governor, as I have 
shewn, is commonly chancellor by his office? but, 
whether assisted by his council, or presiding solely 
in this high department, an appeal lies to the king 
# This is spoken of those colonies which are called king’s govern¬ 
ments; for, before the late civil war, the governor, in a proprietary 
government, was named by the proprietor, subject to the restriction 
contained in 7 and 8 W. III. c. 22. 4 6 . And in twoof the charter 
provinces of North America, all the officers, except those of the ad¬ 
miralty and customs, were chosen by the people. 
