The reader will find a complete table of contents on every page of the work. The general title at the top; underneath this, a more particular index; and commencing and running through each marginal column, a special index and references: all which will render his study of it at once easy and intelligent.

Such are the aims and plan of the work. Such the materials from which it is wrought, and of which it is mostly composed. Such as it is, it is now submitted to the candid and impartial judgment of the people and the press, of the statesman and the jurist, of the teacher and the student. If it shall have the effect to promote a more familiar acquaintance with, and comprehension of, the origin and nature of our free governments and institutions, and a more ardent devotion to those essential elements of religious faith and civil freedom which are the basis of our existence and prosperity as a Sovereign Republic; if it shall serve to inspire a more general and abiding reverence for the paramount importance, and the supremacy, of our FEDERAL CONSTITUTION, and to secure and perpetuate in its original affection and harmony, the fraternity of our NATIONAL UNION, it will not have been elaborated in vain.

HARTFORD, CONN January 2d, 1860.

HENRY SHERMAN.

CONTENTS.

PART I. THE GOVERNMENTAL HISTORY OF THE FIRST GRAND DIVISION OF THE
CONTINENT OF NORTH AMERICA, CALLED THE FIRST COLONY OF VIRGINIA, SOUTH
VIRGINIA, OR VIRGINIA; TO THE REVOLUTION OF 1688 IN ENGLAND.

Introduction. Theory and speculations of Christopher Columbus. His nego-
tiations for patronage. His voyages. Interest of England in his speculations and
adventures. Voyages of Cabot. Discovery of the Continent of North America.
Title and interest of England in. Grant of Pope Alexander VI., to Ferdinand and
Isabella. Title of England relinquished by Henry VII. Early attempts to settle the
country. Why called Virginia. Condition of at the decease of Elizabeth. Division
and designation of by James I. Charter of James I., creating the First and Sec-
ond Colony. Instructions and government under this charter. Character of the
charter and instructions. Expeditions and settlements under the First Colony.
Second and separate charter of James I. to the First Colony, or London Company.
Enlargement of the corporation. Government under it. Third and separate char-
ter of James I, to the First Colony or London Company. Advantages of the First
over the Second Colony. The government under the third charter. Developments
of protestantism in England and Virginia. Ordinance and instructions of the Lon-
don Company establishing a colonial government in Virginia. Organization under
the Company's constitution. Compared with New England. Relations with the
Indian tribes. Colonial acts establishing the local administration. Puritanism in
England and Virginia. Dissolution of the London Company by the crown. Death
of James I. Its effect in Virginia. Accession of Charles I. State of the king-
dom. Colonial policy of Charles I. Condition of Virginia. She becomes a royal
colony. Royalty of her administration; its monarchical features; its conservative
elements. Progress of protestantism in England. Its effect upon the colonial
policy of the crown. Attempt to revive the London Company. Remonstrance of
Virginia. Address of the colonial assembly to the people. The civil war in Eng-
laud. Provisional enactments by the colonial assembly. Execution of Charles I.
Its effect on the political condition of the colonies. How received in Virginia.
Public enactments thereupon. Establishment of the Commonwealth in England.
Virginia and the commonwealth. Arrival of commissioners of parliament in Vir-
ginia. Virginia surrenders to the commonwealth. Articles of surrender. Procla-
mation by the commissioners of parliament. Organization of a provisional colo-
nial government. Virginia under the commonwealth. Controversy between the
house of burgesses and the governor and council. Progress of the controversy.
The burgesses triumphant. They claim supreme power in the colony. Proclamation
thereof. Re-organization of the colonial state council by the burgesses. Death of
Cromwell. Letter from the State Council of parliament to Virginia thereupon.
Succession of Richard Cromwell. Acknowledged by Virginia. Abdication of
Richard Cromwell. How received in Virginia. The supreme power assumed by
the grand assembly of the colony. Re-organization of the colonial state council.
Restoration of Charles II. How received in Virginia. Revision of colonial laws
by the assembly. Virginia during the reign of Charles II. Her characteristic
qualities and policy of government. Population and condition at the Restoration.
Governor Berkeley's report to the Lords commissioners, 1671. Grant of Virginia to
Lords Arlington and Culpeper by Charles II. Proceedings of the colonial assembly
thereupon. Remonstrance and address to the king. Propositions for a new char-
ter. How received in England. Action of the king in council upon it. Bacon's
Rebellion in Virginia. Application for a new charter defeated thereby. Further
negotiations. Charter granted. The new charter. Grant to Lords Arlington and
Culpeper surrendered back to the crown. Proclamation of the king to the colony
thereupon. Political developments of the controversy. Government under the new
charter. Virginia and New England compared. The protestantism of the English
Revolution. Its elements of freedom. Conclusion of Part I.
PAGE 13.

PART II. - THE GOVERNMENTAL HISTORY OF THE SECOND GRAND DIVISION OF THE
CONTINENT, CALLED THE SECOND COLONY OF VIRGINIA, NORTH VIRGINIA, OR NEW
ENGLAND, TO THE REVOLUTION OF 1688 IN ENGLAND.

The Second Colony of Virginia, or the Plymouth Company. Its transactions.
New England. Causes which led to its settlement. Origin and nature of Roman-
ism. Supremacy of the pope in the sixteenth century. Origin and nature of Pro-
testantism. The reformation inaugurated by Luther. Its progress in Europe. In
England. Controversy between Henry VIII. and Luther. Commended and re-
warded by the pope. Effect upon the king. Controversy between Henry VIII.
and the pope. The pope's supremacy repudiated. Supremacy of the crown estab-
lished by law. Protestantism and the crown's supremacy. Protestantism and the
Bible. The reformation under Edward VI. Succession of Mary. Her character
and reign. The reformation on the accession of Elizabeth. Under Elizabeth.
Policy of Elizabeth. The Church of England established. The crown's supremacy
and protestantism. Parties originated by it. Parties among the reformers. The
Brownists. Their tenets. Treatment of by Elizabeth. James I., and the reform-
ation. Persecution of the Brownists. Their flight to Holland. Their organization
at Leyden. Application to the Plymouth Company for a grant of land, 1618.
How discouraged. Second application, 1620. Their removal to America. Plant-
ing of New Plymouth in New England. Compact of government. Further arri-
vals from Leyden. Condition of the colonists. Incorporated with Massachusetts
Bay. Origin of the colony of Massachusetts Bay. Origin of the sect called Puri-
tans. Distinction between the Puritans and Brownists. Protestant parties of
the reformation in England. Political elements of puritanism. James I., and the
Puritans. They propose to go to New England. Patent of James I., creating the
Grand Council at Plymouth. Failure of this patent. Death of James I., and suc-
cession of Charles I. Grant from the grand council at Plymouth to the Puritans.
Settlement of Salem in New England. Elements in puritanism favorable to its
growth as a political party. Increased by persecution.

Incorporation of THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COMPANY by the crown. Aims of the
company. General provisions of the patent. Controversy of historians as to the

motives of the grant. The real motive. Organization of the company in London.

Ordinance for its government. Plantations of. The Massachusetts Bay Company's

plantations and New Plymouth. Their religious differences. Their fraternization.

Banishment of adventurers, and action of the company thereupon. Political elements

developed thereby. Condition of the colony. Further of the aims of the com-

pany. Political developments of puritanism in England. Oppressions of Charles I.

favorable to the growth of the Puritan party. The Massachusetts Bay company

propose to remove their charter and government to England. Progress of the dis-

cussion. Resolution of transfer passed. Re-organization of the government in

anticipation. Arrival of the company and charter in New England. The Compa-

ny and colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England. Organization of the colo-

nial government. Political developments under it. Religious differences in the

colony. Revision of colonial laws. Success of the colony how regarded in Eng-

land. Interdict of the crown against emigration. Its political aspects and results.

Quo Warranto against the Massachusetts Bay company. Its charter declared for-

feited. Commissioners of the crown demand its surrender. Action of the geueral

court. Gov. Winthrop's letter in reply. Position of the colony. Suspension of

the regal power by the execution of Charles I. The Commonwealth. Its influence

upon the progresss of freedom in America. Restoration of the monarchy under

Charles II. How received in the colonies in America. The plague, and the great

fire in London. How favorable to freedom. Massachusetts Bay and the Naviga-

tion Acts. Controversy about. Death of Charles II. and succession of James II.

The revolution in England, Establishment of the protestant succession under Wil-

liam and Mary. America, how affected by it.

ORIGIN OF THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT. Commission to John Winthrop and

others from Lord Sey and Seale, etc. His adventure. Trading forts on the Con-
necticut River. Planting of Saybrook. Protestantism among the Puritans in New
England. Religious differences in Massachusetts Bay. Arrival of Thomas. Hooker
and others in Massachusetts Bay. They propose to move to Connecticut. Hearing
before the general court on the proposition. The controversy. Its political devel-
opments. Ultimate decision. Removal of Mr. Hooker and others to the Connec-
ticut River. Settlement of Hartford, etc. Commission of Massachusetts Bay for
the government of Connecticut. Its political aspects. Compact of government
of the colony of Connecticut. Its political aspects. General remarks.

ORIGIN OF THE COLONY OF NEW HAVEN. Arrival of Mr. Davenport and others
at Boston. How received. Departure of for the Connecticut. Planting of New
Haven. Organization of the colonial government. The compact. Developments
of protestantism. Peculiarity in the origin and growth of the two colonies. The
restoration of Charles II. Connecticut's petition for a charter from the crown.
Negotiations for the charter. Issuing of the charter. Character of the charter.
How received by New Haven. Controversy between the two colonies. Their
union under it. Further history.

THE COLONY OF RHODE ISLAND. Origin of the colony. Roger Williams. His
tenets. Trial before the general court of Massachusetts Bay. His banishment.
Political elements of his creed. His departure. Influence of his opinions in
Massachusetts Bay. Planting of Providence. Political characteristics of its
settlement. Mrs. Hutchinson's "heresies" in Massachusetts Bay. Her trial and
banishment. Settlement of Portsmouth and Newport. Condition of the colony.
Application of Roger Williams for a charter. Ordinance of parliament thereupon.