THE CHARTER ON TRIAL
Meanwhile, what of the charter itself which Roger Williams had gained
at the expense of so much time and trouble? Had it succeeded in uniting
the struggling settlements? Were they now a harmonious, happy family?
Alas! No such miracle had occurred. In fact, two years and a half
passed before any kind of union was brought about.
[Illustration:
Canonicus Bridge, Roger Williams Park, Providence, appropriately named
after the Narragansett sachem who was the steadfast friend of Roger
Williams.]
[Illustration:
The Betsy Williams Cottage, Roger Williams Park, Providence. It is an
old-fashioned red dwelling, well covered with vines in summer, not
far from the statue of Roger Williams. The cottage is appropriately
furnished with Colonial relics.]
Finally, in May, 1647, representatives from the different towns met at
Portsmouth. The larger part of the colony, however, was present at this
first General Assembly. Those persons from the mainland who attended
paddled to their destination in canoes. In those days the water trip
from Providence to Portsmouth was looked upon as quite an undertaking,
though to-day a steamer could easily make the same journey in less than
two hours. The delegates from Providence, including Roger Williams
and his brother Robert, were bidden Godspeed by the town in words as
gravely serious as might be used had the intended voyage been across
the ocean:
“We commit you unto the protection and direction of the Almighty,
wishing you a comfortable voyage, a happy success, and a safe return
unto us again.”
At this first representative meeting of the colony, a simple form of
government was decided upon. It was agreed that the affairs of the
province should be managed by a president, four assistants and six
commissioners from each town, or twenty-four in all. Roger Williams
was not chosen first president, as we might suppose, but this may have
been because he declined the honor. Surely the good and faithful man
deserved a rest. He did, however, serve twice as an assistant and once
as deputy-president under the first charter.
The colonial body declared itself in favor of “a democratical form of
government”--a truly startling novelty for the seventeenth century.
Then a clear, simple code of laws was drawn up, far milder and more
just than any then in existence. They provided that while burglary
and theft were punishable crimes, still the penalty should not be too
extreme for poor persons who stole because of hunger. Debtors having
no goods or lands with which to settle their bills were not to be sent
to prison “to lie languishing to no man’s advantage.” The destitute
and infirm were to be provided for in all the towns. No person was to
be required to take an out-and-out oath, his solemn word or testimony
being considered just as binding. The laws concluded thus quaintly:
“And otherwise than thus what is herein forbidden, all men may walk as
their consciences persuade them, every one in the name of his God. And
let the saints of the Most High walk in this colony without molestation
in the name of Jehovah, their God, forever and ever.”
Just how primitive was the life of these early settlers is shown in
that section of the laws touching upon archery. It also gives a glimpse
of the constant danger which surrounded the pioneers of Providence
Plantations.
“Forasmuch, as we are cast among the archers, and know not how soon
we may be deprived of powder and shot, without which our guns will
advantage us nothing; to the end also that we may come to outshoot
these natives in their own bow; Be it enacted by the authority of this
present Assembly, that that statute touching archery shall be revived
and propagated throughout the whole colony; and that every person from
the age of seventeen years to the age of seventy, that is not lame,
debilitated in his body, or otherwise exempted by the colony, shall
have a bow and four arrows, and shall use and exercise shooting; and
every father having children shall provide for every man-child from
the age of seven years, till he come to seventeen years, a bow and two
arrows or shafts to induce them and to bring them up to shooting; and
every son, servant, or master, thus appointed and ordered to have a bow
and arrows, that shall be remiss and negligent in the observance hereof
and shall be found to lack a bow and so many arrows for the space of
a month together after the last of the fourth month, commonly called
June, shall forfeit three shillings and four pence; the father shall
pay for the son, the master for the servant, and deduct it out of his
wages.”
At this first assembly, an anchor (to which later was added the motto
“Hope”) was chosen as the seal of the province. Appropriate emblem,
indeed! Many a storm would the infant colony be called upon to battle
with before being grounded firmly in good government. Never before had
a group of people greater need of hope and courage than those who were
trying out their “lively experiment.”
A law was passed, too, forbidding the sale of firearms to the Indians
under penalty of a heavy fine.
Several years passed and still Providence Plantations failed to become
the settled, united colony of Roger Williams’ hopes and dreams. It was
a union in name only. As for the position of the founder himself, it
was as if he were the head of an unruly school. The four disturbing
classes, instead of acting together for the good of the school, were
more intent on their own little concerns and differences. The people
of Providence quarreled among themselves, while Providence, Newport,
Portsmouth and Warwick quarreled with one another.
It is true that certain inhabitants of Providence made an agreement
that for the common good they would forget their jealousies and
bickerings, but, unhappily, the very persons who signed the paper were
the ones who had no need of such a pledge to begin with. The liberal,
brotherly spirit of Roger Williams was plainly evident in their
determination to let “love cover their differences in the grave of
oblivion.”
At last matters reached a crisis. William Coddington planned to detach
the island of Rhode Island and the neighboring island of Conanicut from
the rest of the colony and sailed for England early in 1649 to obtain
a separate charter. And this even though he had been honored by being
elected president of the province and owed his position in the colony
largely to Roger Williams’ kindness and helpfulness.
It looked very much as if Roger Williams’ work would have to be done
all over again, especially as Coddington returned in two years with the
new charter which made him governor of the two islands in the Bay for
life. Besides, the neighboring colonies still had a covetous eye on
their sister colony of whom they had always disapproved. Massachusetts
still claimed Pawtuxet, Plymouth declared she owned the Island of Rhode
Island, while poor Warwick had been tossed back and forth between the
two very much like a baseball.
Finally, Providence and Warwick had the good sense to unite and ask
Roger Williams to go to England a second time to have the original
charter confirmed. Portsmouth and Newport, with equally good sense,
urged John Clarke, the good minister-physician of the latter town,
likewise to appeal to the mother country to have the Coddington charter
annulled.
Roger Williams had to be urged twice to undertake the task. The care
of his sizable family and lack of money probably had much to do with
his first refusal. At length, however, he came to the conclusion that
his duty to his fellow-colonists was of more importance than his own
private affairs. The two towns promised to defray the expenses of the
trip and to make up whatever was still owing for the former voyage.
Even so, Roger Williams sold his trading-post at Narragansett in order
to finance the venture. He found a purchaser in his neighbor, Richard
Smith, who paid him fifty pounds in ready money for it. There is no
indication that, on the part of the seller, this was an attempt to
drive a sharp bargain--far from it. The business must have been worth
far more than Roger Williams realized on it, even though it was a cash
transaction.
There was one thing more to be done--to “humbly pray Massachusetts
that he might inoffensively and without molestation pass through her
jurisdiction as a stranger for a night.” The request was grudgingly
granted and, in company with the Reverend John Clarke, Roger Williams
for the second time set his face toward England, in November, 1651.