had it remained a separate entity, is a matter only of conjecture. We might have to-day a church government and we might have a government with the initiative and referendum applied on a wide scale.[1] Such suggestions, however, can be but surmises, because under the charter granted by William and Mary establishing the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, Plymouth became part of Massachusetts and from that date (1691) her history has been the history of Massachusetts.
Unlike the Plymouth colonists, the men of Massachusetts Bay obtained a charter from the Crown. The original one granted by Charles I established the Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay, a corporate body composed of a Governor, Deputy-Governor and eighteen Assistants.
The Colony Charter
Two charters were granted Massachusetts. The first one was given by Charles I, in 1628, and is known as the Colony Charter.[2] Under this charter, the first governor, deputy-governor and assistants were appointed by the Crown. Their successors were to be elected by the freemen of the corporation. The executive power was vested in the governor and assistants and the legislative power in the whole body of the freemen. Considering the opinions on government held by Charles I and his counsellors, it may seem surprising that such a liberal charter was obtained. If this were due to extraordinary enlightenment on their part, it would indeed be surprising. On investigation, however, we find that the charter was granted according to the custom of the times; and we discover many other precedents for
