visit and investigate the army. In 1722 they summoned the commanding officer, Colonel Walton, before them to explain why certain orders of the House had not been carried out. Then by refusing to vote him any pay or to provide for carrying on war they brought about his dismissal. In the same year they forced the Governor to submit to them his speech to the delegates of the Iroquois tribes. They returned it with the proviso that they would agree to it only if delivered in the name of the General Court and in presence of the members of the House. The Governor had to submit.[1]
The power of the Governor of appropriation and of pardon was gradually taken over by the Legislature, and his power of censorship was disputed. It is curious to note the decline of the colonial Governor's power and the usurpation of his authority by the Assembly. It is still more curious to find that the exact opposite has resulted under constitutional government. Under the original constitutions of the States the powers of the Assembly were made paramount and numerous checks placed upon the authority of the Governor. Gradually, however, distrust of legislatures has grown until to-day we find once more, as in colonial times, a tendency to make the Governor supreme and hold him responsible for the government of the State.
Relations between Governors and the Assembly
There were constant bickerings between the colonial governors and the Assembly. In spite of the excitement of the times, however, each side seems to have appreciated the position of the other. At least, in their communications they were not constrained from passing on the humor of the situation. In 1770, for instance, there was a dispute be-
- ↑ Hutchinson, op, cit., II, pp. 255–260, 265–266.
