"  the  noblest  and  godliest  deeds."  Other  states  have  confined
political  rights  to  the  opulent,  to  freeholders,  to  the  first-born  ;
the  Calvinists  of  Massachusetts,  refusing  any  share  of  civil
power  to  the  clergy,  established  the  reign  of  the  visible  church,
a  commonwealth  of  the  chosen  people  in  covenant  with  God.
The  dangers  apprehended  from  England  seemed  to  require
a  union  consecrated  by  the  holiest  rites.  The  public  mind  of
the  colony  was  in  other  respects  ripening  for  democratic  lib-
erty. It  could  not  rest  satisfied  with  leaving  the  assistants
in  possession  of  all  authority,  and  of  an  almost  independent
existence ;  and  the  magistrates,  with  the  exception  of  the  pas-
sionate Ludlow,  were  willing  to  yield.  It  was  therefore
agreed,  at  the  next  general  court,  that  the  governor  and  assist-
ants should  be  annually  chosen.  The  people,  satisfied  with
the  recognition  of  their  right,  re-elected  their  former  magis-
trates with  silence  and  modesty.  The  germ  of  a  representa-
tive government  was  already  visible ;  each  town  was  ordered
to  choose  two  men,  to  appear  at  the  next  court  of  assistants,
and  concert  a  plan  for  a  public  treasury.  The  measure  had
become  necessary,  for  a  levy,  made  by  the  assistants  alone,
had  awakened  alarm  and  opposition.
While  a  happy  destiny  was  thus  preparing  for  Massachu-
setts a  representative  government,  relations  with  the  natives
were  extended.  In  April,  1631,  there  came  from  the  banks
of  the  Connecticut  the  sagamore  of  the  Mohegans,  to  extol  the
fertility  of  his  country,  and  solicit  an  English  plantation  as  a
bulwark  against  the  Pequods ;  in  May,  the  nearer  Nipmucks
invoked  the  aid  of  the  emigrants  against  the  tyranny  of  the
Mohawks;  and  in  July,  the  son  of  the  aged  Canonicus  ex-
changed presents  with  the  governor.
