921.73 W589w.pdf - Mesa FamilySearch Library

Re_. _S_mueZW_iting. 77
magistrates, against the churches, and against
the elders, was censured by the Court of Assistants
to be whipped, and committed till the
meeting of the General Court." This court
was accused by certain inhabitants of Rhode
Island of "usurping the power of Christ over
the churches and men's consciences." This
was termed by the Legislature as a "corrupt
opinion and censure;" and a law was passed
providing that "whoever from that plantation
should entertain that opinion, and should be
found within the jurisdiction, should be im-
Wisoned, and punished as the court should see
cause. ''* The expression of opinions adverse
to the courts, the magistrates, or the doctrines
held by them, exposed citizens to fine, imprisonment,
disfranchisement, banishment, and in
some cases to death. Thus was this rigid and
stern theocratic government rapidly tending to
hereditary tyranny. Those who then had the
control of public affairs "were sincere but mis-
taken in their principles ; and, absurd as it is, it
is too evident that they believed it to be for the
I Mass. Rec., 224.