Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886. 85
arguments, the most important one being that the maintenance of a
fort at Saybrook was as important to Springfield as to Hartford ; but
Mr. Pynchon was not present. No definite action was taken by the
commissioners at the Hartford meeting, possibly on account of the in-
tense feeling ; but the Massachusetts General Court, in November,
1646, made a full declaration of its position ; and, it may be here
added, carried out its programme to the end. The court held that Hart-
ford had no legal right to force an outsider to buy a fort for the Con-
necticut colony, that the Saybrook fort was no protection to Spring-
field, and that a tariff dispute hindered the confederation several
years before, and that now to resort to it would "put us to new
" If Hartford jurisdiction," continues the General Court,
thoughts."
" shall make use of their power over any of o's, we conceave we have
y'' same poAv"" to imitate 3'*" in y^ like kind, w'^'^ we deesier may be for-
borne on both sides." This strong language brought the conmiis-
sioners of the United Colonies to Boston in special session, in Jul}^,
1647. Deputy-Governor Hopkins and Captain Mason were the com-
missioners from Connecticut. Mason was thus confronted by his old
antagonist of Springfield, and the struggle that followed turned very
nmch upon the old lines. Captain Mason had a short time before been
given the military command at Saybrook, — an act of discretion only,
as tlie fort, owing to a recent fire, was little short of a military
expression.
The Massachusetts conmiissioners were Thomas Dudley and John
Endicott. The resolutions of Massachusetts passed in Novem1)er
were read. Mr. Hopkins was given time to reply in detail, which he
did, witli much vigor, on the 27th of July. He argued in the first
place that, provided the tax were just, "it concernes not the party
that payes " what is done with the money, his point being that the
tax was justifiable because a fort at Saybrook had been, was and
would be useful to Springfield. He claimed that it was five rather
than ten years that any delay in forming a confederation Avas caused
bv the discussion of a river tariff . The
Massachusetts General Court