History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

1748.] , COL. JOHN STODDARD. 173
of parliament, and the rights claimed by the King. Fewdenied
the authority of the mother country, and still fewer
were ready o]jenly to contest it. Yet there was an undercurrent
of opposition to many of the arbitrary enactments
of King and Parliament, with an occasional surface mani-
festation, indicating the tendency of thought and action
in the direction that eventually established a nation of
freemen. It was the party of freedom springing into existence.
In opposition to it, though equally patriotic, was
the party of the prerogative, wdiicli believed in securing
their rights by endurance and good-will, rather than by opposition
and defiance. To this latter party Col. Stoddard
belonged. His connection with it brought defeat upon him
on "divers occasions," both local and legislatiA^e, and
finally in the next generation, developing into toryism,
cost his sons much personal inconvenience. He supported
the supreme law of the land as he found it, with all the
inflexible will and stubborn persistence, so characteristic of
the family to which he belonged. Evidently Col. Stoddard
was a strong friend of Gov. Shirley, ^ and no doubt shared
his views respecting the authority of the British government.
^
Legislative Duties. Tliougli nothing appears to show positively
the position taken by Col. Stoddard upon
any of the important questions in agitation while he was
a member of the legislature, his opinions and counsel were
evidently considered of value upon financial matters, and
his name is frequently to be found upon committees having
those subjects in charge. In 1736, the currency was in
1 "To the convention at Albany came William Shirley, already for seven years
governor of Massachusetts : an English lawyer, artful, needy, and ambitious; a member
of the church of England ; indifferent to the laws and the peculiar faith of the
people whom he governed, appointed originally to restore or introduce British
authority, and more relied upon than any crown ofBcer in America."—Bancroft's
History of the United States, vol. 4, p. 26, ed. 1852.
2 In this connection 'iomes in appropriately the often quoted anecdote related by
— " Once when Gov. Shirley had a part}' dining with him, a ser-
President Dwight :
vant came into the room and informed the Governor that a Gentleman at the gate
wished to speak with him. ' Ask the Gentleman to come in," said the Governor.
' I did Sir,' said the servant, but he said that he could not stay.' The company
were not a little surprised, nor less indignant, at behaviour, which they thought so
disrespectful to the chief magistrate. 'What is the gentleman's name' said the
Governor. 'I think,' said the servant, 'he told me his name was Stoddard.' 'Is
it,' said the Governor. ' Excuse me Gentlemen, if it is Col. Stoddard I must go to
him.' "—Dwighfs Travels, vol. 1, p. 33'2.