Parliamentary Act. Reign of George III | The Massachusetts Government Act

Parliamentary Act. Reign of George III

An Act for the better regulating the Government of the Province of the Massachuset’s Bay, in New England. London: Printed by Charles Eyre and William Strahan, 1774

Folio (311 x 197 mm). Woodcut arms of Great Britain, woodcut initial, text in black letter, side notes in roman type; light toning. Modern quarter calf over brown marbled boards, printed paper label on front cover.

The Massachusetts Government Act, one of the so-called “Intolerable Acts.” The colonists "generally acknowledged [that Parliament] could continue to do such things as regulate trade between the various parts of the empire, as this did not clearly infringe on their rights. But they adamantly refused to accept any measures suggesting that their colonial governments … could be cavalierly disregarded and made irrelevant by a Parliament sitting three thousand miles away" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 28).

The Massachusetts Government Act was "perhaps the clearest and most alarming indication of Parliament's disdain for their rights and their voice in government." The colony's 1691 charter "stated that Massachusetts would have a crown-appointed governor and … a House composed of representatives annually elected by the people in their respective towns; and a Council of twenty-eight. The Council was elected by each year's newly elected representatives and the previous year's councillors" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 30). However, in the Massachusetts Government Act, Parliament declared that the Crown would heretofore appoint the councilors. "It also limited towns to one meeting per year and announced that jurors would no longer be elected by the inhabitants, but would instead be selected by government-appointed sheriffs" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 30).

It thus suggested that British officials planned to reduce the colonists' role in government to a bare minimum. "If, without the people's consent, Parliament could alter the Massachusetts charter as it related to the Council, then Parliament could alter or even abolish the powers of colonial assemblies anywhere, at any time, for any reason" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 30).

REFERENCE:

Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions 3; ESTC N57470