critical period are both interesting and significant. For example, the town of Ashfield voted (October 4, 1774),
That we will take the law of God for the foundation of the forme of our Government…that it is our opinion that we do not want any Govinor but the Govinor of the Universe & under him a States General to consult with wrest of the U.S. for the good of the whole—that the Assembly of this State consist of one Elective body, the members of which body shall be Annually elected—that all Acts passed by the General Court of the State respecting the several towns be sent to the several towns for their acceptance before they shall be in force…that it is our opinion that each town is invested with a native authority to chuse a Committee or Number of Judges consisting of a number of understanding & prudent men that shall jug & determine all cases between man & man, setel Intestate estates, & collect all debts that have been contracted or may be contracted within their Limits & all Controversies whatsoever except in the case of murder & then it will be necessary to call in eleven men from eleven neiboring Towns that shall be cose (chosen?) for that purpose annually to jug & condemn such murderers.
Other towns also took the initiative in proposing a new scheme of State government. The town of Stoughton, in October, 1776, proposed (a) that county conventions should each draft a form of government for the State, and (b) that a State convention should be made up of these county conventions or of delegates selected by them. The town of Bellingham, also proposed an elaborate plan of district conventions which should make drafts and report back to the towns, to be followed by a general committee made up of one member from each district.
Pittsfield likewise began to agitate the matter. There a petition was circulated and the Reverend Thomas Allen declared that all he wanted was a government founded on the consent of the people. This was the same reverend gentleman who was known as "the fighting parson" and
