HISTORY
OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
| CHAPTER I. |
1689—1697.
NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YOKE: FIRST INTERCOLONIAL WAR.
Accession of William III.—Its important effects—War with France—Intercolonial war—Seizure of Andros at Boston—Course pursued by Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, and New York, on the occasion of William's accession—"Protestant Revolution" in Maryland—Jacob Leisler—His career and judicial murder—Opening of the war—Attack on Dover—Frontenac governor of Canada—Destruction of Schenectady—War party sent against Salmon Falls—Narrative of a sufferer—Attempt at conquest of Canada—Entirely unsuccessful—Effects—Paper money—Domestic tragedies in New York and Massachusetts—New Charter of Massachusetts—Witchcraft delusion—Development and Progress—Salem the principal scene—Strange history—Frontier warfare—Oyster River, Pemaquid fort, Haverhill disasters—Brave Mrs. Dustin—Last year of the war—Peace of Ryswick.
The accession of William III. is a marked event in the history of England, and more or less directly had an important bearing upon the development and progress of the American colonies. There can be no doubt that there was then a crisis in the affairs of England which had to be met; a state of things which required all the combined wisdom and energy of the patriots and statesmen of that day, to save the country from the tremendous evils which threatened to crush and destroy every vestige of constitutional freedom. It was then to be determined, whether despotism together with the dynasty of the ill-fated Stuarts, or the liberty of law and order in the supremacy of the legislature, was to prevail. The crisis was met, and the question was settled for all future time; and the dethronement of James II. and the election of the Prince of Orange to the throne declared to be vacant, both established the parliament as supreme and overturned for ever all pretence on the part of the sovereign to irresponsible exercise of royal prerogative and power. "By resolving that James II. had abdicated" says Mr.
