He could neither vote nor hold ofiice,^ and he was forced to contribute to the support of a religious ministry whose teachings he in his heart abhorred. And this condition of things, extraordinary as it seems to us now, had not been brought about by any conscious arbitrary despotism on the part of the rulers, but was the work of good but narrow-minded men who were simply following out the uniform practice of the Christian world, and who no doubt honestly thought that in so acting they were doing the highest service by obeying the will of God." *

The Ministry Act of New York was simply the carrying out as far as it was possible of the Commission and the " Instructions " which Governor Fletcher had received from the King. These " Instructions " to the Governors of the British Crown Colonies, which were delivered by the English Sovereigns in writing to each Governor when first appointed, were the Constitutions of the Colonies under Avhich they were ruled by their Governors, just as the Charters from the same Sovereigns were the Constitutions of the Chartered Colonies under which they were governed. Both were given in the exercise of the Royal Prerogative, and were in fact grants of it. The charters could not be revoked except for cause as long as they were lived up to and obeyed. The "Instructions" were the Royal directions from the King for the governing of his Province, and could be altered, varied, or revoked at his pleasure. In point of fact they were never changed in the time of each Governor, except to meet some exigency not cOntempleted when they were issued. Upon the appointment of a new Governor, either new " Instructions " were given to him, or, if those of the preceding Governor were satisfactory to the Province and the King, he was simply directed to carry them out as his own.