There were few encouragements in those limes for the development of independent and lofty civic character. All high positions were appointive, depending upon the favor of the royal governor, who was as likely as not to be a man utterly corrupt, mercenary, and unscrupulous. But from an early period of his public life, Morris displayed a bold and aggressive spirit, and an especial contempt for consequences when, in his judgment, opposition to the acts of the governors became a matter of duty. The son of a captain in Cromwell's arm}7, and reared from infancy by an uncle who had fought with distinction on the same side and who was characterized byparticularly inflexible personal conscientiousness, his birth and training gave him, moreover, instincts of vigorous hostility to arrogant and selfish despotism. It can not be doubted that this latter element of his character was the chief contributing influence which led him, at the zenith of his career, to sacrifice his elevated position and stake his entire reputation in the cause of righteous resistance to official tyranny, an act which, as we shall presently see, was the occasion of the first grand assertion of the principle of American liberty. After the appointment of Jeremiah Basse as governor of New Jersey, in 1G98, Morris was one of the principal leaders of the party which refused to acknowledge his authority. He was in consequence expelled from the council and fined £50 for contempt. In 1700, when Hamilton was again made governor of New Jersey, Morris was appointed president of the council. In this position he strongly advocated the surrender of the proprietary government of New Jersey to the crown, persuaded the New Jersey proprietors to lend their cooperation to the project, and went to England to urge the reform