Ebook History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

Although the death of the Earl of Bellemont occurred at a fortunate moment for Rhode Island, we shall soon see that it did not restore peace to the colony. His successor pursued the same line of policy with even greater pertinacity but with less ability, and met with a defeat the more humiliating as his measures were more personal and direct. A special session of the General Assembly was held shortly after this event, to lay a tax of four hundred pounds for the public service. The apportionment indicates that Providence had recovered its relative prosperity, lost during Philip's war. The duties which in our day are performed by the State Auditor, were formerly assigned to committees, the members of which were usually selected, one from each town, by the Assembly.