“and hence,” says Hildreth, “the origin of those powder-houses, perched on some lonely hill, which formed in past years marked objects in the New England landscape.” Whilst the confederate colonies were thus strengthening themselves, the people of Rhode Island resolved to obtain from the mother-country an acknowledgment as a separate state. We have already mentioned that Roger Williams succeeded in this important object, through his powerful friend Henry Vane. But Williams, independent of any political partizanship, was already favourably known in England from his printed work on the Indian language, “the like whereof was not extant in any part of America.” This, and his merits as a missionary, induced both houses of parliament to grant to him and his friends, “a free and absolute charter of civil government for those parts of his abode. The places of refuge for soul-liberty on the Narragansett Bay were thus incorporated with full power and authority to rule themselves.” Williams returned triumphantly to New England, now landing in Boston, whence he had not been allowed to sail, with letters from the parliament, which demanded his safety and good reception. “As he approached Seekonk the water was covered with boats; all the people of Providence had come out to meet him. Receiving their successful ambassador, the group of boats started for the opposite shore, and as they paddled across the stream, Roger Williams, placed in the centre of his grateful fellow-citizens and glowing with the purest joy, was elevated and transported out of himself.” It is pleasant to record such an incident in the life of a good and great man. Again, in a moment of danger to the little state, Williams was sent to London to negotiate for its safety, which he again did successfully. And now came a trial of his virtue in a new form. The General Assembly, grateful to Roger Williams for the services which he had ever rendered the state of which he was the founder, desired that he should obtain from England an appointment of governor of the colony. But “he refused to sanction a measure which would have furnished a dangerous precedent, and was content with the honour of doing good.” The government of Rhode Island remained a pure democracy, ever anxious, to use the words of its own records, “not to prove an anarchy, and so a common tyranny.” To the orthodox states of New England, Rhode Island appeared as an anarchy, and nothing but destruction was foretold for it; the towns, it was said, “were full of Anabaptists, Antinomians and infidels, so that, if a man chance to lose his religious creed, he may be sure of finding it again in some village of Rhode Island.” But all went well in the end; “good men, independent of creeds, were chosen to administer the government, and the spirit of mercy, liberality, and wisdom was impressed on its legislation.”