It was not long before New England perceived that they had no reason to congratulate themselves on the altered government in the mother-country. The commercial restrictions from which they had been exempt during the Commonwealth were now renewed; and with some return to their former independence, the general court and elders drew up a clear declaration of what they considered to be their rights. These they asserted to be, “to choose their own governor, deputy-governor, and representatives; to admit freemen on terms to be prescribed at their own pleasure; to set up all sorts of officers, superior and inferior, with such powers and duties as they might appoint; to exercise, by their annually-elected magistrates and deputies, all authority legislative, executive and judicial; to defend themselves by force of arms against any aggression; and to reject any and every imposition which they might judge prejudicial to the colony, and contrary to any just act of colonial legislation.” This declaration, which left but small prerogative to the crown, and which asserted the navigation act to be an infringement of their charter, was drawn up before Charles II. was publicly proclaimed in New England, nearly twelve months after the news had first reached them, and then all demonstrations of extravagant joy were prohibited; the king’s health was not even allowed to be drunk. The colonies of Plymouth, Hartford, New Haven and Rhode Island, had, on the contrary, immediately proclaimed the king.