For an outline of these natural and long-continued attempts, see _American History and Government_, ## 117, 118. The first attempt, barely avoided and only by accident, is given under _a_, below; _b_ represents American feeling toward such encroachments; and _c_ illustrates the activity of a New England town meeting in this field of _general_ politics. _a. Recommendation from the Board of Trade to make all the Colonies into Royal Provinces. March 26/Apr. 5, 1701_ _North Carolina Colonial Records_, I, 535. _To the King's most Excellent Majestie._ _May it please, etc._ Having formerly on severall occasions humbly represented to your Majesty the state of the Government under Proprietors and Charters in America; and perceiving the irregularities of these Governments dayly to increase, to the prejudice of Trade and of your Majesties other Plantations in America, as well as of your Majesties revenue arising from the Customes here, we find ourselves obliged at present humbly to represent to your Majesty; That those Colonies in general have no ways answered the chief design for which such large Tracts of Land and such Priviledges and Immunities were granted by the Crown. That they have not conformed themselves to the severall acts of Parliament for regulating Trade and Navigation, to which they ought to pay the same obedience, and submit to the same Restrictions as the other Plantations, which are subject to your Majesties immediate Government; on the contrary in most of these Proprieties and Charter Governments, the Governours have not applyed themselves to your Majesty for your approbation, nor have taken the Oaths required by the acts of Trade, both which Qualifications are made necessary by the late Act for preventing frauds and regulating abuses in the Plantation Trade. That they have assumed to themselves a power to make Laws contrary and repugnant to the Laws of England, and directly prejudicial to Trade, some of them having refused to send hither such Laws as they had enacted, and others having sent them but very imperfectly. That diverse of them have denyed appeals to your Majesty in Councill, by which not only the Inhabitants of those Colonies but others your Majesties subjects are deprived of that benefit, enjoyed in the Plantations, under your Majesties immediate Government, and the parties agrieved are left without remedy from the arbitrary and Illegal proceedings of their Courts. That these Colonies continue to be the refuge and retreat of Pirates and Illegal Traders, and the receptacle of Goods imported thither from foreign parts contrary to Law: In return of which Commodities those of the growth of these Colonies are likewise contrary to Law exported to Foreign parts; All which is likewise much incouraged by their not admitting appeals as aforesaide.