failure of the schemes of Loche and Cooper to form
"Fundamental Constitutions," a splendid government, in 1669, was
completed. The "constitutions" were signed in March, 1670, and were
highly lauded in England, as forming the wisest scheme for human
government ever devised. Monk, Duke of Albemarle, was created palatine
or viceroy for the new empire, who was to display the state parade of
his office, with landgraves, barons, lords of manor and heraldry, among
the scattered settlers in pine forests, living in log cabins with the
Indians. Never was a more ludicrous idea entertained with any degree of
seriousness; yet, so far as the proprietors were concerned, this
splendid government was established; but the simple settlers had
something to say; and when the governor of the Albemarle county colony
attempted to introduce the new government, they said, "No." They had a
form of government of their own, far better adapted to their social
circumstances than the one sent from England, and they resolved to
adhere to it.

All attempts to enforce obedience to the new form of government, all
oppressive taxation imposed upon the people, and especially the
commercial restrictions authorized by the English navigation laws,
produced wide-spread discontent. Most particularly was this fostered by
refugees from Virginia, who had been engaged in Bacon's rebellion, and
who sought personal safety among the people below the Roanoke. These
refugees, smarting under the lash of tyranny, scattered broadcast over
the generous soil the germinal ideas of popular freedom, and successful
oppression was made difficult, if not impossible.

At this period, North Carolinia did not contain four thousand
inhabitants. They carried on a small trade in tobacco, maize and fat
cattle with the merchants of New England. This sort of smuggling was
perhaps excusable, when we consider the grinding navigation laws of the
monopolists. The little vessels, trading between North Carolinia and New
England, brought many articles to the southern colonies, which they were
incapable of producing. English cupidity envied them their small
prosperity, and the navigation laws of 1672 were put in force. An agent
of the government appeared, who demanded a penny for every pound of
tobacco sent to New England. The colonists resisted the levy and the
tax-gatherer became rude and had frequent collisions with the people. On
one occasion, he went to the home of Francisco Stevens, a plante