In government as well as in trade a new era came to the colonies in 1763.
~ Albert Bushnell Hart
In some of the middle colonies the towns and counties were both active and had a relation with each other which was the forerunner of the present system of local government in the Western States.
The participation of the people in their own government was the more significant, because the colonies actually had what England only seemed to have, - three departments of government.
Everywhere among the English-speaking race criminal justice was rude, and punishments were barbarous; but the tendency was to do away with special privileges and legal exemptions.
