A Defence of the New England Charters

work by Drummer

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June 25, 2026

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Jeremiah Dummer's A Defence of the New-England Charters (1715) is a significant work arguing against any changes to existing New England charter rights. Written in response to parliamentary challenges, Dummer employed Lockean principles to defend these rights. The pamphlet was later recognized by John Adams as a notable American production. Dummer served as a colonial agent for both Massachusetts and Connecticut, diligently advocating for their interests before the British government. His work is considered a key defense of colonial liberties against potential royal or parliamentary infringements on established charters.1

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Jeremiah Dummer
…most notable action was his A Defence of the New-England Charters, a work written in 1715. This pamphlet used Lockean precepts to argue against any alterations of existing New England charter rights, after they had been attacked in Parliament. The work was later praised by John Adams, who called it…
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…most notable action was his A Defence of the New-England Charters, a work written in 1715. This pamphlet used Lockean precepts to argue against any alterations of existing New England charter rights, after they had been attacked in Parliament. The work was later praised by John Adams, who called it…
Read More