turn to England, suddenly embarked
on board the Sea Horse man of war, leaving the controversy concerning
the extent of the executive power, to devolve on the lieutenant
governor.[127]

[Footnote 127: Hutchison.]

The house of representatives persisted in asserting its control over
objects which had been deemed within the province of the executive;
but its resolutions were generally negatived by the council. This
produced some altercation between the two branches of the legislature;
but they at length united in the passage of a resolution desiring
their agent in England to take the best measures for protecting the
interests of the colony, which were believed to be in danger from the
representations of governor Shute.

[Sidenote: Intrigues of the French with the Indians.]

During these contests in the interior, the frontiers had suffered
severely from the depredations of the Indians. The French had acquired
great influence over all the eastern tribes. Jesuit missionaries
generally resided among them, who obtained a great ascendancy in their
councils. After the cession of Nova Scotia to Great Britain, father
Rahle, a missionary residing among the savages of that province
exerted successfully all his address to excite their jealousies and
resentments against the English. By his acts, and those of other
missionaries, all the eastern Indians, as well as those of Canada,
were combined against New England. They made incursions into
Massachusetts, in consequence of which, some troops were detached to
the village in which Rahle resided, for the purpose of seizing his
person. He received intimation of their approach in time to make his
escape; but they secured his papers, among which were some showing
that in exciting the savages to war against the English colonists, he
had acted under the authority of the governor of Canada, who had
secretly promised to supply them with arms and ammunition.

{1726}

[Sidenote: Peace.]

Envoys were deputed with a remonstrance against conduct so
incompatible with the state of peace then subsisting between France
and England. The governor received this embassy politely, and, at
first, denied any interference in the quarrel, alleging that the
Indians were independent nations who made war and peace without being
controlled by him. On being shown his letters to Rahle, he changed his
language, and gave assurances of his future good offices in effecting
a peace. On the faith of these assur