were seen in crowds directing their course to the same place, to become spectators of a scene as novel as the enterprise was bold. Without noise, without the tumult usual on similar occasions, the tea was taken from the vessel by the conspirators, and expeditiously offered as an oblation "to the watery god." 22. Intelligence of these proceedings was communicated, in a message from the throne, to both houses of parliament, on the 7th of March, 1774. The excitement was peculiarly strong. In the spirit of revenge against Massachusetts, and particularly against Boston, which was considered as the chief seat of rebellion, a bill was brought forward, called the "Boston Port Bill,” by which the port of Boston was precluded from the privilege of landing or discharging, or of loading and shipping goods, wares, and merchandise. A second bill, which passed at this time, essentially altered the charter of the province, making the appointment of the council, justices, judges, &c. dependent upon the crown, or its agent. A third soon followed, authorizing and directing the governor to send any person indicted for murder, or any other capital offence, to another colony, or to Great Britain, for trial. 23. On the arrival of these acts, the town of Boston passed the following vote: "That it is the opinion of this town, that, if the other colonies come into a joint resolution to stop all importation from Great Britain and the West Indies, till the act for blocking up this harbor be repealed, the same will prove the salvation of North America and her liberties." Copies of this vote were transmitted to, each of the colonies. As an expression of their sympathy with the peopleof Boston in their distress, the house of burgesses in Virginia ordered that the day on which the Boston port bill was to take effect, should be observed as a day of fasting and prayer. Obs. The words Whigs and Tories were, about this time, introduced as the distinguishing names of parties. By the former was meant those who favored the cause of Boston, and were zealous in supporting the colonies against the parliament; by the latter was meant the favorers of Great Britain. 24. During these transactions in Massachusetts, measures had been taken to convene a continental congress. On the fourth of September, 1774, deputies from eleven colonies met at Philadelphia, and elected Peyton Randolph, the then late speaker of the Virginia assembly, pres ident, and Charles Thompson, secretary. During its session, this body agreed upon a declaration of their rights; recommended the non-importation of British goods into the country, and the non-exportation of American produce to Great Britain, so long as their grievances were unredressed; voted an address to his majesty, and likewise one to the people of Great Britain, and another to the French inhabitants of Canada. The congress, which thus terminated its session, has justly been celebrated, from that time to the present; and its celebrity will continue, while wisdom finds admirers, and patriotism is regarded with veneration. Both at home and abroad they were spoken of in terms of the highest admiration. Abroad, the Earl of Chatham, in one of his brilliant speeches, remarked of them :"History, my lords, has been my favorite study; and in the celebrated writings of antiquity have I often admired the patriotism of Greece and Rome; but, my lords, I must declare and avow, that, in the master states of the world, I know not the people, or senate, who, in such a complication of difficult circumstances, can stand in preference to the delegates of America assembled in general congress at Philadelphia." At home, they were celebrated by a native and popular bard, in an equally elevated strain : Now meet the fathers of this western clime Nor names more noble graced the rolls of fame, Not deeper thought the immortal sage inspired, Not manlier eloquence the bosom fired, When genius thundered from the Athenian tongue. 25. An assembly was ordered, by Gov. Gage of Massachusetts, to convene October 5th; but before that period arrived, judging their meeting inexpedient, he counteracted the writs of convocation, by a proclamation. The assembly, however, to the number of ninety, met at Salem, where the governor not attending, they ad journed to Concord. Here they chose John Hancock president, and, after adjourning to Cambridge, drew up a plan for the immediate defence of the province, by enlisting men, appointing general officers, &c. In November, this provincial congress met again, and resolved to equip twelve thousand men, to act in any emergency; and to enlist one fourth part of the militia as minute-men. At the same time, a request was forwarded to Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, jointly to increase this army to twenty thousand men. 26. Early the next year, January 7th, 1775, Lord Chatham, Mr. Pitt, after a long retirement, resumed his seat in the house of lords, and introduced a conciliatory bill, the object of which was to settle the trouble. in America. But the efforts of this venerable and peacemaking man wholly failed, the bill being rejected by a majority of sixty-four to thirty-two, without even the compliment of laying it on the table. The rejection of this bill was followed the next day by the introduction of a bill, which finally passed, to restrain the trade of the New England provinces, and to forbid their fishing on the banks of Newfoundland. Soon after, restrictions were imposed upon the middle and southern colonies, with the exception of New York, Delaware, and North Carolina. This bill, designed to promote disunion among the colonies, happily failed of its object. Thus we have given a succinct account of the system of measures adopted by the ministry of England toward the American colonies after the peace of '63-measures most unfeeling and unjust; but which no petitions, however respectful, and no remonstrances, however loud, could change. Satisfied of this, justice permitted the people, and self-respect and self-preservation loudly summoned them, to resist by force. 27. The crisis, therefore, had now arrived, the signal of war was given, and the blood shed at Lexington opened the scene. Gen. Gage, the king's governor of Massachusetts, learning that a large quantity of military stores had been deposited by the provincials at Concord, detached Licut. Col. Smith, and Major Pitcairn, with eight hundred grenadiers, to destroy them. On their arrival at Lexington, on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, seventy of the militia, who had hastily assembled upon an alarm, were under arms on the parade. Eight of these were, without provocation, killed, and several wounded. The greatest precaution was taken by Governor Gage, to prevent the intelligence of this expedition from reaching the country. Officers were dispersed along the road to intercept expresses, who might be sent from Boston. But the precaution proved ineffectual. The alarm was given, and was rapidly spread by means of church bells, guns, and volleys." The slaughter of the militia at Lexington was extremely wanton. Major Pitcairn, the British commander, on seeing them on the parade, rode up to them, and, with a loud voice, cried out, "Disperse, disperse, you rebels; throw down your arms and disperse. The sturdy yeomanry not immediately obeying his orders, he approached nearer, discharged his pistol, and orderea his soldiers to fire. From Lexington, the detachment proceeded to Concord, and destroyed the stores. After killing several of the militia, who care forth to oppose them, they retreated to Lexington with some loss, the Americans firing upon them from behind walls, hedges, and buildings. Fortunately for the British, here Lord Percy met them, with a reinforcement of nine hundred men, some marines, and two field-pieces. Still annoyed by the provincials, they continued their retreat to Bunker's Hill, in Charlestown, and the day following crossed over to Boston. The British lost, in killed and wounded, during their absence, two hundred and seventy-three. The loss of the Americans amounted to eighty-eight killed, wounded and missing. 28. Hostilities having commenced, it was deemed important to secure the fortresses of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Accordingly, a number of volunteers from Connecticut and Vermont, under command of Col. Ethan Allen and Col. Benedict Arnold, marched against Ticonderoga, and, on the 10th of May, took it by surprise, the garrison being asleep. The fortress of Crown Point surrendered shortly after. On the arrival of Allen at Ticonderoga, he demanded the fort. By what authority?" asked the commander. "I demand it, said Allen, "in the name of the great Jehovah, and of the continental congress." The summons was instantly obeyed, an the fort was, with its valuable stores, surrendered. |