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IMPRESSMENT ATTEMPTED.

lic feeling was such that no attempt was made to prosecute those who had engaged in the riot.

About the same time, too, further excitement was created by the attempt of some of the officers of the Romney to impress seamen from the city, in direct violation of an act of Parliament (the 6th Anne,) which provided that "no mariner, or other person, who shall serve on board, or be retained to serve on board any privateer, or trading ship, or vessel, that shall be employed in America, nor any mariner or person, being on shore in any part thereof, shall be liable to be impressed or taken away by any officer or officers of, or belonging to, her majesty's ships of war." The Bostonians, therefore, sent a petition to the governor requesting that he interfere in the matter and not only restore the impressed seamen to freedom, but also prevent a recurrence of such an outrage. They state that while awaiting an answer to a petition to the king, an armed force had invaded them and impressed and imprisoned their fellow-subjects, contrary to an act of Parliament, and that "on account of the obstruction of their navigation, the situation of the town was nearly such as if war had been formally declared against it. To contend against our parent state, is, in our idea, the most shocking and dreadful extremity; but tamely to relinquish the only security we and our posterity retain for the enjoyment of our lives and properties

without one struggle, is so humiliating and base, that we cannot support the reflection."'*

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Meanwhile news had arrived at Boston that two regiments had started from Halifax for that city, and that an officer had been dispatched by General Gage from New York to provide quarters for these troops. On September 12, 1768, therefore, a town meeting was held, Otis being again chosen moderator, at which a petition was drawn up to Governor Bernard, asking him to summon a new General Court.t Under instructions, the governor refused. It was therefore decided to hold a convention of the people, the reason assigned being prevailing apprehensions of a war with France," and when this meeting convened, the people were advised to provide themselves with fire arms at the earliest possible moment and to observe a day of fasting and prayer.|| On September 22 delegates from 96 towns and 4 districts met and again petitioned the governor to summon a General Court, but Bernard peremptorily refused and denounced the meeting as treasonable. A petition to the king was then adopted by the convention, and a letter sent to the colonial agent in England defending

* Pitkin, Political and Civil History of the United States, vol. i., p. 229. See also Hosmer, Samuel Adams, p. 110 et seq.

Tudor, Life of Otis, p. 330.
Bancroft, vol. iii., pp. 307–308.

|| Tudor, Life of Otis, pp. 332-333; Hutchinson, History of Massachusetts, vol. iii., p. 205.

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TROOPS ARRIVE FROM HALIFAX.

their actions.* Such," says Mr. Hildreth, was the first of those popular conventions, destined within a few years to assume the whole political authority of the colonies."† Attempts were made to find traces of high treason in what had been done, but there was no sufficient ground upon which the colonists could be indicted on that charge and no other law that exactly fitted their case. DeGrey said: "Look into the papers and see how well these Americans are versed in the crown law; I doubt whether they have been guilty of an overt act of treason, but I am sure they have come within a hair's breadth of it.t

As

The day after the convention dissolved, the troops arrived from Halifax. The Council refused to provide quarters for the troops, and it was feared even that the towns-people might make an attempt to prevent

*Hutchinson, p. 210; Bancroft, vol. iii., pp. 310-311; Hosmer, Samuel Adams, pp. 121-124; Fiske, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 58.

Hildreth, History of the United States, vol. ii., p. 547.

‡ Bancrofu, vol. iii., p. 312.

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their landing. To forestall such action, the men-of-war in the harbor turned their guns on the town, and under their cover the troops were sent ashore with muskets loaded, bayonets fixed, and artillery ready for action at any moment. One of the regiments was temporarily assigned to Faneuil Hall, while the other pitched tents about the town. The next morning the governor ordered that a portion of the troops occupy the State House, with the exception of the Council Chamber, and that a guard with two field-pieces be stationed at the front. Boston now began to assume the appearance of a town in a state of siege, all the public buildings being filled with troops, and sentinels guarding the streets. Even people on their way to and fro from church were challenged by the soldiers.*

*Hutchinson, History of Massachusetts Bay, vol. iii., p. 215; Howard, Preliminaries of the Revolution, pp. 197-198; Kidder, History of the Boston Massacre, p. 115; Gordon, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 248 (ed. 1788); Stedman, American War, vol. i., p. 67.

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PARLIAMENT RESOLVES TO ENFORCE OBEDIENCE.

CHAPTER IV.

1769-1774.

ENGLAND FAILS IN ATTEMPTS AT RECONCILIATION.

Parliament recommends vigorous measures to enforce obedience Resolutions and address adopted by the Virginia House of Burgesses - The House dissolved - Non-Importation agreements adopted - Dispute between the governor and the General Court in Massachusetts - The General Court requests the removal of Bernard- Refuses to accede to governor's request-Is prorogued Resistance becomes universal Temporizing spirit of New York — McDougall imprisoned — Lord Hillsborough's circular to the colonies — Vacillating course of the British ministry-Presence of the militia in Boston irritates the colonists - "The Boston Massacre"- Trial of the soldiers-Controversy between Hutchinson and the Massachusetts Assembly-Proposals in Parliament to repeal all duties except on tea - Committees of correspondence advocated-The Gaspée affair - Franklin and the Hutchinson letters - The Virginia House of Burgesses dissolved - Attempt to force a tax on tea - Various meetings of protest - Boston Tea Party - Tea parties in other colonies- The king's obstinacy.

When Parliament opened in 1769, such papers as related to the colonies, and particularly those relating to the recent affairs in Boston, were laid before the two Houses for consideration. In the joint address to the king, both Houses recommended that vigorous measures be instituted to enforce obedience to the various acts passed by Parliament, and the king was also requested to direct the governor of Massachusetts to make strict inquiries regarding all acts of treason in Massachusetts since 1767, in order that all persons who committed treasonable acts might be transported to England for trial.* This proposal gave great offence to the colonists. When news of the proceedings reached America, the Massachusetts legislature was not in session, but the

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pp. 394

Lecky, History of England, vol. iii., 395; Bancroft, vol. iii., p. 322 et seq.; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. i., pp. 130-131; Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 75 et seq.

Virginia House of Burgesses, meeting in May, 1769,* were not backward in expressing their opinion regarding the proceedings. On May 16 they passed the following spirited resolutions:

“Resolved, nemine contradicente, That the sole right of imposing taxes on the inhabitants of this his Majesty's colony and dominion of Virginia, is now, and ever has been, legally and constitutionally vested in the House of Burgesses, lawfully convened, according to the ancient and established practice, with the consent of the Coun cil, and of his Majesty, the King of Britain, or his Governor for the time being.

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RESOLUTIONS AND ADDRESS OF VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY.

of right to be had and conducted in and before his Majesty's courts held within his said colony, according to the fixed and known course of proceeding; and that the seizing of any person or persons residing in this colony, suspected of any crime whatsoever committed therein, and sending said person or persons to places beyond the sea to be tried, is highly derogatory of the rights of British subjects, as thereby the inestimable privilege of being tried by a jury from their vicinage, as well as the liberty of summoning witnesses in such trial, will be taken away from the party accused.

66 Resolved, nemine contradicente, That an humble, dutiful and loyal address be presented to his Majesty, to assure him of our inviolable attachment to his sacred person and government, and to beseech his royal interposition, as the father of his people, however remote from the seat of his empire, to quiet the minds of his loyal subjects of this colony, and to avert from them those dangers and miseries which will ensue, from the seizing and carrying beyond the sea any person residing in America suspected of any crime whatsoever, to be tried in any other manner than by the ancient and long established course of proceeding."

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After ordering these resolutions to be sent to the various colonial assemblies, the House adopted the following address to his Majesty:

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'May it please your Majesty

"We, your Majesty's most loyal, dutiful, and affectionate subjects, the House of Burgesses of this, your Majesty's ancient colony of Virginia, now met in General Assembly, beg leave in the humblest manner to assure your Majesty, that your faithful subjects of this colony, ever distinguished by their loyalty, and firm attachment to your Majesty and your royal ancestors, far from countenancing traitors, treason, or misprisions of treason, are ready at any time to sacrifice our lives and fortunes in defence of your Majesty's sacred person and government.

"It is with the deepest concern, and most heartfelt grief, that your Majesty's dutiful subjects of this colony find that their loyalty has been traduced, and that those measures, which a just regard for the British Constitution (dearer to them than life) made necessary duties, have been

* Henry, Life of Patrick Henry, vol. i., pp. 138

139.

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represented as rebellious attacks upon your Majesty's government.

"When we consider that by the established laws and constitution of this colony, the most ample provision is made for apprehending and punishing all those who shall dare to engage in any treasonable practices against your Majesty, or disturb the tranquillity of the government, we cannot, without horror, think of the new, unusual, and permit us with all humility to add, unconstitutional and illegal mode recommended to your Majesty, of seizing and carrying beyond the sea the inhabitants of America suspected of crime; and trying such persons in any other manner than by the ancient and long established course of proceeding. For, how truly deplorable must be the case of a wretched American, who having incurred the displeasure of any one in power, is dragged from his native home and dearest domestic connections, thrown into prison, not to await his trial before a court, jury or judges, from a knowledge of which he is encouraged to hope for speedy justice; but to exchange his imprisonment in his own country, for fetters among strangers, conveyed to a distance where no friend, no relation, will alleviate his distresses, or minister to his necessities, and where no witnesses can be found to testify to his innocence; shunned by the reputable and honest, and consigned to the society and converse of the wretched and the abandoned, he can only pray that he may soon end his misery with his life.

"Truly alarmed at the fatal tendencies of these pernicious counsels, and with hearts filled with anguish, by such dangerous invasions of our dearest privileges, we presume to prostrate ourselves at the foot of your Royal throne, beseeching your Majesty, as our king and father, to avert from your faithful and loyal subjects of America, those miseries which must necessarily be the consequence of such measures. After expressing our firm confidence in your Royal wisdom and goodness, permit us to assure your Majesty, that the most fervent prayers of your people in this colony are duly addressed to the Almighty, that your Majesty's reign may be long and prosperous over Great Britain, and all your dominions, and that, after death, your Majesty may taste the fullest fruition of eternal bliss, and that a descendant of your illustrious House, may reign over the extended British empire until time shall be no more." *

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NON-IMPORTATION AGREEMENTS.

When Norborne Berkeley, Lord de Botetourt, governor of Virginia, became aware of the proceedings of the Assembly, he suddenly dissolved it, but such dissolution did not abate the spirits of the patriots of that colony. Assembling in the Apollo room of the Raleigh tavern,* the members of the Assembly elected their speaker, Peyton Randolph, moderator, and immediately passed some resolutions (drafted by George Mason, and presented by Washington†) against importing or purchasing British commodities or any slaves until their

rights were confirmed.‡ After sign

ing the agreement, the burgesses sent copies throughout the colonies for other signatures. The other colonies followed suit, and non-importation agreements became general - Boston, Salem, New York and Connecticut previously having entered into similar agreements.||

On May 31, 1769, the General Court of Massachusetts met at Bos

* See Jefferson's Autobiography in Ford's ed. of Jefferson's Writings, vol. i., p. 7.

Sparks, Life of Washington, p. 110; Irving, Life of Washington, vol. i., p. 378.

Parton, in his Life of Thomas Jefferson, p. 95, gives a list of the articles enumerated in this agreement.

The South in the Building of the Nation, vol. i., p. 75; Frothingham, Rise of the Republic, pp. 233-240; Ford's edition of Washington's Writings, vol. ii., p. 367; Burk, History of Virginia, vol. iii., p. 345; T. E. Watson, Life and Times of Thomas Jefferson, pp. 61-65; Cooke, Virginia, p. 401; White, Historical Collections of Georgia, pp. 4244; Bancroft, vol. iii., p. 347 et seq.; Roberts, New York, vol. ii., pp. 375-376. On the effect of the non-importation agreement at New York, see Lamb, City of New York, vol. i., pp. 743-744.

ton and passed a resolution to the effect that it was impossible for them to hold a session in the midst of an armed force, Otis being appointed chairman of the committee to present a remonstrance to Bernard.* Upon receiving their request that the troops be removed, Governor Bernard declared that he had no authority over the troops. In answer to this assertion, a committee (of which Samuel Adams was a member), declared "That the king was the supreme executive power through all parts of the British empire, and that the governor of the province, being the king's lieutenant and captaingeneral and commander-in-chief, it indubitably follows that all officers, civil and military, within the colony are subject to his Excellency."† The House thereupon resolved that they would not transact any business whatever, nor vote any supplies, until the governor had acceded to their wishes, whereupon Bernard adjourned the refractory House to Cambridge.‡ The governor then informed the House that he was about to go to England, whereupon the House passed a petition that he be removed from office. The governor, in retaliation, called upon the House not only to refund such expenses as had been incurred in finding quarters for the troops, but also to provide them other

*Tudor, Life of Otis, p. 341.

† Hosmer, Samuel Adams, p. 136. Tudor, Life of Otis, pp. 342–344.

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