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INFLUENCES IN PENNSYLVANIA.

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more leisure, was more given to pleasures and amuse- CHAP. ments to the sports of the turf, the cock-pit, the chase, and the gaming-table. His social habits often made him 1760. profuse, and plunged him in debt to the English or Scotch merchant, who sold his exported products and furnished him his foreign supplies. He was often improvident, and sometimes not punctual in his pecuniary engagements." The planters were hospitable. Living upon isolated plantations, they were in a measure deprived of social intercourse; but when opportunity served, they enjoyed it with a relish. As the Southerner was hospitable, so the Northerner was charitable. From the hard earnings of the farmer, of the mechanic, of the merchant, of the seafaring man, funds were cheerfully given to support schools, to endow colleges, or to sustain the ordinances of the gospel. In the South, colleges were principally endowed by royal grants.

In Pennsylvania was felt the benign influence of the disciples of George Fox, and its benevolent founder. The friends of suffering humanity, the enemies of war, the opponents of classes and ranks in society founded on mere birth, they recognized merit wherever found. There the human mind was untrammelled-conscious of a right derived from a higher authority than conventional law; there public posts were open to all-no tests intervened as a barrier. At this time the ardent aspirations of Benjamin Franklin in the pursuit of science received the sympathy of the people. In Philadelphia he was the means of founding an academy and free school, which grew into a university. Here was founded the first medical college in the colonies, the first public library, and the first hospital. Here, Bartram, the botanist, founded the first botanic garden; and here was formed the American Philosophical Society. Here lived Godfrey, the inventor of the quadrant, which bears the name of Hadley.

'Tucker's History of the United States, vol. i, p. 97.

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CHAP In New York, "the key of Canada and the lakes," were blended many elements of character. Here com1760. merce began to prevail, and here the arbitrary laws of the Board of Trade were vigorously opposed, and so often eluded, that Holland derived more benefit from the trade than England herself. It cost nearly as much as the amount of the import duties to maintain the cruisers and the "Commissioners of Customs." The "Dutch Republicans" had been for nearly a century pupils in the school where the "rights of Englishmen " were taught; they profited so much by the instruction, that they paid very little attention to the king's prerogative, and thought their own Legislature quite as respectable as the House of Commons.

Although the great majority of the Americans were the descendants of Englishmen, yet there were representatives from Scotland, from Ireland, from Wales, from France, from Holland, from Germany, from Sweden, and from Denmark. In religion, there were Churchmen and Dissenters, Quakers and Catholics. Though they differed in many minor points, and indulged in those little animosities which unfortunately too often arise between people of different nations and religions, yet they cherished a sympathy for each other. They were all attached to the mother country-the South, perhaps, more than the North; the former had not experienced so severely the iron hand of royal rule. Some strong external pressure was required to bind them more closely together, if ever they were to become an independent nation. That external pressure was not long wanting.

CHAPTER XXV.

CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE REVOLUTION.

Restrictions of Trade and Manufactures.-Taxes imposed by Parliament.Writs of Assistance.-James Otis.-Samuel Adams.-The "Parsons"" Case in Virginia.-Patrick Henry.-A Stamp Tax threatened.-Colonel Barre's Speech.-The Stamp Act.-Excitement in the Colonies.-Henry in the House of Burgesses.-Resolutions not to use Stamps.-" Sons of Liberty."-A Call for a Congress; it meets, and the Colonial Assemblies approve its Measures.-Merchants refuse to purchase English Merchandise.-Self-denial of the Colonists.-Pitt defends them.Franklin at the Bar of the House of Commons.-Stamp Act repealed.— Rejoicings.-Dartmouth College.

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THE industrious habits of the colonists were no less wor- СНАР. thy of notice than their moral traits. The contest with the mother country had its origin in her attempts to de- 1750. prive them, by means of unjust laws, of the fruits of their labor. For one hundred years she had been imposing restrictions on their trade and domestic manufactures. They were treated as dependants, and inferiors who occupied "settlements established in distant parts of the world for the benefit of trade." They could purchase from England alone, and only to her market could they send their products. That English merchants might grow rich at their expense, the products of Europe and Asia were first to be landed in England, and then reshipped to America in British vessels. The only trade not thus taxed, was that of negroes, they being shipped directly from Africa—a trade against which all the colonies earnestly, but in vain, protested. Even the trees

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CHAP. in the forest suitable for masts were claimed by the king, and marked by his "Surveyor-General of Woods." 1750. "Rolling mills, forges, or tilt-hammers for making iron," were prohibited as "nuisances." The House of Commons said "that the erection of manufactories in the colonies tended to lessen their dependency upon Great Britain; and the English ship-carpenters complained "that their trade was hurt, and their workmen emigrated, since so many vessels were built in New England." The hatter, because he could obtain his fur from the Indians without sending to England, was not permitted to sell hats out of his own colony. No manufacturer was permitted to have more than two apprentices. The government was unwilling that the colonists should make for themselves a single article which the English could supply.

1763.

These measures aroused a spirit of opposition, more especially among the frugal and industrious inhabitants of New England, whose manufactures, fisheries, and trade were almost ruined. There the people mutually agreed to buy of British manufacturers only what was absolutely necessary; rather than pay the English merchant exorbitant prices, they would deprive themselves of every luxury. Families determined to make their own linens and woollens, and to abstain from eating mutton, and preserve the sheep to furnish wool. It became fashionable, as well as honorable, to wear homespun. Associations were formed to promote domestic manufactures. On the anniversary of one of these, more than three hundred young women met on Boston Common, and devoted the day to spinning flax. The graduating class of Harvard College, not to be outdone in patriotism, made it a point on Commencement Day to be clad in homespun. Restrictions on trade did not affect the interests of the people of the South so much, as England could not dispense with their tobacco, rice, and indigo, and they had scarcely any manufactories.

Before the close of the French war, it was intimated

WRITS OF ASSISTANCE.

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that England intended to tax the colonies, and make CHAP. them bear a portion of the burdens brought upon herself by the mismanagement of her officials. Many plans were 1763. discussed and laid aside. Meantime the colonists denied the right of Parliament to tax them without granting them, in some form, representation in the government; they claimed a voice in the disposal of their money. They looked back upon their history, and were unable to discover the obligations they owed the king. They loved to think of Old England as the "home" of their fathers; they rejoiced in her glories and successes, and never dreamed of separating from her, until driven to that resolve by oppression. Yet visions of greatness, and it may be of independence, were floating through the minds of the far-seeing. John Adams, when a youth, had already written: "It looks likely to me, for if we can remove the turbulent Gallicks, our people, according to the exactest computations, will in another century become more numerous than England itself. Should this be the case, since we have, I may say, all the naval stores of the nation in our hands, it will be easy to obtain the mastery of the seas; and then the united force of all Europe will not be able to subdue us."

A special effort was now made to enforce the navigation laws, and to prevent the colonists from trading with other nations. This policy would have converted the entire people into a nation of smugglers and law-breakers, but for the strong religious influences felt throughout the land.

To enforce these laws, Parliament gave authority for using general search warrants, or "Writs of Assistance." These Writs authorized any sheriff or officer of the customs to enter a store or private dwelling, and search for foreign merchandise, which he suspected had not paid

'Life and Writings, vol. i. p. 23.

1761.

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