a stratagem, decoyed them into a swamp where his men lay in ambush. The Spaniards were surprised and completely routed. They immediately retreated to their ships, and returned to St. Augustine.

General Oglethorpe left Georgia in 1743, never again to return, and went to England. He had been dearly loved by the colonists, and his departure was greatly lamented. During Oglethorpe's stay in Georgia he had firmly prohibited the introduction of slavery in the colony; but soon after his departure, slaves were brought there and employed on the plantations.

The charter which had been obtained by Oglethorpe and his colleagues was granted to them for twenty-one years. The colony had proved extremely unprofitable to the trustees, and at the end of the term of years named in the charter they willingly gave up the instrument, and Georgia was from that time until the beginning of the war of independence, a royal province.

CHAPTER V.

CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION.

An act for taxing the American colonies was passed in the English parliament March 22d, 1765. Heavy expenses had been incurred by the English government for the protection of the colonies during the French and Indian war; and these, it was claimed, should be repaid by the colonists. The Americans would have been willing to have contributed their share, if they had been allowed to send representatives to the English parliament; but as they were not, they maintained that England had no right to tax them without their consent.

By the provisions of the Stamp Act, a tax was imposed on all paper used in business transactions. No deed, bond, note, agreement, receipt, lease or contract was valid, without a stamp costing from three pence to six pounds. Every newspaper was also required to be stamped, and for every advertisement they contained a duty of two shillings was imposed.

When the news of the Stamp Act reached America it caused great excitement and indignation among the people.

Patrick Henry was the youngest member of the legislature of Virginia. After waiting in vain for some of the older members to oppose it, he tore a fly leaf from an old law book, and drew up five resolutions, declaring that the sole right and power to levy taxes was vested in the General Assembly, and to vest that power in any other assembly was to destroy British, as well as American freedom. He spoke eloquently in favor of his resolutions; "and in the midst of an impassioned harangue, exclaimed," "Cæsar had his Brutus, Charles I. his Cromwell, and George III."-"Treason! treason!" was shouted from every part of the house-"may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.

The act was to go into operation on the 1st of November, and the excitement increased as the day approached. In Boston,

handbills were posted up, warning those who should use or distribute stamped paper to take care of their lives and property. The day was ushered in by the tolling of bells; flags were hung at half mast, and every sign of a funeral solemnity was displayed. In New York, ten boxes of stamps were destroyed by the people. The business men of both these places resolved to import nothing from England until the act was repealed. Domestic manufactures were commenced in almost every family. Homespun clothes were worn by the wealthiest as well as the middling classes.

In Boston, "a paper was issued, bearing for its device, a snake, on the head of which were the letters N. E. [New England], while the body was divided into several pieces, marked with the initials of the other colonies. The motto, join or die, explained its meaning. In New Hampshire, on the morning of the eventful day, the bells tolled, and the people assembled as for a funeral procession. A coffin, bearing the name of Liberty was borne to a grave on the shoulders of eight persons, to the sound of minute guns. A funeral oration was pronounced, and the coffin was lowered into the grave. Suddenly signs of life appeared. It was raised to the surface, and now bore the inscription, Liberty revived. Enthusiastic shouts from the multitude, and the triumphant sounds of drums and trumpets greeted the resurrection."

The obnoxious Stamp Act was repealed in March, 1766; but the parliament still maintained the right to tax the colonies.

Among other harsh measures resorted to by Great Britain was the Mutiny Act, obliging the colonies to find quarters and supplies for soldiers that were sent to keep them in order. These troops were stationed at New York and Boston. The people were exasperated against the troops, and finally blood. was shed in the streets of Boston.

A rope-maker got into difficulty with a soldier and struck him. Out of this grew an affray between several soldiers and ropemakers. A few evenings after this, about seven hundred citizens assembled for the purpose of attacking the troops. The

soldiers fired upon the citizens, and killed three and dangerously wounded several others. Then several thousand of the exasperated citizens collected, and a terrible scene of blood would have occurred, had not the governor assured the people that justice should be vindicated. Captain Preston and his men were tried for murder. Through the influence of John Adams and Josiah Quincy, Preston and all his men were acquitted, except two, who were found guilty of manslaughter.

Parliament still claimed the right to tax the colonies, and a duty was laid on glass, lead, tea, etc. In 1770, all the taxes, excepting the one on tea, were removed.

In 1773, several ships, laden with tea, entered the American ports, but the people determined not to receive it. In Boston, a party of men, disguised as Indians, marched to the wharf where the ships were anchored, and threw three hundred and forty-two chests of tea into the sea. The same feeling existed in New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. Ships that entered these ports were obliged to return to England without landing their cargoes.

The conduct of Boston produced a powerful sensation in the British Parliament, and harsh measures were now adopted toward this offending town. Parliament, by enactments, ordered the port of Boston to be closed against all commercial transactions, and the general court, the custom house, and other public offices should be removed to Salem.

All the American The merchants of Rice and money five hundred and

This Act was called the Boston Port Bill. colonies sympathized with the Bostonians. Salem offered their port to those of Boston. were sent them by the people of Georgia; twenty-five bushels of wheat were sent from New York; and sympathizers in London presented one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the poor of Boston.

In 1774 a Congress, composed of delegates from the thirteen colonies, met at Philadelphia. It was composed of the wisest and best men the colonies afforded. Among them were Washington, Patrick Henry and John Adams. Their meeting was

opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Duche, an Episcopalian clergyman. Mr. Adams says, "he prayed fervently and in language sublime and beautiful, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially the town of Boston."

This Congress, which was convened the 5th of September, remained in session until the 26th of October, when they adjourned to meet again the 10th of May, 1775. But before the second Congress assembled the people had armed themselves to protect their rights and establish their freedom.