dress." Symptoms of violent ferment in the public mind appeared in several places before the arrival of the stamps in America.

the

In 1697 rumors spread over New Eng- the united applications of all who are land that a French armament from Eu- aggrieved, all may happily obtain rerope and a land force from Canada were about to fall upon the English colonies. Such an expedition had actually been ordered from France; and it was placed under the command of the Marquis of Nesmond, an officer of great reputation. He was furnished with ten men-of-war, a galiot, and two frigates; and was instruct. ed to first secure the possessions in the extreme east, then to join 1,500 men to be furnished by Count Frontenac, and proceed with his fleet to Boston Harbor. After capturing Boston and ravaging New England, he was to proceed to New York, reduce the city, and thence send back the troops to Canada by land, that they might ravage the New York colony. Nesmond started so late that he did not reach Newfoundland until July 24, when a council of war decided not to proceed to

Boston.

All New England was alarmed, and preparations were made on the seaboard to defend the country. The Peace of Ryswick was proclaimed at Boston Dec. 10, and the English colonies had repose from war for a while.

In Boston was a great elm, under which "Sons of Liberty" held meetings, and it was known as "Liberty Tree." On its branches the effigies of leaders among the supporters of the British ministers were hung. The house of Secretary Oliver, who had been appointed stampdistributor, was attacked by a mob (Aug. 15, 1765), who broke his windows and furniture, pulled down a small building which they supposed he was about to use as a stamp-office, and frightened him into speedy resignation. At that time Jonathan Mayhew, an eloquent and patriotic preacher in Boston, declared against the Stamp Act from the pulpit, from the text, "I would they were even cut off which trouble you." The riots were renewed on Monday evening after this sermon preached. The house of Story, registrar of the admiralty, was attacked (Aug. 26) and the public records and his private papers were destroyed; the house of the comptroller of customs was plundered; and the rioters, maddened by spirituous liquors, proceeded to the mansion of Lieu

was

Nearly a tenth part of Boston was consumed by fire on March 20, 1760, in about four hours. It began, by accident, at Cornhill. There were con- tenant-Governor Hutchinson, on North sumed 174 dwelling-houses, 175 warehouses and other buildings, with merchandise, furniture, and various articles, to the value of $355,000; and 220 families were compelled to look to their neigh bors for shelter. The donations from every quarter for the relief of the sufferers amounted to about $87,000.

As soon as intelligence of the introduction of the Stamp Act into Parliament reached Boston, a town meeting was called (May, 1764), and the rep resentatives of that municipality were instructed to stand by the chartered rights of the colonists; to oppose every encroachment upon them; to oppose all taxation then in contemplation; and concluded by saying, "As his Majesty's other Northern American colonies are embarked with us in this most important bottom, we further desire you to use your best endeavors that their weight may be added to that of this province, and that, by

Square, carried everything out of it, and burned the contents in the public square. Among his furniture and papers perished many valuable manuscripts relating to the history of Massachusetts, which he had been thirty years collecting, and which could not be replaced. The better part of the community expressed their abhorrence of the acts, yet the rioters went unpunished, an indication that they had powerful sympathizers. Indemnification for losses by the officers of the crown was demanded by the British government and agreed to by Massachusetts. Hutchinson received $12,000; Oliver, $645; Story, $255; Hallowell, $1,446.

The commissioners of customs arrived in Boston in May, 1768. and began their duties with diligence. The sloop Liberty, belonging to John Hancock, arrived in Boston Harbor June 10, with a cargo of wine from Madeira. It had been determined by leading merchants and citizens

to resist these custom-house officers as attacked these soldiers with stones, pieces of ice, and other missiles, daring them to fire. One of the soldiers who received a blow fired, and his companions, mistaking an order, fired also. Three of the populace were killed and five were dangerously wounded. The leader of the mob (who was killed) was a powerful mulatto or Indian named Crispus Attucks. The mob instantly retreated, when all the bells of the city rang out an alarm, and in less than an hour several thousands of exasperated citizens were in the streets. A terrible scene of bloodshed might have ensued had not Governor Hutchinson assured the people that justice should be vindicated in the morning. They retired, but were firmly resolved not to endure military despotism any longer. The governor was called upon at an early hour to fulfil his promise. The people demanded the instant removal of the troops from Boston and the trial of Captain Preston and his men for murder. Their demands were complied with. The troops were removed to Castle William (March 12), and Preston, ably defended by John Adams and Josiah Quincy, two of the popular leaders in Boston, was tried and acquitted, with six of his men, by a Boston jury. This loyalty to justice and truth, in the midst of unreasoning public excitement, gave the friends of the Americans in England a powerful argument in favor of being just towards the colonists.

illegal tax-gatherers, and when the tide waiter, as usual, went on board the Libcrty, on her arrival, just at sunset, to await the landing of dutiable goods on the dock, he was politely received and invited into the cabin to drink punch. At about 9 P.M. he was confined below, while the wine was landed without entering it at the custom-house or observing any other formula. Then the tide waiter was sent on shore. In the morning the commissioners of customs ordered the seizure of the sloop, and Harrison, the collector, and Hallowell, the comptroller, were directed to perform the duty. The vessel was duly marked, cut from her moorings, and placed under the guns of the Romney, a British ship-of-war, in the harbor. The people were greatly excited by this act, and the assembled citizens soon became a mob. A large party of the lower class, headed by Malcolm, a bold smuggler, pelted Harrison with stones, attacked the office of the commissioners, and, dragging a custom-house boat through the streets, burned it upon the Common. The frightened commissioners fled for safety on board the Romney, and thence to Castle William, in the harbor. The Sons of Liberty, at a meeting at Faneuil Hall (June 13), prepared a petition, asking the governor to remove the war-ship from the harbor. The Council condemned the mob, but the Assembly took no notice of the matter.

66

The "Boston Tea Party" is a popular The British troops in Boston were a name given to an occurrence in Boston continual source of irritation. Daily oc- Harbor in December, 1773. To compel currences exasperated the people against Great Britain to be just towards her the soldiers. The words 66 tyrant" and American colonies, in the matter of enrebel" frequently passed between them. forced taxation in the form of duties upon Finally an occurrence apparently trifling articles imported into the colonies, imposed in itself led to riot and bloodshed in the by English navigation laws, the merchants streets of Boston. A rope-maker quarrelled of the latter entered into agreements not with a soldier and struck him. Out of to import anything from Great Britain this grew a fight between several soldiers while such oppressive laws existed. The and rope-makers, when the latter were consequence was British manufacturers beaten; and the event aroused the more and shipping merchants felt the loss of excitable portion of the citizens. A few the American trade severely. The Parlia evenings afterwards (March 5, 1770) ment had declared their right to tax the about 700 of them assembled in the streets colonists without their consent; the latfor the avowed purpose of attacking the ter took the position that "taxation withtroops. Near the custom-house a sentinel out representation is tyranny," and rewas assaulted with missiles, when Captain sisted. The quarrel had grown hotter Preston, commander of the guard, went and hotter. Some of the duties were reto his rescue with eight men. The mob moved under pressure; but several arti

cles, among them tea, were still burdened mense indignation meeting of the citizens by duties in 1773. The English East India Company felt the loss of their American customers for tea, of which they had the monopoly, most severely, and of fered to pay the government, as an export duty, more than the threepence a pound exacted in America, if they might deliver it there free of duty. The government considered itself in honor bound to enforce

was held in the Old South Meeting-house, and, at twilight, on a cold moonlit evening, on Dec. 16, 1773, about sixty men, disguised as Indians, rushed, by preconcert, to the wharf, boarded the vessels, tore open the hatches, and cast 340 chests of tea into the waters of the harbor. See HUTCHINSON, THOMAS.

When intelligence reached London of the

its laws, just or unjust, instead of con- destruction of tea in Boston Harbor there ciliating the Americans by compliance. It was almost universal indignation, and the allowed the East India Company to take friends of the Americans were abashed. their tea to America on their own account Ministerial anger rose to a high pitch, and free of export duty. As this arrangement Lord North introduced into Parliament would enable the Americans to procure (March 14, 1774) a bill providing for the their tea as cheaply as if it were duty shutting-up of the port of Boston and free, the ministry supposed they would removing the seat of government to Salem. submit. But there was a principle which The measure was popular. Even Barré the colonists would not yield. However and Conway gave it their approval, and small the tax, if levied without their con- the Bostonians removed their portraits sent, they regarded it as oppressive. They from Faneuil Hall. Violent language was refused to allow any cargo of tea even used in Parliament against the people of to be landed in some of their ports. Ves- Boston. "They ought to have their town sels were sent immediately back with their cargoes untouched. Two ships laden with tea were moored at a wharf in Boston, and the royal governor and his friends attempted to have their cargoes landed in defiance of the popular will. An im

knocked about their ears and destroyed," said a member, and concluded his tirade of abuse by quoting the factious cry of the Romans, "Delenda est Carthago." Burke denounced the bill as unjust, as it would punish the innocent for the sins