till the act for blocking up this harbour be repealed, the same will prove the salvation of North America and her liberties."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 people of 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. Sec. 25. During these transactions in Massachusetts, measures had been taken to convene a Continental Congress. On the 4th of Sept., 1774, deputies from eleven colonies met at Philadelphia, and elected Peyton Randolph, the then late speaker of the Virginia Assembly, president, and Charles Thompson, Secretary. After considerable debate, it was agreed that each colony should have one equal vote. Having settled the manner of voting, the congress proceeded to the discharge of the high trust committed to them. They 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. This congress, having finished their business in less than eight weeks, dissolved themselves, after recommending another congress to be con vened on the 10th of May ensuing, unless the redress of their grievances should be previously obtained. Although the power of this congress was only advisory, their resolutions were approved, not only by the people, but also by the authorities, whether established, or provisional, and exerted a commanding influence in consummating that union among the colonies, which had been increasing with their grievances. The following are the names of members composing the congress of 1774. New-Hampshire. John Sullivan, Massachusetts. James Bowdoin, Stephen Hopkins, Connecticut. Eliphalet Dyer, Roger Sherman, Silas Deane. Pennsylvania. Joseph Galloway, John Dickenson. Delaware. Cæsar Rodney, Thomas M'Kean, George Read. William Paca, Samuel Chase, Matthew Tilghman. Virginia. Peyton Randolph, North-Carolina William Hooper, Richard Caswell. South-Carolina. Henry Middleton, Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsden, 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. The tone and temper of their various resolutions, the style of their addresses, and the composition of the several public papers, contributed, in every particular, to excite the admiration of the world. Born and educated in the wilds of a new world, unpractised in the arts of polity, most of them inexperienced in the arduous duties of legislation, differing in religion, manners, customs, and habits, as they did in their views of the nature of their connexion with Great Britain; that such an assembly, so constituted, should display so much wisdom, sagacity, foresight, and knowledge of the world; such skill in argument; such force of reasoning; such firmness and soundness of judgment; so profound an acquaintance with the rights of men; such genuine patriotism; and above all, such unexampled union of opinion, was indeed a political phenomenon to which history has furnished no parallel. 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 cele brated 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. Sec. 26. An assembly was ordered by Gov. Gage, of Massachusetts, to convene Oct. 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 adjourned 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 get in readiness twelve thousand men to act in any emergency; and that one fourth part of the militia should be enlisted 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 thou sand men. Sec. 27. Early the next year, Jan. 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 troubles in America. But the efforts of this venerable and peace-making man wholly failed, the bill being rejected by a majority of sixty-four to thirty-two, without even the compliment of lying 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. Sec. 28. 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 Lieut. 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 ordered his soldiers to fire. From Lexington, the detachment proceeded to Concord, and destroyed the stores. After killing several of the militia, who came forth to oppose them, they retreated to Lexington with some loss, the Americans firing upon them from behind walls, hedges, and buildings. |