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CHAPTER III.

THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.-THROWING THE TEA INTO BOSTON HARBOR.-BATILE OF LEXINGTON.-BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.-DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.-ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.

BUT little doubt remains that the oppressive laws of Great Britain, in subjecting the colonists to pay tribute to the Mother Country, whilst they were denied a voice in the legislative department, led to the actual outbreak and hostilities, and the condition of their liberties instead of improving with the advancement of the age, were more circumscribed and shackled down by the Home Government. As early as the first settlement at Plymouth a spirit of Republican Freedom existed; still, with that veneration for the ties and customs that bound them to the laws and institutions of England, they long endured, with calm resignation, the heavy hand of the English Government.

But this state of affairs at last developed amongst the masses a spirit of discontent, and soon energetic and patriotic leaders were found to protest against the domination of English rule. They claimed for the colonists the rights of freemen, as granted to them by the Magna Charta and Bill of Rights, whilst England claimed the right of canceling the Colonial Charters, and reducing them to the absolute rule of the British Parliament, without their having a voice in the making of the laws by which they were governed. The Colony of Plymouth as early as the year 1636, and Maryland in 1650, and again Massachusetts in 1661, declared by

their Legislatures, that taxes should not be levied. upon them, but by the consent of the colonists. Other States followed these examples. Rhode Island, in 1664; Massachusetts and New York, in 1672, passed laws by their Legislatures, declaring it to be the exclusive right of the colonists to levy taxes, as also to legislate for the whole affairs of the Colonies. Virginia, in 1676, claimed the same privileges, and New Jersey, in 1680, demanded that their consent should be given to all laws, before they could be binding on the people.

From a very early period in the history of America. the general power of the British Parliament to legislate upon the general policy of commerce, was acknowledged by the colonists. From quite an early date it was contended, that as to taxation and the general internal affairs of the Colonies, the Parliament had no right to legislate. The Charters under which they held their existence were indefinite and vague as to the extent of powers granted, and limit having been set or defined as to where the power rested to legislate, the colonists, at each act of the Parliament, tending to abridge their liberties as Englishmen, became restive and turbulent; whilst the Parliament, at each complaint and resentment, became indignant and malignant, until at the time of the revolt, the Home and Colonial Governments stood arrayed in bitter antagonism against each other.

The Colonies were filled with the dependent hirelings of the British King, in the collection of customs and taxes levied for the support of royalty in the British Empire, contrary to the will of the colonists; but the most oppressive of all were the Acts of Parliament, prohibiting the importation and exportation of certain

classes of goods under many pains and penalties. Massachusetts, owing to her large commercial interests, felt more keenly than any other the burden of these most unjust acts, and made common cause against the tyranny of her unnatural parent. English troops were constantly kept quartered on the citizens of Boston, to coerce them into subjection. Importation leagues were formed in Boston, New York, and many other cities, and a determination formed not to pay the heavy duties imposed by England-all of which went into the royal coffers. The continued petitions of the colonists had the duties abolished in 1773, upon many leading articles. They were continued, however, on tea, large shipments of which were made to Charleston, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. In December, 1773, cargoes of tea arrived at Boston. The people called public meetings, and declared that it should not be landed-that no duties should be paid on it. These meetings determined that it should be returned to England in the same ships in which it was brought to America. This was refused, and the people en masse boarded the ships, breaking open the boxes and emptying large quantities of tea into the ocean. This act incensed the Parliament, which in the following spring passed a bill called the "Boston Port Bill," which provided "for discontinuing the landing and shipping of goods, wares, and merchandise at Boston, or the harbor thereof, and for the removal of the Custom House with its dependencies to the town of Salem." This Act was to continue during the pleasure of the King, and was certainly ill-calculated to allay the irritations of the citizens of Boston. Carrying the stern dictates of the Crown still further on, an Act was next passed "for the better regulating the

government of the Province of Massachusetts Bay." By this Act all legislation by the Colony ceased, and all officers were to be appointed by the King. The people were not allowed to hold public meetings, and were deprived of the selection of juries. These were to be selected by the Sheriffs, who were appointed by the King. Massachusetts had become the special subject of English hatred and oppression, and her people now to a man took a determined stand against the tyranny of the Parliament, and invoked the sympathy and coöperation of her sister Colonies in a combined resistance.

On the arrival of the news of the "Boston Port Bill," the Legislature of Virginia, being in session, extended its sympathies toward Massachusetts, at which the Governor taking offense, dissolved the Assembly; they, however, before they dispersed, recommended to their sister Colonies the meeting of deputies annually, in a general Congress, for deliberation and general coöperation, and action in all measures pertaining to the general welfare of the Colonies. And here was the starting point of the legislative branch of the American nation. The other Colonies gladly acquiesced in the proposition. The House of Representatives of Massachusetts, being assembled at Salem, entered into the idea of calling the proposed Congress, and passed resolutions urging upon the people of the Colony the necessity of such coöperation, and appointed five delegates to the Convention; the Governor, on learning of this action, dissolved the Assembly.

The colonists proceeded with the election of delegates to this Convention, or Congress, and their meeting was held at Philadelphia, on the 5th day of September, 1774; to this Congress the leading men of the Colonies were elected, with instructions to make no concessions until

the grievances complained of should be redressed, and the oppressive legislation of Parliament be repealed. An agreement was entered into and signed by this body, for themselves and their constituents, that if the oppressive laws of Great Britain in relation to the Colonies should not be repealed before the 10th day of September, 1775, no merchandise should be exported to England. An address to the people of the Colonies, as also an address to the King, was presented by this body, and on the 26th of October the Congress dissolved, having recommended that another Congress should meet on the 11th of May, should their grievances not be redressed. Parliament was not disposed, however, to listen to the supplications or petitions of those whom they regarded as their vassals, but declared the intention of reducing these refractory colonists to a completely dependent and servile condition. News of this determination at once dispelled all hope of any amicable adjustment, and the colonists at once entered upon a vigorous preparation for defense, in case of encroachments on the part of England. Their operations were much retarded by the officious interposition of the many appointees of the King throughout the Colonies; still the preparations went on, arms and ammunition were manufactured and accumulated, and the people were determined to make a death struggle to obtain what they called the rights of Englishmen-not to be taxed without representation. The British troops and officers were cruel and tyrannical.

April 18th, 1775, a detachment of about eight hundred regulars were dispatched by Governor Gage, to proceed to Concord, and destroy the military stores accumulated there by the colonists. On the 19th, hav ing reached Lexington, about six miles distant from

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