CH. XII.] MASSACHUSETTS' DELEGATES TO CONGRESS. resolutions, recommending to the citizens of Boston to be firm and patient, to the people through the province to assist their brethren in the metropolis, and to all to refrain entirely from the use of British goods, and of other foreign articles subject to a duty; conceiving this to be a lawful and most efficient means of convincing the parent government of their opposition to the recent oppressive measures, and of prevailing on ministers to relax in their arbitrary and severe conduct towards Massachusetts. They also requested the governor to appoint a day for public religious worship and prayer. And as he declined doing it, they themselves recommended the observance of a particular day for that solemn service. But the most important measure adopted at this eventful period, and in preparing which a large committee was occupied through the greater part of the session, was that of choosing five members of the House as delegates to a General Continental Congress; and of giving immediate information thereof to all the other colonies, with a request that they would appoint deputies for the same purpose. The preamble to the resolution for choosing delegates to meet in a General Congress-which was adopted by a vote of a hundred and sixteen to twelve-states concisely the reason which induced the House to adopt this important measure. It was as follows: 315 of opinion, that a meeting of committees from the several colonies on this continent is highly expedient and necessary, to consult upon the present state of the country, and the miseries to which we are and must be reduced by the operation of certain acts of Parliament; and to deliberate and determine upon wise and proper measures, to be by them recommended to all the colonies, for the recovery and establish ment of our just rights and liberties, civil and religious; and the restoration of union and harmony between Great Britain and America, which is most ardently desired by all good men."* Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, James Bowdoin, and John Adams, were appointed delegates on the part of Massachusetts, to meet similar delegates from the other colonies, in Philadelphia, on the first of September. Gage, ascertaining what was going on, sent his secretary to dissolve the House: that officer, finding the door locked, read the proclamation of the governor on the steps leading to the chamber. This was the last session of the House under royal authority. The members, however, continued in * Professor Smyth, in his valuable Lectures on Modern History, gives what he conceives were the causes that led to the war being prosecuted as it was against the American Colonies :--1st, a deplorable ignorance of or inattention to the great leading principles of political economy; 2d, a blind, disgraceful selfishness in regard to mere matters of money and taxes; 3d, an overweening national pride; 4th, very "These "This House, having duly considered, high principles of government; 5th, a certain vuland being deeply affected with the unhappy differences which have long subsisted and are increasing between Great Britain and the American colonies, are garity of thinking on political subjects. discreditable causes may be said, in a general way, to have led to the destruction of the British empire England were concerned."-Smyth's "Lectures on in America, as far as the legislators and people of Modern History,” p. 558, 59. session till their business was com- hither, and for our benefit, but nature, pleted. in the formation of our harbor, forbids our becoming rivals in commerce to that convenient mart; and were it otherwise, we must be dead to every idea of justice, lost to every feeling of humanity, could we indulge one thought to seize on wealth, and raise ourselves on the ruins of our suffering neighbors." The inhabitants of Marblehead also generously offered to the Boston merchants the free use of their wharves and warehouses, and their personal attendance upon the lading and unlading of their goods. In Virginia, the first of June was observed with all due solem that he fasted rigidly, and attended the services appointed in the church. Similar manifestations of public grief took place in most of the cities. A stillness reigned over Philadelphia, and the whole city exhibited signs of deep distress. On the first of June, the day designated for the closing the port of Boston and erecting Salem into the metropolis, all business was finished at twelve o'clock, at noon, and the harbor was shut up against all vessels. As that seaport was entirely dependent upon commerce, the ministerial measure cut off at once the means of subsistence of a great part of its citizens. The Bostonians, however, endured their sufferings with the most inflexible fortitude. The non-importation agreement was revived and extended, and the significant title was adopted, "Anity, and Washington notes in his diary, Solemn League and Covenant." Gage issued a proclamation against this compact as illegal and even treasonable. But he was not able to prevent the spread of the "league." Addresses and congratulations poured in upon them from all sides, and they received more substantial proofs of the sympathy of their fellow colonists, in contributions raised for their relief, which, only very partially mitigated the severity of their distress. If the English government, whose policy was always to foment a collision of interests between the different colonists, flattered themselves that the inhabitants of Salem would secretly rejoice at a measure that promised to enrich them on the ruin of Boston, they were speedily disabused. The inhabitants of that port concluded an address to General Gage in terms most honorable to their patriotic sympathy:-"By shutting up the port of Boston, some imagine that the course of trade might be turned 1774. Late in the summer, the second and third of the coercive enactments of Parliament reached Boston. In accordance with the terms of the former, a list of the civil officers appointed by the governor, was soon made known, and gave great dissatisfaction, as they were among the most unpopular characters in the province. To add to the anxiety which now pervaded every breast, a large military force was ordered into the province, an act of Parliament having been passed, which directed the governor to provide quarters for them in any town he might choose. "Thus the charter," as Bradford forcibly remarks, “the palladium of their rights and privileges, CH. XII.] THE PEOPLE ROUSED UP. under the shelter of which they had formerly felt themselves safe, at least from systematic tyranny, was wantonly violated by the arbitrary will of a favorite minister. They were to be governed entirely by strangers, and those in whom they had no confidence; and foreign mercenaries were provided to stifle the murmurs occasioned by oppression, and to check the efforts of a generous patriotism, which ministerial threats had not been able to silence or prevent. The intelligent citizens who composed the committees of correspondence, and others distinguished by their activity and firmness, were openly threatened by the servile tools of despotism, and marked out as victims to appease a tyrannical administration. But, happily for their countrymen, and happily for posterity, they were not moved from their high purpose by the menaces of the corrupt or powerful. Satisfied of the justice of their cause, they resolved to attempt every thing, and hazard every thing, for its support." The people, as if by instinct, seemed to apprehend that the result must lead to a contest of force against force. Nothing, says Botta, was heard but the din of arms, or the sound of fifes and of drums; everywhere multitudes were intent upon learning the military exercise and evolutions; young and old, fathers and sons, and even the gentle sex, bent their steps towards these martial scenes; some to acquire instruction, others to animate and encourage. The casting of balls, and making of cartridges, were becoming ordinary occupations. War, with all its severity, seemed to be at hand. The troops of 317 General Gage had been quartered in the city of Boston; they were reinforced by several regiments, coming from Ireland, from New York, from Halifax, and from Quebec; all directed upon this point, to smother the kindling conflagration. The inhabitants beheld this with incredible jealousy, which was still increased by an order of the general, to place a guard upon Boston Neck. The pretext assigned was, to prevent the desertion of the soldiers, but the real motive of this step was to intimidate the inhabitants, that they might not so freely as they had done. heretofore, transport arms from the city into the country. Every day gave birth to new causes of contention between the soldiers and the citizens. Popular rumors were circulated rapidly, and heard with avidity; and the people assembled frequently, as ready at any moment for open revolt. Gage resolved to fortify Boston Neck, a measure which still further exasperated the people; and, as if this was not enough, he sent to Charlestown, and seized upon a quantity of powder in the magazine there. The people of the neighboring towns flew to arms, and agreed on Cambridge as a general rendezvous; and it was with great difficulty that they were dissuaded, by their more prudent leaders, from marching at once to Boston, to require the restoration of the pow der, or, in case of refusal, to attack the garrison. Their presence at Cambridge, however, induced several gentlemen to resign their appointments as counsellors under the late act of Parliament, and to declare they would not take any part in carrying into execution the obnox ious measures of the ministry. Before the agitation occasioned by this movement was tranquilized, a rumor was, probably not without design, rapidly circulated throughout the whole province, that the garrison and fleet were firing on the town of Boston; and in a few hours some thirty thousand men, under arms, set out for Boston. When satisfied that the report was without foundation, they quietly dispersed: yet it must have been a significant indication to General Gage, who had used such valorous language to the king, that the people would not shrink from the use of arms, if they felt it necessary, in order to defend their hearths and homes. capital, elected delegates to meet for the purpose of taking into consideration the most proper course to be adopted in the present state of affairs. With a boldness and decision surpassing that of any former Assembly, they passed resolutions declaring themselves constitutionally exempt from all obedience to the late measures of the British Parliament, that the government of the province was in fact dissolved, and that they should consider all persons who dared to act in any official capacity under the new regulations, as open enemies of their country. They sent a copy of their resolutions, and of their letter to the governor, with his answer, to the Continental Congress which had just commenced its session. This illustrious body of patriots assembled on the 5th of September, in the city of Philadelphia. Fifty-three delegates appeared from twelve of the co- 1774. lonies, Georgia alone being unrepresented.* Generally the delegates had been elected by the authority of the State legislatures; but, in some instances, a different system had been pursued. In New Jersey, and Maryland, the elections were made by a com The governor was virtually blockaded in Boston, with hardly a shadow of power, the real administration of the province having been assumed by a popular convention. The recent acts were completely nullified. Juries refused to serve under a system which they denounced as a violation of the charter, and the judges often made matters worse by attempting to decide causes without the aid of juries. This served to aggravate the people, who asserted "that they knew no court inde-mittee chosen in the several counties pendent of the ancient laws of their country, and none other would they acknowledge." Every day the feeling of hatred and revenge seemed to acquire strength,-sad precursor of the blood and carnage of a civil war! Early in September, in defiance of the act of Parliament, and the governor's proclamation founded upon it, prohibiting public Assemblies, the county. of Suffolk, of which Boston was the for that particular purpose; and, in New York, where the royal party was very strong, and where it is probable no legislative act, authorizing an election of members to represent that colony in Congress, could have been obtained, the people themselves assembled in those places where the spirit of * The delegates from North Carolina did not arrive until the 14th of September. CH. XII.] OPENING OF THE FIRST CONGRESS. opposition to the claims of Parliament prevailed, and elected deputies, who were readily received into Congress. The powers, too, with which the representatives of the several colonies were invested, were not only variously expressed but of various extent. The venerable Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, was elected president, and Charles Thompson, of Philadelphia, secretary. A delicate question immediately arose as to the mode of proceeding to be adopted by Congress, as to how the members should vote, etc. After some discussion it was determined, with great discretion, that each colony should have only one vote, what- | ever number of delegates might be present. Congress then proceeded to business. "The most eminent men of the various colonies," says Mr. Wirt, writing from traditionary information, "were now, for the first time, brought together. They were known to each other by fame; but they were personally strangers. The meeting was awfully solemn. The object which had called them together was of incalculable magnitude. The liberties of no less than three millions of people, with that of all their posterity, was staked on the wisdom and energy of their counsels. No wonder, then, at the long and deep silence which is said to have followed upon their organization; at the anxiety with which the members looked around upon each other; and the reluctance which every individual felt to open a business so fearfully momentous. In the midst of this deep and death-like silence, and just when it was beginning to become 319 painfully embarrassing, Mr. Henry arose slowly, as if borne down by the weight of the subject. After faltering, according to his habit, through a most impressive exordium, in which he merely echoed back the consciousness of every other heart, in deploring his inability to do justice to the occasion, he launched gradually into a recital of the colonial wrongs. Rising, as he advanced, with the grandeur of his subject, and glowing, at length, with all the majesty and expectation of the occasion, his speech seemed more than that of mortal man. He sat down amidst murmurs of astonishment and applause; and, as he had before been proclaimed the greatest orator of Virginia, he was now, on every hand, admitted to be the first orator of America."* Henry was followed by Richard Henry Lee, in a speech scarcely less powerful, and still more replete with classic eloquence. One spirit of ardent love of liberty pervaded every breast, and produced a unanimity as advantageous to the cause they advocated as it was unexpected and appalling to their adversaries. But it was only in debate that these great orators seemed to surpass their fellow members: when matters requiring clear solid sense, discretion, and judgment, were before Congress, Henry and Lee found their equals and superiors. To give proper dignity and solemnity to the proceedings of Congress, a motion was made on the following morning, that each day's session should be opened with prayer. Samuel Ad * Wirt's "Life of Patrick Henry," p. 124. |