and loan it to the colonists, they paying their tax thus in the form of interest."

"That is a good plan," said Townshend; "I had myself thought of it. Nevertheless the "good plan" was not passed, and the Revenue Bill was.

Townshend's next scheme was that a suspension act be passed. "By that I mean," he said, "an act by which the Assemblies of the colonies be made to suspend disband — until the colonists are ready to agree to take care of our troops as we have asked them to."

The Suspension Act was passed and Townshend perhaps showed his true spirit when he said, "This will teach the colonies a lesson!"

When the Revenue Bill reached the colonies no words can express the indignation of the colonists. "This is an insult," they said. "Paper, glass, paint, tea! Mere trifles! Has this bill been passed as an intended insult? Intolerable!"

In Boston, a meeting was called in Faneuil Hall and a vigorous protest made.

A long, fiery debate followed — no, not a debate, for not a man was present who did not agree with the speakers, that this Revenue Bill was an insult and an added offense. At the close of the meeting, a document was drawn up petitioning the king. In the petition, the colonists declared that home industries must be encouraged; that some fifty or more articles would no longer be imported from England since these could readily be made in the colonies themselves. "The time has come," said one speaker, "when we must make England's king and his ad

visors understand that it is not the amount of taxation which we resist, but that it is the principle.'

When this petition reached England, the Ministry was indignant. "This," they said, "is what comes from having given way to the colonies in the Stamp Act. We have taught them that we are afraid of them, that we dare not legislate against them."

"We had supposed," said one member of Parliament," that America would be grateful for all we have done for her. We had supposed that she would gladly give her part towards removing the heavy debt that was incurred in protecting her from the French and Indians! Alas, alas! the pernicious idea of independence has seized upon the American colonies and already they unite to injure our trade! This combination is, I say, illegal. They have no right to combine against our sovereign! Let us destroy this combination. It may be that we cannot force America to buy of us, but at least we may break up this combination!"

"There is but one thing to do," said Lord North, Chancellor of the Exchequer after Charles Townshend, and who had now succeeded the Duke of Grafton as Prime Minister. "That is to send troops to Boston and force these rebellious colonists into obedience. "And how shall it be done?"

"We can seize upon their commerce."

"They complain that we have already done that." "There is more that we can do, and we will. We can close the Boston Port, since the Puritans of Boston seem to lead in this insolence."

forbidding any merchant vessels to pass either in or

out of the Boston Port. This was a serious thing to do-closing a port whatever insolence the Cabinet may have felt had been offered them by the rebellious colonists; for to close a port means to cut off trade, and that means cutting off money with which to buy food. The Cabinet, however, was at its dull wits' end; they saw only that something must be done.

The news of the Port Bill was, therefore, sent across the ocean. The vessel bearing it came sailing up into the harbor one bright morning and the officer on board went at once to the governor.

It would be impossible to describe the scenes that followed. The people as a whole were in a fury of rage. Riots and mobs threatened, and it was all that the authorities could do to prevent bloodshed. More sober citizens, however, were very brave; for they realized the full meaning of the act. It was one that no self-respecting colony could overlook or attempt to conciliate. There was nothing for a colony thus besieged except open rebellion. And open rebellion meant-The thoughtful men dared not think what it meant, for down in their hearts they knew that but one thing remained for them - open rebellion, and the throwing off of English rule. This no one wished to do; for in all things the colonists would have been glad to remain Englishmen and loyal to the English government. All they asked was fair treatment in their commercial life, which meant to them nothing more nor less than their means of making their living.

Indignation spread through the colonies as rapidly as the news could be carried; and when Salem heard what had happened to Boston, she sent a messenger to say that the tradesmen of Salem would gladly welcome the merchant ships into their own port, and that they would in every way in their power assist the Boston merchants in loading their merchandise upon the outgoing ships.

This and many other expressions of rebellion against the Boston Port Bill only increased the anger of Lord North and his cabinet; and in the end, as we all know, General Gage appeared in Boston Harbor with troops, which he landed, ordering them to pitch their camp upon Boston Common.

This was one of the last acts of King George and his Minister, Lord North. It was, indeed, the last straw upon the already bending backs of the colonists. Meetings were now held in all parts of the thirteen colonies. All realized that something must be done. And so it came about that on the Fourth of July, 1776, the leading merchants and others met in convention to decide what step would best be taken in replying to King George. In the end, as we know, they voted for a "Declaration of Independence" to the King of England and from the English Government. This document was signed by the leading and most influential men of the colonies, one-fourth of them merchants, who were qualified to speak upon matters relating to the suppression of

commerce.

TOPICS FOR CLASS RESEARCH

Rockingham.
Mutiny Act.

Compensation Bill.

General Warrant.

What Restrictions were Removed.

Townshend.

Ireland's Support of Its Own Affairs.

External and Internal Taxes.

Revenue Bill.

Suspension Act.

The Petition.

Boston Port Bill.

NOTE TO TEACHERS The next period of study upon the Constitution should be devoted to the study of the Declaration of Independence.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

In Congress, July 4, 1776

THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever