ment admirably facilitated such confederation. Boston celebrated the anniversary of the first bloodshed; and upon those days the voice of impassioned oratory spoke to the people as it were from the grave. All was marked by a deep religious enthusiasm, which provoked the jeers of a licentious soldiery, and these in turn became hoarded hate, gathered for a day of vengeance in the hearts of the people. The young literature of the colony, not refined it may be, but not corrupted either, poured its sure, healthy light upon the people's path, from essay and sermon, and , speech and song. And while nervous pens traced the way of freedom in the field of letters, the peasant tried his carbine lock, and felt the edge of his forgotten spear.

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92

Our confined limits deny a distinct place and specific mention to very many important facts crowding the annals, not alone of New England, but of all the colonies, during the few eventful years intervening between the passing of the revenue act and the commencement of hostilities. The career of parliament, hurrying from one step to another, sometimes arbitrary, sometimes vindic tive, and sometimes vacillating-the quarrels of the house of assembly in Boston with the governor, and his recrimination-the successive town meetings, sustaining the assembly-the occasional outbreaks the sympathy of all the other colonies manifesting itself in strong resolutions, remonstrances, and memorials though occurring at different intervals, and requiring each a separate history, might be said, in their action and rec

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reac

tion, to be cotemporary and simultaneous, so vast

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

63

was the field of their operations. While imperial was wealth, luxury, and commerce were ebbing from the deserted town of Boston, the current of Henry's eloquence, equally irresistible, was, at the distance of a thousand miles, bringing to every homestead in Virginia that untold power, the consciousness of liberty's presence and the obligation to guard it. Ere yet the arms of America and England clashed, no man had a higher or nobler place in the contest; but events of magnitude exclude individual history here; and many other men, in their own and the other colonies— sedulous, faithful, sleepless watchers-followed or shared his example and glory.

In the midst of the ferment, General Gage arrived at Boston, to unite in his person the civil and military command, succeeding at the same time Governor Hutchinson and Colonel Dalrymple. He was received with outward decency, but with inward distrust and dread. The Americans, assured that they saw in his appointment the true complexion of England's purpose, redoubled their own activity and wariness. A speech attributed to a leading patriot, a short time previous, gives us a true insight into the character of American patriotism. We have room but for a short extract. Thus he addressed a public meeting:

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"It is not the spirit that vapours within these stand us in stead. The exertions walls that will of this day will make a very different spirit necessary for our salvation. Whoever supposes that shouts and hosannas will terminate the trials of the day, entertains a childish fancy. We must be grossly ignorant of the importance and value

for whi

to evil pt veffod of the prize to equally ignorant of the power of those who have combined against us; we must

mnz & bsto7 bas 19h10 we contend; we must be

that

malice, inveteracy, and insatiable revenge which actuate our enemies, in public and private, abroad and in our bosom, to hope that we shall end this controversy without the sharpest conflicts; to flatter ourselves that popular resolves, popular harangues, popular acclamations, and popular vapour, will vanquish our foes."

This speech closed the deliberations of the meeting which suggested the experiment of consigning the tea to the deep.

The military genius of General Gage, irritated by the stubborn obedience of the council and legislature of Boston, resolved at once to push imperial authority to the uttermost. The general court of Massachusetts assembled soon after his arrival. He intimated to them his intention of adjourning the sittings to Salem, but the courtproceeded with the utmost despatch to complete the business, and principally the resolutions and addresses recommending a continental congress. The governor, on receiving information of this, suddenly adjourned the court to the 7th of 177 June, at Salem. His proclamation, summoning the adjourned meeting, met with prompt/ alacrity, but the members had scarcely assembled at the time and place appointed, when a counter!! proclamation, to dissolve them, was forwarded by the governor's secretary. His arrival was) announced, and the doors closed against him. He read the court proceeded with business, heedless of the

profBlith on the stairs, but the

10 More HT

order, and voted a sum of

to five of

their members, to meet the delegates of the other colonies at a Congress to be held in Phila delphia.

On the 4th of September this august 1774. body opened its sittings. It was composed of the men in whose courage and ability America had most confidence. When delegates are elected for posts of danger as well as honour, the voice of faction is silent, or finds no echo. Choice is unencumbered with more than one consideration -who is the greatest and best man; and never yet was the salvation of an empire committed to truer hearts than on this occasion. Most of those whose names have shed everlasting light on America's history, took part in the deliberations.*

The following are the members of this Congress: NEW HAMPSHIRE John Sullivan and Nathaniel Ful

MASSACHUSETTS BAY James Bowdine, Thomas, Cushing, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and R. Freate Paine.

RHODE ISLAND-Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward. CONNECTICUT-Ephilat Dyer, Roger Sherman, and

Silas Deane

NEW YORK, &c.-James Duan, Henry Wisner, John Jay, Philip Livingston, Isaac Low, John Alsop, and William Floyd.

PENNSYLVANIA

-Joseph Galloway, Charles Hum phreys, Samuel Rhoads, George Ross, John Morton, Thomas Mifflin, Edward Biddle, and John Dickenson. DELAWARE-Cæsar Rodey, Thomas M'Cann, and George Read. 159702 gilt yd

MARYLAND Robert Goldsborough, Thomas Jolinson, William Paed, Samuel Chace, Matthew Falghman, H VIRGINIA Peyton Randolph, Richard H. Lee, George

esTheirs resolutions and addresses bespeak the presence of useful and matured talent. Wisdom and forbearance impressed their character on the sternest resolves that ever a people formed. Their various addresses were committed to the abilities and discretion of sub-committees, consisting of some of the ablest members; and their clear, succinct, and manly compositions marked the genius of those who afterwards took a leading part in raising up a great empire, and consolidating its security and glory. The chief organisation recommended by Congress was that of a common union, reliance upon each other and upon justice, and a prompt purpose of at any time meeting the worst, while they waited for a satisfactory adjustment as the result of the memorials and remonstrances they had addressed to the monarch, parliament, and people of Great Britain. They also addressed letters to their neighbours of Canada, invoking them, in the name of American liberty, to abstain at lenst from joining in the project for their enslavements and, concluding with an address to their fellowcountrymen solemnly commending them to the care of a merciful Providence, and pointing out to them that all further compromise with England would be shame and slavery that memorable 5 legoitibbe gainszews Washington, Patrick Henry, Richard Poland, Benjamin Harrisson, "and Edmund Pendleton.

NORTH CAROLINA-William Hooper, Joseph Hughes, Richard Cowell.

SOUTH CAROLINA Henry Meddleton, John Rutledge, Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsen, Edward Rutledge.