200. Population.

CHAPTER XXIX.

COMMERCE OF THE COLONIES.

The colonies were now about to enter upon a course which would lead them to resistance against the mother country, and finally to independence. There were four New England, four Middle, and five Southern colonies, with an entire population of not more than two millions. The various industries at the North and at the South were rapidly yielding an abundance of products, especially agricultural. The excess beyond the demand for home consumption was more and more seeking foreign markets. 201. Experts and Imports. In 1763 the value of the colonial exports exceeded five million dollars, and the imports amounted to fully eight millions. Both exports and imports were rapidly increasing, notwithstanding the "Non-Importation Agreements" (1215). The significance of this will be best appreciated by bearing in mind that the studied policy of the mother country was designed to keep

the colonies dependent upon her, especially for manufactures and trade. Manufactures in America were prohibited. Iron works were denounced as "common nuisances." It was insisted that America must not make even a nail for a horseshoe unless Parliament gave its permission. In the Carolinas the making of turpentine and tar was prohibited. The manufacture of hats in one colony, to be sold in another, was not allowed. Printing was discouraged to such an extent that to print an English Bible would have been an act of piracy.

202. Navigation Laws. termed "Navigation Laws." gation Acts ( 172), making

Christopher Sower (or, as it was then spelled, Saur), a German, who was born in 1693 and emigrated to America in 1724, was a printer and publisher in Germantown, Pa. He began the publication of books in 1738, and continued it till his death, twenty years later. In 1743 he published a German Bible after Luther's translation. This was the first Bible printed in America in a European language. The first Bible printed in America was in the Indian language, and was published in 1663, at Boston. This was the famous Indian Bible translated by Rev. John Eliot, "the apostle to the Indians." Sower's German Bible contained 1284 pages, quarto, and was sold unbound for twelve shillings, and bound in full leather with clasps for eighteen shillings. The unbound copies were strongly sewed and fastened with a leather strap and buckle. Bancroft says that "No copy of the Bible in English was ever printed in these colonies till the land had become free."

Great Britain passed, in 1764, what were These laws extended the former NaviEngland a storehouse of Asiatic as well as of European supplies; diminished the drawbacks on foreign articles exported to America; placed imposts, especially on wines; established a revenue duty on foreign molasses, and increased the duty on sugar; made various regulations to sustain English manufactures, as well as to enforce more diligently the acts of trade; and absolutely prohibited all trade between the British provinces and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Of this act Bancroft says, it "had for the first time. the title of 'granting duties in the colonies and plantations of America;' for the first time it was asserted in the preamble that it was 'just and necessary that a revenue should be raised there.""

203. England's Repressive Policy. These acts to restrain the colonial trade were now put in operation. Numerous customs-officers were appointed, who received orders to proceed rigorously. Naval officers were encouraged to prey upon American commerce with the West Indies and other parts; vessels were constantly searched; confiscation usually followed, and an appeal cost more than the value of the goods.

204. The First Colonial Movement in Opposition. This state of things brought about the first movement in the struggle for union between the colonies. The Massachusetts Assembly, led by James Otis, protested against any attempt to create a standing army in America, to appoint officers who should not be responsible to the colonial assemblies, or to raise a revenue without the consent of these assemblies.

205. Increase of Colonial Commerce. It surely is surprising that under all these adverse circumstances the foreign trade of the colonies should rapidly increase. On the New England coast, numerous shipyards produced vessels. of various kinds and sizes, which were at once engaged in carrying on the commerce of the colonies, or were sold in foreign harbors. Large quantities of salt fish were carried to the various countries of Europe. Lumber, fish, and breadstuffs were sent to the West Indies

James Otis was one of the foremost men in moulding the public sentiment of the colonies so as to bring about that condition of affairs which resulted in the Revolution and in independence. He was a man of great genius and ardent temper. He was impetuous and commanding as an orator, and as a lawyer stood at the head of his profession in Boston. He was born in 1725, and died in 1783. His public career began with his famous speech against the "Writs of Assistance," in 1761. From that time he was the leader of the popular party. He published "The Rights of the Colonies Vindicated," a masterpiece of argument. He wrote many articles for the "Gazette," denouncing in severe terms the calumnies of some of the customs-officers. For this he was personally attacked in 1769, and received a deep cut on his head which has sometimes been assigned as the cause of his subsequent insanity. was a representative to the General Court in 1771, but subsequently, his mind having become seriously impaired, he took no active part in public affairs.

He

to be exchanged for molasses, which, on its arrival, was often converted into New England rum.

CHAPTER XXX.

TAXATION.

206. Taxation. -The causes of the American revolution all lead back to, and cluster around, the one word "taxation." On this subject there was an English theory and an American theory. The imperial Parliament claimed the right to levy taxes not only in Great Britain, but in her colonies as well; the American theory denied its right of taxation in the colonies.

207. The American Theory. The colonists professed loyalty to the king, but they did not acknowledge the authority of Parliament. They claimed that their relations were only with the crown. If, therefore, the British government needed money from the American colonies, it must be raised by the voluntary taxation of the colonies themselves, and not by a tax levied by Parliament.

208. The English Theory. The English theory, on the other hand, was that the British Parliament had grown in its powers and

claims into an "Imperial Parlia ment" which was to give the law to the whole empire; hence Parliament had passed the Navigation Laws.

209. Writs of Assistance. When smuggling had become so common that these acts were practically dead-letters, English officers were granted writs of assistance. These writs authorized customhouse and naval officers to enter a man's store or even his dwellinghouse whenever they pleased, to search for smuggled goods. The first use of these writs was especially opposed by James Otis, who declared them to be contrary to the English constitution. The General Court of Massachusetts protested, and appointed a committee to secure union of action. This was the first general movement for union on the part of the colonies. "Here Independence was born."

210 The Stamp Act. In March, 1765, Parliament passed the famous Stamp Act, which made it obligatory upon the colonies to have all legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, etc., written or printed upon stamped paper, purchased of the British government. Dr. Franklin wrote to Mr. Charles Thompson, afterwards Secretary of Congress, "The sun of liberty is set; you must light up the candles of industry and economy." Mr. Thompson answered that he was apprehensive that other lights would be the consequence, and predicted the opposition. that followed.

211. Effects upon the Colonies. Great commotion followed the passage of this act throughout the colonies. The houses of British officers were mobbed; the agents for the sale of the stamps were seized; and the people agreed to use only articles of home manufacture. Various branches of home industry vastly increased their product. At Harvard College in 1770, the graduating class took their diplomas in "homespun" suits. Associations were formed, called the "Sons of Liberty," with the express design of resisting the law. The act was to go into effect on the first of November. On that day business was very generally suspended, bells were tolled, flags were at half-mast, and the day was widely observed as a day of mourning. Such men as James Otis, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Patrick Henry made stirring addresses to the people.

212. Stamp Act Congress. On the 7th of October, 1765, the first American Congress assembled in New York. This was the first union of the American people represented by delegates elected by each separate colony, for the purpose of considering their rights and privileges, and of obtaining a redress for the violation of them on the part of the mother country. In all its votes these representatives recognized each colony as equal to any other, "without the least claim for pre-eminence, one over the other." This was called the "Stamp Act Congress."

213. Action of this Congress. It petitioned the king, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords. It also

put forth a declaration of colonial rights.

A Famous Speech. It was at this time that Patrick Henry made his famous speech before the House of Burgesses at Williamsburg, Va. against parliamentary taxation. This address gave Mr. Henry a great reputation throughout the country. While descanting on the tyranny of the obnoxious act, he exclaimed, in a voice and with a gesture which stirred the house, "Cæsar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third-" "Treason!" shouted the speaker. "Treason! treason!" echoed from every part of the house. Without faltering for an instant, but rising to a loftier attitude, and fixing on the speaker an eye which seemed to flash fire, Mr. Henry added with the most thrilling emphasis, "may profit by their example! If this be treason, make the most of it."

Its action was only declaratory; there was no attempt to legislate; and the importance of the meeting was simply that it demonstrated the possibility of union between the colonies.

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