THE KING INSISTS ON TAXING TEA.

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their zeal against the slave-trade, they made a special CHAP. covenant with one another not to import any slaves, nor purchase any imported." To these resolutions were signed 1769. the names of Patrick Henry, Washington, Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, and, indeed, of all the members of the Assembly. Then they were sent throughout the colony for the signature of every man in it.

The non-importation associations produced their effect, and Lord North, who was now prime minister, proposed to remove all the duties except that on tea. That was retained at the express command of the king, whose maxim was, "that there should be always one tax, at least, to keep up the right of taxing." This removed part of the difficulty, for which the colonists were thankful; but they were still united in their determination not to import tea. For these concessions they were indebted to the clamors of those English merchants whose trade had been injured. For a year there was an apparent lull in the storm of popular feeling.

Governor Hutchinson issued a proclamation for a day of thanksgiving; this he required the ministers to read from their pulpits on the following Sabbath. He thought to entrap them, by inserting a clause acknowledging gratitude, "that civil and religious liberty were continued," and trade encouraged." But he sadly mistook the men. The ministers, with the exception of one, whose church the governor himself attended, refused to read the proclamation, but, on the contrary, agreed to "implore of Almighty God the restoration of lost liberties."

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The contest had continued so long that party lines began to be drawn. Those who favored the demands of the people, were called Whigs; those who sympathized with the government, were called Tories. These terms had been long in use in England, the former to designate the opposers of royalty; the latter its supporters.

Scarcely a colony was exempt from outrages commit

1770,

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CHAP. ted by those representing the royal authority. In New York the people, on what is now the Park, then known as 1770. the Fields, erected a liberty-pole. They were accustomed to assemble there and discuss the affairs of the colony. On a certain night, a party of the soldiers stationed in the fort cut down the pole. The people retaliated, and frequent quarrels and collisions occurred. Though these disturbances were not so violent as those in Massachusetts, they had the effect of exciting in the people intense hatred of the soldiers, as the tools of tyranny.

Jan.

An armed vessel, the Gaspé, engaged in the revenue service, took her position in Narraganset Bay, and in an insulting and arbitrary manner enforced the customs. Sometimes she wantonly compelled the passing vessels and market boats to lower their colors as a token of respect; sometimes landed companies on the neighboring islands, and carried off hogs and sheep, and other provisions. The lieutenant in command was appealed to for his authority in thus acting. He referred the committee to the admiral, stationed at Boston. The admiral haughtily answered: "The lieutenant is fulfilling his duty; if any persons rescue a vessel from him, I will hang them as pirates." The bold sailors and citizens matured their 1772. plans and executed them. The Providence packet, of a light draught and a fast sailer, was passing up the bay. The Gaspé hailed. The packet paid no attention, but passed on. Immediately the Gaspé gave chase. The packet designedly ran into shoal water near the shore; the Gaspé followed, and was soon aground,-the tide going out, left her fast. The following night a company men went down in boats, boarded her, made prisoners of the crew, and burned the vessel. A large reward was offered for the perpetrators of this bold act; though well known, not one was betrayed.

June

10.

of

The warehouses of the East India Company were filled with the "pernicious weed," and the company proposed

A TAX IMPOSED ON TEA.

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to pay all its duties in England, and then export it at CHAP. their own risk. This would remove the difficulty, as there would then be no collections of the duty in American 1772. ports. But the king was unwilling to sacrifice his maxim, and Lord North seems to have been incapable of comprehending, that the Americans refused to pay the duty on tea, not because it was great or small, but because they looked upon a tax thus imposed as unjust. He therefore virtually proposed to the company to pay three-fourths of the duty in England; to save the king's maxim, the government would collect the other fourth, or three pence on a pound, in America. It was suggested to North, that the Americans would not purchase the tea on those conditions. He replied: "It is to no purpose the making objections, for the king will have it so. The king means to try the question with the Americans."

Meantime public opinion in the colonies was becoming more and more enlightened, and more and more decided. 66 We must have a convention of all the colonies," said Samuel Adams. And he sent forth circulars inviting them to assert their rights, when there was a prospect of success. He saw clearly that the king and Parliament were resolved to see whether the Americans would or would not acknowledge their supremacy.

When the conditions became known on which tea was to be imported, the people took measures to prevent its being either landed or sold. In Philadelphia they held a meeting, and requested those to whom the tea was consigned "to resign their appointments." They also denounced "as an enemy to his country," "whosoever shall aid or abet in unloading, receiving, or vending the tea.' Similar meetings were held in Charleston and New York, and similar resolutions were passed.

A ship, making a quick passage, arrived at Boston, with intelligence that several vessels laden with tea had sailed. Five thousand men immediately assembled to de

1773

XXVI.

Nov.

3.

CHAP. liberate on the course to be pursued. On motion of Samuel Adams, they unanimously resolved to send the 1773. tea back. "The only way to get rid of it," shouted some one in the crowd, "is to throw it overboard." Those to whom the tea had been consigned were invited to meet at Liberty Tree, and resign their appointments. Two of the consignees were sons of Governor Hutchinson, who, at that time, was peculiarly odious on account of his doubledealing. This had been brought to light by a number of his letters to persons in England. These letters had fallen into the hands of Dr. Franklin, who sent them to the Speaker of the Massachusetts Assembly. They disclosed the fact, that nearly all the harsh measures directed against the colony, had been suggested by Hutchinson.

Nov.

30.

According to law, a ship must unload within twenty days, or be seized for non-payment of duties.

Presently a ship laden with tea came into the harbor. By order of the committee, it was moored at a certain wharf, and a company of twenty-five men volunteered to guard it. The owner promised to take the cargo back, if the governor would give his permit. Meantime came two other vessels; they were ordered to anchor beside the first. The committee waited again upon the consignees, but their answer was unsatisfactory. When the committee made their report to the meeting, not a word was said; the assemblage silently broke up. The consignees were terribly alarmed. That silence was ominous. Hutchinson's two sons fled to the fort, to the protection of the regulars. The father went quietly out of town. His object was to gain time till the twenty days should expire; then the ships would pass into the hands of the Commissioners of Customs, and the tea would be safe for his sons.

Another meeting of the people was protracted till after dark; on the morrow the twentieth day would expire, and the tea would be placed beyond their reach. At

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEA.

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length the owner of the vessel returned from his mission CHAP. to the governor, and reported that he would not give the permit for the ships to leave the port. This meeting," 1773. announced Samuel Adams, "can do nothing more to save the country."

18,

Immediately a shout, somewhat like a war-whoop, arose from a band of forty or fifty "very dark complexioned men, dressed like Mohawks," who were around the door. This band moved hastily down to the wharf where lay the tea ships. Placing a guard to protect them from Dec. spies, they went on board and took out three hundred and forty-two chests, broke them open, and poured the tea into the water. In silence the crowd on shore witnessed the affair; when the work was accomplished, they quietly retired to their homes. Paul Revere set out immediately to carry the news to New York and Philadelphia.

At New York, a tea ship was sent back with her cargo; the captain was escorted out of the city by the Committee of Vigilance, with banners flying and a band playing God save the king. Eighteen chests of tea, found concealed on board another vessel, were thrown into the dock. In Charleston tea was permitted to be landed, but was stowed in damp cellars, where it spoiled. The captain of the vessel bound for Philadelphia, when four miles below the city, learned that the citizens would not permit him to land his cargo; he prudently returned to England. At Annapolis, a ship and its cargo were both burned; the owner, to allay the excitement, himself applying the torch.

Meantime the various committees of correspondence were making preparations to hold a congress composed of representatives from all the colonies. Yet they said, and no doubt honestly, that "their old good-will and affection for the parent country were not totally lost." "If she returned to her former moderation and good humor, their affection would revive."

Dec.

25.