compel fubmiffion, and the differences became irrecon cileable. 23. Mafacree in 1770. To a free and high fpirited people, the prefence of an infolent military, could not but be extremely irkfore and provoking: and it was not pof fible that harmony could long fubfilt between the inhabitants of Bofton, and the British troops. A flight affray tock place between them on the fecond of March 1770.; but on the night of the fifth, the enmity of the partics bord forth in violence and blood. A body of troops being ordered to difperfe a number of the citizens of Boiton, who wer. collected in Cornhill, the populace pelted them with ftones: upon which the troops fired among them, killed tinee and wounded five, two of whom died. With great difficulty, the foldiers were faved from the fury of an enraged populace. But this outrage enflamed the animolity of the Americans against Great Britain, and haftened a more important crifis. To commemorate this melancholy tragedy, an anniversary oration was inftituted in Bolton, and was annually pronounced by fome dif tinguifhed citizen on the 5th of March, till the clofe of the revolution. 24. Defrusion of Tea at Bofion. Altho' the duties laid on commodities imported into America, had been taken off, except the duty on tea, yet the miniftry perfified in maintaining the right to raise a revenue in the colonies; and to establish that principle, granted permiffion to the East India company to fhip to America, a large quantity of tea, charged with the duty. This finefs of the miniftry did not fucceed. The Americans, determined to refift the principle of taxation in every shape, oppofed die landing of the tea-in fome ports they obliged the confignees to refign their employment, and compelled the fhips to return to England without landing their cargoes. In Bofton, the populace had lefs temper, and a party difguifed in the drefs of Indians, went on board the tea fhips, and threw the tea into the fea. This tranfaction, which amounted to an open refiftance of the government of Great Britain, and led to more energetic measures, on the part of that government, happened in the year, 1773. 25. Meafures of Parliament relating to Maffachusetts. In pursuance of the ministerial plan of reducing Maffachufetts to obedience, an act of parliament was paffed for regulating the government of that province; by which the powers of the people were abridged, and the officers of government made dependent on the crown for their appointments and falaries. By another act, perfons indicted for murder or other capital offense, might, if the governor should think an impartial trial could not be had in the colony, be fent to great Britain to be tried. By another act, an attempt was made to ftrengthen the intereft and power of the crown in America, by enlarging the province of Canada, and granting unufual privileges to the Catholics. All which measures tended only to increase the jealoufy of the colonies, by developing the views of the ministry. 26. Bofton Port Bill. In 1774, the parliament, with a view to punish the refractory province of Maffachusetts, and efpecially the inhabitants of Bolton, as alfo to bring them to fubmiffion, paffed an act to shut the port of Boston, and to restrain all intercourfe with the town by water. The government and public offices were removed to Salem, and it was expected by the ministry that Salem would be pleafed with the profpect of enjoying the advantages of being the feat of government and the center of trade. But this miferable ftratagem had no effect, but to irritate the inhabitants of Salem, who difdained to thrive on the ruins of Bofton. These proceedings, added to the detection of fome letters which had been written by the crown officers in Bolton, adviling to more decifive measures against the colonies, raised a ferment in America that left little hope of a reconciliation. 27. Committee of Correfpondence. During the tranfactions which have been related, fome of the most able and diftinguished patriots in Maffachufetts who had long feen the neceffity of a feparation from Great Britain, but who wifhed, if poffible, to avoid an alternative that must involve the country in a fanguinary conteft, formed them felves into a committee of correfpondence, for the purpofe of obtaining and diffufing correct information, for uniting opinions and acting in unifon with their fellow patriots in other colonies. This committee received advices regularly from their friends in Great Britain, which enabled them to be prepared, and to prepare the public mind, for every exigency. Similar committees were ef tablished in all the other New-England colonies, and be came the ground-work of their future union. In 28. Arrival of General Gage and his reception. May 1774, General Gage arrived in Bofton, with the commiffions of Governor of Maffachusetts, and command. er in chief of the British forces. At the moment of his arrival, the people were in great agitation, at the news of the port bill; notwithstanding which, the general was received with respect and treated with politenefs. Shortly after, arrived two more regiments, with artillery and military fores, indicative of the determination of the British government, to reduce the colonies to fubmiffion by the force of arms. 29. Condus of the Colonies on this occafion. When the Americans faw, by the measures of the British government, that reconciliation was no longer to be expéd, and that their rights were to be defended by an appeal to force, deploring the awful event, but confident of the jaftice of their caufe, and the rectitude of their purposes, they fet apart a day of humiliation and prayer, to invoke the Supreme Being and manifeft their dependence on him for fupport in the arduous conteft. And as the port bill had put an end to the trade of Boston, and thus deprived the inhabitants of the means of fubfiftence, the inhabitants of the colonics, opened the hand of charity, and fent liberal contributions to their relief. At the fame time the committee of correfpondence framed an agree nent, called a folem league and covenant, by which' they determined to fufpend all intercourfe with Great Britain, until their chartered rights fhould be restored. In like manner, agreements were formed in all parts of her to import nor to confume British goods. 30. Proceedings of General Gage. Soon after General Gage arrived, he was addreffed by certain gentlemen of the council, but the addrefs containing fevere reflectio as on his predeceffor, he would not receive it. Obferving the temper of the people, he began to think of measures of defenfe, and directed Bofton neck to be fortified. He alfo feized on the powder lodged in the public ftore at Charlestown. He iffued a proclamation, to oppofe the folenin league and covenant, pronouncing it an unlawful and traiterous combination. But all this ferved only to indame and irritate the public mind, and bring his authority into contempt. General Gage 31. Origin of Provincial Congresses. had fummoned the affembly of Maffachusetts to convene at Salem; but on further reflection, had countermanded the fummons. The counter-order was deemed illegal, and the members convened. The governor not meeting them, they organized themselves into a provincial congrefs, which formed a plan of defense-refolved to enroll a body of men, to be prepared for marching at a minute's notice, and therefore called minute-men-they appointed general officers--a committee of fafety, to act as a kind of executive council-and took meafures to collect fup. plies and military ftores, at Worcester and Concord. Af ter an adjournment, for a fhort time, they again met, determined on raifing twelve thoufand men-fent agents to the neighboring colonies, to requeft their co-operation, and committees of the New-England colonies met and agreed on a plan of operations. At the fame time, meafures were taken to combine all the colonies into a fum. union, and for this purpofe, it was agreed that delegates from the feveral colonies fhould meet in a general congrefs. 32. General Congrefs. On the fifth of September, 1774, delegates from twelve colonies convened in Phila-. delphia, to deliberate on the most important questions that ever engaged the anxious folicitude of men. delegates were appointed by the colonial legislatures; or where none exiled, the appointments were made by feled The meetings and affociations of citizens. They were men of the most diftinguished character and talents, and enjoyed the public confidence. Before the meeting of the general congrefs, a convention of deputies from the towns in Suffolk county, in Maffachusetts, had declared that no obedience was due to the late acts of the British Parliament, but that thofe acts ought to be rejected as the attempts of a wicked administration to enflave America. This declaration was approved by the general congrefs, which refolved, that if attempts fhould be made to carry into effect the obnoxious acts of parliament, all America ought to unite with Maffachusetts in their oppofition. 33. Proceedings of the first Congress. The great council of America, folicitous to preferve peace with the parent state, but determined to be free, adopted measures which presented to the Britifh miniftry the olive branch with one hand and the fword with the other; fubmitting it to their choice to withdraw their unconftitutional claims, or to meet the most determined refiftance. They addres fed General Gage, ftating the grievances of Maffachufetts, and their refolution to fupport that province in her oppofition: intreating him to forbear hoftilities, and not preclude the hope of a reconciliation. They published a declaration of the rights of the colonies, one of which was an exemption from taxes impofed upon them by a legiflature in which they were not reprefented. They however confented to submit to all the general regulations of commerce, intended for the benefit of the whole Britifhempire. They declared feveral acts of parliament to be infringements of the rights of the colonies, and a repeal of them neceffary to a reconciliation. They entered into an agreement to discontinue the importation of British goods; they fent a petition to the king, and addreffes to the British nation, to the Canadians, and to the colonies 34 Confequent Proceedings of Parliament. When the proceedings of the American congrefs were laid before parliament, lord Catham introduced fome conciliatory prepofitions, but they were rejected by a large ministerial |