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West-Indies; nor the violence and bitterness of the debates they occasioned; but the declaration of Lord North, disclosing the plan of measures about to be pursued by ministers, deserves some notice. His lordship openly declared that it was now concluded "to send a greater force to America, and put a stop to all the foreign trade of the colonies of New-England, particularly their Newfoundland fisheries, till they returned to their duty." This declaration called forth a torrent of debate as well as of abuse, and the whole powers of language were put in requisition to manage the contest. By the ministerial party, every possible abuse was heaped upon the American character; they were denounced as a lazy, filthy, cowardly, factious crew; and a General Grant declared publicly, that with five regiments he could march through the country.

By the opposition, the American character was generously vindicated, and the dangers as well as the horrors that awaited the issue of present measures, were clearly unfolded. In illustrating this remark, a noble lord called up the attention of ministers to the more serious consequences that would result from present measures, by the advantages their ancient a ndnatural enemy* would be able to derive from a war between England and her colonies; a war that would give full scope to the gratification of all those passions of jealousy and revenge she had felt and harboured since the peace of 1763, and thus concluded-" My head and my heart join in deprecating the horrors of a civil war, which will be rendered still more dreadful, by its involving in it certain consequences, a foreign one, with the combined forces of great and powerful nations."

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On the 7th of February an address to his majesty was presented, thanking him for the communication received in the American papers, in which the rebellion of the colonies was fully disclosed, and promising his majesty the joint support of both houses of Parliament, at the

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hazard of their lives, and properties, to suppress all such rebellion. To which his majesty returned a gracious answer, assuring both houses" that they might rely upon his taking the most speedy and effectual measures to enforce a due obedience to the laws, and the authority of the supreme legislature."

The next day the minister moved for leave to bring in a bill for restraining the trade, &c. as has been disclosed. This bill again called up the attention of the London merchants, and their testimony was introduced, to shew the good that resulted to England from the fishing trade of New-England; by which it appeared that she, (New-England,) in the year 1764, employed 45,880 tons of shipping, and 6002 seamen; and that the amount of her sales in foreign markets for that year were 322,2201. 16s. sterling, and that the fisheries were then greatly increased, and also that a suppression of this trade would wound the commerce of Britain, and involve thousands of innocent citi. zens in ruin. The question prevailed, 3 to 1.

On the 27th of February, Mr. Quincey sailed for America, and left the ministry to pursue their mad system of measures, and wallow in their own filth and corruption.

CHAPTER VI.

CAUSES THAT LED TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, CONTINUED.-WAR COMMENCED.

THOSE SCENES which have been disclosed in the corrupt councils of Britain, were not acted in a corner; but they flew like lightning to the shores of America, and warned them of their danger, and hastened their efforts to meet their fate.

The royal proclamation, interdicting the exportation of military stores; his majesty's speech, and the answer of Parliament, all served to shew to the colonies that their doom was sealed, and that to retain their liberty they must wade in blood.

A new colonial congress was chosen for Massachusetts, and convened at Cambridge on the 1st of February, when John Hancock, Esq. was chosen president. At the end of two weeks they adjourned to Concord as a place of greater safety, and where they might continue their sittings without interruption. The duties of this congress were now become pressing, in arranging the affairs of the colony to meet the approaching crisis, and to prepare for that explosion which was now generally expected to commence with the opening of the spring.

The proceedings of the colony of New-York, in their General Assembly, in refusing to send delegates to the General Congress, gave great offence to the congress of Massachusetts; and in their sending a petition to the king and a memorial to the House of Lords, together with a remonstrance to the House of Commons, all in their own name; in all which they stated the grievances they had endured since the old war; declared their acknowledgment of the supreme government of the British Parliament over the whole empire, and their authority to regulate the trade

of the colonies, and prayed relief for their brethren of Massachusetts; but declared their disapprobation of all their violent measures. They also claimed a restoration of all their former privileges; but discarded the idea of lessening the dignity of Parliament, &c. This exparte procedure of the assembly of New-York, was well calculated to flatter the belief in ministers, that the colonies might be divided, and that such a division would prove their ruin; but herein they were in an error; although the tories prevailed in the house of assembly, the whigs were in fact the most numerous, and powerful party among the people, as will appear from the following fact.

On the 5th of March, the whig citizens called a meeting in the city of New-York, to try the question of sending delegates to the General Congress, and the tories appeared in the meeting armed with clubs, &c. The assembly soon became tumultuous, with the cry of "Congress or no congress," and an affray ensued, in which arguments were exchanged for blows, and the tories were likely to prevail over the unarmed whigs, when the latter had recourse to clubs in their turn, and thus bore down all opposition, and carried the day.

On the 26th of February General Gage detached Col. Leslie, from the castle, with a body of troops, to seize, and bring away a depot of provincial stores and munitions of war, near Salem. Colonel Leslie embarked his detachment in transports, and proceeded to Salem, by the way of Marblehead; but the depot was removed, and the object of the expedition thus defeated. This expedition was or dered on the sabbath, that the people might be surprised when engaged in their religious devotions, and the stores removed without opposition: but a collision took place at the draw-bridge on the Danvers road, which had like to have proved serious, and opened the war in blood. The provincials raised the draw-bridge, and thus checked the

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march of the enemy; Colonel Leslie ordered the bridge to be let down; the people refused; he then attempted to pass the river in boats, to seize the bridge. The boats were removed by the people, and scuttled, and sunk; and when the parties were about to proceed to violence, the Reverend Mr. Bernard, of Salem, with several other gentlemen, interposed; the bridge was replaced, and Col. Leslie proceeded to the place of destination; but the stores were removed, and he retired; reimbarked his troops, and returned to the castle, safe and sound. This was the first expedition undertaken by the British, without the limits of Boston.

The provincial congress of Massachusetts continued their sessions, and recommended the 16th of March to be kept, throughout the colony, as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer, which was faithfully observed, both in town and country. At the same time every effort possible was made to collect from Boston, and elsewhere, such arms, and military stores as could be procured. In this way arms and ammunition to a very considerable amount were collected, for the use of the army, and deposited in the neighbouring towns, where they were secured by suitable guards.

On the 30th of March General Gage sent out a detachment of about eleven hundred men, into the country, who wantonly gave great provocation to the people, by breaking down their walls, and fences; laying open their inclosures, and thus wasting, and destroying their property; but the people were prudent, restrained their resentments, and the detachment returned unmolested. At the critcal moment when this intelligence was communicated to the provincial congress, the whole black catalogue of parliamentary proceedings, as before noticed, arrived at Falmouth, and was communicated to the congress before it reached General Gage. This intelligence soon spread

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