Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-07-24

| of Liberty "-Uuuld deter them from their pur-
pose. In this crisis, few daring spirits retl-
red TO the back room Of a Boston printing Of
fee, and there deliberatcd upon a question
which involved in its results, the Independence
Of .4mcricd. The question was slmple-the
decision speedy. The question involved an
admission or u denial of the right Of the Brit
ish parliament 10 Tao .1mericaj tho decis-
ion was to deny The right, in face of the Off.
GERS and soldiers OF the crown, and to deay it
by force. 1t was the boodless work OF lew
hours only, 10 make the cargoes of tea an offer
| ing to the ''watory god" and enkindle flame
! upon the altar Of freedom, which was TO expire,
! only when the last drop OF American blood
had been drunk by the American soil. En-
couragod by this bold denial of the unloundcd
! claim of parliament to the power OF taxing A.
merca--a claim unfounded because unwar-
tanted by the British constution~-the ministry
resolved upon the destruction OF Boston. I'm.
mediately followed, in quick succession, the
"Boston Port Bill" the Quebec BILL" and
tho "iishery hills tending to this end
/ Congress demonstrated and pettioncd--in vain.
outrage followed oulrage--injurios were added
| to lnsuIts--und through the years OF IVA and
va, the utmost ciiors of tho British govern
mcnt, at home and abroad, were directed to
crush the colonies, and extinguish the last hope
of irecdom--untll the grand question was Tor
+ ced upon the American people, TO live siares,
or run the fearful hazard Of perishlng in an at
( tempt TO be free
| At this crisis, the American Congress met,
and the decision OF this momentous question
was the occasion of the interesting scene 10
which attention has been called.
Richard Henry Lee, with the fervid patriot.
ism and the glowing ooquence which disin-
| gushcd him as one Of the noblest OF Vlrgina's
sons-seconded by the equally eloquent, and
IN later years, The more distinguished States
! man Of the n orlh, John 4dams--hud urged the
immediate and bold declaration "thaI these
united colonies are, and of right ought to be,
free and independent states" Way" said
he, ''why, then do we longer delay"-why still
deliberate? Let this happy day give birth 10
the American republic. Let her arise, not 10
dcvastate and conquer, but 10 rc-establsh the
reign OF peace and Of the laws. The eyes of
! Europe are fixed upon u.s. she demands of us
a living example Of freedom, that may contrast,
by the.felicity Of the citizens, with the ever in
crcasing tyranny which desolates her polluted
shores. She invites us to prepare an asylum,
where the unhappy may find so'ace, and the
prosecuted repose. She entreats us TO cnlti-
vaie propitlous soil, wherelhat generous
plant, which first sprang up and grew in Eng
land, but is now withcrea in the poisonous
blass OF Scottish tyranny, may revive and
flourish, shell ering under its. salubrious and
intermnable shade all the unfortunate Of the
human race.'
The genius Of jefferson had produced that
state paper, which alone would have inscribed
his name high in the list oc bonefactors of his
race. The impassioned cloquence of John .qd-
ans had aroused the deepest Indignation in
view OF The tyranny Of the British ministry, in
the violation Of American rights, in the dcs-
tructlon of American commerce, and in the
butchery OF American citizens and filled ev-
cry patriot heart with the most flatterinC hopes
OF future glory and greatness, by his glowing
! picture Of the nation, free and independent,
prosperous and happy. Fired with his own
patriotism, and filled with his own invincible
energy, heart beat TO heart-voce echoed to
voice-and the result was, "siDk or swim, live
or die, survive or PERISH" the unanimous dec
laratioa Of american hdepeaGentei
Fellow citizens for thus drawing your at
tonlion to few prominent events in the ma
toms history, an apology would hardly seem
to be necessary. True, as it undoubtedly il,
that these events, and mulitudes Of others of
less importance, either anteccdent to or grow
ing out of them, are familiar as househodwords
to the ears, even, perhaps, of the youngest of
us 1t is equally true that we cannot fail TO
dwell upon them with new delight, and to
draw from them fresh incentives to admire and
love the fathers Of American liberty, so long as
| our hearts possess a single chord, which pQtri-
| otism the most pure, and courag &c the most
| sublime, can touch--or single aspiration for
the honor and elory of the American name
| The immediate purpose OF these illusions has
been, however, to bring to mind single and
most important maxim Of political action a
! principle, which is Of once the foundation of
our existence and glory nation. and the
! hi 81 in is1i rk NVbicl ,.l,rne
measurable distance above other empires ofthe
earth. This maxim is, that Me people are the
source, and The greatest good Of the people the
end, Of all right government 1t was for this,
| that our fathers and mothers, with signal ex-
| ample OF sei-denial, and with firmness which
no human power could withstand, resisted the
tax upon tea. AS has been already remarked
! incidentally, the British ministry we've so ex-
| tremcly anxious 10 obtain an admission OF the
right Of parliament 10 tax the colonies, that the
tax payable in Brluan was refunded; so that
IN fact, the place OF paying the tax was only
| changed, without requiring any new or incrca-
Sod cXaclpns ReCenue was not, therefore,
/ the immediate object of Great Britain: the
great object was 10 assert the right of taxation
and the great motive for resistance BY the
! colonies was, TO maintain The doctrine that this
| power was 10 be used only 1cifh The consent and
direction Of the people. For the maintenance
Of this maxim, the people took mp arms and
resisted unto blood, on the plains of Licking
ion aud at 8unker-hl The course of Britain
in sending an armed force was TO dripe the col
onlas TO submit 10 her unWarraniabIe claims
of power; and all the yiudictive measures 10.
wards The CITY Of Boston were equal violations
OF lhs fundamental prncPle-and hence, re-
s'stanoe, uHcomPromising and to the DEATH
was duty. Resistance, however, so far from
convincing Bnlian of her wrong, was denoun-
Ced as reJdliul--and hcncolorh 10 nip The
hover OF freedom IN the bud, and TO crush the
colonies, by legislative acts OF unmi&ed, unmit-