The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-10-11
From The .Ntio York Commercial .ldceriiSe
HISTORICAL. EXCURSION.

HISTORICAL EXCURSION.
About month ago we made rapid historical ex-
cursion into Massachusetts, the object of which was
TO obtain a collection OF manuscripts IN the
possession of the venerable General EPAPHRAs Hour,
of Deerield, and also of DR.. STEPHEN w WILLIAMS,
his neghbor,--but chiefly in the hands of the for
mer,-relating TO the border Of New England
and New York, at different periods, from i744 10
1863.
Al Boston we had the pleasure of passing an even
ing in the library Of Mr. Bancroft, and of gancing at
the rich manuscript collections VIII ch have crowne1
his researches since he has been engaged upon his
great work the history Of the United States. The
thlrd volume Of that work, II will be remembered,
brings his narrative down TO the peace of AK la Cha
pelle-l749. On concluding that volume, two years
ago, we believe 1t was his intention to embrace in
his fourth the history of the French of l754-
Holland also the history of the war OF the revolu-
ton. But told him then that he could not do it
and we believe he is now of the same opinion. He
must make two volumes
Be that it may his collections of original mate
ras for the history of both wars, especially the lat
ter of great copiousness and value. In respect
To the interesting period from the Boston Massacre
in ITO, to the breaking out of the war, we believe
Mr. Bancrofts materials are richer than those which
have been obtained by any other historian. Those
five years formed era Of prodigious excitement;
and Mr.. Bancroft's papers-particularly those be-
longing to SAMUEL AADMs, the existence of which
has been but recently discovered-will throw
light upon the principles, motives and actions of the
leading Of that day-not only in Boston, but all
over the country-than has been derived from any
other source.
The correspondence of Adams, the leading
member OF the Boston Committee Of Safety, was i'm
mense. That correspondence has all been preserved
and Mr.. Bancroft has carefully gone the whole,
arranged the papers, and had them bound We had
adequate conception, until glanced these
papers, of the extent, even among the common peo-
pie of the noble spirit Of resistance to the opprcs
sion Of the parent country, which was awakened by
the passage of the Boston Port Bill" it cali
ed--the next measure of the British Parliament fol-
lowing the destruction of the tea, in l113 The
Of this daring act was communicated to Parlia-
ment by message from the throne on the 7lh OF
March, IVA and without giving the colonsts the
opportunity Of hearing, the port bill was passed, by
which Boston was precluded from the privilege Of
landing and dlschargug, Of l2ding shipping,
goods of any description, food and fuel excepted
and every vessel within the points of Alderton and
Nahant directed to depart at six hours notice.
The passage OF this act kindled blaze Of indgna-
ton to the remoest bounds of the colonies. 1t went
into operation the first Of June, on which day oil
business III Boston finished at ~ o'clock at noon,
and the harbor shut profound sensation pre-
vailed all over the country. Demonstrations Of sym
patty for the people Of Boston exhibited in all
directions. In some parts of the country, even in
Virginia, the day was devoutly observed as one of
fasting and humiliation. In Philadelphia it was
lemnized with every manifestation of public grief
the houses were shut divine service was attended in
the churches and the political horizon lowered with
the suen gloom which portends the hurricane and
the earthquake Cut of from the business, the in
habitants of Boston were soon reduced to want and
their distress would have been nsupportabe but for
the charitable contributions which were poured in
for their relief. The inhabitants of Salem and Mar
behead rendered the Of their respective harbors,
wharves and warehouses; and letters and addresses
sympathy sent in from town. cities, and ndivi-
duals, from all the adjacent AMI some of the more
distant colonies.
The correspondence Of the committee, conducted
in a great measure BY Samuel Adams, was begun,
and had indeed become very extensive before the
act went into effect; and this brings us TO the point
of stating important fact and of claiming for New
York the honor of originating one momentous move
ment, the credit of which has hitherto been conceded
10 another city-re mean The first suggestion Of gene
raj Congress If The colonies, to deliberate such ea-
their united interests might require. The honor
of this suggeson-which led to the organization of
the old Continental Congress-has until now been
claimed as of Philadelphia origin, and the claim, we
believe, has been conceded But the correspondence
now brought to light shows that the proposition for
calling such Congress was first made in letter to
the Boston committee, from New York, by AleXan-
der McDougall and Mr., Seares, three days before
the suggestion has been said to have been made in
letter from Philadelphia. The letter from n York
written the 18th of May, aud that from Phila-
dephia on the 2lst.
McDougal was the son of a Sco'ch milkman in
this city and in his youth worked with his father in
distributing the milk through the city But he had
soul of higher aspirations; and becoming man of
character and repute, he a leading citizen when
the troubles with the parent country came on. Is
pousing the cause of the Wings with energy, he
commissioned brigadier IN the revolutionary army,
and di excel ent servce-particuary in the battle
Of White Plains, where he commanded, and al Ger
mantown. He afterward served IN Congress, and in
the Senate Of this State, and died in June, 1856.
OF Mr.. Seares who signed jointly with him the
letter above mentioned know less. lie was a
merchant of ailiuence, and an dent " hig-serving
with efficiency upon the patriotic committees. His
fortunes becoming much impaired, after the contest
was over, he made voyage to China, TO repair them
and died there We shall continue this article ano-
Their day.