New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-12-15

The old law, hswever, for this purpose, had never
been executed, and he therefore proposed to
change the rate Of duty from Cd. 20 I'd. and then
enforce it strictly and thoroughly
Soon after. in 1854 GrenyiIle came into the
Ministry, and he proposed, still farther means
of raising revenue IN America, that the West In
d;a trade should be granted 10 the Colonies, out
sabisct to a tar How was this received IN The
Colonies? In Massachusetts, not with tlmldlty and
submission, 20 be sure, but with al excess OF Pru-
dence james Otis, man of great enthusiasm,
OF variable temperament, OF whom 1t has been salo
that az he wrong at with sad sincerity and ouiided
| betrer than he knew and Hutchinson, man OF
the coolest blood, and of great talent Tor intrigue,
induced the Council of Massachusetts, to adopt
remonstrance addressed to the House OF Commons,
in which freedom from taxation as asked as a
privilege.
On the 10Th of September, 1854, Committee
was appointed to draw up Protest, aud of that
Cornnittee William Baird (of whom Mr., Bancroft
said he had been able to learn but littie) was
member He drew Up the Protest. 1t was
agreed to- and sent to England 1t declared bold
" and distinctly that England had no right 10
tar America, and challenged that right openly,
alluding to it not at all as privilege lhey at
once stepped 20 the declaration OF the r1gat OF
exemption from Parliamentary taxation, and sent
their Protest to Boston. Hutchinson speaks OF 1t
as proving that the people of New-York were not
only ignorant of the forms of such proceedings,
but strangers to decency and good manners :
On reaching England, this remembrance was sup
pressed by Granville, and not allowed even to be
laid before the House of Commons.
| Coming to the stamp act, Mr.. Bancroft said'
tina, in opposition to it Virginia took the lead
~ ~ III fha IIninp
solved that it should never be carried into effect
and were ready to dare any danger to prevent It.
! The first step to defend themselves against IT was
to render it unsafe for any to accept the office
| of Stamp-master In this way Oliver, in Boston,
was forced to resign his Office in Boston--nor was
he allowed to send in tcritten resignation, bur
was taken out under the Liberty tree and there IN
tn. presence of thousands he signed his renuncia-
ton of Office, and made solemn oath that he would
never distribute stamps. And when 1t was found
out that his commission had come, although he had
accepted it, upon rany day, he was obliged to
march through the muddy streets at the head OF
some 5000 men, and beneath the dripping boughs
of the same tree where he had been hung in ettgy,
forced to repeat his recantation and his oath.
Here in New-Yo rk, McEvers forced to re-
sign his Office as stamp-master. The act was
to 90 into effect on the lst of Nov. The eyes of
|
was the headquarters of the British army, two
companies of artillery, with ordnance, ammunition,
&C. had Just arrived, and New-York was the only
city on the Continent which had la fort in the heart
of the town. The Governor, Sir Henry More, was
on his way from England, and Lieut.. Gov. Golden
acted in his place. He put off TO the last moment
all action in the matter and did not, until the 3lst
of October, take the oath to enforce the law The
Press meantime had indicated the liberties of the
people, the feeling of united opposition to the act
pervaded the Continent and on the 3lst of Octo-
berthe day which the oath WAS taken-a gen
eral meeting of the merchants of New-fork
was held, and it was resolved 10 counteTmand all
orders for British Goods, to order no more and
TO receive none shipped otterthe Isl Of January,
unless the Stamp act Should be repealed
This wa. signed by about 200 of the principal
merchants. On the next day, that on which the
act was to go into effect, letters around,
and bills posted at the of the streets,
denouncing death to every who should apply
for stamp, or who should cause any delay in pub
| lie business for want Of stamps AT 7 O'Clock in
the evening, the famous New-York riots occurred
at which two professions, from the Park
and the other from the Battery, met and insulted
the Governor Men from the country refused to
return to their homes until the question should De
settled On the Cd of November, from Tho bal
cony of coffee-house in Wall-street, paper was
read, urging the putting down of the riots and
then uprose Isaac Sears, self-constituted Tribune
of the people, who addressed the crowd, and de-
clared that the stamps must be giUen Up. After
much wavering, the Governor yielded and said ne
would do nothing about it, until Sir Henry More
came. The people dispersed quietly, it was
Saturday night, though they were not satisfied,
kept Sunday in peace and on Monday were ready
for business again. M'Evers having refused 10
receive the stamps, the Lieut.. Governor finally
surrendered the packages containing them to the
magistrates of the city and thus, az q Colony Of
King George, acere the Kings stamps sur
rendered By the Kings Governor TO aogistrateS
elected by the people "a thing before without a
parallel!
This, said Mr. Bancroft, was the FIRST triumph
Of the great Revolution.
A meeting was Immediately held to choose
Committee of Cores pondence with the Coloaies;
and as membership was post OF danger, no one
found to accept it, till Isaac Sears came for
ward, three others associated with him, and
letters signed by them addressed TO the other
Colonies. A few days after this, l,260 citizens
sent instructions to their Representatives, claiming
freedom from all taxation except that imposed BY
themselves, and the right of trial by jury without
appeal:
Thus New-YorI led the way to the repeal OF the
Stamp Act, which was finally effected through the
eoquence of the elder Pitt-an eloquence, said
Mr.. Bancroft, equal TO that Of Demo.thenes and
far above that of Cicero whose oratory, compared
with that of Pitt, is feeble is the wthe beside
the cable along which runs the electric fire from
chain chain.
In the same way Mr. Bancroft traced the oppo-
siton of New-York to the law declaring that she
should furnish supplies for the British troops