The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-20
From the Boston Post, April 10.
Lexinst ton and Concord.


in the American calendar-hat OF The commencement Of
the war OF the American revolution.
The immediate occasion OF the contest OF April 49,
l775-the Lexington and Concord baue--rnay be as
briefly stated The British Parliament passed two acts de,
signed 10 Alter and substantially 10 annu The old cbarer
government OF Massachusetts. They subverled jury
trsis town meetings The old custom OF choosing various
oihcefs by the people, and, IN hne constituted complete
system oil tyranny They were calculated ensctuaiy 10
destroy the local Independence OF Massach and
accordance with the theory long held BY British
lawyers-namey, that if these local municipal colonial
governments, the nurseries OF common wealth ideas,
could be broken up and the administration OF affairs
solidated into one government, with but assembly,
then The hefesy OF epublcanism might be check and
The colonies might be eteciuay controlled These acts.
therefore had two obecisthe punishment of Massachu-
selts for her Iebellous spirit and the OF
the colonies generally, r#
The people of Massachusetts no sooner received these
acts than they determined TO make lorcble resistance
nem. because they violated their charter and deprived
them OF their constitutional rights This determination
was expressed August, IT'D in the action OF towns,
counties, and OF Provincial Congress- and in October,
i774, sanctioned by the Continental Congress.
The resolves OF all these bodies, the instructions
the committees of safety, the commissions the gen.
era officers the circulars 10 the towns, will be found
10 bear reference TO this special object, 10 witt resist
ance to these two acts. They are specially named in
The powers conferred on the committee OF safety Ii the
British army attempted 10 enforce these acts by, for in
stance, UNFOLDING courts that attempted 10 sit under
them or by committing any aggressive act on the people,
Tins cemmee was authorized TO call out the militia and
TO wage open war with these troops The force which
the Provincial Congress provided defend the colony
vast the militia and minute men, who hence termed
al the time yhe constilu ona army OF the province" II
army mashalled the field; but every
town portion OF the mta the minute men, had agreed
to assemble in army at minutes warning from the
committee OF safety and general officers were appointed
10 command them; and military stores, all the British
could find TO attack, were provided for their support
whenever any aggressive should their being
called TO the field. o. the other hand the royal governor
was mperatively instructed to enforce complete obe-
dience 10 these acts; and in order deprive The colony
OF the means OF defence, he had tor several months pre-
vous to April, ITS, been attempting to asaTm IT, II
10 do this that he sent out expedition 10 Concord
This brief statement serves to show how erroneous is
the impression that organized action had little nothing
10 do so lar as the patriots were concerned, with The
event of this day IL would be correct say that
organized action occasoned il and controlled il through
out II was this that stimulated the drill oil the minute
that prepared their minds to resist
law that gave them The that such resistance
was dictated by PATRIOTISM, sanctioned by religion and
demanded by freedom. Thus the exercises OF the mn
u,e-men accompanied by thorough mental dis
cpllne.. In such a frame OF mind, at the call oil the
committee OF safety, portion OF the constitutional
army" appeared on the memorable held of Lexington. 1t
was small band, but it summoned by its regular
officers, who again acted ny orders OF their superors
and there il stood little before sunrise the morning
of the memorable 10Th of April l775 expressly for the
purpose OF resisting the long of forcble aggres
sion OF the British regulars. They had been summoned
consequence OF the report that those regulars
their march towards them for hostile purpose But
one knew their number, and hence their officers
uncertain as to the proper course they ought 10 take AT
length the British troops appeared. and their officers
ordered The patriots TO dispense, and also began to fire.
killing some OF the provncals and woundng others.
he latter, IN their turn they were about dispensing,
fired back the regulars. 1t all done 10 few
minutes. This was the beginning OF the work Of blood
OF that day II IS quite unnecessary TO pursue The de-
tails OF the thrilling story Another firing occurred at
nearly 10 o'clock Concord al The old North Bridge
which other portions Of the constitutional army, for
the same purpose, had assembled il Between bod
les OF militia and three companies stationed as a guard
to this bridge. This affair, TOO, lasted bat few min
utes In both cases, at Lexington and Concord, the
OF the militia acted, beyond question:
cordng 10 prior instructions when they gave the orders
not to fire unless they were fired upon for up almost
to the day OF these by order of the
Provincial Congress- the repeated instructions Of the
mlees and the militia had been 10 be sure 10 be in
readiness take The field, but at every expense OF
patience and forbearance TO act on the defensive"
For nearly two hours after the firing the North Bridge
there an interval OF quiet Things indeed looked,
on The whole, to the British rather pacific than otherwise
Tor they three OF their companies OF about hun
dred men, that had been detached two miles return
over The very bridge where the firing bad occurred, and
almost as Were through the ranks OF hundreds OF the
provlncials, and safely join their main body. These
Insoent as ever Tor they were IN The flush OF victory,
and undisiufbed IN the opinion OF Their inyncblty
Indeed, looked little though the words might be
verified which they had actually written TO their English
that all the talk OF the coonisis about
resisting British power twas mere bullying" aud would
go no furh Than words; for the patriot bands both
in Concord and Lexington had actually dispersed, even
bad ran awayumpng over fences going across heds
Now would people, mere mob so awkward al hand
ling their arms, still venture 10 attack the kings troops
The regulars certainly proceeded with great deiberaon
And when they got ready, after hour and a halls
quiet preparation, they commenced about twelve o'clock
their march for Boston They not obliged to leave
Concord, and were undsturbed while they remained IN
The middle of The town Would the more numerous
bands that seemed to be before ibem and behind them
aud their sides, also dispense and allow them quietly
10 go to their quarlersi
About noon the British regulars commenced their mem
oabe march Tor Boston, and the question we have put
was fully answered. There was iofbearaDce no longer
Then the patriot bands who seemed 10 have dropped
from the clOuds attacked every side the invaders oil
heir soil The details OF that bloody retreat or ght are
well known. Twice the iaf-amed regulars IN i'm
mlnent danger OF capture, and al every step they were
hardly pressed, until at length they reached Bunker HILL
IN Cbarleslown-the severe contest terminating where
The great Bunker Hill contest terminated The brave
minute did not drive the regulars beyond Charles
neck the 10Th of April, hut stayed Their work at
the command OF their officers; and the British regulars,
on the nth OF June did not venture beyond the sane
neck in pursuing Col. Prescott and his command.
Immediately after The occurrences oil This day. il was
really regarded by many patriots as question OF great
practical importance 10 who hired hrsl-the British or
the PROVING als-and this investigated with great
care Another question is, who ordered the minuemen,
who kept collecting all the morning, TO change from the
state OF peace that allowed Captain Parsons TO
quietly TO the main body TO the state OF war that
ensued after twelve O'Clock Were any orders issued by
the members of the committee OF safety Samuel Adams
not far of, and already he had sad amidst the Lex
ingon carnage, Oh, what glorious morning is thsp
John Hancock not far from him. Joseph Warren
rode out OF Boston horseback in the morning, and
he most active in the field that day. O,hers,
members OF the committee OF safety also near who
firm and true Nothing is more remarkable than
the complete control the patriot leaders had over the pa