Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-17


The line of policy adopted was, if possible, to
get the tea carried back to London uninjured,
IN the vessel In which it came A meeting of
the people, on Tuesday afternoon, directed, and
as it were, compelled" Rotch, the owner of
the Dartmouth, to apply for clearance. He
did 50, accompanied by Kent, Samuel Adams,
and eight others as witnesses. The collector
was at his lodgings, and refused to answer till
the next morning. the assemblage, on their
part adjourned to Thursday, the sixteenth, the
last Of the twenty days before it would become
legal for the revenue officers to take possession
OF the ship and so land the tea at the castle.
In the evening she Boston committee finished
their preparatory meetings After their con-
sultation on Monday with the committee of the
tiyese*ns, they had been together that day and
WHOA slaii9k morning and'evening; but dur
ing the loig and anxious period their Journal
has only ths entry -" No business transacted,
matter of record
corted by his witnesses to the custom-house,
where the collector and comptroller unequivo-
cally and finally refused to grant his ship clear
ance till it should be discharged of the teas.
Hutchinson began to clutch at victory; 'for,
said ne, io is notorious the ship cannot pass the
castle without permit from me, and that
shall refuse On that day the people of Fitch
burgh pledged their word never to be wanting,
according 10 tAeir ability for they had indeed,
an ambition to be known to the world and pos
tcrity, as friends of liberty.' The men of Glou-
cester, also expressing their joy at Boston s glo
rious opposition, cried with one voice 'tha no
tea subject to duty should be landed in their
town, and held themselves ready for the last APP
peal
Inc morning of Thursday, the 10th Of De-
oamber, l773, dawned upon Boston, q day by
far the most momentous in its annals. Beware,
little town; count the cost, and know well if
you dare defy the wrath of Great Britain, and
if you love exile, and poverty, and death, rather
that submission. The town of Portsmouth held
its first meeting on that morning, and, with six
only protesting, its people adopted the princi-
pies OF Philadelphia, appointed their commit
tee of correspondence, and resolved to make
common cause with the colonies. AT ten clock,
the people Of Boston, with at least two thousand
men from the country, assembled at the Old
South A report was made that Rotch had
been refused a clearance from the custom house.
'Thcn,' said they to him, protest imme diately
against the custom house, and apply to the Gov
ernor for his pass, so that your vessel may this
very day proceed on her voyage for London.
1.-The Governor had stolen away to his country
house in Milton. Bidding Rotch to make all
haste, the meeting adjourned to three in the af-
ternoon. At that hour Rotch had not returned.
1t was incidentally voted, as other towns had al
ready done, to abstain from the use of tea and
every town was advised to appoint its committee
OF inspection, to prevent the detested tea COM
ing within any of them. Then, since the Gov
ernor night refuse his pass, the momentous ques-
ton required, whether it be the sense and de-
termination of this body to abide by their
former resolutions with respect to the not suffer-
ing the tea to be landed!' On this question
Samuel Adams and Young addressed the meet
ing, which was become by for the most numer-
Gus ever held in Boston, embracing seven thou
sand men There was among them a patriot Of
fergid feeling; passionately devoted to the lib
erty of his country still young; hiscye bright;
his cheek glowing with hectic fever. He knew
that his strength was ebkng. The work of vim
dicating American freedom must be done soon
OF he will be no party to the great achievement
lie rises, but it is to restrain, and being truly
brave, and truly resolved, he speaks in the Ian
guage of moderation - Shouts of hosanna
will not terminate the trials of this day, mol
popular resolves, harrangues and acclamation
vanquish our foes We must be grossly ignoran
o. The value of the prize for which we contend
o: the power combined against us, of the invet
crate malice and Unsuitable revenge which actu
ate our enemies, public and private, abroad ant
in our bosoms, if we hope that we shall EN-
this controversy without the sharpeSt conflicts
Let us consider the issue before we advance t
those measures which must bring on the mos
trying and terrible struggle this country eve
saw Thus spoke thus the younger Quin
cy. Now that the hand is to the plough,
said others, there must be no looking back,
and the whole assembly of seven thousand vote
that the tea should not be landed
To had been dark for more than an hour Th
church in which they were met was dimly light
cd when, at quarter before six, Rotch az
poared, and satisfied the people by relating tina
the Governor had refused him pass becaus
bis ship wos not properly cleared.
As soon as he had finished his report, Samu'
Adams rose and gave the word - This meetin
can do no more TO save the country On the ii
slant shout was heard at the porch the wa
whoop resounded a body of men, forty or fl
ty, disguised as Indians, passed by the doc
and encouraged by Samuel Adams, Hancoc
and others, repaired to Grifdus wharf, poste
guards to prevent the intrusion Of spies, too
possession of the three tea-ships, and in abol
hours three hundred and forty chests of tea, b
ing the whole quantity that had been importe'
were emptied into the bay without the least il
jury to other property. "All things were col
Quoted with great order, decency, and perfe
submission to government.
The people around, as they looked on, wei
80 still that the noise Of the breaking ope
the tea chests was plainly. heard.
delay of few.hours would have placed IL
Tea under the protection of the Admiral at tt
CASTLE After the work was done, the town b
came as still and calm as if it had been bol
ume' Ihe men from the country that We,
night carried back the great news 70 tho;u :;