Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-02-01

nge, and refused to answer till the mex
morning; the assemblsge on their part ad
Iiourned 10 Tuesday the sixteenth, the las
of the twenty days, before it would becom,
legal for the revesue officers to take posses
sion Of the shir, and so land the te as at The
castle. In the evening, the Boston commit
tee finished their preparatory meetings.
After their consulate on on Monday with the
committee ofthe FIVE towns, they had been
together that day and the next, both morn
! ing aud evening; but during the long and
anxious period, their journal has only this
entry:-No business transacted, matter of
record
Z, At ten o'clock on the 18th, Rotch was es-
corted by his witnesses to the custom house,
where the collector aud comptroller uncquiv.
ocally and finally refused to grant his ship q
clearance, till it should be discharged Of the
tess.
Hutchinson began 10 crStch at victory; for
said he, it is notorious the ship cannot pass
the castle without p.rmit from ne, and
that shal' refuse. On that day, the people
Of Fitchburg pledged their word never to
be wanting according to their small abilty;'
for 'they had indeed an ambition to be known
to the world g. TO posteritv as this friends of
liberty The men Of Gloucester also ex-
pressed their joy at Boston's glorious 0ppos.
itior, cried with one voice that 'ho tea SUBJ
jeet to duty should be landed in their town,
and held themselves for the last appeal.
The morning OF Tuesday the l6:h Of De-
cember, 1873, dawned upon Boston, day
by far the most momentous in its annals
Beware little town; count the cost, and know
well. il you dare defy the wrath Of Great
Britain, and if you love exile and poverty
and death rather than submission. The towr
OF Portsmouth held its meeting on that
morning, and with six only protesting, it's
people adopted the principle of Philadelphia
appointed their committee of cores pondence,
and resolved to make common cause with
the colonies. At ten o'clock the people Of
Boston with at least two thous and men from
the country, assembled in the Old South
A report was made that Rotch had been re-
fused clearance from the collector. Them
suid they to him, 'pr' test Immediately a.
gainst the custom house, and apply to the
governor for his pass. SO that your vessel
may this very cay proceed on her voyage
/ for London.
The governor had stolen away to his ceun.
try house at Milton. Bidding Rutch make
all haste, the meeting adjourned 10 three in
the afternoon. At that hour Rotch had not
returned. 1t was incidentally voted, as 9TH
er towns had already done, to abstain totsly
from the use of tea; and every town was
advised to appoint its committee OF inspec-
4; tha doto
ing within any of them. Then, since the
governor might refuse his pass, the momen.
! tous question rccurred, 'whsther II be the
sense and determination OF this body to a.
bide by their former resolutions with respect
to the not suffering too to be anded.' On
this question Samuel Adams and Young ad-
drssed the meeting, which was become IA:
the most numerous ever held in Boston, EN-
bracing seven thousand men. There was
among them a patriot of fervid feeling; pas
sisnately devoted to the liberty of his coun-
try; still young, his eye bright, his cheek
glowing with hectic fever. The work of vim
dicating American freedom must be done
soon, or he will be no party the great achsv-
ment. He rises, but il is to restrain, and
being truly brave and truly resolved, he
speaks the language Of moderation ..
Shouts Of hosannas will not terminate
the trials of this day, nor popular resolves.
haraDgues, and acclamations vanquish our
foes. We emust be grossly ignorant of the
| value of the prize for which we contend, of
the power combined against us, Of the invet-
crate malice, md Unsuitable revenge which
actuate our enemies, public and private,
abroad and in our bosom, if we hope that
we shall end this controversy without the
shorpest conflicts. Let US consider the issue,
before we advance to those measures. which,
must bring on the most try ing and terrible
struggle the country ever saw Thus spoke
the younger Quincy. Now that the hand is
to the plow,' said others, 'there must be no
looking back and the whole assembly OF
seven thousand voted unan imously that the
tea should not be landed.
1t had been dark for more than an hour.
The church which they met was dimly lgh-
ted; when at quarter before six Rotch ap'
peared, and satisfied the people by relating
that the governor had refused him pass,
because his ship was not properly cleared.-
As soon as he had finished his report, Sam
ue. Adams rose and gave the word:
This meeting can do nsthing more to
savo the country On the instant shout
was heard at the porch; the war-whoop re-
sounded; body of men, forty or fifty in
number, disguised as Indians, passed by the
door; and encouraged by Samuel Adams
Hancock and others, repaired to Grifhn's
wharf, posted guards to prevent the Intrusion
of spies, took possession of the three tea
ships, and in abou, three hours, three hun.
dred and forty chests of tea, being tie whole
quantity that had been imported, were emp
tied into the bay without the least injury to
other property. 'All things were conducted
with great order, decency, and perfect sub.
mission to government The people around
as they looked on, were SO st'll, that the
noise of breaking open the tea chests wal
plainly heard. A delay Of "a few hours woult
have placed the tea under the protection o.
the admiral at the castle. After the worl
was doLe, the town became as still ant
calm as if it had been holy time. The mel
from the country that very night carries
back the great news to their villages.