The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-01-03
Tea Party.

tonlans IN 1878, which was one of the over
popular acts that led soon to hostilties betweel
the mother country and her refractory provinces
Whatever Mr. Bancroft narrates, he narrate
well, and he has given new charm to this ia
nous and favorite revolutionary incident
Nevertheless, the determined and defiant dee,
of committing three hundred and forty chest
of good tea to a briny and inglorious grave, die
not, we believe, exactly meet with the approba
ton OF all, for some of our grand and grea
grandmothers deplored the loss of so enormou:
a quantity of the precious leaf the infusion
from which exhilerates without inebriatng, anc
which loosens the tongue without disturbing the
brain. Botta says, in his history of the Amer
rlcan revolution, that notwithstanding the ana
themas launched against tea publicly, and the
general renunciation of it, some persons contin.
ued to drink it secretly, and some drank il
openly under another name-ne centelassero in
palese dandogi un altronome They were Of
those who thought
"That which we call a rose,
| BY any other name would smell as sweet"
The first chapter details the proceedings
abroad, the dispatch by the East India COMPANY
OF cargoes, the political feeling of the colonies,
and then proceeds as follows as to the Boston
consignees:
'The issue was to be tried at Boston. Its tea
ships were on the water, the governor himself,
under the name of his sons, was selected as one
OF the consignees, the moment for the decision
was Fastening on. In the night, between the
first and second of November, a knock was
heard at the door of each one of the persons
commissioned by the East India company, and
summons left for them to appear, without fail,
at liberty tree, on the following Wednesday at
noon, to resign their commission. Printed
notices were also posted up, desiring the free
men OF Boston and the neighboring towns to
meet at the same time and place, as witnesses.
"On the appointed day large flag was hung
out on the pole at liberty tree The bells in
the meeting houses were rung from eleven till
noon. Adams, Hancock, and Philps-three
OF the four representatives of the town of Bos-
ton, the select men, and William Cooper, the
town clerk, with about five hundred more gath
cred round the spot. As the consgnees did not
make their appearance, the assembly, appoint
ing Mollneaux, Warren, and others committee,
marched INTO state street, to the warehouse of
Richard Clarke, where all the consignees were
assembled Molineux presented himself for
parley.
''From whom are you committee?" asked
Clarke. 'From the whole people, who are
the committee?' Nothing is now to be kent Sc
cret, replied Moneux. 4 am one and he
named all the rest And what is your request?'
Mollneux read paper, requiring the consig ignees
to promise not to sell the teas, but to return
them to London in the same bottoms in which
they were shipped. will you comply?' i
shall have nothing to do with you,' answered
Clarke, roughly and peremptorly. The same
question was put to the other consignees, one
by one, who each and all answered, II cannot
comply with your demand Molineux then read
another paper, containing resolve, passed at
liberty tree, that the consignees who should re-
fuse to comply with the request of the people,
were enemies to their country. Descending into
the street, he made his report to the people.
Out with them, out with them,' was the cry,
but he dissuaded them from violence.
After further details, as to the consignees and
of the committee of correspondence and the
council, the narrative proceeds:
"Ihe true hearted people were as vgilant as
they were determined. The men of Cambridge
assembled on the 26th, and after adopting the
Philadelphia resolves, very unanimously voted
that, as Boston was struggling for the liberties
of their country, they could no longer stand idle
spectators, but were ready on the shortest notice
to JOIN with it and other towns in any measure
that might be thought proper to deliver them
selves and posterlty from slavery. The next
day the town of Charlesown assembled and
showed such spirit that ever afterts committee
was added to those who assumed the executive |
direction.
"The combination was hardly finished when,
on Sunday, the 23th day of November, the ship
Dartmouth appeared in Boston harbor with one
hundred and fourteen chests of the East India
tea. To keep the sabbath strictly
was the New England usage But hours were
precious, let the tea be entered, and it would be
beyond the power of the consignees to send it
back. The selectmen held one meeting by day
and another in the evening" but they soug in
7aln for the consignees, who had taken sanctua-
y in the castle.
''The committee of correspondence was more
Efficient. They met.also on Sunday, and OBJ
aimed from the quaker Rotch, who owned the
Dartmouth, promise not to enter his ship till
tuesday, and authorized Samuel Adams to in
lite the committees of the five surrounding
owns, Dorchester, Roxbury, Brookline, Cam
ridge, and Charlestown, with their own towns
nen, and those of Boston, to hold mass meet
ng the next morning. Faneuil hall could not
ontain the people that poured in on Monday.
The concourse was the largest ever known. Ad- l
oining to the old south meeting house Jonathan
Williams did not fear to act as moderator, nor
amuel Adams, Hancock, Young, Molineux,
nd Warren to conduct the business of the ,,
1eeting.: On the motion of Samuel Adams 1
.ho entered fully into the question, the assem-
ly, composed Of upwards of FIVE thousand
ersons, resolved unanimously that the tea !
1ould be sent back to the place from whence it e
ame at all events, and that no duty should be a
aid on it, The only way to get rid of it, e
I'D Young, is to throw it overheard The Y
'nsignees asked for time to prepare their an ii
yer, and 'out of great tenderness the body Il
ostponed receiving it to the next morning. tt
eantime the owner and master of the ship b
ere convented and forced to promise not to a
nd the tea. A watch was also proposed. t. g
id Hancock, will be one of it, rather than c.
at there should be none,' and a party of IT
7enty- five persons, under the orders of Edward p
rector as its captain, was appointed to guard o
C tea ship during the night" tt
A ftar datailipr further nrocaedinrs and tho II