Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-05-28
Sons Of Liberty.

Sons of Liberty.
The excitement on the Western Reserve,
Ohio, growing out Of the Rescue Trials, which
have been going on at Cleveland for the last
two weeks, or more, Of those who assisted in
the alleged rescue of a kidnapped fugitive
Slave last fall at Oberlin, is most intense. -
The Cleveland Leader, oflast Friday contains
a stirring call for Mass Convention, to be
held at Cleveland on next Tuesday, signed
by prominent citizens of Cleveland, and the
Reserve.
At Jefferson, Ashsabula County, also, the
house of Joshua R. Giddings, thrilling meet
ing was held on the Eth inst, at which he in
troduced Constitution for the 'Sons of Lib
erty," revived, of the origin of which he gave
graphic historical sketch, from which we
condense.-
But our fathers would not submit to the
Stamp Act; shall we submit to the despotism
of this slave act? A gentleman from Portage
county the other day, told me there were two
thousand men ready to march to relieve the
prisoners at Cleveland, and put down this in
suit to our moral senSibilities; and such is
the case here, and in all the counties of the
Reserve.
Such was the case in New England in 1775.
Our fathers were excited and indignant
ThS "Stamp Act' passed. J~..a I..---~el
OF New Raven, uapPUIIed to be In London,
and obtained the appointment of stamp mas
ter. Soon as he had reached New Haven, a
town meeting was called, as has been done
here this evening. They passed resolutions
requesting him to resign Norwich, New
London and Weathersfeld did the same; he
refused. Our fathers saw the necessity of
union, of concentrating the public indigna-
ton, the same as we feel it now
70 effect that object. Dagget and other
parties conceived and established the order
called "The Sons of Liberty"
Ingersol started from N. Haven to Hart
fordl at the convening of the Legislature. As
he drew near to Westfeld, he met four men
riding two abreast, each holding staff newly
cut from the forest, peeled, and looking white.
1t was one of the insignia of the order. Soon
after he met five hundred, preceded by three
trumpeters, and two officers in military dress
They opened right and left, Ingersol passed
on to the centre, when they wheeled their hor-
ses and rode to the village with him in their
midst. Then they halted, and ordered him to
dsmount. The leader informed him that he
must then ard there resign his office. "Iwil
wait the orders Of Government" said Inger-
SOL To which the leader responded in Ian
guage worthy "Son of Liberty" "Here IS
the Government r' The office holder was as
founded. He supposed that feeble old man
who sat on the throne at Westminster with a
bauble on his head, and a sceptre of less po-
tency than peeled cane in his hand, consti-
tuted the government. Such too, is the view
of Office holders at this day, They believe
that James Buchanan is the Gouernment =
Poor mistaken souls" They are all our
servants have often told them in the Ian
guage of the Sons of Liberty, "Here is tile
Government" The people are the deposita-
ries of power. Here resides the sovereignty
of the nation. Each individual constitutes a
component part of the Government. would
that freeman should understand their dignity
and power. The government is in our hands
and we are not in the hands of the government.
Those farmers of Weathersfield had thought
of this matter. They were conscious of their
dignity; and Ingersol then saw their pow
ers. eff refuse what will follows" said he.
"Your Fate" said the leader of the patriots.
These two monosylables reached his heart
These words should reach the heart of Bu-
chanan and every servile office holder, who
attempts to enforce this fugitive law would
send these words thrilling through the heart
of every slave-catcher, commissioned by
James Buchanan, or acting upon the impulse
of the Prince Of Shareholders. 1 would say
| to them, if you attempt to enslave man here
on this Western reserve, "your fate" will
follow. AS in Congress, say tonight if the
slave-catcher pollutes my threshold with his
footsteps will strike him down: be he slave
holder or Deputy Marshal, lis tate shall fol-
lOw! These two words will constitute one
of the appropriate maxims for "The Sons OF
Liberty " whom l propose to organize to-
night.
When Ingersol heard them, new world
seemed to open up to his frightened magma
ton. "The cause" said he, els not worth
dying for."-Language which many slave.
catching doughfaees and Deputy Marshals
would utter, if one-tenth part of the people
would firmly and kindly whisper "your fate"
in their ears. 81 resign" said Ingersol.-
Then, said the leader, shout Liberty and
Property" three times; and Ingersol opened
his profane lips and for the first time IN his
life shouted Liberty and Property" "Lib-
erty and Property" "L1BERTY AND PROPER
Typ But five years afterwards, when the
people in King street, Boston, were fred up
on by the Kings troops, and five of them
killed, their motto was then amended by ad-
ding to it the word "lite," so that from 177O
"He, liberty and property" became their
motto, and will, 1 trust, be ours in coming
| time ...
Its influence constrained the Office holders
to send back to England the stamped paper
forwarded to them, and to resign their Off
ces. The King and Parliament opened their
eyes to the great truth, that the people con-
stituted po,oer superior to Themselves, and
they repealed the stamp act. Gentlemen, let
the true "Sons of Liberty" in Ashtabula
County manifest the same frmness exhibited
at W eathersfeld in 1865, and James Buchan-
an and bis satraps would never be seen cha