Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-01-25

~ NO"tV " portion OF ltS merchants
and other people, disguised rs Indians
The contemporary history of the event
also informs us, that nearly all, if moi
entirely all of the merchants supposed
to have participated in this during
achievement, very soon thereafter 'clan-
destinely" signed petition, asking that
they should not be punished for the act
and promising to pay the value Of The
tea, with the Objectionable duty added
In the lapse of time, this performance
has come to be considered, in all Ply.
mouth Rock celebrations, as a wonderful
affair, and when alluded to in speech
never fails to add to the self-sulliceucy o
all genuine Bostonians South Carolina
at the time it occurred, supposed the ac
to be one of heroism and sacrifice, and
accordingly, her magnanimous soul was
moved to active sympathy for those who
had performed it, She sent forth to
Massachusetts, rice and other nccessarcs
Of life to sustain her in her need. She
is repaid for her sympathy Hea, by Mas
sachusetts urging the devastation of her
hospitable homes and the massacre of her
people Hoci
You are, sir, l believe, native of the
ancient city of Annapolis. Into that
place, in the year l774, a vessel--the
Peggy Stewart brought a large quaint
ty of tea on which the owners of the
vessel made haste to pay the dulyp How,
sir, did the people Of chat day treat this
act of submission Reeollcct, sir, this
was nearly two years Jcforo the Declara-
ton Of Independence had been made.
The people regarded the act Of the owners
Of the vessel, as likely to call in question
the fidelity and honor Of the Province !;
and pitio@ disgaistng themselves MS In
dians, as was the case in Massachusetts,,
they compelled the owners Of the vessel
to ask forgiveness in the most humiliating
language nor did their resentment stop
there, the pcnitcnt owners were required
to 20 on board Of the vessel and, whilst
her sails and colors were flying, in the
presence of a large multitude, they them
selves set fire to the packages Of tea, all
which, together with the vessel and every
appurtenancc thereof, was consumed -
The manner in which was performed the
two acts Of burning the tea, illustrates
what at that time was the difference be-
tween the tempers of the people Of Ma
ryland and Massachusetts the one, open
and above board, the other indirect and
unreliable.
am sure that if some of the Uuior
savers" hereabouts, had been consulted
on the occasion of the destruction of the
Peggy Stewart, they would have advised
a " mastery inactivity and talked long,
and dolefuliy, Of the power Of Great
Britain, just as they do now of the won
derful length of the border line of our
State but enough, for the present, Of
this.
OF one Thing there can be no doubt,
and that is, that South Carolina has
spoken in plain language, and in this
particular. if in none other, her conyen-
ton resembles the great congress Of the
colonies of 1774. At that time there
were, as there ever will be, obstinate and
short-sighted persons in authority, who
could not see where laid the real cause Of
grievance Of the colonies, and who thought
the repeal Of the stamp act would remove
all cause Of complaint, just as we bave
among us persons who think the repeal Of
the so-called personal liberty bills ought
to satisfy the South But CHATHAM
lived in that day, and he clearly foresaw
and predicted thatif the work Of coercion
was perscycred in, the Crown would lose
its brightest jewel His counscls were
disregard, bat his prediction was, to the
everlasting regret and chagrin Of his con-
temners, verified. His words on that
occasion ought to be carefully weighed
now, by those who 50 inc0nsiderately
urge war on the people Of the South.
Speaking Of the demand Of the colonies
he said "They do not ask you to repeal
your laws as a fagor; they claim it as Q
right, they demand it They tell you
they will not submit to them and tel
you the acts must be repealed. But re,
peal will not satisfy this enlightened
spirited people. 1t is not repeating thi
or that act of parliament; not the ami
hiation Of few shreds Of parchment
that can restore America to your bosom
You must rcpcoi hrt cars md rescatDle1fs
and you may then hope for her love an'
gratitude" The advice Of this grea
man was unhoeded, and whilst, to use thu
language Of Burke, "the western hori
zon yet blazcd with his descending glo
ry," ships aud armies we're sent to sub
jugate the colonies just as is now pro
posed to be done in tic case Of South
Carolina and other seeding States.
Il South Carolina Is now mepqccd BY a
military force in her harbor, and rash
men clamor for its Immediate and large
increase, apparently regardless Of the dis
astrous Consequences which must ineyita-
bly, follow such a proceeding.
What was Tho language Of that modern
Solomon and pure patriot, Benjamin
franklin, when asked by Lord Howe as
to the propriety Of keeping a military
| force IN the presence Of Boston during
the period Of her discopteutI asl, you
to ponder IL we'll "1'hc army at Bos-
ton, +" said Franklin, who saw the immi-
nent hazard Of bloodshed, "eaaaot pos-
aJiy aasiccr any good piirpose, mil a,a5
/ be mischter9qg M accommodation can
be properly entered into BY The Ameri.
cans, while the bayonet IS at theirbrcast
10 hGge an agreement binding, aH forc'
shQpld be pithdyuuh."
The case Of Charleston nov, Is almos
. Identical in its circumstances with tba