Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-19
The Boston Tea Party. one Hundred Year, Ago.

The great Centenniel- of the Keyo-
luton and of the foundation OF our
Rspuhlie, will soon be crowdlng upon
A. The advance guard Of such an
n;yersarie- j. already here Tuesday, Bos-
ton and many other place celebrated! the
centennial oi the famous tea party when
oc,urr4d in Boston llarb1r a.hundred years
aso that day. Thoughthere had been great
and grow ing Justification with the Home
Government, IN the American Colonies :
circumstances against oppressive taxation
and quarrels in Boston between the citizens
and the British troops, of which the " Boston
Massacre " Of March. ITO. was the most no
table, the " tea party " was the hrst dellb-
crate act of open revolt. The act OF Par
lament which led to it was passed in June,
1867, imposing duties on paper, glass,
tea and some other articles imported
into the colonies. The cOlonists at
once organized non-importation assoeia-
tions. producing such an effect in England
that the government removed all the duties
except that of threepcnee pound on tea
which was retained at the express command
Of King George, who said " that there
should always be one tax, at least, to keep
up the right of taxing But the Amerl-
cans objected not 80 much to the tax a. to
the principle involved; and when three
ships of the East India Company arrived
NJ Boston with their cargOeS OF tea, the
people demanded of the cOnsignees that the
tea should not be landed. To this demand
Governor Hutchinson refused his assent; 50
the people took the matter into their own
own hands and On the night Of the 10th OF
December, an armed party, disguised as In
dians. boarded the ships and emptied rs
900 worth of tea into the harbor.
Last night" John Adams wrote next
day in his diary, Three eargoes OF Bohea
tea were emptied into the sea. This Is the
most magnificent movement OF all. There
j. dignity. majesty, sublimlty, IN tins
last effort of the patriots that greatly ad
mire The people should never rise without
thing notable and striking. This destruc
uon of the tea is 80 bold. 50 daring, so firm
intrepid and inhexible, and it must have :,
important c0nseq uences, and 50 lasting tina
cannot but consider it an epoch in his
tory" And on the same day he wrote t,
james Warren ''The die is east. TIT
people have passed the river and cut avail
the bridge. Last night three cargoes of tel
we're emptied into the harbor. This is tn
grandest event which has ever vet happened
since the controversy with Britain happen
ed The sublimity of it charms me"
The example of Boston was contagious
Teas sent to New York, Philadelphia an
other places were shipped back, or rotte
without beng used Acts of Parliamen
closing the port of Boston; changing tn
charter Of the Colony of Massachusetts. $
a. to gave To the Crown the appointment O
Judge, magistrates and sherifs; prohibit
ing town meetings, except by consent of tn
Governor; and Others of like oppressive ma
ture, followed, and famed the flame whicl
broke out in the Revolution and the Declare
ton Of Independence
1t j. well to recall and to commemOrat
these events for We can do 50 without re
yiSal oi the old hatred of Great Britain
The England OF to -day is no more like tn
harsh step-mother of a hundred years az
than the America of to-day is like the ban
OF feeble colonies of revolutionary time,
The two are the great English-speakin
Protestant nations of the globe. and ss sue
should 1--we in permanent peace and haT
mlnY