The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-03-13
March, l775-ls75.


people Of the "closed port" Of Boston were
thus favored by natural causes, their hearts
were not only warmed by the sympathy
and assistance Of Americans, but friends
in England recognized the true conditions
of the struggle by contributions of relief.
There were those in the mother country
who could understand that the colonists
were coutending for the rights Of all Brit
ish subjects and that resistance to tyranny
was loyalty in the highest sense of that
word. The guarantees Of the British
Constitution had been violated by Crown
and Parliament. The colonists, loyal to
themselves, to their fellow subjects, to pos
terity, and to the principles of truth and
of freedom, maintained the right against
misjudging monarch and subservient
ministry.
About the middle Of the month Of
March, 1875, franklin, despairing of sue
cess in his effort to resist the policy of the
British Government, took passage for
home, Before leaving, however, he, as
"Agent" OF the Province Of Massachusetts,
Bay, prepared memorial which, under
advice of friends, was never submitted.
The leading points of it were, demand
for all damages which Boston had suffered,
above the value Of the tea destroyed ut
the famous party" This was "ehangiug
the base" Of the contest. In the same
memorial he claimed that, as the conquest
of Canada, and, Of course, the right tn the
fisheries, was obtained by the joint forces
of the Colonies and of Great Britain, the
former had just and equitable right to
participate in those fisheries. While in
England he left no means unused TO reach
the popular mind, and was honored by
DR.. johnson, in his pamphlet entitled
Taxation no Tyranny with special notice.
johnson describes him as "the master Of
mischief, teaching Congress to put in motion
the engine Of political electricity, and to give
the great stroke by the name Of Boston"
Johnson's Dictionary is not so full in
electrical terms as "Wetster's Unabridg-
ed, or the great photographer would have
phrased his electrical effort at humor
more clarly. And here we may remark
in passing, that the advance In knowledge
upon the subject of electricity, and the
practical application of the science, are
among the wonders of the first century Of
this Republic.
The British Ministry perseyered in their
oppressive measures. Edmund Burke and
David Hartley in vain attempted to stem
the tide, proposing return to the old col
onial policy Of receiving the FREQ grants Of
the colonies to the British exchequer, IN
stead of imposing taxes upon tho colonies
Hartley lived long enough (till 1879 to
soc the colonies not only free, but, in the
attitude of foreign nation, waging war
with the Government with which as "re-
bels' they contended. The conflict had
gone too far to be rcceded from, and
March, 1875, confirmed the true friends
Of tho British Empire in their fears that
the rending of that empire was Inevitable
The significant event In the colonies in
this month was the assembling in Rich.
mond, Virginia, Of the second popular
convention Of the colony. For reasons
familiar to all students Of colonial history
the temper of Virginia was, though patri-
otic as to colonial interests, conservative
as to the empire, But the extreme intol-
erance, naughty domineering and blind
infatuation of the British Ministry were
too much, and melted Virginia also into
resistance. The same remark will apply
to Others Of the colonies; but the bolt was
shot. While the British Parliament we're
perfecting their measures Of coercion, Vir-
ginia, in her convention, was reducing to
system measures Of resistance. Resolu-
tions proposed by Patrick Henry were
passed, that the colony should be put in q
posture Of defence, and plan be devised
for "embodying, armiug and disciplining
such number Of men as may be sufficient
for that purpose. The committee who
reported the "plan' contained among its
members Patrick Henry, Richard Henry
Lee, George Washington and Thomas JEFF.
ferson. Their report was unanimously
adopted. Subsequently events proved that
it was more difficult to hold the people
down to moderate measures than it was to
excite them to action.
Boston had, in this month, its sensation.
On the 9th, despite of the Act Of Parlia-
ment against "seditious" assemblies, the
citizens commemorated the afth anniver,
sary Of the Boston Massacre. An oration
was delivered in the n0ld South Church"
on the danger Of maintaining standing
armies in times Of peace; aud the speaker
made the most of his subject. In his elc-
quent and stirring address DIR. Joseph
Warren, the orator Of the day, said, "You
will maintain your rights, or perish in the
generous struggle" Three months later
the orator indicated his sincerity. De-
mosthcnes, the Athenian orator, stirred
his conntrymen to arms, and proved
craven on the field. Warren, however,
whose eloquence gave evidence of the Ere
Of the Greek, tempered by the wisdom Of
the Christian, fell at Bunker Hill about
three months after his solemn choice Of
death rather than slavery, And the obe-
lisk on Bunker Hin marks the very spot
on which tho first prominent martyr to
independence met his death. The oration
.H