The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-19


were also going on in the colonies. whose inn
portance was not fully appreciated in that day,
and cannot be oyerostlmated in ours. The SYM
pathy which foi time found expression IN acts
OF kindness soon created desire Tor a more
practical and substantial Union; and the call
was universal Tor gent RAJ Congress. The Sons
OF Liberty IN New York, ath3u ia at length over
whelmed by the moderate men II that city. pro-
posed as their last act the assembling Of Com
gress for the co.onies. Their appeal to New
England and to the Southern Colonies was
heard and answered-PhiadelDhi and New
York, which had then unfortunately, for time,
passed out OF the hands OF the Sons OF Liberty,
alone giving cool and feeble response.
Baltimore at once and earnestly advocated
suspension OF trade with Great Britain, and a
Congress, saying to the friends IN Boston, ''rhe
Supreme Dsposer Of all events will terminate
this severe trial OF your patience in happy
confirmation OF American freedom
New H0mpshlre and New Jersey joined heart
ily III the movement.
South Carolina, although PRESSED with no
grievances, and dependent chiefly tor her trade
on British factors, declared that 1.-THE whole Con-
tiDent must be animated with one great soul,
and Ill Americans must resolve TO stand by one
another even unto DEATH.
Virginia, loyal STILL and entertaining no
thought of revolution, guided by the eloquence
OF Patrick Henry, the wisdom Of Lee and Wash
ington, and the sagacity and learning OF Jeder-
son and George Mason, adopted In it's House OF
Burgesses u resolution, which was ID Itself .
solemn invocation OF Gcd, as the witness or their
deliberate purpose, to rescue their liberties,
even at the risk OF being compelled to defend
them with arms" They selected the day on
which the Boston Port act was TO take effect as
day or tasting and PRAYER. And when, tor this
act OF dsobedience, Lord Dunmore dissolved the
House, committee met at once, summoned
convention of delegates, and inaugurated revo-
lution. The influence OF Virginia controlled
North Carolina.
The colonies were now fully aroused, and so
was Great Britain. Thurlow and Wedderburne
gavo their opinions that the Provincial Congress
OF Massachusetts was reasonable body; and
after long negotiations among the Ministers
and various propositions, TO all which the King
turned = deaf car, it was resolved in December,
-1l74, to ''interdict all commerce with .Ameri..
cans; to protect the loyal, and TO declare all
others traitors and rebels"
TIE WINTER OF 1774-5 CAME on.
The gulf between the colonies and the mother
country grew deeper and broader continually.
Gage had grown weary OF endeavoring to con-
troll the Provincial Assembly OF Massachusetts,
and had proceeded To fortify Boston. Twenty
thousand volunteers from the inland counties
had marched toward Boston on the seizure OF
powder and field pieces in Medford, and had sor-
rowfully dispersed because they were told that
the hour had NOT yet come. Outside OF Boston
tho Kings rule was at an end" All attempts OF
the crown judges to hold courts in the province
failed. Oliver, the impcached Chief Justice, had
declare it impossible to exercise his Office, as
none would act as Jurors. The Suffolk Conven.
ton had met, ana under the lead OF W -rren, to
whom Samuel Adams, who was now III Congress,
had intrusted the guidance OF affairs ia Massa-
breaks his compact with his people torteits their
allegiance" by their duty to God, their country,
themselves and their posterIty, they pledged
the country 10 MAINTAIN their civil and religious
liberties, and TO transmit them entire to future
generations. They rejected as unconstitutional
the regulating act OF Parliament and all the OIL
GERS appointed under its authority. Attrlbutlng
to the British Commaner-ln-Che f hostile inten-
tons, they erected tae collectors OF taxes to
pay over no money to the treasurer whom he
recognized. They advised the towns TO erect
for themselves officers OF the militia from such
"a were inlexiblc friends or the rights OF the
people. For purposes OF provincial government
they advised Provincial Congress, while they
Promised respect and obedience to the Contl-
mental Congress. "They determined to act on
the defensi toward Great Britain 80 long as
such conduct might he indicated w
reason and the principles of seli-pres-
ervation, but no logger" Congress,
too. had met and Patrick Henry, and
Samuel Adams, and John Adams. and George
Washington, and John Knitted 20, and Richard
Henry Lee, aud Roger sherman, had declared
that ''an entire new government must be found
ed; and that orr ancestors found here no gov
ernment; and as a consequence had right to
make their own In support OF this the elo-
qucnce OF Patrick Henry burst like torrent
from his native hills. BY his sloe stood the IN
trepid ard accompanied Lee The right arm of
Washington was nervcd at once Tor the great
service which SOON cevolycd upon hlrn. Johu
Adams, acute, impassiOned, learned from the
best Now England schools, bore the cause on
s'aithougu by no means remarkable Tor brilliant
abIlIties." carried tho great proposition home to
the people, and with skill which no faction
could resist and gave to the opening revolution
all the tone and manlncss and Incorporating
resolve OF his own undnunted spirit.
But let II not lie supposed, my frlends,s from
this radiant record OF patriotism and devotionwon
by Loston even at the very dawn OF the revolu-
ton that it was secuI ed without an intense OF do
mestic conflict. The path traversed by tie Sons
OF Liberty was by no means easy. The division
of sentiment Lere was sharp and violent. The
peace vi families was invaded, brother being
almost ready to oetray the brother unto death,
and father the SON. There was great popular SEN
tinent tor the cause OF freedom, II ~ true, and
Whenever the inspired orators OF that day pro-
nounced their solemn protests and laid down
their sublime principles "the common people
heard them gladly" But We should not forget
that the struggle which vt this distant day ap.
pears SO spot ess aud sincere was attended by AL
the bitterness and warmth and inisunderstand.
ing and injustice aud suspicion that bc!cag 10 all
heated political contests. Many cultivated and
bcnest and conscientious gentleman Of that Gay
oharac cd our whise-robod saints With the basest
motives OF venRlity and ambitlDn. Many hero ~
whose shrine we now worship, was ia that day
denounced GO monster 81 malice and revenge.
The sharpest weapons to Which our patriot
fathers in this town barod thoir b0soms were
not the swords OF an opprussIng army. The
keenest insults which thoy were compelled to
boar were not those which Tell from tue lipa OF
offoial IL s0lonce. Tho hardest blows indicted
upon them wore tboao which they received nom
the hands OF their lifelong associates, their
neighbors end friends, Iom whom they nod
right to expect 9 Judgment tempered with
mercy, and recognition Of their obedience 10
their own conscientious sonso OF duty. They
were derided as the "Hoston saints" into whom
''the demons Of folly, fslsebood, madness and
rebellion seem 10 have entered, along with Their
chief tho Angel OK Darkness they were de-
nounced as men "whoso ambition aantonly
opened the sources OF civil disoord." They
were told, with righteous Indignation, that
''the annals OF the world have not yet been de-
formed with single instance Of 80 unnatural,
so causeIess, SO wan.ou, SO wicked rebellion"
The young patriots OF Boston were declared 10
be bTcd mp hypocrites in religion and pettifog-
gers q law. Ana the sef-sacriicing merchants
az the town, VINO had rished aD they had for
their country, were tainted with assembling on
oil important occasions III taneuil Hall, ia the
House OF kcpr, seatatlves OF III the Council
Chamber, 10 listen 10 wise and learned har-
apgues, and to pass treqsnuabic votes and
resolves, while "humbly beseecbIng the Al