Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-10-26
PEGGY STEWARDS DAY.
Baltimore Sun.

baltimore sun.
Thursday, October 10th, was duly cele-
brated in Maryland as Peggy Stewards s
Day, being the anniversary of the
burning in 1774 at Annapolis of ten
laden brig, in token Of the determi-
nation of our people not to permit the
importations Of tea till the odiors
stamp tax imposed by tine mother
country should be repealed. On July
I'd, l774, citizens of Frederick county,
at Q public meeting, resolved not to
suffer the use Of tea in their families
so long as Parliament insisted upon
taxation without representation, and
70 days later general convention,
assenpled at Annapolis, determined to
stop oil trade with England till the
grievance of the stamp tax was re-
moved. When, therefore, in October
tho Peggy Stewart, owned by Mr..
Alexander Stewart and others, arrived
in Annapolis bringing cargo of tea
in detiance9of local sentiment, popular
indignation reached fever heat. 1t
was insisted by the patriots that
neither should the tea be landed nor
should its Importation contrary to the
general wish be condoned. The owners
OF the vessel and cargo offered to burn
thcil II SuGStS Vi bbh III bAplhl1UD VI
the offence, but finding this atonement
insufficient, Mr.. Stewart proposed at
length to burn both vessel and cargo.
This was done. The Peggy Stewart
was run aground ON Windmill Point,
and Mr.. Stewart fired her with his
own hands, amid manifestations Of
patriotic enthusiasm.
This act of patriotism was not
mr. ht,t nd
above board, the participants manfully
taking full responsibility for what they
did. Nor was the sacrifice at some
one else's expense-a cheap Offering
but the owners of the Peggy Stewart
and her cargo were themselves the
chief actors, identifying themselves
fully with their compatriots. In honor
OF this event the day of its occurrence
has been given a distinguished place
in our calendar, and as Peggy
Stewards Day" it will be celebrated
next Thursday in an appropriate man
ner by commemorative exercises in our
public schools and elsewhere.
Correspondents call our attention to
the partial and distorted view of his.
torical events produced by school his
tories of New England origin, which
our School Commissioners permit to be
used in our schools. In these the
Boston Tea Party is given much space.
but the burning of the Peggy Stewart
is almost ignored. Says Prof. Schoen-
rich, in letter to The Sun, referring
to Peggy Stewards Day: 1.-THE United
States histories in the hands of our
pupils treat that remarkable event in
most neglectful way. So in Eggleston's
history, page 1866, only the following
notice of it is given: And at An
napolis a ship that had paid the duty
on private consignment of tea was
burned in the harbor' Montgomery
history, page 154, deems it sufficient
to record it only in small print In
foot-note: A vessel laden with tea
was burned at Annapolis, 1774. Un-
fortunately. both are written merely
from New England standpoint.
Dulany's History of Maryland, pages
l40-14l, mentions the destruction of
the ship Peggy Stewart in but few
lines, not even giving the date. The
striking features of the transaction,
the boldness with which it was exc
cuted, and the deliberation and utter
of concealment in all the
leading to Its accomplish
ment are in nowise accumulated. A
lady writes much to the same effect,
reciting the fact that the school his.
tories. in our schools make only "a
casual mention" of the Peggy Stewart
incident, while describing the Boston
Tea Party in full" and she asks that
The Sun publish the required facts in
detail before October 10th. The request
is reasonable one, but the necessity
OF making it reflects upon the dis
selecting school histories for this lati-
tude.