The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-10
The ADVERTISERS
 Y HOME STUDY CIRCLE

men who were unwilling to let the question rest. anl by so doing accept | the theory that the wrongs might be repeated at Englsnd's pleasure. In or der to keep the spirit of opposition alive and to secure the united action of the colonies when the time for fur | ther resistance should come, Adams succeeded in establishing and foster | ing. all through Massachusetts. those characteristic revolutionary organiza- | lions known as committees of corre- spondence.' The honor for this work | is entirely his. He received little en- couragemeht at first, but this fact did not dishearten him. With marvellous | foresight he saw that the time would come when the attempt at oppression would be renewed. He saw. also, that the only ultimate safety of the colo | nists would be found in unted action.
 Therefore, with restless energy with | powerful logic. with urgent appeals. | with unwavering persistency. he suc- ceeded in persuading the town meeting of Boston to appoint committee of correspondence" The chisf business of | this committee was originally to pre- i pare, first, statement of the rights | of the colonists; second, 6 declaration of the infringement of these lights; third, a letter to the several towns of the province and to the world" This | document, sent out from Boston, pro- duced an immense effect, and Adams | induced almost every town in the prov | ince to appoint a similar committee. These committees were permanently
 organized, and fer three years before the outbreak of the war did invaluable | service As result of their labors the towns of the commonwealth were soon thoroughly bound together in opinions, | nd in ganization was as complete as Is that i of a modern political party on the eve | of an important election. When we remember that this was before the days
 of the modern mail delivery. the rail-
 road. the telegraph and the telephone.
 and when we further consider that Sam Adams secured tLis result almost un- | aided and without precedent to guide | him, we must accord to him the very
 highest rank as political agitator and organizer of victory. And who can es~ timat te the value of the service he thus rendered! It is doubtful if American independence could have been then won | had it not been for this preliminary work so effectually performed by this | far-seeing statesman and unseltsh pa" | triot.
 | Adams was likewise a leader in the
 movement that gave rise to the famous
 Boston tea party" England, 1t will
 be reme embered. had imposed duty on
 tea. and a shipload of the article was
 sent to Boston. The people were de- termined that the tea should not be
 landed. MT. Adams leads the opposi-
 tion. It is night in Decemher. 1773. The town meeting is sitting, by the
 dim light of candles. in the Old South l Church. awaiting an answer from the l Governor to their demand that he give | pass to the ship out of the harbor,
 that it may depart with the fragrant
 cargo still on board. It is the last
 chance. Another day and the limit set
 by law will expire. At length word
 comes from the Governor that the pass
 cannot be given. Samuel Adams Is in
 the chair. When the refusal of the | Governor is announced. he says: This
 meeting can do nothing more to save 1 the country!" It Is the preconcerted l signal. Scarcely have the words been spoken when a war whoop is heard near the door and band of Mohawk Indians" followed by a crowd of citi- i zens. rush to the wharf. and soon
 through the darkness can be heard up-
 on the deck of the vessel the blows of
 the hatchets as the chests of tea are
 broken open. It is said that more than one illustrious Bostonian found the next
 morning his shoes full of good Bohea
 upon which the duty had not been
 paid.
 A still more dramatic incident and
 one that equally reveals the character ! of Adams as an apostle of American
 independence occurred at the time of
 the so-called Boston massacre" The. 1 city was in a ferment of excitement. | There was danger that the populace | would attack the two regiments of
 British soldiers and thus cause bloody
 conflict. A town meeting was hastily
 summoned and met in the Old South | Church. A vote was taken in accord | ance with which a committee headed | by Samuel Adams waited on the Gov
 ernor and Colonel Dalrymple, the off,
 cer in command. with the request that | the troops be at once withdrawn. A | promise to remove one regiment only | is given. As Adams, followed by the
 committee. issues from the door of the
 old State House to make hio report to
 the meeting in the Old South Church 1 the word Is passed: Make way for | the committed" The throngs fall hack
 on either side. Adams knows the tem-
 per of the people. With barred head he l walks slowly through the channel thus
 opened. Though but 4S years old his
 hair is almost white. He glances to
 the right and to the left at the stern, l eager IdCSS, anu TcpcdlS III d lON, put
 significant voice: Both regiments or
 none! Both regiments or none"
 The committee enters the church and
 reports: The Twenty-ninth Regiment
 will be withdrawn but the Fourteenth
 must remain. But the seed sown by
 the chairman on his way through the
 crowd has already sprung up and come
 to fruitage. A cry goes up-from floor,
 from galleries, from without: Both
 regiments or none!" The sly intriguer | knew where and how to apply the
 torch, and at the touch everything is
 adame. The voice of the people is om-
 nipotent. The meeting repeats its vote,
 Adams manfully presses the demand
 upon the Governor, and at last the or der Is given. The regiments are with
 and ever after Lord North. the English
 Prime Minister, speaks of them as the
 Sam Adams regiments."
 When the Colonial Congress met,
 Adams was one of the most zeaious
 advocates of separation from England.
 So ardent and influential in the cause | was he, that General Gage testified to
 his prominence by excepting only
 John Hancock and Sam Adams" from
 the offer of pardon. Few were thought | worthy of such distinction.
 Adams signed the famous "Declara-
 tion" and was one of the most active
 members of the Continental Congress
 during the trying period of the war.
 Later he was prominent in the public
 affairs of both his State and the na- | tfOp Tn Octoher 1202 at tha aOa of s1