The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-31
The GLOBES HOME STUDY COURSE
The Makers Of the hafon.
BY Clark Mills Brink, Ph.D.

should unite for the purpose of opposing,
| by force If need be, all attempts at ag-
| gression. These declarations were Sig
| nihcant, also, as being the first formal
| public assertions of these ideas of which
| there is any record. They were made a
full year before Patrick Henry presented
| the Virginia Resolves" denying the
right of parliament TO tax America IT,
| therefore, any man deserves the credit
| o. first formulating the statement of the
| principle on which the war of the Revolu-
| ton was fought and of first suggesting
| the means by which alone success could
| be achieved, that man is Samuel Adams
! He set the pitch to which the grand
| march of independence was played
/ In the following year Q765) parliament
! passed the famous stamp act, a measure
| providing that all legal documents, such
| as deeds, contracts, marriage licenses,
| etc, must be provided with stamps
Adams became the same year member
| of the general court, as the deputy of
| Boston To him was assigned the task
| OF drafting the papers expressive of the
| attitude of Massachusetts toward the
| principles set forth in the stamp act
! One paper was an address to the English
| parliament through the governor, cour-
| teously but firmly setting forth the Imi-
tations of the English government, and
declaring that the assembly refused to
execute the stamp act. The other was
the famous Massachusetts Resolves. -
proclaiming to the world ~the sentiments
of Massachusetts, regarding the questions
at issue
Soon, however, the sturdy patriot was
engaged in a work even more important
in preparing America for the approaching
conflict When repeating the stamp act,
parliament committed the folly of reas-
| sorting. the right of England to impose
a lll- cII1.o oaIo
was peculiarly irritating to the colonists
! for 1t was the principle rather than the
amount of the tax to which they especial
| ly objected The principle was the pith
| of the whole controversy. The people of
| Massachusetts might, nevertheless, have
| accepted the repeal of the obnoxious laws
| as an earnest of Englaud'S intention to
! treat her American subjects fairly had it
not been for Samuel Adams and a few
| other far-seeing men who were unwilling
| to let the question rest, and by so doing
accept the theory that the wrongs might
| be repeated at England's pleasure In
| order TO keep the spirit of opposition
| alive and to secure the united action of
| the colonies when the time for further re-
sistance should come, Adams succeeded
| IN establishing and fostering, all through
| Massachusetts,, those characteristic reyo-
| lutlonary organizations known as com
mittees of correspondence The honor
| Tor this work is entirely his. He re-
| ceived little encouragement at first, but
| this fact did not dishearten him. With
] marvellous foresight he saw that the time
would come when the attempt at oppres-
| sion would be renewed He saw, also
that tie only ultimate safety of the colo
| niSts would be found in united action
| Therefore, with restless energy with
powerful logic, with urgent appeals with
| SnWaVer1ng persistency, he succeeded in
ff1n
| appoint committee of correspondence -
The chief business of this committee was
/ originally to prepare, first, a statement
| OF the rights of the colonists; second, a
declaration of the infringement of those
rights; 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 IN
| quced almost every town in the province
| TO appoint similar committee. These
committees were permanently organized
and Tor three years before the outbreak
OF the war did invaluable service AS a
result of their labors the towns of the
commonwealth were soon thoroughly
bound together in opinions, in sympathy
and in purpose. The organization was
as complete as is that of modern politi-
cal party on the eve of an important cleo
ton. When we remember that this was
before the days of the modern mail de-
hVery, the railroad, the telegraph and the
telephone, and when we rurther consider
That Sam Adams secured this result al
most Gnaided and without precedent To
guide him, we must accord to him the
very highest rank as a political agitator
and organizer of victory. And who can
estimate the value of the service he thus
rendered? 1t is doubtful if American in
dependence could have been then won
had 1t not been for this preliminary work
so eHectually performed by this far-see-
ing statesman and unselfish patriot
Adams was likewise a leader in the
movement that gave rise to the famous
Boston tea party" England, it will be
remembered, had imposed duty on tea.
and shipload of the article was sent to
Boston. The people were determined that
the tea should not be landed. Mr.. Adams
leads the opposition. 1t is a night in De-
cember, 1773. The town meeting; is sit.
ing, by the dim light of candles, in the
Old South church, awaiting an answer
from the governor to their demand thai
ne give a pass to the ship out of the bar-
Dor, that it may depart with the fragrant
cargo still on board. 1t is the last chance