The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-31
ARTICLE L.
AHiiCLE L.
Samuel Adams, the Agitator of Lib

Samuel Adams, the AgitatOr of Lib
erty.
10 know the history of country one
must know the great men of that coun-
try. For what is history but the record
OF human lives? To no nation is this
principle more applicable than to our
own. If we would know the past of the
United States we must know the men
who have made the United States-the
men who awakened the spirit of indie
pendence. who presided at the birth of
the young republic, who shaped its con-
stitutlon and who have guided it's des-
TIMES through all the stirring scenes of
IT'S career down to our own generation.
we Americans do not ordinarily make
much OF family trees The reason. per
Eaps, may be discovered in the fact that
SO lew American families have been
prominent for more than single genera
tien. marked exception to this rule
IS round in the Adams family AS agi-
tatorS, as diplomats, as presidents, as
ambassadors, as members of the cabinet.
as college professors, as distinguished
lawyers, this remarkable family bas
helped to render our history illustrious
Tor century and half Not the best
known, but surely not the least worthy
10 De known of this distinguished family
IS ne who forms the subject of this
sketch
Samuel Adams-or Sam Adams as he
was called by his admirers as wen as
py MS enemies-Was distant cousin to
John Adams. the second of our presi-
dents. Born in 1922, ten years before the
plfth OF Washington, he grew to man
hcod IN Boston, his native city. and when
tWehty-one years of age did what was
Ihen thought to be the only proper thing
Tor Boston youths-graduated from
Harvard college. He maintained for his
graduating production the idea that lit
IS lawful to resist the supreme magis-
trate, II the commonwealth cannot be
olnerWlse preserved" When we remem-
Der that this was thirty-three years be-
fore the Declaration of Indenendenca
was written, when all the eolonists were
loyal subjects of Great Britain. we must
De impressed with the bold spirit of the
young man.
Yet, notwithstanding this early Amer
lcan attitude, Samuel Adams cannot be
said to have become political leader
among the colonists until he reached mid
ole life. If he had died at the age of
forty he would have been forgotten be-
lore his bones had crumbled to dust in
the Old Granary burying ground, where
at last he was laid close by the victims
OF the so-called Boston massacre. All
that need be said of his early years after
leaVlng college is that they We're years
OF repeated failure. Not liking theology.
for which he was at first designed. he he
gan the study of law. Disguised with
law. he entered the counting house of 2,
prominent merchant. Having no taste
or talent for business, he soon left this
position. Receiving $4,000 from his father
to enter trade for himself, he lent hale
the sum to a friend, who never repaid
MIN, and lost the rest in unsuccessful
speculations. Then, going into the brew
ing business with his father. he went
steadily from bad to worse financially
Until, after his fathers death, in 174S. he
soon brought the brewery to the verge
OF bankruptcy. He must indeed. have
been poor man of business who could
not take an unincumbered brewery and
sell beer enough to make a living.
But the fates that presided over his
destiny had not been wholly unkind.
Though they had bestowed upon him lit
tie capacity for business, they had not
been unrnindful of the law of compensa-
ton and had granted him other gifts.
Sam Adams was a born politician.
ShreWd, far-seeing, foxy, he did more,
perhaps, than any other man in New
England to arouse the colonists to resent
ment against the aggressions of the
mother country and to lzindle and keep
blazing in their hearts the fires of indie
pendence. He first actively engaged Ia
politics on paper-money question, then
receiving much attention in Massa chu-
sets, and soon became one of the most
influential men in the colony. His wife
supported the family while he helped
manage the affairs Of the commonwealth.
In 1854 the English government began
that course of taxation which culmina ted
a few years later in the rebellion of the
colonies and in the loss to England of the
brightest jewel in her crown. The town
OF Boston. appointed a committee, of
winch Adams was a member, to instruct
the general court-or colonial assembly,
IN regard to the proposed scheme. The
report of this committee was drawn up
IN the handwriting of Samuel Adams
himself. 1t is a memorable document in
that it sets forth two principles which
were fundamental in the subsequent
struggle for political hberty-the doctrine
that the British parliament had no right
to tax the colonies without their consent.
and the, suggestion that the colonies