Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-06-29
height, firmly secured in the ground
ana formidably cased with iron bars

4 - ~, M'uaD!y cased With iron bars,
clasped by thick iron hoops. This
mast was surmounted by another. sun
portlng gilt vane, on which was in
scrlbed in large letters the word
Liberty" Another night-attack was
MADE on this. the fifth liberty-pole, in
the following March. by a party of the
troops about leavlng the Province
They had vowed to carry off with them
portion of it as a trophy. Unable
10 make any impression on the we'll
projected trunk, these Homeric con-
testants were endea voring to unship
the topmast. when they were discov-
ered Dy several passing citizens who
calied others to their aid. The Sons
VI Liberty, We may mention, were at
tlllS tlme Kept out Of their resort at
Montayne's by usurping conservative
factlon. who had made their own terms
with the landlord. Not to be without
that indispensable adjunct of political
actlon in New York from time i'm
memorial, good dining-hall. the
sons purchased a tavern. kept by
one Blcker, on the site of the old
herald building. to which the name
or Hampden Hall was given. Hitber
the soldiers. reinforced by their COM
rades from the barracks, drove the
citizens for refuge. and here the assail-
ants were kept at bay while st.
Georges bell sounded an alarm to the
town. An officer of the regiment arriv-
ing. as on similar occasions. the sol.
dlers were sent back to their quarters.
and the liberty-pole was left by them
at their departure unharmed.
Alexander McDougal, the son of a
Scotchman. man destined to rise to
nigh military rank in the coming War
or the revolution, was an early though
not one of the most active members of
the association of the Sons of Liberty.
He now stood forth, the unflinching
champion of popular rights Bancroft
characterizes him in few words: "a
man who had made a fortune as
sailor. and had himself carefully cult
waited his mind. Coura geous and fiery.
yet methodical and self-possessed"
At the Congress in September all the
thirteen colonies were represented ex-
cept Georgia. 1t was an assembly of
notables. Samuel and John Adams,
Roger Sherman, William Livingston,
Galloway. Rodney. Chase, the Rut-
lodges and Gadsden, with the conspicu-
Gus Virginians. Peyton Randolph.
Richard Henry Lee. Patrick Henry
and George Washington. The chief
measures of this, the first Continental
Congress, were, the formation of an
American Association to carry out a
general system of commercial non
intercourse with Great Britain. until
the existing difficulties should be re-
moved; and the dignifed assertion OF
the principles at stake, in series Of
able State papers, declaration OF
rights, petition to the King and sew
eral addresses, one of which, ITO the
People of Great Britain" remarkable
for it's force and directness, was the
work of the New York delegate. John
jay. The Congress closed after a short
session, having made provision for the
call of another. should circumstances
require it, the ensuing May.
When. in January, the last of the
garrison were ordered to Boston, and
were about taking their departure
with a quantity of arms in boxes, the
latter were seized by a party Of the
Sons of Liberty, headed by Marinus
Willett, and carried back to the de-
serted Fort George.
= 1t was about this time, on the night
of the 10th Of May, that Myles Cooper,
the President of Kings College. who
had become obnoxious to the popular
party by his writings and personal ef-
forts on behalf of the Crown, was Wis
tied at the college by a mob. intent
on revenge. He would doubtless have
been roughly handled had not time
been gained for his escape by a speech
from the steps by Alexander Hamil-
ton. then a student.
Lamb, who had been commissioned
a captain of artillery, was sent on the
evening of the 23d to remove the can
non from the battery below Fort
George. He was accompanied on this
service by part Of an Independent |
corps, under Colonel Lasher, and a
body of citizens led by the ever-ready |
Sears. Young Hamilton also was with