New-York tribune., 1906-08-13

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they win draw the sword ar their ozr, ch,,ars,
than our liberties" ''-S-- 50 'lNe
abIa mere was. as the circumstances made inevit-
rrCe VOns1ant friction In Boston between the
1toops ana the exasperated citizens Arfravs were
~. -nLrequent- At last came the inevitable
petty oHlcer who loses his head In an emergency
one OF this species gave the word 20 fire too
sooh' ana the people were maddened by what
was called the Boston massacre Put IN the
sspIlt OF conformity TO law as they understood
A. So characteristic Of the colonists they held a
toWh meeting. opened with prayer considered
concerned be tried for their lives in the civil
courts. Il was characteristic again that such
o,,y- lsousIS Ss Ionh AoaIns ana JOSIAH
SsuIncy' uncer a conviction Of their duty
lawyers answered the appeal OF the officer in
command, appeared in his defence. and saved
HiI- More friction following. the troops were
ordered to leave the town, and were actually
sent to the citadel Conflicts occurred IN New
York and elsewhere. with similar excitement
Once again the Ministry wavered in a course
that threatened such storms. and in March, 1T7O
repealed all its
MORE IRRITATION-TEA save that on tea
THROWN INTO HARBOR. The non-importa-
relaxed. New York which had held 10 them
more firmly than any Of the associate colonies.
wearied OF seeing its imports fall of five parts
out OF SIX. while the others proflted by its alb
stnence, and so promoted a joint movement for
resuming trade in everything but tea. By
August, 1770 London was rejoicing at the return
OF American orders-and somewhat misconstru-
ing them.
But. as If heaven had ordained that every
opportunity should be thrown away, month
later the fortress commanding Boston, built and
maintained by the colony to be garrisoned as
lhe charter guaranteed by rs militia under me
command of its Governor. was taken over by
the regular troops; and the harbor Of Boston
made the rendezvous Of all ships stationed in
North America. The answer of Massachusetts
to martial law commission to Benjamin
Franklin to represent II in stating its grieY-
the Ministry in London.
wei reSiStleSS
current for that benignant messenger OF peace
to check them on a paltry question Of exempt
on their salaries. the Governor came again IN
conflict with the Massachusetts Assembly. and
claimed for the crown unheard-of power.
lew months later tJanuarE' tt-') Souln
Carolina was aggrieved at having been induced
10 establish fixed salaries for the judges II MADE
permanent officials, only 10 nave thelf own
Judges forthwith removed. and Irishman,
Scotchman and a Welshman sent over 10 take
these permanent places.
ragged at having its efforts TO restrict the slave
trade thwarted by an instruction TO the Gov
error upon pain of the highest displeasure, TO
assent to no law by which the importation or
slaves should be in any respect prohibited or
obstructed." An appeal was taken TO the throne,
and reached England just as Lord Mansfield had
decided that a slave becomes free the moment
he touches English soil But not even that could
secure hearing for the appeal, or Engiish con-
sent TO the Virginia law 10 restrict the slave
trade.
His n1aiesty's ship Gaspee needlessly exas-
perated the Rhode Islanders by seizing livestock,
OBTAINING vessels and making Illegal seizures OF
goods The Chief Justice gave an opinion against
these acts The admiral overruled the Chief
Justice. and said if the people of Newport at
tempted TO rescue any vessel he would hans
them as pirates. Thereupon. when the Caspee,
pursuing the Providence packet ran aground.
few men from Providence and Bristol boarded
her overpowered the offensive lieutenant and
bis crew. set them ashore and burned the vessel
TO the waters edge. Commissioners were or
England for trial The Chief Justice refused 10
permit apprehensions for transportation beyond
seas. Then it was proposed to take away the
charter Of the colony.
Thus every month seemed to add TO the pop
ular ferment, and to spread IT from one colony
to another
Meantime. what had il all been worth? Dur
ing the progress Of the Gaspee business the
Stamp Office found that II had spent fl2oo IN
America 70 get a revenue of f1.!ND, and even
this revenue came only from Canada and the
West indies That was what the Stamp Tax was
worth. Ships and soldiers employed to enforce
the law taxing tea had cost enormously, ana ana 6 6oe
East India Company had lost the sale Of f5OoOD0
worth Of tea year, while the total revenue
from the TAX on 1t amounted 10 too Ihat was
what the Tea tax was worth.
So at last the East India Company begged for
relief and asked leave TO export to America free
Of all duties Lord North preferred another way
He held TO the tax in America, but gave the
company a drawback on such exports Of all the
import duties II had paid. The company
warned that this meant trouble but Lord North
would listen TO no objections He said he meant
TO try the question with America" So il was
tried. The tea sent TO Boston, New York.
Philadelphia and Charleston. Boston threw 1t
was ready do the same, but adverse winds
kept the ship away. Philadelphia, through a
town meeting of fye thousand men. persuaded
the consignee TO resign and the captain TO take
his ship and cargo back to London Charleston
persuaded the consignee TO resign, there was
nobody to pay the duty or sell the tea. and II
rotted in the cellars where II was stored. And.
finally, when a tea ship at last reached New
York april 19, 1IID. four months after the
Boston occurrence. II sent back the next
day while eighteen chests Of tea found in an.
other vessel were merely thrown into the bay.
Lord NOrthS experiment was complete Also the
substantial union Of the colonies was revealed.
Franklin had been furnished with certain let
ters by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor
of Massa chusetts quite at vari-
FRANKLIN ance with their public professions
INSCLTED. and evidently designed TO foment
existing difficulties and secretlv
provoke the Ministry TO take yet more stringent
measures against the colony. He thought II
right 10 send those letters TO the Speaker Of the
Assembly. Ultimately though contrary TO his
expeCtat tions. they became public. and naturally
aroused fierce resentment against the American
born officers who were thus found deceiving and
underlandedly conspfring against their country
men. and bringing the military occupation upon
them. The Assembly peTttioned the King for the
removal Of the exposed Governor and Lieutenant
Governor. and FT2nklll was instructed TO pre-
sent the petition. Lord Dartmouth received IL
with his usual courtesy: but when II
ferred TO the Privy Council for hearing. the
whole case went of, not on the obvious guilt Of
the double dealing officials. but on the alleged
misconduct OF Franklin in exposing them by
showing their letters. Franklin, now venerable
and distinguished throughout Europe. was kept
standing al the bar, while WedderbUrne. the So
lcitOr General insulted and lampooned him for
stealing betraying private correspondence
and this from Ministry that habitually violated
the seal OF every letter il cared for and could
intercept in the mails! The lords in council
rosred with delight The petition which all
men knew be true. dismissed ground
less vexatious and scandalous But years
afterward. when Wedderburne died. the King
he had thus served said: He has not left a