The Washington herald., 1908-01-23
NATAL DAY OF TWO PATRIOTS
Anniversary of Birth of John Han.
cock and Josiah Quincy.
Both LabOred for the independents,
of the Colonies from British
Oppression.

( To-day IS the birthday anniversary Of
1 John Hancock and Josiah Quincy, two
patriots who worked zealously in the
cause of liberty IN the Revolutionary War.
Hancock was born at Braintree. Mass,
January ,. 1851 John Adams said Of
him:
lie was by no means a contemplate
scholar or orator. Compared with Wash
ington, Gen. Lincoln or Knox, he was
! learned"
Hancock was graduated from Harvard
/ College in LOT and shortly afterward
entered the counting house Of an uncle.
on whose death, IN 1904. he received a
fortune Of 100000. After that year he was
several times elected 70 the Massa-
chusetts General Court II was the
seizure Of his sloop the Liberty, that
/ occasioned the riot IN 1865 when the
royal commissioners of custom narrowly
escaped death.
After the s0-cslled Boston Massacre"
in 100. Hancock was member Of the
committee selected To demand Of the ROYAL
governor the removal Of the troops from
the city, and az the funeral Of the vic
TINS Of the massacre lie delivered an ad-
dress which greatly offended the gov
ernOT who endeavored 10 seize the per
sons of Hancock and Samuel Adams.
Their arrest is said 10 have been one
of the objects of the British expedition
10 Concord which led to the first battle
OF the Revolution and after which Gov
/ Gage offered pardous 10 all the rebels
except Hancock ana Adams. whose Of
lenses he said. are of too fragrant a
/ ua-ure TO admit Of any other c0hsidera-
/ toI but that OF COndign punishment"
In 100 Hancock was chosen president
/ of the Continental Congress. ard In
| 1876 he signed the Declaration of hide
pendence. He resigned the presidency in
l1.1, but was a member Of Congress until
I 1850, and again "a 1855
With the rank Of major general. he
commanded the Massachusetts forces in
the Rhode Island expedition, In l7So he
was a member Of the Massachusetts Con
sutuuonal Convention, and under that
constitution was, in 1850. chosen first
governor. To this Office with an interval
OF two years l7S5-S0, he was annually
reelected until his death, on October s,
1892
Hancock was a man Of strong common
sense, great decision of character. OF
polished manners. easy address. affabIe
and charitable. His personal vanity and
his Jealousy We're at times conspicuous
but be was a sincere patriot and a man
of much ability.
Josiah Quincy was born January o.
1874. I'm Boston, Mass. He denounced the
stamp act through the press and al pub
lie meetings in Boston. and took strong
ground against the eXaCtiOns Of parlia-
ment. In 1750 ne prepared the address Of
tho merchants Of Boston on the nonIm-
poTtauOn agreement, and also wrote a
number Of essays for the Boston Gazette.
In the same year, and again in 1712 he
drafted the instructions Of the town Of
Boston to its representatives in the Iegis-
lature and throughout 171l and lI72 he
was a frequent contributor to the press.
During these years Quincy maintained
a large legal practice. but his health fail
ed and I'm 1773 he went TO Charleston. s.
g.. taking advantage Of his journey to
enter into relations with the patriotic
leaders in the Middle and Southern
states, and arranging a system of COM
municatiOn between them and the leaders
in Massachusetts,.
In May. 1774. appeared his Observation
vH Llie DoStoH poit bi-l' WHICH clearly
indicated war as the only means Of set
Ting the disputes between Great Britain
and the colonies and intimated that IN
dependence would be the result.
In September Of 1874. Quincy went 10
England as the agent Of the patriot party
and there lived on friendly terms with
Barre. the Earl Of Shelburne, Priestley
and other friends Of the colonies and
had interviews with Lord North end
Dartmouth He sailed for America in
the spring Of lU5, but died on April &c.
when in sight Of his native land