The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-05-16
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Finds Massachusetts Men Genuine.
But the truth somehow lay open DE-
fore the evening was gone. There was
frank cordially in the parting; Wash
inrton was convinced of their genuine
ness and sobriety. Though you are
led to believe by venal men," ne re-
nlied to Captain Mackenzie, that the
people of Massachusetts, are rebel
lious, setting up for the independently,
and what not, give me leave, my good
friend. to tell you that you are abused
grossly abused. This l advance VITA
a degree of confidence and boldness
which may claim your belief, having
better opportunities for knowing the
real sentiments of the people you are
among. from the leaders of them, IN
opposition to the present measures OF
the administration, than you nave
from those whose business 1t is not
to disclose truth, but to misrepresent
facts in order to justify as much as
possible to the world their own con-
duct"
The Massachusetts men had come
to a better understanding of the game
began to see how cautiously it must
be played how slowly and how wisely.
A Critical Business.
It was a critical business, this OF
drawing all the colonies into a COM
mon congress, as if to create a d.
recting body for the continent, with
out constitution or warrant. The es-
tablishment of committees of CORE
spondence had seemed little short OF
seditious, for it was notorious the COM
mittees were formed to concert action
against the government at home; but
this congress of committees" was an
even more serious matter.
Would the colonies venture con-
tinental organization to defy parlia-
ment? Dangerous differences of opin-
ion were blown hot between neighbors
by such measures.
Some of the best men in America
were opposed to the course which was
now evidently to be taken.
So long as it was merely a matter
of protest by the colonies severally,
they had no criticism to make-except
perhaps that Mr. Otis and Mr.. Henry
had held unnecessarily high language,
and had been bold and defiant beyond
measure; but when they saw how the
opposition gathered head, fastened
from protest to concerted resistance,
put popular conventions into the place
of lawful legislative assemblies, and
advanced at length to continental
organization, they deemed it high time
to bestir themselves, vindicaIe their
loyalty to his majesty's government,
and avert a revolution
Opposed to Rash Measures.
They were not men to be trified
with Had they been able to unite
upon active measures, had they ad-
vanced from defence to aggressive &C
ton, they might have rendered them
selves formidable beyond possibility
of defeat
Everywhere men of substance and
of influence were to be found by the
score who were opposed to a revolu-
tionary agitation, such as this that
now seemed to be gathering head.
Even in Massachusetts men who bore
the best and oldest names of the COM
monwealth were of this number; in
New York and Pennsylvania, at the
very heart of the continent, they
could, it was believed, boast a ma
jority, as well as to the far south
ward, in the low country of South
Carolina and Georgia.
Without Hurt to the Empire.
No one, they declared, but designing
politicians and men without prop
erty, those who had much to gain and
nothing to lose by the upsetting of
law and ordered government, wished
to see this contest with the ministry
pushed to extremes.
They wished no less than others to
see the colonies keep their lawful and
chartered liberties, but the thing must
be accomplished soberly, and without
loss of things equally dear-of honor,
and the maintenance of an unbroken
English empire.
The nice balance of the parties was
disclosed in the congress itself.
The Pennsylvania delegation was
led by Joseph Galloway, a man in the
prime Of life, full of force and Learn
ing, who had been speaker of the
provincial house t--ese eight years by
the almost unanimous choice of his
colleagues, and who now stood forth
to utter the real voice CT his. colony
in proposing measures of accommoda-
ton.
The Speakers Proposition.
He proposed that the home govern
ment be asked to sanction the estab-
lishment of confederate parliament
for America, composed of delegates to
be chosen every third year by the
legislatures of the several colonies,
and acting under governor-general
to be appointed by the crown.
Edward Rutledge, of South Caro-
lima, hot orator for liberty though he
was, declared in an almost perfect
plan" and was eager to see it adopt
ed; influential members from almost
every quarter gave it their hearty
support, Mr. John Jay, of New York,