The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-07-08

among, from the leaders Of them, in
opposition to the present measures Of
the administration, than you have
from those whose business it 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 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 CON-
mon congress-, as II to create q d.
recting body for the continent, with
out constitution or warrant. The es-
Enlistment of committees OF CORE
seditious. for 1t 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 q con-
tinental organization to defy pariia-
ment? Dangerous differences of opin-
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 1t was merely 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 a continental
organization. they deemed it high time
loyalty to his majesty's government,
and avert a revolution.
Opposed to Rash Measures.
They we're not men to be trifled
with. Had they been able to unit"
upon active measures, had they ad-
vanced from defence to aggressive &C
tion. 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 revolu-
tionary agitation. such as this that
now seemed to be gathering head.
Even il 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 we'll 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 designinc
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
| L. Ill t. ~
prime Of life, full of force and learn
ing, who had been speaker of the
provincial house these eight years b.
the almost unanimous choice of his
colleagues, and who now stood forth
to utter the real voice Of 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.
| RulASQSOs VI oOulu OdIC'
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
among the rest; and it was defeated
only by the narrow majority Of sin
gle coleny's vote.
chatham's Opinion Of Congress.
Chatham might very justly com
mend the congress of 1774 as con
spicuous among deliberative bodies fol-
its sdecency. firmness and wisdom.
its "solidity of reasoning, force o
} sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion
under such complication of circum
stances was such as even he did no
fully comprehend
For seven weeks of almost contin
Suous session did it hammer its stil
business into shape, never wearyin,
!; of elaboration or debate, till it coult
| mn orfh v,ov ~, 10 ~ Il