The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-05-16

and all eyes we're turned now upon
Cushing and Paine and this "brace of
Adamses," who had come, it was
thought, to hurry the congress into
radical courses Kindness, applause,
hospitality, Studied and expensive
respect" had attended them at every
stage of their long ride from Boston
to Philadelphia.
Great Excitement Over Congress.
The country was much stirred by
the prospect Of general congress Of
committees" at Philadelphia; and the
delegates from Massachusetts were
greeted as they passed even more gen.
erously than the rest, because their
people had been the first to suffer in
this bad business; because their
chief port at Boston was closed, and
relocated sentries we're on their
streets.
It behooved the MASSACHUSETTS men,
however, not to suffer themselves to
be misled Many looked upon them
askance; some disturbed them hearth
Iy. Their own hot-headed mob had
provoked the massacre" of which
they made so much. They had wan
tonly destroyed private property when
they threw the tea into their harbor
to show the government their spirit.
Suspicious of New EngIanders.
There had been more than a touch
of violence, more than little turbu-
lence, and vast deal of radical and
revolutionary talk in all that they had
done; and the colonies were full yet
of men who had no tolerance for any
thing that transgressed, were it never
so little. the moderate limits of con-
stitutional agitation.
"There is an opinion which does in
some degree obtain in the other colo
MES that the Massachusetts gentle
men, and especially of the town of
Boston, do affect to dictate and take
the lead in continental measures, that
we are apt, from an inward vanity and
self-conceit, to assume big and
naughty airs" said Joseph Hawley,
who, for all he had grown old as a,
quiet Massachusetts lawyer among his
zeighbors, had kept his shrewd eyes
abroad. at is highly probable" he
told John Adams, with a wholesome
bluntness. that you will meet gentle
men from several Of the other colo
MES fully equal to yourselves or any
of you in their knowledge of Great
Britain, the colonies, law, history, gov
eminent, commerce. By what we
from time to time see in the public
papers, and what our assembly and
committees have received from the
assemblies and committees of the
more southern colonies, we must be
satisfied that they have men of as
much sense and literature as any we
can, or ever could, boast Of"
Advised to Be Prude Mt.
It was mere counsel of prudence
that they should play their part in the
congress with modesty and discretion.
Not Gushing and Paine, but the
Adamses, carried the strength of the
Massachusetts delegation; and it was
Samuel Adams rather than John, who
was just now the effective master in
the great Bay Colony" master of
puppets" his enemies called him.
Hale, bluff, adroit, plain, a man of
the people, he had grown old in the
business of agitation. Fiftytwo years
he had lived, planning always for
others, never for himself. He had
never looked forward in his life" he
frankly said: ''never planned, laid a
scheme, or framed design of laying
up anything for himself or others aft
er him." had let all his private bust
petty salary of a small public Office
the indulgence of fortune, and the
good offices of the friends and neigh,
bors who loved him.
The master of Puppets"
4 He was in Philadelphia now wear
ing the plain suit and spending the
modest purse with which his friends
and partisans had fitted him out-the
very impersonation of the revolution
men were beginning so to fear.
No man had ever daunted him;
neither could any corrupt him. He
was possessed with the instinct of agi
tation; led the people, not the lead
ers; cared not for place. but only for
power; showed a mastery of means
a self-containment, q capacity for
timely and telling speech, that marx,
ed him a statesman, though he loved
the rough ways of peoples govern
ment and preferred the fierce demo
cracy of the town meeting to the
sober dignity of senates. Like on
eagle in his high building and strength
of audacious fight, but in instinct and
habit a bird of the storm. Not over
nice what he did, not too scrupulous
what he devised. he was yet not self
ish, loved the principles he had given
his life to, and spent himself without
limit to see them triumph.
Another Kind of Adams.
John. Adams. his cousin, was of a
very different mould; younger man
by thirteen years; no man of the PEG
pie, but with a taste rather for the eX'
elusive claims of education and breed
ing; self-regardful thought too cal
culating; too quick-witted to be pa