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

real sentiments of the people you are
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 q COM
mon congress, as II to create a di-
recting body for the continent, with
out constitution or warrant. The es-
Enlistment of committees Of corre-
spondence had seemed little short OF
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-
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 loug 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 a continental
organization. they deemed it high time
= ,estir themselves, vindicate their
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 unite
|
vanced from defence to aggressive az
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
| 70 he
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 tho
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.
|
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.
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 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 tt
be chosen every third year by the
legislatures of the several colonies
and acting under governor-genera
| " OO dPPO1AIC0 OS IAC ClOW
Edward Rutledge. of South Care
lima, hot orator for liberty though HI
was. declared in an almost perfec
plan." and was eager to see it adopt
ed; influential members from almos
every quarter gave it their heart.
support, Mr.. John Jay. of New Yorl:
among the rest; and it was defeate'
: only by the narrow majority of a sin
gle coleny's vote.
chatham's Opinion Of Congress.
Chatham might very justly com
: mend the congress of 1774 as cor
spicuous among deliberative bodies 70
its "decency, f1rmness and wisdom.
its "solidity of reasoning, force o
} sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion
under such complication of circun
stances was such as even he did no
fully comprehend
For seven weeks of almost contir
! Suous session did it hammer it's sti
business into shape, never wearyin