, 1921-06-23

These laws We're comprehensive and strict. being
designed to give British merchants a monopoly
OF trade with the colonies and to protect British
manufacturers against colonial competition. War
ships were now placed along the coast to stop
the colonial trade with France and Spain and
their West Indian colonies. The "Writs of AS
sistance" were general search warrants given to
customs officials to enable them to break into and
search any premises ut any time. James Otis.
the famous Boston lawyer, opposed the right of
the British government to issue the writs or even
to pass an act of trade imposing a tax on the
colonies. John Adams said of Otis celebrated
speech: ut breathed into this nation the breath
of life" Undoubtedly this situation was one of
the contributing causes of the Revolution.
Then King George demanded that the colonies
pay the expense Of a British army of about 20
600 men TO be quartered in America to protect
the colonies against the Indians. The colonies
suspected the purpose of this army and would
have none of it. Here was the beginning of real
trouble a little later.
The Boston Tea Party" was n serious affair,
not in itself. but because parliament Immediate
ly took measures to punish Boston and Massa-
chusetts. The closing of the port of Boston, the
removal of the seat of government to Salem, the
appointment of General Gage as governor of Mas.
sachusetts and the remodeling Of the charter Of
Massachusetts constituted n warning to all tn,
colonies that free government was in imminen
danger everywhere. On top of this came thu
act providing that British officers or magistrate
charged with murder or other capital crime shoulC
be tried In some other colony or in England; tn,
act billeting soldiers on people who failed volun
tarily to provide quarters and the act extending
the boundaries of Quebec to the Ohio river and
establishing an arbitrary form Of government.
This emulation Of activities on the part of the
crown seems to have convinced the colonies that
their only salvation lay In getting together for
united action. So the First Continental Congress
met. This congress was merely deliberative and
advisory; 1t issued a declaration of rights; 1t
formed an association for carrying out the nom
Importation agreement; II forwarded IA petition
to the king and set out an address to the col
onles; II provided for another congress to meet
in 1775. Still there was no open discussion Of
Independence.
II was Massachusetts which finally set off the
powder barrel. General Gage summoned the pro-
vincinl congress to meet In Salem, but put Off the
date Of assembling. The delegates met without
him and his counsellors. They provided for the
appointment OF n committee of safety and issued
a call for 1900 Minute Men" Parliament then
declared Massachusetts to be in II state Of re-
bellion. Next was the expedition out Of Boston
to seize powder and to arrest the two chief trait
orS".
Then came the "shots heard round the world
and bloodshcd. The fight was on. And still there
was no open movement for Independence until
after Il year. of bloody lighting. It was not until
June Z, 1T16. In the Second Continental Congress.
that Virginia's instructed delegate. Richard Hen
ry Lee. introduced the resolution beginning, "rhat
these united colonies are. and Of right ought to
be. free and independent suites
The Declaration OF Independence, as drafted
by Thomas jefferson with the aid Of John Adams,
Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert
II. Livingston and amended by congress. consists
of two principal parts: A statement Of American
political theories in Justification Of independence
and a list Of abuses by King George Ill that had
operated to absolve the united colonies from all
allegiance to the British crown. The facts here
In set forth make clear most OF the abuses us OUT
lined In the Declaration.