The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-07-02

These laws were comprehensive and strict, being
designed to give British merchants monopoly
of trade with the colonies and to protect British
manufacturers against colonial competition. War
ships now placed along the coast to stop
the colonial trade with France and Spain and
their West Indian colonies. The "Writs OF AS
sisance' were general search warrants given 10
customs officials to enable them to break into and
search any premises at any time. James OTIS,
the famous Boston lawyer, opposed the right OF
the British government to issue the wrifs or even
to pass act of trade imposing a tax on the
colonies John Adams said Of Otis celebrated
speech: 1T breathed into this nation the breath
Of life Undoubtedly this situation was one or
the contributing causes Of the Revolution
Then King George demanded that the colonies
nay the expense Of a British army of about ~
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 little later.
The Boston Tea Party was serious affair,
not in itself but because parliament immediate
iy. 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 governor OF Mas
sachusetts and the remodeng Of the charter OF
Massachusetts constituted a warning to all the
colonies that free government was in Imminent
danger everywhere. On top OF this came 'he
act providing that British officers or magistrates
charged with murder other capital crime should
no tried in some other colony or In England; the
act billeting soldiers people who failed voiun-
tary to provide quarters and the act extending
the boundaries of Quebec to the. ONO river ana
establishing an arbitrary form of government
This emulation of activities on the part or the
crown seems to have convinced the colonies that
their only salvation lay in getting together Tor
united action. SO the First Continental Congress
met This congress merely deliberative ana
advisory: II issued declaration of rights; 1t
formed an association for carrying out the nom
imnortation agreement; it forwarded a petition
n the king and set out address to the col
onies. il provided for another congress to meet
in 1775 Still there open discussion OF
independence.
II was Massachusetts which finally set off the
nowder barrel General Gage summoned the pro-
vincial congress to meet in Salem but put on the
date of assembling. The delegates met without
him and his counselors. They provided Tor the
a.,,o,nt,nant Of a committee of safety and issued
= coll for 1900 Minute Men," Parliament then
declared Massachusetts to be In q state OF re-
he,ion. Next was the expedition out OF Boston
n seize powder and arrest the two chief trait
ors'.
Then came the "shots heard round the world
and bleodshed. The fight was on AND sui there
was no open movement for independence until
after year of bloody fighting II was not until
June 7 1776, in the Second Continental congress-
that virginias instructed delegate, Richard Hen
~ Lee. introduced the resolution beginning "Ihat
those united colonies are, and OF right ought 10
be. free and independent states
The Declaration of Independence, as drafted
nv Thomas jefferson with the aid OF John ADAMS
Reniamip Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert
r Livingston and amended by congress, consists
of TWO principal parts: statement OF American
notical theories in justification of independence
and q list Of abuses by King George Ill that had
operated to absolve the united colonies from all
allegiance TO the British crown The facts mere
in set forth make clear most Of the abuses out
lined in the Declaration.