The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-06-23
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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 We're now placed along the coast to stop
the colonial trade with France and Spain and
their West Indian colonies. The "Writa of AS
sistance" were general search warrants given to
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 Writs or even
10 pass an act of trade imposing a tax on the
colonies, John Adams said of Otis celebrated
speech; at brrathed into his nation the breath
Of Iirn" 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 2O,-
900 men to be quarercd 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 a serious affair,
not in itself but because parliament immediate
ly took measures to punish Boston and MaSsa-
chusctts. The closing Of the port Of Boston, the
removal of the seat of government to Salem, the
appointment Of General Gage governor Of Mas
sachuSptS ana the remOdeling 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 the
act providing that British officers or magistrates
charged with murder or other capital crime should
be tried in some other colony or in England; the
act billcung soldiers on people who failed voun-
tarily to provide quarters and the act extending
the boundaries of Quebec to the Ohio river ana
establishing an arbitrary form of government
This cumuIation Of activities on the part of the
crown seems to have convinced the colonies that
their only salvation lay u getting together for
united action So the First Continental Congress
met This congress was merely delibeHtNe ana
advisory; it issued declaration Of rights; 1t
formed an association for carrying out the non
importation agreement; it forwarded petition
to The king and set ont 0u address TO the col
oucs Il provided for another congress to meet
I'm l775 SlilI there was mo- open discussion OF
independence.
If was Massachusetts which finally set off the
powder, barrel General Gage summoned the pro-
yiucial congress to meet iu salem, but put off the
date of assembling Tile delegates met without
him and his counyeIors They provided for the
appointment of a committee Of safety ana issued
"A can for 1900 "AIiuu,o Men," Parliament then
declared Massachusetts o. be in state OF re-
hclion. Next was the expedition out of Boston
lu seize powder and To arlu- the two CHIEF trait
urs'
Then came the "shols heard round the world
ana bloodshcd The fight was ON. And still there
was no open movement for independence uhtl
after u year Of bloody lighting, 1t was not uhtl
June 7 l77G, in the Second Continental Congress-
that yrglna's instructed delegate, Richard Hen
ry Lee, introduced the resolution beginning, "Ihat
these united colonies are and Of right ought 10
be- free and independent states"
The Declaration Of Independence, as drafted
by Thomas Jefferson with the aid Of John Adams
benjamin Franklin, Roger sherman ana ROBERT
X. Livingston and amended by congress- consists
Of two principal parts: statement of American
political theories in justification of independence
aud a list Of abuses by King George III that had
operated to absolye the united colonies from all
allegiance to the British crown. The facts mere
in set forth make clear Of the abuses as out
lined in the Declarations