Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-20
Merchants Coffee House, New York. Where the Sons Of
Liberty Plotted the Overthrow OF Terylsm.

the overthrow OF Tofylsm.
1t that a copy Of the act repeating
the Stamp Act was read in 1850.
and thousands Of enthusiastic citi.
zens greeted Captain Wise, Of the
brig Minerva, who brought the
news of the repeal. "a present
was made to the crew." states one
historian, land the captain was
escorted to the shore and coffea
house, with colors flying, amid
echoing huzzas."
Coffee House q Landmark.
The budding nation recognized
the import Of the London Coffee;
House. To Philadelphians and to.
"genteel strangers" It was a land.
mark upon which directions for
finding other places were based.
The old Evening Post identified. it.
self during the troublesome years
as being printed by Benjamin
Towne, in Front Street, negr the
London Coffee House." MeYchants
in that section Of the old town ad.
vertised themselves as being near.
or next to, or across from the cot.
fee house. Visitors found the COT.
fee house first and shopped after.
wards.
What :~sathering spot It was!
Franklin gave 1t his patronage.
Celtgates to the Continental Con-
gress slipped their brew and met in
committee in its upper floors. It's
bar and tables knew Commodore
Hopkins, John Paul Jones, Lam
bert Wickes, Nicholas Biddle and
all the rest Of the gallant seamen
Of the Continental navy. Here
came Putnam, Lafayette, Greene,
Gates and other general officers Of
the line. Colonel Proctor, Of the
Pennsylvania Artillery; Colonel
Miles, Of the Riflemen; Anthony
Wayne, of the Pennsylvania In
fantry; others, who could be
named by the score, discussed
campaigns and outlined strategy
under the stimulant Of the bever.
age brewed for them.
Extracts From q Diary.
In 1775 six subcommittee Of In.
spection and observation were or.
ganized and one sat each day at
the coffee house. To these com.
the Committee Of Safety
delegated the maintenance of 10y.
atty to the Continent. Christopher
aged q n d militant
Quaker, kept a diary Of those days
and, as a member Of one of the
subcommittee, gives graphic de-
scriptions Of the occurrences. They
used no kid glove methods on the
Tories then.
When Barry. Sailed the Sea.
During the entire struggle it was
the scene of the sale Of most Of the
prizes brought into the port of
Philadelphia. The first capture by
a Continental ship occurred of the
Virginia Capes on April z, 1776,
when John Barry. in the brig Lex
ington, took the sloop Edward,
tender to the Liverpool, frigate.
He sent her into the Delaware, q
letter entrusted to the prize
master, stating I'VE shattered her
in terrible manner as you shall
see." A month later "the Edward,
her tackle and equipment" was
sold by the marshal Of the Ad-
at the Coffee House. There
also were displayed fragments Of
the frigate Roebuck, battered loose
by Yankee cannonball during the
but drawn engagement
between two of the Kings ships
and the Pennsylvania Navy ia the
Delaware of Wilmington.
Yankee Coffee Cups.
During the year OF British occu.
patton, the Tories held high festiv.
ity in the Coffee House, but with
the evacuation they fed the city.
Bradford, patriot Colonel
and printer, reopened it and once
more its rooms were scented by
the aroma from the cups Of the
statesmen and warriors of the new
republic.
Backbone Of the Revolution was
the London Coffee House and slim.
ulator Of patriotism was its brew.
By its sign you shall know Il.
Will the Green Dragons, the Mer.
chants Coffee Houses and the Lon.
don Coffee Houses Of the present
day brew as great ideals with their
coffee?
We see men Of affairs and lead.
ers Of thought in consultation over
their coffee in the modern coffee
house, and the fragments Of con.
versation overheard are Of current
topics and great economic ques-
tons. Yes, the coffee houses OF
today are functioning even as did
the coffee houses Of the Revolt.
ton.