Year: 1859

Directly in front Of the buildings described piece Of
ground on which frequently patriots assembled about
century ago. to speak their grievances their rights
and betmes claim them IN language that meant action
when hey felt oyerburthened and oppressed by their Br


sh rulers. Though tiled covered that space nor
no walls echoed the eoquence facts there proclaim
ed not the less worthy Of notice as one of the sacred
spots where the spirit Of freedom first made manifest its
abhorrence Of foreign tyranny


The most worthy OF mention Of those spirited gatherings
which oreshadowed the general uprising Of the Colonies
against OPPRESSION and which led TO the American war
and independence took place there the 1st OF No
vember 1765 That day the Stamp Act 10 take effect
The evening before The Sons Of Liberty had met and
resolved to oppose the introduction Of the nfamous ac
and prevent the distribution Of the stamps Handbis
posted throughout the city, and early the next
ing the everywhere manifest. The people
formed into companies One erected galows SIN the
eds" probably about where the City Hall stands,
on which they hung efigy Of Governor Golden.
In his hand a stamped paper, on his back
drum, his breast label, and by his side
they hung, with q boot in his hand, figure repre-
senting the devil. The other company, with efigy
seated in chair paraded the streets, and then joined
the first party, and untedy, and with minds steeed
TO meet the emergency they presented themselves before
the gates of the Fort. They quickly closed, and
British bayones and pointed TO the city The
people, unable to proceed further returned to Broadway,
broke open the Governors coachhouse and dragged his
carriage TO the Bowling Green where with the eges, it
committed to the flames. This the first menace
the supremacy Of the throne and the very umos, they
could do TO express their WEAKNESS OF royalty


The doings of the New Workers that day at the
Bowling Green told tale to tyrants. Everywhere
throughout the colonies the Revolutionary spark
began TO show ITSELF and the repeating of the act few
months after did not extngush it. On the following
July small meeting held in the Kings Arms garden
before mentioned whence they proceeded to the leaden
statue Of the king, which stood where stands the
fountain at the foot of Broadway, and
pulled the representative of royalty to the ground and
despatched to Connecticut, where it afterwards
melted into bullets for the service OF the patriots


There is story abroad about the iron railing that now
encirces the fountain The round tops Of the iron posts
said TO have been broken off and used by Revolu
tonary progentors against the enemy; but Of this
have undisputed evidence. The tops certain


y gone and might have been used but in very ancient
prints Of the lower part of Broadway, embracing the
Bowling Green there another character of railing repre-
scented TO that which surrounds it, Sufficient how
ever the purpose OF this SKETCH there many
mnscences attached TO the place to render it worthy OF
the notice of those who consider worth the city atte
ton preserve what little remains among bearing the
traces Of the glorious struggle for independence.