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make us his people indeed; that spirit which shall fit us to endure temporal hardships for the procurement of future happiness; that spirit of valour and irresistable courage, which shall occasion our aged and our youth to jeopard their lives with joy, in the high places of the field, for his name and service sake, for the preservation also of this goodly heritage of our fathers, for the sake of the living children of our loins, and the unborn millions of posterity.

"We believe that there are very many, who in these days have kept their integrity and garments unspotted, and hope that God will deliver them and our nation for their sake. God will not suffer this land where the gospel hath flourished, to become a slave of the world; he will stir up witnesses of the truth; and` in his own time, spirit his people to stand up for his cause and deliver them. In a similar belief, the great Algernon Sydney, lived and died, and dying breathed a like sentiment and prophecy, touching his own and the then approaching times, a prophecy, however, not accomplished until a glorious revolution."

These were the men whom Lord North vainly hoped to coerce.

CHAPTER VII.

Operation of 1773-Virginia Resolves-Proceedings of the Massachusetts Assembly-Discovery of a secret correspondenceProceedings thereupon-Speech of Mr. Wedderburn-The King refuses to remove Governour Hutchinson-East India Company send over their Tea-The Americans refuse to have it landed-Burning of the Tea at Boston.

We have now arrived at a most interesting period of our Revolutionary history. The town Committees which had been established throughout the Province of Massachusetts, by their free inquiries, and spirited reports and resolutions, had aroused the energies of the whole Continent; the greater part of which, from the absence of similar excitements, had hitherto only sympathised in the sufferings and oppressions, without participating in the tumults and disorders, of that devoted Colony. Now, however, circumstances were developed, which proved, that though the means heretofore adopted had borne more particularly upon the people of the Eastern Provinces, the system of the Ministry was intended ultimately to oppress the wholethat forbearance was construed into fear, patience into submission; and that nothing short of the most abject slavery would content the merciless Counsellors, whose ruinous and detestable policy it was, to build up the prerogative of the Crown, by the demolition of the Constitution. All ranks and conditions of men now felt the necessity of stemming the torrent of Ministerial vengeance; and even at this early day, 1773, the illustrious Patrick Henry, of Virginia, prophecied the speedy independence of his coun

try. That eminent orator and Statesman, had been accustomed to look deeply into the human character. He had studied his countrymen closely-he knew them well-and could predict the extent of their forbearance. It is a memorable and singular proof of his political foresight, that he predicted the declaration of independence, with most of its attendant circumstances, three years before the fact occurred.

Almost at the same moment of the present year, the two assemblies of Massachusetts and Virginia, without any previous concert or correspondence-a fact which serves to show the unity of sentiment which now pervaded the people-passed a number of resolutions, recommending the appointment of a standing committee of correspondence and inquiry, whose purpose will be best explained, in the language of the resolutions themselves. We copy those of Virginia, which were introduced into the House of Burgesses, in committee of the whole, on the 12th of March 1773, by Mr. Dabney Carr, a young patriot of noble promise, whose fate it was to be snatched from his friends and fellow labourers in the cause of his country, within a few weeks after giving this pledge of his future usefulness.

"Whereas the minds of his Majesty's faithful subjects in this Colony have been much disturbed, by various rumours, and reports of proceedings, tending to deprive them of their ancient, legal and constitutional rights:

"And whereas the affairs of this Colony are frequently connected with those of Great Britain, as well as the neighbouring Colonies, which renders a communication of sentiment necessary; in order, therefore, to remove the uneasiness, and to quiet the minds

of the people, as well as for the other good purposes above mentioned:

"Be it resolved, that a standing committee of correspondence and inquiry be appointed, to consist of eleven persons, to wit: the honourable Peyton Randolph esquire, Robert C. Nicholas, Richard Bland, Richard H. Lee, Benjamin Harrison, Edward Pendleton, Patrick Henry, Dudley Digges, Dabney Carr, Archibald Cary, and Thomas Jefferson, esquires, any six of whom to be a committee, whose business it shall be to obtain the most early and authentick intelligence of all such acts and resolutions of the British Parliament or proceedings of adminstration as may relate to, or af fect the British Colonies in America; and to keep up and maintain a correspondence and communication with our sister Colonies, respecting these important considerations; and the result of such their proceedings, from time to time, to lay before this House.

"Resolved, That it be an instruction to the said committee that they do, without delay, inform themselves particularly of the principles and authority, on which was constituted a court of inquiry, said to have been lately held in Rhode Island, with powers to transport persons accused of offences committed in America, to places beyond the seas, to be tried.

"Resolved, That the Speaker of this House do transmit to the Speakers of the different Assemblies of the British Colonies on the Continent, copies of the said resolutions, and desire that they will lay them before their respective Assemblies, and request them to appoint some person or persons of their respective bodies, to communicate from time to time, with the said committee."

These resolutions were passed by the House with

out a dissenting voice, and immediately carried into effect.

It was at this period of publick excitement, when every nerve and every pulse were trembling with enthusiasm, that Governour Hutchinson, the worthy instrument of Lord North, in his message to the Massachusetts Assembly, touched upon the obnoxious subject of Parliamentary supremacy, and the seditious nature of their town meetings. It was the evident design and object of the Governour to excite the House to some measure of violence, but they were too cautious and guarded in their reply, to furnish any food to his revengeful appetite, and his Excellency's scheme was baffled.

The usual annual appropriations for the salaries of the Judges, formed another subject of dispute with the Governour-he refused to give his assent to the grants, on the plea of his Majesty's having been pleased to order the salaries of the judges-The Assembly persisted and appealed to the judges, of whom they demanded a categorical answer to the question, whether they would, in violation of the constitution and charter, consent to be paid by the Crown, or like faithful friends of freedom and the Province, continue to receive their salaries from the Legislature? Four of the judges gave satisfactory answers to this query, but Peter Oliver, the Chief Justice, preferred the money of his Majesty; and articles of impeachment were forthwith drawn up against him by the Assembly, which, however, the Governour refused to sanction. Thus thwarted in their efforts to punish this refractory judge, the House determined, as their only alternative, to render both him and the Governour odious to the people, and with this view passed the following

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