The first official response came from Virginia. May 24, 1774, the House of Burgesses set apart June 1 (when the Port Bill was to go into effect) "as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, devoutly to implore the divine. interposition for averting the heavy Calamity which threatens Destruction to our Civil Rights, and the Evils of civil War, and to give us one heart and one Mind firmly to oppose by all just and proper means every injury to American Rights." Two days later the governor dissolved the Assembly with sharp rebuke.

On the following day, the ex-Burgesses (influential citizens still) met at the Raleigh Tavern, and recommended an annual congress of delegates from all the colonies "to deliberate on those general measures which the united interests of America may from time to time require." Here was a suggestion for permanent continental revolutionary government. A second meeting of the ex-Burgesses, on May 31, called a Convention of deputies from Virginia counties, to meet at Williamsburg on August 1, in order to appoint Virginia delegates for the proposed continental congress and to consider a plan for non-intercourse with England. During June and July all the counties of Virginia ratified this call in county courts, by authorizing their ex-Burgesses to act for them at the proposed Convention, or by choosing new representatives to do so. Here were the germs of revolutionary machinery for county and state.

250. On this suggestion from Virginia, all the colonies but Georgia chose delegates to a congress, to meet September 1 at Philadelphia. We know this "First Continental Congress" of 1774 only from letters and later recollections of some of its members and from imperfect notes taken at the time by two or three delegates (Source Book). It sat six weeks, and was a notable gathering, - although forty years afterwards John Adams described it as 66 one third Tories, one third Whigs and the rest Mongrels."

The Moderate party (Adams' "Tories ") desired still to use only constitutional agitation to secure redress of grievances. This element was led by Joseph Galloway of Pennsylvania,

$251]

VIRGINIA CALLS A CONGRESS

209

supported by John Jay of New York and Edward Rutledge of South Carolina. The Radicals insisted that, as a prelude to reconciliation with England, the ministry must remove its troops and repeal its acts.

After strenuous debate, Galloway's proposals were rejected by a vote of six colonies to five. The Congress then recommended the Radical plan of a huge universal boycott, in the form of a solemn Association. The signers were to bind themselves neither to import any

To

British goods nor to export their own products to Great Britain. enforce this agreement, efficient machinery was recommended. Every town and county was advised to choose a committee, acting under the supervision of the central committee of its province, "to observe the conduct of all persons," and to have all violations "published in the gazette," that the foes to the rights of America might be "universally contemned."

CARPENTERS' HALL, PHILADELPHIA, where met the Continental Congress. From a photograph.

251. The "First Continental Congress" was not a legislature nor a government. The name "congress" was used to indicate its informal character. No governing body had ever held that name. It was a meeting for consultation. It claimed no authority to do more than advise and recommend.

The delegates had been elected in exceedingly informal fashion,1-by a part of a legislature, called together perhaps in an irregular way; or by a committee of correspondence; or by a mass meeting of some small part

1 Details are given in West's American History and Government.

of a colony, claiming to speak for the whole; or, in six colonies, by a new sort of gatherings known as provincial conventions, similar to that in Virginia (§ 249). None of this first series of provincial conventions sat more than five or six days (most of them only for a day): and none took any action except to appoint delegates to Philadelphia 'and to instruct them, except that one or two provided for a second convention, to be held after the Continental Congress.

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EXERCISE.Distinguish between a Continental Congress and a Provincial Congress, or Provincial Convention (both names were used). Note the series of events leading to the First Continental Congress. If you could name only one of those events as the occasion, what one would you select? Distinguish, for this period, between a "provincial convention" and a "provincial Assembly."

FOR FURTHER READING. The Source Book is very full for this and the following chapter. The history of the Revolution in Virginia may be traced, in outline, in that volume, Nos. 120-129. For secondary authorities on the whole period, Howard's Preliminaries of the Revolution and Van Tyne's American Revolution (“ American Nation" series) make together an admirable treatment. Woodburn's Lecky's American Revolution should be accessible, as a scholarly treatment by a great English historian. Fiske's two volumes on the Revolution are delightful reading. Trevelyan's American Revolution is probably the best history of the period, but it is rather bulky for high school students. Though written by an Englishman, it is sympathetically American in tone, and it is brilliant in treatment. Channing's third volume, dealing with the Revolution, is a critical study, but less readable than his earlier volumes.

CHAPTER XXII

FROM COLONIES TO COMMONWEALTHS, 1775-1776

252. The Assemblies of New York and Georgia refused to ratify the recommendations of the Continental Congress. But within six months all other colonies had adopted the Association - either by their regular Assemblies or by "conventions"; and everywhere "committees of public safety" and mobs were terrorizing reluctant individuals into signing. Tar and feathers and "the birch seal" became common means of persuasion; and Moderates complained bitterly that, in the name of liberty, the populace refused all liberty of speech or action. A great revolution, however righteous, is sure to have its ugly phases.

253. The issue had changed. The question, now, was not approval or disapproval of Parliamentary taxation, but whether resistance should be forcible. The radical "Patriots" "were probably a minority; but they were aggressive and organized, and eventually they whipped into line the great body of timid and indifferent people. On the other hand, many earnest "Patriots" of the preceding period now became "Tories " from repugnance to armed rebellion or to mob rule. Thus party lines were drawn more clearly.

In the few cities the revolutionary movement fell largely to the democratic artisan class. June 1, 1774, the governor of New York, writing to the English government on the excitement about the Boston Port Bill, says:

"The Men who call'd themselves the Committee [in New York] who acted and dictated in the name of the People - were many of them of the lower Rank, and all the warmest zealots. The more con

...

1 See, in Source Book, No. 140, how even John Adams was disturbed by the glee of his horse-jockey client at the closing of the courts.

siderable Merchants and Citizens seldom or never appeared among them, but, I believe, were not displeased with the Clamor and opposition that was shown against internal Taxation by Parliament."

254. In the winter and spring of 1775, regular legal government broke down. In colony after colony, the governors re

THE CONCORD MINUTE MAN.2

fused to let the legislature meet, and the people refused to let the governors' courts or other officials act. Then in many places, to prevent absolute lawlessness, county meetings or local committees set up some sort of provisional government, to last until "the restoration of harmony with Great Britain." 1

During this turbulent disorder, second provincial conventions were held in several colonies, to act upon the recommenda

tions of the First Continental Congress. Some of these bodies became de facto governments. They organized troops, raised money, and assumed civil powers far enough to alleviate the

1 Action of this kind in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on May 30, 1775, through distorted recollections and inaccurate statements, gave rise, years later, to the curious but groundless legend of a Mecklenburg "Declaration of Independence."

2 A statue by Daniel C. French at Concord Bridge. The stanza on the base is from Emerson's "Concord Hymn":