made as the foundation of an impeachment against Mr. Justice Oliver, before the governor; but he excepted to their proceedings as unconstitutional. The assembly, nevertheless, gained two important points; they rendered the governor more odious to the inhabitants, and increased the public respect for themselves, as the counterpart of the British house of commons, and as the guardians of the rights of the people.

A personal animosity subsisted between governor Hutchinson and some distinguished patriots in Massachussets. The flame was increased to a high pitch by letters that had been written by Hutchinson, Oliver, and others, to persons in power and office in England; in which they recommended measures to secure the obedience of the people. These letters fell into the hands of Dr. Franklin, agent of the province, who transmitted them to Boston. The indignation which was excited by this discovery knew no bounds. The house of assembly sent a petition and remonstrance to the king, charging their governor, &c. with being traitors to their country, and with giving false and partial information: at the same time they prayed for justice against them, and their speedy removal from their places.

A. D.

1774.

The consequence of this petition and remonstrance was the acquittal of the governor, &c. and the removal of Dr. Franklin from the office which he held under government, as deputy post-master. This was considered as an insult offered to their public agent, who was bound as such to give his constituents every information respecting their chartered rights. But Dr. Franklin's only offence was not the transmission of these letters; he had taken a decided part in favour of America; had written

some small tracts which were obnoxious to government, particularly one entitled "Rules for reducing a great Empire to a small one," and was, in fact become the idol of his country.

For ten years there had been but little intermission to the disputes between Great Britain and her colonies, and the ground of the controversy was canvassed in every company. The more the Americans read, reasoned, and conversed on the subject, the more they were convinced of their right to the exclusive disposal of their own property. This was followed by a determination to resist all encroachments on that palladium of British liberty. They were as fully satisfied of their right to refuse and resist parliamentary taxation, as the ruling powers of Great Britain were of their right to demand and enforce submission to it.

CHAP.

CHAP. IX.

Opposition to the Revenue System. East India Company send Tea. Bostonians throw it overboard. Conduct of Parliament towards Boston and Canada. Americans assemble. Appoint a Congress. An army appointed. Seize the Cannon and Ammunition in Rhode-Island, and at Portsmouth. Battle of Lexington. General Gage's Proclamation. Battle of Banker's Hill. Its Consequences. Meeting of Congress. Their Arrangements. General Washington appointed Commander in Chief. Attack on Quebec. Defeat and Death of Montgomery. Termination of the Royal Government.

WE are now entering upon a new era of the American controversy. The duty on tea had been retained when the other duties had been given up, avowedly for the purpose of exhibiting the right of parliament to tax the colonies. The Americans denied that right, and discontinued the importation of the commodity; and while no attempt was made to introduce tea into the colonies against this declared sense of the inhabitants, these opposing claims were in no danger of collision.

As the resolution of the colonies not to import or consume tea had in a great measure deprived the English government of a revenue from this quarter, a scheme was formed for introducing tea into America under cover of the East India company. For this purpose an act was passed enabling the company to export all sorts of teas, duty free.

to any place whatever. Several ships laden with it were immediately sent to the American colonies, and factors appointed to receive and dispose of their cargoes.

The Americans, determined to oppose the revenue system in every possible shape, considered the attempt of the East India company to evade the resolutions of the colonies, and dispose of their teas in America, as an indirect mode of taxation, sanctioned by authority of parliament. They assembled in various places, and in the large commercial towns took measures to prevent the landing of the tea. Committees were appointed and armed with extensive powers, to inspect merchants' books, to propose tests, and make use of other means to frustrate the designs of the East India company. The same spirit pervaded the people from New Hampshire to Georgia; and at Philadelphia the inhabitants passed some strong resolutions, declar ing all those to be enemies to their country, who should countenance in any way the unloading or the sale of the obnoxious article. But at Boston the tea shared a more violent fate. Sensible that no legal measures could prevent its being landed, and that, if once landed, it would as certainly be disposed of, a number of men disguised as Indians, on the 18th of December, entered the ships, and threw overboard three hundred and forty chests of it, which was the proportion belonging to the East India company. And with so much union and system did the colonists act, that there was not a single chest of any of the cargoes sent out by the East India company, on this occasion, sold for their benefit.

A. D.

1773.

No sooner did the news of this destruction of

the

the tea reach Great Britain, than the parliament resolved to punish that devoted town: ac- ́ A. D. cordingly an act was passed to discontinue

the landing and discharging, lading and 1774. shipping of goods, wares, and merchandizes, at the town of Boston, or within the harbour."

This act threw the inhabitants of Massachusetts into the greatest consternation. But fortunately for them it was not the only statute made at that time; but it was also enacted, that the town meetings, sanctioned by charter, should be either discontinued, or subject to such restrictions as rendered them of no value; and that persons indicted for any capital offence committed in obstructing the powers of magistracy, might, at the pleasure of the governor, be sent to another colony, or even to Great Britain, to take their trial for such offence.

Petitions against these bills, couched in strong and pointed language, were presented to parliament, as they were passing the two houses; and the lords of the minority entered a solemn protest against the passing them. On one of these occasions colonel Barré, who had ever been the advocate of liberty, concluded an admirable speech by saying, "You are offering the last of human outrages to the people of America, by subjecting them in effect to military execution: instead of sending them the olive branch, you have sent the naked sword. What madness is it that prompts you to attempt obtaining that by force, which may, with so much more facility and certainty, be procured by requisition? Retract your odious exertions of authority, and remember that the first step towards making them contribute to your wants is to reconcile them to your government."

The parliament did not stop here: but before

they