the first, but not for the last time, on this continent, "English law and English thought 'Gainst the self-will of England fought." The overthrow of the Andros administration left the colonists without any legal or de facto government, and, true to their instincts, the towns met in convention, on May 22d, to consider the state of affairs. The people of Concord defined their position in a striking and truly characteristic manner. They were duly represented in the convention, which decided to reinstate the government chosen under the charter in 1686, and to wait for orders from the new king and queen in England.' This action of the convention was foreshadowed, two days earlier, in the vote of the freeholders of this town, as shown by the following certificate of the Selectmen 2: "May 20th 1689. Att a meeting of the ffree-Holders of the Towne of Concord, wee do mutually desire that according as wee have declared ourselves by a writeing sent by the Hands of our representatives. that our old authority chosen & sworn in the year 1686 wth the deputyes then chosen & sent to the court may reasume their places and if that cannot be attained, our desires is that that a councell of war may be chosen & settled by our representitives when met together att boston wth the rest of the representitives of the country. 1 Ebenezer Prout of Concord, was made "Clerk to the Representatives," and as such, signed the order for the removal of Andros to the Castle, on June 6, 1689. Mass. Archives, v. 107, p. 84. 2 Mass. Archives, v. 107, p. 44. Signed the date above mentioned being then a generall voat of the freeholders of this Town. THOMAS WHEELER STEVEN HOSMER JOSEPH FRENCH Select men in yo name of ye Rest." The votes of other towns were sufficiently firm in their tone, showing a due appreciation of the serious condition of public affairs, and affirming the popular view of the questions involved. They were, however, couched in general terms, and the official communication from the Concord Selectmen, as given above, — ill-spelled and ungrammatical as it is, was the only formal declaration sent to the seat of government, of readiness to go to war in defence of popular rights. The emergency was an education. The citizens forgot their dislike of free speech; their minds were lifted out of the range of petty scandal and neighborhood gossip, to loftier considerations of the welfare of the race. They were ennobled by the occasion, and when the rights of Englishmen were assailed, stood shoulder to shoulder, as if they recognized the immense significance of their action to future generations of men. It was not difficult for the people of Concord to take this stand. It was the way of their ancestors, established long years before in the old country; and the sons were but giving expression, in their day and generation, to the ancient Kentish spirit, which had already become the spirit of Massachusetts, and was destined at a later day to animate a great nation. "The Puritan Spirit, perishing not, To Concord's yeomen the signal sent, INDEX. AANTONUISH, 14. Acton, 54; its eastern boundary, 7, 8, 65; part of, joined to Carlisle, 8. Samuel, 15. Thomas, sells estate to Stratton, 87. Allen, Thomas, grant to, 61, 65. Amusements, 140, 141. Andros, Sir Edmund, Governor, 148; his character and proceedings, Angier's Mills, 15. Annursnack Hill, 70, 103. Atawans, 16. (See Tahatowan.) BAKER, William, his house-lot, 86. Ball, John, 125, 146. Nathaniel, 32, 83, 147; his house-lot, 87. Barker, Francis, his dwelling-place, 86. John, his dwelling-place, 86; Junior, 136. Barnes, John, killed by Indians, 105. Barrett, IIumphrey, 20; his house-lot, 88; ensign, 127; selectman, 146. Widow, 73. Barron, John, 35. Bateman, Thomas, 40, 83; on committee to divide highways, &c., 70; Bateman's Pond, 83. Bay Road, The, 80; house-lots on, 86, 87. Beaver Dam, 79. Pond, 10, 32, 82, 95. Bedford, 8, 9, 61; plan of, 6; its bounds in part, 10. Beers, Richard, 53; his return of land, 54. |