USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections, Vol. II > Part 13
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to his assistance a person so perfectly acquainted with the whole of American affairs as the gentleman alluded to (Dr. Franklin), and so injuriously reflected upon ; one, he was pleased to say, whom all Europe held in high estimation, for his knowledge and wisdom, and ranked with our Boyles and Newtons; who was an honor, not to the English nation only, but to human nature."
While this excitement touching the affairs of the colonies was increasing and becoming intense in England, a similar and perhaps greater feeling of enmity against the mother country was daily becoming more general and severe in America.
At this point in the excitement the East India Company, through embarrassments in its affairs, much of which had been created through the improper interference of the government, which now, as a measure of relief, had released it from most of the duties heretofore levied upon the export of its teas to the American colonies, and to relieve itself of an unusual quantity of its teas then in the store-houses in England, abont seventeen millions of pounds, equal to two years' supply, formed the plan of shipping its teas to America, instead of disposing of them as heretofore to merchants for that purpose. This plan was favored by the government, with only three pence duty to the pound ; but it was strongly opposed by the merchants as a direct interference with their legitimate business, and created much ill-feeling in both England and America. Thus, it is seen, there was a strong opposition to it, both in a business point of view and politically; while, in the first instance, it dis- turbed the due course of trade, in the latter it was indirectly establishing a principle of taxation, not only odious to the colo- nists, but one that they had, in all the colonies, repeatedly advised the English government could not be submitted to withont an infringement of their constitutional rights as British subjects.
Furthermore, there was an appeal by Massachusetts to their charter rights, under the charter of William and Mary, granted
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October 7, in the third year of their reign, 1691, under a clause in that charter which reads as follows :
" And further, our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, grant, establish, and ordain that all and every of the subjects of us, our heirs and successors which shall go to and in - habit within our said province and territory of Massachusetts Bay, and every of their children which shall happen to be born there, or on the seas in going there, or returning from thence, shall have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects within any of the dominions of us, our heirs and' successors, to all intents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever, as if they and every of them were born within this our realm of England."
On the strength of this clause in the second charter of Mas- sachusetts, their Legislature claimed, that as the people of Eng. land have a right to choose representatives, and are governed only by acts of Parliament, the charter says we shall enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects within any of the king's dominions ; therefore, we, too, have as good a right as the people of England to choose our representatives, and to be governed only by the laws made by our own assem- bly, not repugnant to the constitutional rights of British subjects.
Notwithstanding the strong opposition to this mode of dis- posing of teas in the colonies, and against the three pence duties as a tax, the East India Company sent forward a num- ber of ships freighted with tea to be sold by their agents in the American market.
As the time approached for the arrival of the tea ships (and they were at the same time dispatched to several of the colonies, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, etc.), the people assembled in large bodies at dif- ferent places, and began to adopt such measures as seemed most effectual to prevent the landing of their cargoes.
At Philadelphia, where the British goverment hoped to meet with the best success in this measure, and which place had
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been long celebrated for the excellence of its police and gov- ernment, and the temperate manners of its inhabitants, printed papers were dispersed, warning the pilots on the Delaware river not to conduct any of these tea ships into their harbor, which were only sent for the purpose of enslaving and poisoning all the Americans; at the same time giving them plainly to understand that it was expected they would apply their knowl- edge in such a manner as would effectually secure the coun- try from so imminent a danger.
At New York the papers set forth that those tea ships were loaded with the fetters which had been forged for them in Great Britain ; and vengeance was denounced against all persons who should dare in any manner to aid in the intro- duction of those chains. All the colonies were fully united in this principle of opposition to the delivery and sale of this tea.
At New York it was landed under the cannon of ships of war. But the government there was obliged to consent to its being locked up from use.
But the town of Boston, which had been the most active in opposing the acts of the British government, now universally opposed by all the colonies, was the first to act in this question of collecting duties on tea by its sale in the several British American colonies.
There were three ships which arrived in Boston harbor freighted with teas. The captains of these vessels seeing the impossibility of peaceably discharging their cargoes, con- sented to return with the same to England, if permitted to do so by the governor and custom officers. The consignees, being in the employ and friends of the English government, would not give their consent to snch reshipment. It was therefore seen by the citizens of the town, that the ships lying so near the wharves, the teas by degrees could be landed, and then, through parties not in the interest of the colonies, would
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be disposed of, and thereby the purpose of the government would be effected in raising the revenue contemplated.
To prevent this, which the colonists deemed a fearful con- sequence, a number of armed men, under the disguise of Mohawk Indians, boarded the ships, and in a few hours dis- charged the whole three cargoes of tea into the waters of the harbor, without doing any injury to the ships, their captains, or their crews.
The officers of government, and the armed vessels of war then in the harbor, probably knew but little of the proceed- ings until the deed was accomplished, as no resistance was made.
In South Carolina they endeavored to follow the lead given at Boston, when considerable of the cargo of tea shipped to that market was likewise discharged into the water of the bay.
All the tea shipped to Philadelphia was, by consent of the authorities there, returned to England, without the cargoes being opened.
The ship embarked on its return voyage, December 27, 1773.
This action of the colonies was not known in England until the 7th of March following, which was the occasion of a special message from the throne to both houses of Parliament ; and, as might have been expected, this action in America re- acted upon parties in England ; the same as all new laws there affecting the colonies, as they believed injuriously, added to the excitement and prejudice against the mother coun- try here.
Thus matters had now arrived at such a crisis, that neither one side nor the other were in a proper mood to act consider- ately on the subject now in dispute.
The first action of Parliament now relating to the tea re- bellion, was the preparing what was styled the " Boston Port Bill :"
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" That the town of Boston should be obliged to pay for the tea which had been destroyed in their port; also, security to be given in future, that trade may be safely carried on, property protected, laws obeyed, and duties regularly paid. Otherwise the punishment of a single ille- gal act is no reformation."
The idea was to take from Boston the right of a port of entry for trade and commerce.
On the 14th of March, 1774, the following bill was brought in by Parliament :
"For the Immediate Removal of the Officers of Customs from the Town of Boston, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in North America; and to Discontinue the Landing and Discharging, Lading and Shipping Goods, Wares, and Merchandise at the said Town of Boston, or within the Harbor Thereof."
This was received in Parliament with general applause. The sentiment of Parliament was thus clearly indicated.
At this stage of action Mr. William Bollan, the agent of the council of Massachusetts, presented a petition, desiring to be heard for the said council and in behalf of himself and other inhabitants in the town of Boston. The Parliament refused to receive the petition.
The Boston Port Bill received the royal assent, March 31. Another bill was proposed :
" The Better Regulating Government in the Province of Massachu- setts Bay."
This was to change the charter of William and Mary, that partienlar clause before referred to, and that relating to the choice of the council, judges, magistrates of all kinds, and sheriff's ; and instead of their being elected or appointed by consent of council of their own choice, they were to hold office only by appointment of the crown.
Another bill was brought in,
" For the Impartial Administration of Justice in the Cases of Persons Questioned for Any Acts Done by Them in the Execution of the Laws, or
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for the Suppression of Riots or Tumults in the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England."
This bill gave the governor the right, if he thought best, in certain acts committed against the exercise or aid of magis- tracy, to send the parties for trial to another colony, or to England.
In the provisions for the trial of parties found guilty of riots and tumults in the preceding statute enactment, the charges for the expenses of such trial were to be paid out of the customs. This act was to continue four years.
This bill caused a warm debate in the British Parliament, and produced great excitement, as it deprived the colonists of the right of trial by a juryof their own peers; and furthermore it presented an opportunity of great danger, as it gave the liberty to the governor, through a mere pretense of wrong in any political excitement, to arrest opponents and send them beyond sea, to be tried in England, simply by his arbitrary authority.
The resentment of Parliament fell with peculiar bitterness against the people of Boston.
The debate having closed on this bill in Parliament, an old member made the following remarkable and prophetic obser- vation :
"I will now take my leave of the whole plan. You will commence your ruin from this day.
" I am sorry to say it, that not only the house has fallen into the error, but the people approve of the measure. The people, I am sorry to say it, are misled.
"But a short time will prove the evil tendency of this bill. If ever there was a nation running headlong to its ruin, it is this."
This bill passed the house the 6th of May, 1774. The lords, who were in the minority, entered on this, as on the former bill, a very strong protest.
The English government had great confidence in the bene-
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ficial effect of the penal and restrictive laws passed at this time; it was believed that these bills, by many termed Bills of Terror, which were accompanied by a large naval and military force, would bring the colonies to a perfect submission. This session of Parliament closed in the most triumphant man- ner for the success of the measures introduced by the ministry ; they had not only a large majority of Parliament, but the peo- ple generally were in favor of humbling the stubborn and democratic colonists. They, on both sides, in and out of Par- liament, seemed entirely to overlook the former and justly conceded rights of the colonies, and, disregarding former usage, had the presumption to believe that a military force would readily produce submission to English laws, however uncon- stitutional and unjust.
It was expected that the shutting up of the port of Boston would be a gratification to neighboring and rival towns, and produce jealousy and divisions among the people of the Bay colony; and by making an example of Boston and the pro- vince of Massachusetts Bay, it would have the effect to dissolve the friendly union which of late seemed so generally to prevail among the colonies.
The event in all these cases proved very different from the sanguine anticipations which the ministry had entertained.
The people of Massachusetts, instead of being shaken by the coercive measures which had been adopted for their subjection, joined the more firmly together to brave the storm.
They were determined at all events or hazards to preserve their rights or perish in a common ruin. In the same man- ner, the other colonies, instead of abandoning the province of Massachusetts Bay, adhered the closer to their devoted sister as the danger increased ; and their affeetion and sympathy seemed to rise in proportion to her misfortunes and sufferings.
Thus it is seen how and in what manner the great drama of the Revolution was opened.
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When it is known that the organization of the political affairs of the colonies extended generally to all the people in each colony, it is not surprising that these encroachments of the mother country were everywhere received and felt as an. individual matter, which not only injured the collective au- thority, but it was felt as coming home to every town, pre- cinct, and person.
And thus it may be seen why each of the small corpora- tions called towns in Massachusetts, and the separate locali- ities in the several colonies, united so fervently and ardently in sustaining the legislative authority of the colony to which they belonged.
The war of the Revolution was emphatically a war of all the people of the British American colonies, for their indi- vidual as well as their collective rights. The people knew their rights ; they realized them to the fullest extent, and were determined to maintain them.
The town of Charlton, like all the other towns in the in- terior of New England, entered fully into the spirit which produced the Revolution.
In 1773, August 5, there is found an article in the warrant for a town meeting to be held in Charlton, on the 19th in- stant, following :
"To see if the district will take into consideration the letter from the committee of correspondence at Boston, and choose a committee to draw up the resolves of the district relating to the unconstitutional burdens that are laid on the province.
"To see if the district will choose a committee of correspondence to represent the district."
On the 19th instant, as aforesaid, the town meeting was held, when Deacon Jonas Hammond, Captain Richard Blood, and Captain Nathaniel Blood were chosen to draft the resolves as before stated.
These resolves were reported as follows :
"GENTLEMEN-We have taken into serious consideration the pamphlet
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sent us from Boston, wherein the rights and privileges of the province are clearly stated, and the infringements made thereon justly pointed out ; we return our sincere thanks to the town of Boston for the vigi- lance and firmness in support of the country which has been very con- spicuous in that metropolis; and will heartily join with them in all such measures as may appear most conducive to the restoration of our inval- uable privileges from the hand of oppression."
Seven men were then chosen as a committee of correspond- ence in behalf of the district :
Deacon Jonas Hammond, Captain Richard Dresser, Captain Nathaniel Blood, Lieutenant Ebenezer Hammond, Mr. Stephen Fay, Lieutenant John Dresser, and Mr. Ebenezer Fosket.
In October, 1774, this town selected Captain Jonathan Tucker to attend a Provincial Congress on the second Tuesday of the same month, to be holden at Concord ; also at same meeting the constable was directed to pay what money he should collect, and any then on hand, to Henry Gardiner, of Stow, agreeable to the advice of the Provincial Congress, and the town voted to indemnify him for so doing.
On the 9th of January, 1775, Captain Jonathan Tucker was elected a delegate to attend a Provincial Congress, to be holden at Cambridge the 1st day of February following; and at same meeting they appointed a committee of five to see that the directions of the Continental and Provincial Congresses were strictly adhered to in that district. This committee consisted of Captain Samuel Courtis, Captain Richard Dresser, Lieu- tenant William Tucker, Ezra Mackintire, and Ebenezer Fosket.
At a meeting, held on February 20, 1775, the town voted to make allowance to the men in that district for practicing mili- tary discipline.
Again, May 22, Rev. Caleb Courtis was elected to attend a Provincial Congress, to be held at Watertown, on the 31st of same month, 1775.
And, as appears by the records, the sum of £1, 8s., 6d. was
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voted to be paid Daniel Streeter for carrying blankets to the army.
On May 2, 1776, the town chose Major Jacob Davis repre- sentative to attend the Great and General Court the ensuing year.
On the 17th of June, 1776, this town voted to support the Continental Congress in declaring the united colonies inde- pendent of Great Britain, to the extent of their lives and fortunes, if they shall think it expedient for safety.
At the same meeting chose Caleb Ammidown to be added to the committee of correspondence, inspection, and safety.
At the town meeting, March 3, 1777, Caleb Ammidown, having been chosen moderator, a committee of correspondence, inspection, and safety was again appointed, consisting of the moderator, Deacon Nathaniel Jones, Ebenezer Fosket, Ezra Mackintire, and Deacon Jonathan Dennis.
On the 10th of March following, Caleb Ammidown being moderator, a committee of nine was appointed to consider the present situation of the town, in regard to what has been done in respect to the war, and to advise the town to some measure in order to revise our quota of men required by this State (this being already the designation that the province had taken). The names of this committee were as follows: Lien- tenant Ebenezer Hammond, Daniel Williams, Josiah Blood, William Polly, William Clemence, Caleb Ammidown, Samuel Parker, and Stephen Fay. This committee made their report on the 13th instant, recommending that, in addition to the bounty offered by Congress for good able-bodied men, to serve in this unjust and unnatural war, the sum of twenty pounds be given as an encouragement to all non-commissioned officers and privates, who shall enlist in the Continental army for three years, or during the war, as an inducement to fill the quota of men required by the General Court of this State, believing that it will answer the best ends ; this sum was proposed to be paid
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one half in twelve months, and the other in twenty-four. On calling for the views of the persons then assembled, on this report, the votes were ninety-four in favor and thirty-one against it, which showed a decided action for the support of the war then raging.
On the 21st of May, 1777, the following men were elected to represent this town in the General Court for the year ensuing: Major JJacob Davis, Caleb Ammidown, and Jacob Blood.
On the 9th of June following, Lieutenant John Edwards was appointed to report any persons in the town who manifest a disposition inimical to these United States, and make report of same. Also, it was voted that Ebenezer Mackintire's (Junior) name be entered on the list, and that Jesse Mackintire be entered on the same, as enemies to the United States.
In 1777, November 25, Caleb Ammidown being again the moderator, the selectmen were appointed a committee to pro- vide for the families of soldiers who had gone into the Conti- mental army. The town having bought a quantity of French arms, voted not to dispose of them until further orders.
At a meeting, January 20, 1778, the sum of £889, 7s., 5d. was voted to be paid into the treasury of the State, agreeable to an act of the General Court.
This amply exhibits an honest carrying out of their former pledge, of sustaining the cause with their lives and fortunes- that is, with both their men and their money.
At a meeting of the town, April 2, 1778, Caleb Ammidown, moderator, a committee of three was appointed-Peter Sher- man, Reuben Davis, and Benjamin Alton-to procure shirts and stockings for the town's quota of soldiers then in the Con- tinental army, and to appraise the value of the articles fur- nished according to quality ; also voted £200 for soldiers' clothing.
It is much to be regretted that the town did not preserve on its records a list of the names of those soldiers who joined
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the army and risked their lives for the defense of their conn- try and the liberties of its people. There has not been seen by the writer any such list upon the records of any of the towns, where his search has been made.
The Legislature of 1778 made a request upon all the towns to obtain their opinion, whether it was advisable for that assembly to proceed to form a constitution for the State, and to adopt it without further reference to the people.
This proposition was quite generally opposed, upon the ground that, for so important an aet as forming the funda- mental law of the people, the parties should be selected direct from the people, for that expressed object ; thus this town wisely opposed any present action by the Legislature upon that subject.
In 1779 the towns in the commonwealth were called npon to appoint delegates to assemble in convention for the pur- pose of framing a bill of rights and constitution. This con- vention assembled at Cambridge, September 1, 1779, and con- tinned to March 2, 1780.
These articles of rights and constitution were submitted to the several towns for their ratification. The town of Charl- ton held their meeting for this purpose on the 15th of May, 1780, and there is found on their records at this date their votes recorded, taken seriatim upon each article. This is an exhibition which shows that the people who had devoted their lives and property for the defense of their rights and liberties, were not insensible to a proper regard for their future inter- ests upon these important questions, whieli not only concerned them but the welfare of their posterity.
It is not surprising that there was a deep interest taken upon all questions which involved their rights. These impor- tant matters had now been subjects of discussion by the ablest and most patriotic persons in all the colonies, through a period of a quarter of a century. They were openly discussed in the
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convention which assembled at Albany, in 1754 ; but there it related more particularly to the encroachments of the French.
The reply and action of the British Parliament upon the doings of that convention had much force with all considerate minds in the colonies at that time.
That action showed clearly that the British government looked with jealousy upon the exhibition of strength which had been shown by the colonists; and they also showed, by their doings at that time, that the conventions of the people by delegates assembled for discussing questions relating to their protection and welfare were dangerous to British rule, so far as subjecting the colonies to any change incon- sistent with the rights and privileges they now possessed, and had heretofore enjoyed, under their charters. Furthermore, as the subsequent action of Parliament clearly showed, they had fears of such conventions, that they would finally tend to their indissoluble union, and subversion of English rule alto- gether.
Thus upon this ground, after the close of the last French war, which resulted in the conquest of the French dominions in North America, there was commeneed those acts tending to cripple the growth and prosperity of the colonies; com- ineneing, in 1763, in the Impost act, and the encroachments which followed; until the colonies were become so exasper- ated, that war followed; producing the acts that have herein been briefly stated.
Following the acts of the town upon the bill of rights and constitution, on the 29th of June, 1780, it was voted that £3,000 be raised for necessary charges, and that Mr. Gros- venor be engaged to supply preaching at this time.
On the 23d of August, 1780, the selectmen of Charlton, Colonel Jacob Davis, Caleb Ammidown, Samuel Learned, and Jonathan Mower, issued the first warrant in that town for the choice of State officers.
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The town meeting was appointed for September 4th follow- ing, when the number of votes were given, as set against the respective candidates. This meeting was organized by the choice of Colonel Jacob Davis, moderator.
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