USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of Boston > Part 3
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1. I shall now pass over a number of years, during which there was no event of particular interest, and shall tell you a story which happened in 1747. It will show you the spirit and independence of Bostonians in the old times. This spirit finally led to the American Revolution.
2. In the harbor of Nantasket, there was an English fleet, under the command of Commodore Knowles. Some of his sailors had been silly enough to go on shore, and, finding they could amuse themselves a while, determined not to return to the ship. The commodore was anxious to sail, and resolved to procure men in the place of those who had deserted, wherever he could find them.
3. His boats were accordingly sent up to Boston, early
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in the morning, manned with sailors and officers, who were commanded to seize a sufficient number of men to fill up their crews. They first surprised all the seamen they found in the vessels in the harbor. Afterwards they went on the wharves, and carried away several apprentices, and labor- ing men, who had business and families on shore, and had never been to sea.
4. The people were soon alarmed at this outrage, and collected in large numbers. The whole town was in an up- roar. Mobs collected, armed with pitch-mops, sticks, and clubs, and soon became large and powerful. Having heard that several of the commanders of the fleet were at the house of Governor Shirley, they immediately proceeded thither with a great noise and shouts.
5. The house was soon surrounded, and the front and back yards were completely filled with the enraged popu- lace. By the exertions of some men of influence, they were prevented from breaking through the doors and win- dows, and carrying their violence to extremity. A poor magistrate of the king exposed himself in the midst of them, in a vain attempt to exercise his authority ; the mob laid hands upon him in no very gentle manner, and hurried him away in triumph to the public stocks. Here they placed him, and amused themselves with him till dinner time.
6. Even the anger of the mob yields to the call of appe- tite. The leaders and the followers were both willing to satisfy their hunger, before completing their revenge. They
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separated at the usual hour for dining, and the town once more became quiet. Putting by their pitch-mops and clubs, they busied themselves with knives and forks, in a much more harmless and agreeable manner.
7. About dusk, however, they began to assemble again in great numbers. Several thousand people were collected in King street, now State street, below the old Town House. Becoming turbulent and excited, they vented their rage by throwing stones and brickbats, through the windows of the council chamber.
S. The governor, however, ventured to appear in the bal- cony, with several gentlemen and members of the council. It was some time before the mob would consent to listen to him. At length silence was obtained, and the governor made an address. He told the people that he disapproved of the violent measures of the commodore, and promised to procure a release of the citizens who had been seized.
9. It is in vain to reason with an enraged mob, and the governor found that he had made a long speech to no pur- pose. Nothing would satisfy the leaders but the seizure and imprisonment of all the officers of the fleet, who were in town. It was now thought necessary for the governor to leave the council, and he retired to his own house.
10. The mob next proceeded to a wharf, where they found a barge, which they supposed to belong to the fleet. They immediately seized it, and dragged it through the streets, as far as the house of the governor. They had
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made preparations to burn it, but fear of setting the town on fire induced them to remove to a less dangerous place.
11. On the next day, the governor ordered the military companies of Boston to appear under arms, and keep watch through the night. They refused, and the governor remov- ed to the castle in the harbor. He then wrote to Commo- dore Knowles, and told him of the confusion and alarm that had been excited by his violence. The commodore, however, declined listening to any accommodation, till the officers on shore were suffered to return to the fleet. He even threatened to bring up his ships, and bombard the town.
12. The council and representatives of the colony were unwilling to interfere in this affair. Notwithstanding the danger of allowing the people to take the law, by violence, into their own hands, they were also fearful, that any coun- tenance of the violent measures of the navy would lead to a repetition of them. In the course of two or three days, however, they began to change their opinions. The gov- ernor had behaved with proper feeling during the whole transaction, and they thought he should not remain with- out support.
13. The council passed a vote, by which they ordered that the officers of the fleet should be forthwith set at liberty. In the afternoon, a meeting of the inhabitants was held. At this meeting, they expressed their deep sense of the in- sult and injury that had been offered to them, by the seizure
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of their fellow-citizens. They also condemned the riotous conduct of those, who had insulted the governor and coun- cil, and committed many other acts of violence.
14. On the following day, the commodore released the men whom he had impressed, and the squadron sailed, to the great joy of the town. The militia turned out in large numbers, with much parade, and escorted the governor to his house. Such was the conclusion of one of the first acts of violence, which excited the Bostoniantoa similar vio- lent resistance.
15. In the course of this same year, the old Town House was nearly destroyed by fire. Nothing was left standing but the walls. It was repaired in the following year, and not- withstanding it has again suffered from fire, within a few years, its outward appearance still remains nearly the same.
CHAPTER VIII.
James Otis. Writs of assistance. Mr Otis undertakes the cause of the Merchants. Trial. Mr Gridley. Speech of Otis. Stamp act. Liberty Tree. Mob. Attack on Mr Oliver's House.
1. WE are now coming to more unquiet times. The troubles, which finally led to the American Revolution, had commenced. Oppressive measures on the part of England were followed by resistance and violence in the colonies. In part of this chapter, I shall tell you about Mr James Otis, who was one of the earliest patriots.
2. Mr Otis was born in Barnstable in the year 1724. He received his education at Harvard College, and commenced the study of the law. After practising in his profession for two years at Plymouth, he removed to Boston. Here he soon distinguished himself, and his business became very extensive.
3. In 1759, Great Britain formed the plan of raising a
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revenue from the colonies. The first evidence of this in- tention was given in the following year. An order was then received by the custom-house officers in America, to apply to the Supreme Court for what were called writs of assistance. These writs were to authorize the persons holding them, to enter any ships, stores or houses, upon mere suspicion, and search for goods that had been import- ed in violation of the English acts of trade.
4. This power was of course very oppressive and odious. The custom-house officers, however, applied to the court for the writs, and the court appointed a time when the pro- priety of granting them should be discussed. Mr Otis at this time held the office of advocate-general, and he was consequently called upon to render his services in support of the king's officers. Thinking the writs prayed for to be tyrannical and oppressive, he refused, and resigned his office.
5. Being immediately applied to by the merchants on the other side, he undertook their cause, in conjunction with Mr Thacher. He was at this time in the vigor of manhood, and of intellect. The trial took place in the council cham- ber of the old town-house. In those days there was a good deal of pomp in court dignity. The judges were dressed in robes of scarlet, faced with black velvet ; huge wigs envel- oped their heads, and curled down over their shoulders. The barristers appeared before the court, in black gowns, and with powdered hair and bags.
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6. The cause excited very deep interest in all classes. Government officers were anxious to know whether they were to receive the writs, that would give them so much power, and perhaps enrich them with great wealth. Citi- zens and merchants were equally desirous to learn, if their houses were to be sacred, or to be open to the curiosity and avarice of every petty officer of the customs, who chose to disturb them with his suspicions.
7. Mr Jeremiah Gridley, a learned and eminent lawyer, was at this time attorney-general, and supported the cause of those who petitioned for the writs. He was very inge- nious and powerful in his argument. Mr Thacher followed him on the opposite side, in a learned and convincing refu- tation.
8. Of the speech pronounced on this occasion by Mr Otis, we have the very highest praise from the elder President Adams. He says that Otis was a flame of fire, and, with a rapid torrent of impetuous eloquence, hurried away all be- fore him. 'American independence,' he continues, 'was then and there born. Every man, of an immense crowded audience, appeared to me to go away as I did, ready to take arms against writs of assistance.'
9. The Court adjourned for consideration, and though they then came to no conclusion on the subject, nothing more was heard or said about the writs. I have told you particularly about this trial, because it is a very important point of our history. From this time parties began to be
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formed, of the friends of the king, and the friends of the col- onies. The people of Boston from this period, entertained but very little affection for their friends on the other side of the water.
10. In 1765 the king of England, George III, gave his ous Stamp Act. You have heard of this act, and as it led to the most important results, I shall ex- plain it to you at length. It laid a tax or duty, on every piece of vellum, parchment or paper, on which any thing of use to any person could be written or printed. This tax varied from half a penny to twenty shillings.
11. This stamp was to have been put on every possible document. Newspapers, almanacks, cards, marriage cer- tificates, writs of court, custom-house papers, all these were to bear the stamp and pay for it. When popular feeling was at its height on this subject in the colonies, news was re- ceived in Boston that a cargo of these papers might be daily expected in the harbor. It was also rumored that Andrew Oliver, Esq., secretary of the province, had been appointed a distributor of the stamps.
12. It is at this time that the Liberty Tree first comes in- to notice. This tree formerly stood, with a noble grove of elms, at the head of Essex street. It was immediately in front of a house opposite to the Boylston Market. On the morning of the fourteenth of August, a couple of images were found hanging from this tree, one of which was intend-
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ed to ridicule Mr Oliver. The other was a boot, with a gro- tesque figure peeping out of it, having the stamp act in its hand, intended to represent Lord Bute, who had done much in parliament to promote American taxation.
13. Very little business was done during the day. People collected in knots about the streets, talking of the stamp act, and British officers, and Liberty Tree. Large numbers came in from the towns in the neighborhood, to learn what was going on, and to join in the expression of popular feel- ing.
14. The mob gradually increased and became more for- midable. A little after twilight they formed a procession, and carried the effigy from Liberty Tree to the town-house, where they knew that the governor and his council were hold- ing a consultation. Here they gave three shouts, and passed on to Kilby street. In thisplace a building had just been erect- ed by Mr Oliver, which they supposed was intended for a stamp office.
15. This they immediately levelled with the ground, and carried off the remains in triumph upon their shoulders. Proceeding to Fort hill, where Mr Oliver then resided, they made a bonfire in front of his house, and on it burned the effigy. They then broke the windows, tore down the garden fences, and at length obtained complete possession of his house.
16. Towards twelve o'clock at night, the mob began to
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become less noisy, and an attempt was made by the govern- ment officers to disperse them. These gentlemen, however, were unsuccessful, and received rather harsh treatment from the hands of some of the ringleaders. At length about mid- night all was again quiet.
CHAPTER IX.
The riots are unnoticed. A mob. Their outrages. Mr Hutchinson. Attack on his dwelling-house. Town meeting. Declaration of Mr Oliver. Burning stamp papers. Re- peal of the stamp act. Great rejoicings. Fire Works. Lib- erty Tree illuminated.
1. THE officers of government were obliged to pass over these riots, without punishment. They knew the state of public feeling too well, to imagine that it could possibly be resisted. Such deep and general indignation had been ex- cited, that even the more moderate and respectable citzens hardly dared to discountenance the violence of the mob.
. 2. On the twenty-sixth of August another mob was collect- ed, and a very dangerous and destructive one. It began to come together about dusk, when a bonfire was lighted before the town-house. A large number of boys and men soon as- sembled, ready for any means of displaying their anger. Their cry was ' Liberty and Property.'
3. They made their first visit to the house of Mr Paxton,
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who held the office of surveyor of the port, and was on that account obnoxious to the people. Here they found the owner of the house, who seems to have been a shrewd and sensi- ble man, and who told them that Mr Paxton and his furni- ture had been removed. He moreover added, that he was himself the only person they would injure by any violence, that he had never done them any harm, and that if they would go with him to the tavern, he would treat them to a barrel of punch.
4. ' Hurrah ! Hurrah !' shouted the ringleaders, 'he is a clever fellow and no tory, so come along and we will drink his health, and down with the Stamps.' The party then went to the tavern, to drink the punch, and the house was by this means saved.
5. As soon as they had finished their punch, they began to feel a return of their desire to pull down a house. This they soon found an opportunity to gratify. After breaking into one or two dwelling houses, and making a few bonfires, they took up their march to the mansion of the lieutenant governor, Mr Hutchinson.
6. This person is quite distinguished in the history of the colonies, and did more than any one else, to produce their final separation from the mother country. He was born in Boston, and was for a long time much beloved and highly re- spected. But in the events immediately before the revolution, he behaved with a meanness and hypocrisy, which ren- dered him contemptible, and have made his memory odious.
HISTORY OF BOSTON.
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7. When he heard that the mob was approaching his residence, Mr Hutchinson was taking tea with his family. He immediately sent away his children, and after a while determined to follow them. The mob soon arrived. They had become very powerful and violent, and, breaking into the house, commenced their work of destruction.
8. Every thing moveable was soon broken to pieces, or carried away. A large amount of plate, manuscripts, mon- ey, jewels, and valuable furniture was exposed to their fury. They worked very hard to tear down the house, but it was built in a very strong style, and they gave up the attempt. They were only able, after three or four hours' labor, to throw over the cupola, and take up part of the roof. The walls were left not much injured, though the mob worked till daylight. This house was afterwards repaired, and re- mained standing till the summer of 1833, when it was re- moved.
9. The greatest loss, upon this occasion, was the destruc- tion of a large number of valuable manuscripts. Mr Hutch- inson had been for years gathering interesting letters, and papers, connected with the early history of the colonies. His efforts had been very successful, and he had accumulat- ed an extensive and valuable collection. These were de- stroyed, and their loss was not again to be repaired.
10. Early on the next day, the more temperate and orderly citizens called a town meeting. They then expressed their
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strong disapprobation of these violent measures, and instruct- ed the magistrates of the town to use their endeavors to prevent such disturbances in future. During the month of September a quantity of the stamps arrived, and were de- posited for safe keeping in the Castle.
11. Early in December, a report was circulated, that Mr Oliver intended to accept the office of distributor of stamps, though he had previously resigned it. This caused consid- erable excitement, and the people determined to ascertain its truth. A large meeting of the merchants and principal inhabitants, was held at noon-day, under Liberty Tree. A message was then dispatched to Mr Oliver, with the com- pliments of the people, requesting his appearance.
12. He complied with the invitation, and made oath that he would never attempt to enforce the stamp act in America. Three cheers were then given, and Mr Oliver made a short speech. In the course of it, he declared that he held the stamp act in utter detestation, and would do all that lay in , his power to serve the town and province. He then desired that he might no longer be looked upon as an enemy, but as a friend. His remarks were received with shouts and cheers.
13. In February of the following year, a day was ap- pointed for a public burning of one of the stamped papers, in every town through the province. In Boston the ceremo- ny was performed with much spirit, and the bonfire was in- creased, and graced, by effigies of two of the enemies of the province, in full court dresses.
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14. In May, the glad news was received in Boston of the repeal of the stamp act. The greatest joy was excited by this event, and every mark of public rejoicing was display- ed. Cannon were fired under the Liberty Tree, and in many other parts of the town ; bells were rung, bonfires blazed, and the people were shouting and cheering in all directions. .
15. The nineteenth of the month was appointed for a day of general festivity, in honor of this great event. On this day people were up very early, and immediately after one o'clock in the morning, the bells of all the churches were set in motion. In about an hour drums were beating in all the streets, guns were fired, and there was noise enough made to rouse every man, woman and child in the town.
16. Liberty Tree was hung round with banners, and the steeple of Mr Byles's Church, in the neighborhood, was decorated in a similar manner. Flags and pendants were displayed from the tops, and at the windows, of the houses. All night the whole town was illuminated, and there was a brilliant display of fire-works on the common, where a pyramid was erected, and lighted with nearly three hundred lamps. Several private entertainments were given, by gen- tlemen who were interested in the popular cause.
17. About midnight, a signal was given for the citizens to retire. The lights were extinguished, the music was silenc- ed, and all sought their dwellings. On the following eve-
Liberty Tree hung with Banners.
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ning, all the gentlemen in town united to furnish lanterns for an illumination of Liberty Tree.
18. This tree had grown to be a great favorite with the people, and men had been employed to prune and trim it. On this evening, every bough was laden with lanterns, and it presented a very beautiful appearance. A flood of light was shed from it to a great distance, on the faces of a happy and rejoicing crowd, collected from all quarters of the town.
CHAPTER X.
Resistance. Seizure of Hancock's Sloop. Mob. Arrival of
British troops. Attack on Mr Otis. Agreement of mer- chants. Mr Richardson shoots a boy. His funeral. Story of the Fifth of March. Trial and acquittal of the soldiers.
1. THE spirit of resistance in the town seemed to grow, with every indication of a wish in the mother country to employ force. Mobs were frequent, and the collectors of the customs were exposed to occasional peril. In the month of June, 1768, an affray of considerable importance took place with the collectors, which eventually led to great results.
2. Towards twilight on the tenth of this month, a sloop, named Liberty, belonging to John Hancock, and lying at his wharf, was seized by the officers of the customs. The British ship of war Romney was at this time in the stream, ready to lend them assistance. On a given signal, her boats were manned and sent to the wharf. The officers were
Seizing the Liberty.
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warned not to move the sloop, but in spite of all remon- strances, her fastenings were cut, and she was carried under the guns of his Majesty's ship.
3. At this event the people were exceedingly irritated. A mob soon collected, and some of the officers were rough- ly handled. A party of sailors, who suspected an intention to impress them on board of the ship, joined the multitude and went in pursuit of mischief. Whilst parading in the streets, they met the inspector, and treated him with much more rudeness, than he thought himself entitled to as a faithful servant of the king. They broke his sword, made rags of part of his garments, and obliged him to seek refuge in a house in King street.
4. They next went in pursuit of one of the man-of-war's boats, but finding none on shore, they took possession of a large pleasure-boat that belonged to the collector. 'This they dragged through the streets in triumph, with loud shouts, till they reached the common, where they amused themselves with making a bonfire of it.
5. Some other affairs of this kind gave a sufficient pre- tence to General Gage, who commanded the military forces in 'New England, to station a detachment of regular troops in Boston. On the last day of September, six ships of war, with an armed schooner and transports, came sailing up the harbor and anchored round the town. Their cannon were loaded, and springs were on the cables, that they might be easily slipped ; all seemed prepared for a regular siege.
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6. On the noon of the following day, two regiments, a part of a third, and a train of artillery with two pieces of cannon, were landed on the wharf. There they formed in order, and paraded up King street with colors flying, drums sounding and fifes playing ; each soldier having received six- teen rounds of shot, and having his musket charged and bayonet fixed.
7. Difficulties soon sprang up between the troops and the inhabitants. It was said that the soldiers could not lawfully be quartered in the town, while the barracks at the castle were empty. Meanwhile they were lodged in the town- house and Fanueil Hall, and some in stores on the wharves. Guards were placed at the doors of the town-house, which the council were obliged to pass in going to their own cham- ber. Tents covered the common. Sentinels challenged the citizens as they passed. The sabbath was disturbed by the sound of drums, and other martial music. The town wore the aspect of a garrison, and all the inconveniences ensued, which naturally flow from the presence of a military force in a peaceful community.
8. The luxury of tea, which was first used in New Eng- land about the year 1720, began now to be very unpopular. Many families in Boston had resolved to abstain from the use of it, and several of the neighboring towns had con- cluded to follow their example.
9. In September 1769 a circumstance took place, whichi occasioned a great excitement among the good people of
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the town, and which led to an instance of noble generosity. Mr James Otis had been insulted in some paper, by the commissioners of the customs ; and took occasion to resent it, by advertising them as unworthy of belief. On the next evening he went to the British Coffee-house, which was much visited by the officers in the interest of the govern- ment, and where he found a number of them sitting at that time.
10. Among them was Mr Robinson, one of the commis- sioners. When Mr Otis entered, a quarrel immediately commenced. It ended in recourse to violence. The lights were extinguished, and Mr Otis, without a friend, was sur- rounded by the companions of Robinson. A young man, by the name of Gridley, happened to be passing at the time, and boldly came in to his assistance ; but he was attacked, beaten, and turned out of the house.
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