USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 16
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Before this last named town-meeting was held, the Committee of Correspondence, elected on the 14th of December, executed a part of the duty assigned to them, by addressing a letter to the Committee of Boston, which was published in the " Boston Gazette," Dec. 28, 1772 : -
" To the Committee of Communication and Correspondence at Boston. The Committee appointed by the town of Cambridge to write to the Committee of Communication and Correspondence at Boston, gladly embrace this opportunity. In the name and behalf of the said town of Cambridge, and with the most sincere respect, they acknowledge the vigilance and care discovered by the town of Boston of the public rights and liberties ; acquainting you that this town will heartily concur in all salutary, proper, and constitutional measures for the redress of those intolerable grievances which threaten, and if continued must overthrow, the happy civil constitution of this Province. It is with the greatest pleasure we now inform you that we think the meeting was as full as it has been for the choice of a Representative, for a num- ber of years, if not fuller; and that the people discovered a glo- rious spirit, like men determined to be free. We have here en-
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closed you a copy of the votes and proceedings of this town, at their meeting, so far as they have gone. We would add, - May the town of Boston, the capital of this Province, rejoice in perpetual prosperity. May wisdom direct her in all her consul- tations. May her spirited and prudent conduct render her a ter- ror to tyrants. May every town in this Province, and every other colony upon the Continent, be awakened to a sense of danger, and unite in the glorious cause of liberty. Then shall we be able effectually to disappoint the machinations of our enemies. To conclude : That this land may be purged from those sins which are a reproach to a people, and be exalted by righteousness, that God Almighty may be our God as he was the God of our fathers, and that we may be possessed of the same principles of virtue, religion, and public spirit, which warmed and animated the hearts of our renowned ancestors, is the sincere prayer of your friends in the common cause of our country, the Committee of the town of Cambridge. EBENEZER STEDMAN, per order."
In 1773, the British Ministry adopted another measure to se- cure the payment of a tax by the colonists. The East India Company, embarrassed by the accumulation of teas which the American merchants did not purchase, were encouraged to ex- port them, on their own account, by an offer of a drawback of the whole duty payable in England on all such as should be ex- ported to the British colonies in America ; but the duty of three pence on a pound was still required to be paid at the port of entry. The tax demanded was very small, but it stood as the representative of a great principle ; the right, namely, of Parlia- ment to bind the colonies in all cases whatever, - which right was asserted by the ministry and denied by the colonists. The fire of contention, which had seemed to be smouldering for a time, now burst forth into a fierce blaze. Public meetings were held, and resolutions adopted, indicating a stern spirit of resist- ance. Cambridge placed on record its determination to main- tain its rights :-
" At a very full meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Cambridge, legally assembled, Nov. 26, 1773, Capt. Ebenezer Stedman was chosen Moderator. This town being greatly alarmed at an Act of the British Parliament, passed in the last session of Parliament, whereby the East India Company in London are empowered to export their teas on their own ac- count to the British Plantations in America, and expose the
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same to sale, subject to a duty, payable in America, to be col- lected by a set of worse than Egyptian taskmasters, - which, if submitted to, we fear will prove fatal to the Colonies : - and as we apprehend the sense of this town cannot be better expressed than by adopting the Resolves of the patriotic citizens of Phila- delphia ; - Resolved, that the disposal of their own property is the inherent right of freemen ; that there can be no property in that which another can of right take from us without our con- sent ; that the claim of Parliament to tax America is, in other words, a claim of right to levy contributions on us at pleasure. 2. That the duty imposed by Parliament upon tea landed in America is a tax on the Americans, or levying contributions on them without their consent. 3. That the express purpose for which the tax is levied on the Americans, namely, for the sup- port of government, the administration of justice, and the defence of his Majesty's dominions in America, has a direct tendency to render Assemblies useless, and to introduce arbitrary government and slavery. 4. That a virtuous and steady opposition to this ministerial plan of governing America is absolutely necessary to preserve even the shadow of liberty, and is a duty which every freeman in America owes to liis country, to himself, and to his posterity. 5. That the resolution lately come into by the East India Company, to send out their tea to America, subject to the payment of duties on its being landed here, is an open attempt to enforce the ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of America. 6. That it is the duty of every American to oppose this attempt. 7. That whoever shall, directly or in- directly, countenance this attempt, or in any wise aid or abet in unloading, receiving or vending, the tea sent or to be sent out by the East India Company, while it remains subject to the pay- ment of a duty here, is an enemy to America.
" And whereas the town of Boston have assembled twice on this alarming occasion, and at each meeting did choose a commit- tee of very respectable gentlemen, to wait upon the persons who are appointed by the East India Company to receive and sell said tea, and in a genteel manner requested them to resign their appointment; notwithstanding the said factors have repeatedly refused to give them any satisfaction, but, on the contrary, their answers were evasive and highly affrontive: by such a conduct they have forfeited all right and title to any respect from their fellow-countrymen : - Therefore resolved, that this town will by no means show them any respect whatever, but view them as
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enemies to their country. And whereas it is reported that the said factors of the East India Company by their conduct have rendered themselves despicable in the town of Boston, yet they can retire into the country towns, where they are treated with respect, which, if true, is truly scandalous : - Therefore resolved, that any one who shall harbor said factors in their houses, ex- cept said factors immediately make full satisfaction to this justly incensed people, are unfriendly to their country. Resolved, That any person or persons, inhabitants of this Province, that shall import any teas subject to the payment of a duty in America, are in an eminent degree enemies to their country, and ought to be treated with equal contempt and detestation with the present supposed factors. And, as it is very apparent that the town of Boston are now struggling for the liberties of their country : Therefore resolved, that this town can no longer stand idle spec- tators, but are ready, on the shortest notice, to join with the town of Boston and other towns, in any measures that may be thoughit proper, to deliver ourselves and posterity from Slavery."
Within a month afterwards, the Gordian knot of this contro- versy was cut, by the destruction of the tea in Boston Harbor, after an earnest and protracted effort to induce the consignees to send it back to Europe. Whether any Cambridge men partici- pated in this final act, or not, it is reasonably certain that they assisted in the preliminary measures. Hutchinson says, "the Committees of Correspondence of the towns of Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Brookline, and Cambridge, united, and held their meetings daily, or by short adjournments, in Faneuil Hall, or one of the rooms belonging to it, and gave snch directions as they thought proper. Two of the other vessels with tea arriving from London, they were ordered by this new body to the same wharf where the first ships lay, under pretence of the conveniency of having the whole under one guard. It soon after appeared that a further conveniency accompanied it."1 The overt act is de- scribed in the " Boston Gazette," Monday, December 20, 1773: -" On Tuesday last the body of the people of this and all the adjacent towns, and others from the distance of twenty miles, as- sembled at the Old South meeting-house," and, after a fruitless negotiation with the parties in the interest of the government, " adjourned to the Thursday following, ten o'clock. They then met ; .... and the people, finding all their efforts to preserve the property of the East India Company and return it safely to London, frustrated by the tea consignees, the collector of the cus-
1 Hist. Mass., iii. 433.
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toms, and the Governor of the Province, dissolved their meeting. But behold what followed. A number of brave and resolute men, determined to do all in their power to save the country from the ruin which their enemies had plotted, in less than four hours, emptied every chest of tea on board the three ships commanded by the captains Hall, Bruce, and Coffin, amounting to 342 chests, into the sea, without the least damage done to the ships or any other property. The masters and owners are well pleased, that their ships are thus cleared, and the people are almost universally congratulating each other on this happy event."
This destruction of the tea excited the liveliest indignation of the British government. It was construed as an act of open rebellion, demanding condign punishment. " The words, often cited, of the arrogant, insolent, and galling Venn, were then uttered and circulated through the colonies : ' The offence of the Americans is flagitious : the town of Boston ought to be knocked about their ears and destroyed. Delenda est Carthago. You will never meet with proper obedience to the laws of this country until you have destroyed that nest of locusts.' These words embodied the feeling of England in an hour of her insolence." 1 The Boston Port Bill followed, which took effect on the first day of June, 1774, enforced by an array of armed vessels, effectually preventing ingress or egress. The sympathy, not only of Mas- sachusetts but of all the American Colonies, was excited on behalf of the oppressed and suffering inhabitants of the devoted town, which sympathy was manifested by material aid. Although Cambridge was to some extent a joint-sufferer with Boston, it was voted, at a town meeting, July 28, 1774, " That the Com- mittee of Correspondence be a Committee to receive the dona- tions that may be given by the inhabitants of this town for the relief of our distressed brethren in the town of Boston, now suffer- ing for the cause of all America under an act of the British Par- liament for blocking up the port of Boston ; and that they transmit the same to the Committee appointed by the town of Boston to receive such donations for the purpose abovesaid."
The Port Bill was followed by a more comprehensive measure, abrogating the Charter of Massachusetts, in some important par- ticulars, and changing the character of the government. It pro- vided that the members of the Council should no longer be elected by the General Court, but that they, as well as the Gov- ernor and Lieutenant-governor, should be appointed by the King. The Lieutenant-governor (Thomas Oliver), and two members
1 Rise of the Republic, p. 318.
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of the Council Samuel Danforth and Joseph Lee), appointed under the provisions of this act, were inhabitants of Cambridge. Colonel Oliver was a man of wealth and character, but had not previously held public station, except military. 1 It was indeed suggested by some, that his name was inserted in the commission by mistake, instead of Peter Oliver, the Chief Justice and a member of the old Council. Judge Lee had been a Representa- tive, but never before a member of the Council ; on the contrary, Judge Danforth was the senior member of that Board, having held office, by thirty-six successive elections, since May, 1739. The new Council (styled the Mandamus Council because its members were appointed by command of the King) consisted of thirty-six persons, of whom, however, only twenty-four accepted office ; and of that number nine soon afterwards resigned. 2 Its first meeting was at Salem, on the 8th day of August, 1774. The Governor had previously (June 17) dissolved the General Court, so that the sole governing power now vested in himself and the newly appointed Council. The struggle between arbi- trary power and the spirit of liberty became more and more in- tense. Some of the results, of which Cambridge was the scene of action, and its inhabitants were among the more prominent actors and sufferers, are related at large in the " Boston Ga- zette " of Monday, Sept. 5, 1774 : -
"On Wednesday last, the new Divan (consisting of the wretched fugitives with whom the just indignation of their re- spective townsmen, by a well-deserved expulsion, have filled this capital) usurped the seats round the Council Board in Boston. Their deliberations have not hitherto transpired. And with equal secresy, on Thursday morning, half after four, about 260 troops embarked on board 13 boats, at the Long Wharf, and proceeded up Mistic River to Temple's Farm, where they landed and went to the powder-house,3 on quarry-hill in Charlestown bounds, whence they have taken 250 half barrels of powder, the whole store there, and carried it to the castle. A detach- ment from this corps went to Cambridge and brought off two field pieces which had lately been sent there for Col. Brattle's Regi- ment. The preparation for this scandalous expedition caused
1 Perhaps one exception should be made : " We hear that Thomas Oliver, Esq., of Cambridge, is appointed Judge of the Provincial Courts of Viee-Admiralty for this Province and New Hampshire."- Boston Gazette, May 3, 1773.
2 See Gen. Register, xxviii. 61, 62.
8 This powder-house is still standing in Somerville, about half a mile southeast- erly from Tufts' College.
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much speculation, as some who were near the Governor gave out that he had sworn the committee of Salem should recognise or be imprisoned ; nay, some said, put on board the Scarborough and sent to England forthwith. The committee of Boston sent off an express after 10, on Wednesday evening, to advise their brethren of Salem of what they apprehended was coming against them, who received their message with great politeness, and re- turned an answer purporting their readiness to receive any attack they might be exposed to for acting in pursuance to the laws and interests of their country, as became men and Christians.
" From these several hostile appearances, the County of Mid- dlesex took the alarm, and on Thursday evening began to collect in large bodies, with their arms, provisions, and ammunition, de- termining by some means to give a check to a power which so openly threatened their destruction, and in such a clandestine manner robbed them of the means of their defence. And on Friday morning, some thousands of them had advanced to Cam- bridge, armed only with sticks, as they had left their fire-arms, &c., at some distance behind them. Some, indeed, had collected on Thursday evening, and surrounded the Attorney-General's house,1 who is also Judge of Admiralty on the new plan, for Nova Scotia ; and being provoked by the firing of a gun from a window, they broke some glass, but did no more mischief. The company, however, concerned in this, were mostly boys and negroes, who soon dispersed.
" On perceiving the concourse on Friday morning, the com- mittee of Cambridge sent express to Charlestown, who commu- nicated the intelligence to Boston, and their respective commit- tees proceeded to Cambridge without delay. When the first of the Boston committee came up, they found some thousands of people assembled round the court-house 2 steps, and Judge Dan- forth standing upon them, speaking to the body, declaring in substance that having now arrived at a very advanced age,3 and spent the greater part in the service of the public, it was a great mortification to him to find a step lately taken by him so disa- greeable to his country, in which he conscientiously had meaned to serve them ; but finding their general sense against his holding a seat at the Council Board on the new establishment, he assured
1 Jonathan Sewall was Attorney-gen- eral, and his house still remains at the westerly corner of Brattle and Sparks Streets.
2 The court-house was on the westerly side of Harvard Square, where the Cam- bridge Lyceum now stands.
8 Almost seventy-seven years old.
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them that he had resigned said office, and would never henceforth accept or act in any office inconsistent with the charter-rights of his country ; and in confirmation of said declaration, he deliv- ered the following certificate drawn up by himself, and signed with his own hand, viz .: -
"' Although I have this day made an open declaration to a great concourse of people, who assembled at Cambridge, that I had resigned my seat at the Council Board, yet for the further satisfaction of all, I do hereby declare under my hand that such resignation has actually been made, and that it is my full purpose not to be any way concerned as a member of the Council at any time hereafter. Sept. 2ª, 1774. S. DANFORTH. A true copy. Attest N. CUDWORTH, Cl.'
" Judge Lee was also on the court-house steps, and delivered his mind to the body in terms similar to those used by Judge Danforth, and delivered the following declaration, also drawn up and signed by him, viz. : -
"' Cambridge, 2ª Sept. 1774. As great numbers of the inhab- itants of the County are come into this town since my satisfying those who were met, not only by declaration but by reading to them what I wrote to the Governor at my resignation, and being desirous to give the whole County and Province full satisfaction in this matter, I hereby declare my resignation of a seat in, the new constituted Council, and my determination to give no fur- ther attendance. Jos. LEE. A true copy. Test, NATH. CUD- WORTH, Cl.'
" Upon this a vote was called for, to see if the body was satis- fied with the declarations and resignations abovesaid, and passed in the affirmative, nem. con.
" It was then moved to know whether that body would signify their abhorrence of mobs, riots, and the destruction of private property, and passed in the affirmative, nem. con.
" Col. Phips, the High-Sheriff of the County, then came before the Committee of the body, and complained that he had been hardly spoken of, for the part he had acted in delivering the powder in Charlestown Magazine to the soldiery ; which the Committee candidly considered and reported to the body that it was their opinion the High-Sheriff was excusable, as he had acted in conformity to his order from the Commander-in-chief. Col. Phips also delivered the following declaration by him sub- scribed, viz. : -
"' Col. Phips's answer to the honorable body now in meeting
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upon the common, viz. : - That I will not execute any precept that shall be sent me under the new Acts of Parliament for altering the Constitution of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and that I will recall all the venires that I have sent out under the new establishment. Cambridge, Sept. 2ª 1774. DAVID PHIPS. A true copy. Test, NATH. CUDWORTH, Cl.' Which was accepted as satisfactory. 1
" About 8 o'clock, his Honor Lieut. Governor Oliver set off from Cambridge to Boston, and informed Governor Gage of the true state of matters and the business of the people ; - which, as his Honor told the Admiral, were not a mad mob, but the free- holders of the County, - promising to return in two hours and confer further with them on his own circumstance as President of the Council. On Mr. Oliver's return, he came to the Committee and signified what he had delivered to the body in the morning, viz. that as the commissions of Lieut. Governor and President of the Council seemed tacked together, he should undoubtedly incur his Majesty's displeasure, if he resigned the latter and pretended to hold the former ; and nobody appeared to have any objection to his enjoying the place he held constitutionally ; he begged he might not be pressed to incur that displeasure, at the instance of a single County, while any other Counsellor held on the new establishment. Assuring them, however, that in case the mind of the whole Province, collected in Congress or otherwise, ap- peared for his resignation, he would by no means act in opposi- tion to it. This seemed satisfactory to the Committee, and they were preparing to deliver it to the body, when Commissioner Hallowell came through the town on his way to Boston. The sight of that obnoxious person so inflamed the people, that in a few minutes above 160 horsemen were drawn up and proceed- ing in pursuit of him on the full gallop. Capt. Gardner of Cam- bridge first began a parley with one of the foremost, which caused them to halt till he delivered his mind very fully in dissuasion of the pursuit, and was seconded by Mr. Deavens of Charlestown, and Dr. Young of Boston. They generally observed that the object of the Body's attention, that day, seemed to be the resig- nation of unconstitutional counsellors, and that it might intro- dnce confusion into the proceedings of the day if any thing else was brought upon the carpet till that important business was fin-
1 Notwithstanding his satisfactory dec- He was son of Lieutenant-governor Spen- laration, Col. Phips adhered to the Royal cer Phips. cause, left the country, and never returned.
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ished ; and in a little time the gentlemen dismounted their horses and returned to the body.
" But Mr. Hallowell did not entirely escape, as one gentleman of a small stature pushed on before the general body, and fol- lowed Hallowell, who made the best of his way till he got into Roxbury, where Mr. - overtook and stopped him in his chaise. Hallowell snapped his pistols at him, but could not dis- engage himself from him till he quitted the chaise and mounted his servant's horse, on which he drove into Boston with all the speed he could make ; till, the horse failing within the gate, he ran on foot to the camp, through which he spread consternation, telling them he was pursned by some thousands, who would be in town at his heels, and destroy all friends of government before them. A gentleman in Boston, observing the motion in the camp, and concluding they were on the point of marching to Cambridge from both ends of the town, communicated the alarm to Dr. Roberts, then at Charlestown Ferry, who, having a very fleet horse, brought the news in a few minutes to the Committee, then at dinner. The intelligence was instantly diffused, and the people whose arms were nearest, sent persons to bring them, while horsemen were despatched both ways to gain more certain advice of the true state of the soldiery. A greater fervor and resolution probably never appeared among any troops. The de- spatches soon returning and assuring the body that the soldiers still remained and were likely to remain in their camp, they resumed their business with spirit, and resolved to leave no un- constitutional officer within their reach in possession of his place. On this the Committee assembled again, and drew up the paper of which the following is a copy, and at the head of the body delivered it to Lieut. Governor Oliver, to sign, with which he complied, after obtaining their consent to add the latter clause, implying the force by which he was compelled to do it. Mr. Mason, Clerk of the County of Middlesex, also engaged to do no one thing in obedience to the new Act of Parliament impairing our Charter.
"' Cambridge, Sept. 2, 1774. Thomas Oliver, being appointed by his majesty to a seat at the Council Board, upon and in con- formity to the late Act of Parliament, entitled An Act for the better regulation of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, which being a manifest infringement of the Charter rights and privi- leges of the people, I do hereby, in conformity to the commands of the body of the County now convened, most solemnly renounce
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and resign my seat at said unconstitutional Board, and hereby firmly promise and engage, as a man of honor and a Christian, that I never will hereafter upon any terms whatsoever accept a seat at said Board on the present novel and oppressive plan of government. My house 1 at Cambridge being surrounded by about four thousand people, in compliance with their command I sign my name. THOMAS OLIVER.' "
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