USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. II > Part 42
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' But we have weighed the subject fully and fairly ; and we ' feel constrained by the sacred obligations of patriotism and self- ' preservation, and the tender ties of filial affection, to join our ' brethren of the several towns on the continent, in opposing the 'operation of despotic measures. The dictates of nature, of ' reason and of conscience, admonish and urge us to the support 'of our freedom ; for upon this all our political happiness must ' depend. Our cause is just, and we trust in God, if we do our
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' duty, he will enable us to transmit to our children that SACRED A. D. 1774.
' FREEDOM, which we have inherited from our fathers,-the pur- ' chase and earnest of their purest blood.'-They closed their meeting with these resolutions,-to make no use of India teas, till the duty be repealed ; to support their brethren in Boston at all times, in defence of their country's rights and liberties ; to withhold licenses from all innholders and retailers, who might presume to buy or sell tea ; and to have a standing Committee of correspondence,-as in other towns, throughout the Prov- ince .*
General THOMAS GAGE, being appointed to succeed Governor General Hutchinson, arrived at Boston, May 13, a few days prior to the pointed Gage ap- departure of his predecessor for England. Gage had been, for May 13. Governor, several years, Commander-in-Chief of the British troops in Amer- ica-residing mostly at Montreal or New-York; and his new commission now made him rather a military ruler, than a chief magistrate of a free people.f His sentiments and measures were presently evinced by his devout subserviency to ministerial dictation, and to the politics of the tories. At the May elec- tion, he gave his negative to thirteen of the new chosen Coun- cillors ; and in a few days he adjourned the General Court to Salem. Here most of the session was consumed in discussions June 17. upon public affairs, and when he was informed, June 17, that the choose 5 del- The House House had determined by a vote of 116 to 12, to choose five Congress. egates to delegates, to meet others in Congress at Philadelphia from the different Colonies, he sent the Secretary to dissolve the Assem- bly. Apprehensive of this, the House ordered the door to be locked ; and as they proceeded in the choice, the proclamation al Court dis- The Gener- for dissolving the General Court was read by the Secretary on solved. the stairs ; and Governor Gage and the Legislature never met afterwards.
The inhabitants of Boston, whose port had now been shut sixteen Falmouth. days, received testimonies of universal and most cordial sympathy. Some towns encouraged them by spirited resolutions, some by generous presents, and others by expressions of deepest regret. At the time the act took effect, a heavy gloom spread over the
* Smith's Jour. App. p. 10-22 .- Benjamin Mussey, Robert Pagan and Enoch Moody, were a Committee " to enquire what quantity of tea is in " town, of what quality, in whose hands it is, and when imported; and " make report" at the next town-meeting. { 1 Bradford, p. 335.
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A. D. 1774. whole Province. In Falmouth and other places, the bells were tolled the whole day ; and the inhabitants of that town, assembling, addressed to the people of Boston a letter, which breathed sen- timents of the purest and most manly affection .- ' We look upon ' you, (said they) as sufferers for the common cause of American Letter to Boston. ' liberty. We highly appreciate your courage to endure priva- ' tion and distress-sensibly aware that the season puts to se- ' verest trial, the virtues of magnanimity, patience and fortitude, ' which your example will honorably exemplify. We beg leave ' to tender you all the encouragements, which the considerations ' of friendship and respect can inspire, and all the assurances of ' succor, which full hearts and feeble abilities can render.'
A day of fasting.
According to the usages of our forefathers in times of emer- gency and affliction, a day was appointed for fasting and prayer, through the Province ;- a day, however, on which the tories at Falmouth and elsewhere made entertainments; not forbearing probably to treat the occasion with ridicule.
Precepts for a General Court.
To meet the " Mandamus Councillors" in legislation, regard- less of the people's indignation and affront, at their appointment ; the Governor, in August, issued precepts to the several towns for the choice of Representatives, and ordered them to meet in Gen- eral Court at Salem, the first week in October. In the mean- time, Conventions were holden in all the larger towns of the Province, which concurrently resolved, that the 'royal or man- damus Council' be in nowise acknowledged, as the upper constit- uent branch of the General Court ; and recommended that dele- gates be chosen in all the towns to meet in a 'PROVINCIAL CON- GRESS.' When informed of these measures, the Governor issued a proclamation by which he postponed a meeting of the General Court, till further orders.
A Provin- cial Con- gress, agreed upon.
Resolutions of Bidde. ford.
In view of the late acts of Parliament, which closed the port of the metropolis,-essentially altered the civil government, and entirely destroyed " the invaluable right of trial by an uncor- rupted jury ;" the inhabitants of Biddeford, resolved in town- meeting, to pursue with the other towns in the Province all such legal and constitutional methods, as might be thought conducive to the restoration of our natural rights as men, and our political rights as Englishmen ; and that no inconveniences, however inju- rious to private interests, shall be a sufficient cause to break this resolution. We determine also to sign the " covenant oaths and
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agreements," received from Boston, and break off all commercial A. D. 1774. intercourse with Great Britain, until her oppressive acts be re- pealed ; shrinking from nothing, that the General Congress shall advise. Nor will we have any society, trade or commerce, with the individual, who shall demean himself contrary to any plan laid for our deliverance, either by Congress or a majority of the towns in this Province .*
County Conventions were recommended ; and the inhabitants Measures of of Falmouth, meeting August 30, chose four delegates to the one defence. appointed in Cumberland. Other towns set or imitated the ex- ample ; and the people with great anxiety turned their thoughts upon the subjects of their defence and safety. Military compa- nies of volunteers were formed in several places, who elected their own officers. Arms and weapons of war underwent inspec- tion and repairs. Great improvements were made during the year in military exercise and discipline ; there being soldiers yet in the prime of life, distinguished for their bravery, skill and ex- perience, in former wars.
At length, delegates from eleven Colonies appeared in Phila- delphia, Sept. 4 ; and having chosen Peyton Randolph of Vir- Measures of Sept. 4. ginia, President, and resolved upon so conducting the public bu- gress. the 2d Con- siness, as to allow each colony one equal vote, whatever might be the number of its deputies, unanimously agreed upon a De- claration of Rights, reciting the several parliamentary acts which had violated them ;- declared the repeal of those acts indispen- sable to the restoration of harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies ;- recommended non-importation and non-consump- tion agreements ;- prepared addresses to the king, to the people of Great Britain, to Canada and Nova Scotia ;- and after a la- borious session of two months, adjourned. Their recommenda- tions, though advisatory, it has been said, were more effectually carried into execution, than the laws of the best regulated State.t
From this time, all regard for royal authority, everywhere Appearan- daily declined. Inherent rights and defensive measures were the Revolution. ces of topics in every department and circle of the community. In the
* Probably drawn by James Sullivan .- Folsom's Saco and Biddeford, p. 277-8.
i 2 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 312-The members from Massachusetts were
T. Cushing, S. Adams, R. T. Paine, J. Bowdoin and J. Adams.
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A. D. 1774. Province of Massachusetts, the legislative body was dissolved. The Superior Court found in the fall circuit, the course of jus- tice greatly interrupted, by popular excitement and distrust. The juries in several counties, especially where Chief Justice Oliver presided, refused to take their oaths. A spirit of revolution seemed to pervade the community ; and the people, resorting to the principles of Social Compact, met and acted as individuals in their primary assemblies ; and then by their free-chosen com- mittees, adopted measures in other bodies.
Sept. 21. Cumber- land Con- vention.
The county convention in Cumberland, was holden at the court-house in Falmouth, Sept. 21, by 39 members, delegated from nine towns .* Having elected Enoch Freeman, chairman, they made it their first business to ascertain if William Tyng, Esq. sheriff of the county,f intended to act under the new statute of Parliament, which gave sheriffs the power of selecting jurors. They therefore addressed to him a note, requesting him to meet the convention, and answer for himself. He appeared ; and after complaining of the gross misrepresentations made about his compliance with the requisitions of the act, he said-' I do ' here solemnly declare, I have not in any way whatever acted or 'endeavored to act in conformity to it; but have complied with ' what this assembly through their committee have required of 'me. I further declare, that I will not as sheriff of this ' county, or otherwise, conform to the requirements of the act, ' unless by the general consent of the county ; and that I have ' not received any commission whatever, since the first day of ' July last :- It was then voted by the assembly that these de- clarations were satisfactory.
500 men present.
The convention was probably urged to this procedure with the sheriff by out-door influence ; for there were present, early in the day, from the eastern towns in the county, about 500 men,} many of whom were armed, and all determined not to depart, till they had compelled the sheriff to resign his office, or make an unqualified avowal of his intent to obey the province law and not that of Parliament.
In view of our political affairs, rendered so alarming by meas-
* The towns were Falmouth, Scarborough, North-Yarmouth, Gorham, Cape-Elizabeth, Brunswick, Harpswell, Windham and New-Gloucester. + 10 Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. p. 184-5. # Smith's Jour. p. 100.
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ures of a ministry too imperious to hear entreaty, and by a re- A. D. 1774. enforcement of the troops at Boston, avowedly removed thither Resolves of to enforce subjection at the point of the bayonet ; the members tion. the Conven- of the convention, still unintimidated by any array of consequences, advised to a firm and persevering opposition to every design, dark or open, framed to abridge our English liberties ; recom- mending, in unison with other similar conventions, that the rep- resentatives elected by the towns, meet at the appointed time and place, and form themselves into a Provincial Congress ; that the Justices of the Common Pleas and Sessions, the magistrates, and all other civil officers proceed to discharge their official duties, as if no parliamentary act had passed ; that the executive Coun- cillors chosen for Maine at the last election, take their seats as usual, at the Council Board ; that collectors pay into the Prov- ince treasury no more monies, till the government be replaced on its constitutional foundation, or till they receive instructions from the Provincial Congress ; that every vender of merchandize, raising his prices in consequence of any non-importation agree- ment, shall be esteemed an oppressor of his countrymen ; that all due means be used for increasing and improving our flocks of sheep, for raising more flax, and for promoting manufactures ; that as there are foreign forces in the Province, and as the " very extraordinary and alarming acts for the establishment of the Ro- man Catholic religion and French laws in Canada," may bring down the French and Indians again upon our frontiers-every man ought to be well provided with arms and ammunition,-mil- itary companies formed and officers chosen in every town, to ex- ercise and perfect them in tactics and military arts ; and that every individual in the county use his best endeavors to prevent or suppress all riots, mobs and licentiousness-the Great God, in whose presence we always are, being himself a lover of order, and not of confusion. All the members severally agreed before they separated, not to take a commission under the Provincial government, as it had been new-modeled by Parliament, nor re- cognize the ' Mandamus Councillors.'
Regardless of the Governor's proclamation, the representatives October 7. chosen by the towns, to the number of 208,* met at Salem, Oct. A Provin- 7, and formed themselves into a Provincial Congress ; electing
* Mr. Bradford in his History, p. 353, supposes the number was " 288."
cial Con- gress meets.
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A. D. 1774. John Hancock, President, and Benjamin Lincoln, Secretary. J. Hancock, They adjourned to Concord. In their address to the Governor, President. they told him there was indispensable necessity for their meeting, to provide for the public safety, if not to prevent impending ruin ; for whenever a government originally designed for the security and welfare of the people, is employed to harass and enslave them, it becomes a curse rather than a blessing. It was next re- solved, that unless the Mandamus Councillors within ten days, signify their intention to resign, their names should be published and themselves considered as rebels against the state. In adopt- H. Gardi- ner, Treas- urer. ing defensive measures, they elected Henry Gardiner of Boston, Province treasurer ; and ordered the sheriff's and collectors of taxes to pay over to him all the public monies. They advised the militia to form companies and battalions, elect officers, and attend strictly to military discipline; and after prescribing the number of citizens to be enlisted and in readiness to march at a moment's warning, they elected their general officers, viz. Jed- ediah Preble,* Artemas Ward and El. Pomeroy, to command Committees them, and all the militia. They then appointed a COMMITTEE OF SAFETY and a COMMITTEE OF SUPPLIES, vesting one with power to put in military array, if necessary, any portion of the militia for the common defence ; and the other, to secure all the public stores, which General Gage had not already seized.
of Safety and Sup- plies.
At the November session, about 12 or 15 of the new Council- lors sent in their resignations ; a fourth part of the Militia was put in requisition, and ordered to be paid from the day they left home ;- and two more general officers were chosen or appointed. -This first Provincial Congress, which had three sessions, dis- solved Dec. 10, previously electing five delegates to a new ‘ Con- tinental Congress.'
A. D. 1775. 2d Provin- cial Con- gress.
Another Provincial Congress convened, Feb. 1, 1775; between which time and its dissolution, May 29, it had four sessions. It consisted of 215 members ;- an assemblage selected and distin- guished for their zeal, intelligence and whig principles. Among the seventeen from Maine, were James Sullivan, Ichabod Good- win, Samuel Freeman, Thomas Rice, and Dummer Sewall. This Congress urged the people to be prepared for resistance ;
* General Preble, was an inhabitant of Falmouth, had represented his town in the General Court several years ; and at the preceding May elec- tion, was, the second time, chosen into the Council.
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ordered enlistments of minute-men, and provided for a system of A. D. 1775. military laws and regulations.
Though there was a scarcity of provisions in the eastern towns, The people. owing to the intercepted intercourse between them and Boston, and the general embarrassments of trade ; the season itself was fine, and the enterprize and political courage of the people, never greater. The towns took measures to provide themselves with a stock of powder, lead and flints; and at the annual town-meet- ings in March, the whig politics effected all the changes desired, being wholly triumphant.
An affair happening in Falmouth at this time, was the probable 'The affair origin of the train, which laid the town in ashes. A vessel arriv- son. with Coul- ing in the harbor from England, brought the rigging, sails and stores for a new ship, built by Thomas Coulson, a resident of Falmouth, who was in politics a tory. There was also on board a considerable cargo of goods and merchandize. When she had anchored, the Committee of Safety and Inspection, consisting of Enoch Freeman, Theophilus Parsons and seventeen other gentle- men, met, March 2, and summoned before them the Captain and March 2. Coulson, to give an account of the shipment. They were frank and full in their disclosure-when the Committee determined, that the packages unbroken, and the suit of sails and rigging re- maining on board, ought to be sent back to England, in the ship which brought them ; and that if Coulson used any of the ar- ticles, he would violate the agreement of the ' American Associa- tion.' But he resolved not to be defeated in his purpose ; al- leging that the English vessel needed repairs, which could not be made unless she was unladen. By the firmness of the Com- mittee, however, and some threats of the populace, he was kept in check, four or five weeks, till the Canseau sloop-of-war, com- Capt. Mow- manded by Capt Mowett, arrived in the harbor and anchored. at Fal- ett arrives mouth. As this visit was effected through the instrumentality of Coulson, he now presumed to lay the English vessel beside his new ship, and in bold defiance of ' Congresses and Committees' he took on board the cargo. This so enflamed the people's resentments, that none of them could be hired or brought to assist him, till Mowett pressed them into the service, while the ship itself was not beyond the hazard of destruction, by the hand of popular violence, during the whole time Coulson was rigging her. The VOL. II. 53
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A. D. 1775. visit had the misfortune to give Mowett and the town's people, unfavorable impressions of each other, which were not forgotten.
Fort Pow- val disman- tled by Mowett.
Mowett proceeding next to Penobscot, dismantled Fort Pow- nal, carried away the guns and ammunition, and nearly destroy- ed the " rich trade" with the natives, which had been profitably improved upwards of twenty years. He then returned to the harbor at Falmouth. But the Tarratine Indians, who could not be supposed to understand the merits of the dispute, between England and her Colonies, were thus interrupted, at a most criti- cal season of the year, in the traffic, which, with its advantages, had been secured to them by treaty. The eastern people, also, were soon disquieted by frightful rumors, that an army from Canada was coming upon them; and that a party of 40 or 50 Indians had certainly been discovered upon our frontiers, near Royalston, [now Durham,] in this State.
An agency to Canada and to Pe- nobscot.
Though these reports were groundless, the selectmen of Fal- mouth thought so much of them, as to employ Benjamin Ham- mon, Jabez Matthews and David Dinsmore of New-Gloucester, and Remington Hobby and John Getchell of Vassalborough, to visit the Canadians at Quebec, also the Indians at Penobscot, and ascertain if any Frenchmen were in motion, or any of the savages were preparing to ravage the frontier settlements. The three first were seized in Canada as spies and thrown into prison, from which they by stratagem, were glad to escape with their lives .*
New re- strictive acts of parlia- ment.
Early in the spring there was authentic intelligence from Eng- land, that the National Legislature had passed acts by large ma- jorities, to limit the trade of the New-England Colonies to Great Britain and the West Indies ; to interdict our people from the fishery upon the banks of Newfoundland, and these north-eastern coasts, and to divide the colonies by proffering favor, to such as would submit. The vindictive character of these acts, from which the parent country could expect to derive small advantage, and the British re-enforcements at Boston, induced the Provin-
* They obtained their arms through the help of Robert Forbes, an Irish tailor, residing there. After they had escaped and travelled 10 miles, they were stopped by a party of Indians-from whom they also escaped. They were 15 days in the woods .- Smith's Jour. App. 46 .- A. R. Gid- dinge's Let.
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cial Congress, April 8, to raise a force sufficient to resist any A. D. 1775. attack the British troops might make.
Lexington,
Informed of certain provisions and military stores, deposited Battle at by the people at Concord, 18 miles from Boston, General Gage April 19. sent a detachment of 800 men, April 18, to seize them. The troops crossed Charles river before midnight, arrived in about four hours at Lexington, and finding sixty or seventy people as- sembled, fired upon them, killed eight men and wounded others. The regulars then proceeded to Concord, where they destroyed what military stores and provisions they could find; and being on their return re-enforced at Lexington by 900 men, under Lord Percy, reached Bunker Hill about sunset ; the citizens, most of the way, hanging upon the enemy's rear, with a destructive fire. The battle of Lexington sounded the tocsin of alarm through the continent. As defence and not aggression, was one of the deepest principles in American politics ; many thought it an auspicious omen, that the British should have shed the first blood in the war.
The country was instantly aroused to arms. In York the news The country of the battle arrived in the evening, and early the next morning, arms. aroused to the inhabitants assembled, enlisted a company of more than sixty men, and furnished them with arms, ammunition, and knapsacks full of provisions,-and they, under the command of Johnson Moulton, travelled fifteen miles the same day, besides crossing the Piscataqua ferry,* being the first company in Maine, that took up their march for Boston. The inhabitants of Falmouth despatched their military company under Captain Bradish, April 21, to head-quarters near Boston; and Colonel James Scammon of Biddeford soon led to Cambridge a regiment of volunteers, where they remained about a year. He was well fitted to shine in the military profession ; possessing vigor of mind and body, and a gaiety of temper, which secured the good-will and attachment of all such as were under his command.+ Forts and magazines were now taken for the use of the Provincials ; regular forces were raised; and every town was disposed to contribute in proportion to its abilities. New-Gloucester, for in-
* 3 Coll. M. Hist. Soc. p. 10, 11 .- Colonel Moulton was afterwards Sheriff of his county. He was also Lieutenant-Colonel, in Scammon's regi- ment, and D. Wood was Major. + Folsom, p. 283.
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A. D. 1775. stance, raised twenty men, and voted, that the domestic flabor of each soldier at home, should be performed during his absence, his wages paid, and himself "billeted on the road at the town's expense." In a few days, there were in the environs of Boston, 15,000 men ; and when the Provincial Congress was convened, April 22, they authorized the treasurer to borrow £100,000 for the use of the Province.
General Gage de- nounced.
On the 5th of May, that Assembly resolved, "that General Gage had, by the late transactions and many other means, utterly disqualified himself from serving this Colony as Governor, or in any other capacity ; and therefore no obedience was in future due to him ;- but on the contrary, he ought to be considered and guarded against, as an unnatural and inveterate enemy to the country." The precepts for calling a General Court this spring were prepared by him, and perhaps signed, but were never dis- tributed. He pronounced the Province in a state of rebellion ; and the politics of the Judges of the Superior Court, except one* being obnoxious to the people, they held no sessions during the spring in any of the counties .- The last official act of the Governor was a proclamation in his Majesty's name, by which he offered pardon to allt those who would " forthwith lay down their " arms, and return to the duties of peaceable subjects."-In a few months he embarked for England, and was succeeded in the command by Sir William Howe. Thus an end was put to the British government, throughout the Provinces of Massachusetts and Maine, after it had subsisted under the Provincial charter eighty-three years, and through the administrations of eleven Royal Governors.
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