History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 11

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1150

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a storm of indignation, but the right of Parliament to regulate commerce was not questioned ; hence the colonists could only retaliate by adopting the noted non-importation agreement. The Stamp Act and its subsequent repeal, in this locality as elsewhere, in- voked popular resentment, and the line of demarka- tion between the ultra Whigs and the Loyalists became every month more distinct. In 1770 the act of 1767, imposing a duty on glass, paper, painters' colors, and tea imported into the colonies, was repealed, save the threepence per pound tax on tea. The colonists, strictly adhering to their determination to use no goods on which the detested duty was collected, modi- fied the non-importation agreement so that it applied to tea only. In 1773 but little had been imported into America, and the East India Company, which had then on hand nearly seventeen million pounds of tea, was permitted to export that commodity into any part of the world free of duty ; hence, to the colonists, tea, even with the threepence tax, would be much cheaper than ever before, since the export duty of sixpence per pound was removed. The principle, however, of taxation without representation was still involved, and the colonists were violently excited, particularly when it was learned that the East India Company consented to ship cargoes to America only on the as- surance of the British government that they should at least suffer no loss. The indignation consequent on this new attempt of Lord North to enforce the ob- noxious duty was resisted at every port where tea-ships were consigned, and while in New England the de- struction of the tea in the harbor of Boston on the night of Dec. 16, 1773, was more dramatic in its cir- cumstances than the action taken by Philadelphia and the Whig populace along the Delaware River, the feel- ing of resistance was not more intense than at the latter place. In Philadelphia a public meeting of citizens was held in State-House yard on Oct. 16, 1773, when it was declared " that whoever shall directly or indi- rectly countenance this attempt (to send out the tea), or in any way aid or abet in unloading, receiving, or vending the tea sent . . . while it remains subject to the payment of a duty here, is an enemy to the coun- try," and strong measures were determined on to re- sist the landing of any tea in Philadelphia. On Nov. 29, 1773, Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet announced,-

" The chip ' Polly,' Capt. Ayres, from London for this port, left Graves- end on the 27th of September with the detested TEA on board, and is hourly expected."

The excitement consequent on this brief news item was intense. On December 5th a committee was appointed to inquire the cause of the sudden and extraordinary rise in the price of tea, and the report made eight days after was not calculated to appease the popular indignation. The air was filled with rumors of the arrival of the "Polly," which proving prema- ture, only added to the public anxiety and suspense. On Saturday (Christmas) the tea-ship "Polly" ar- rived at Chester,she having followed another ship up

THE COLONIAL HISTORY TO THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

the river, for no pilot would dare, in the heated con- dition of the people's mind, to bring that vessel to the city. The Whigs of Chester, as soon as they were convinced that the ship was lying off that town, dis- patched a messenger post-haste to Philadelphia to announce the long-expected but unwelcome news. When he arrived, during the evening of that day, Gilbert Barclay, one of the consignees of the ship, who was a passenger in the vessel, had also gone to Philadelphia by post, and early the next morning he was waited on by a committee, who urged his renuncia- tion of the commission so warmly that he deemed it the wisest plan to accede to their demands. This being accomplished, the committee appointed three of their numher to go to Chester, and two others to Gloucester Point, to have an interview with Capt. Ayres, and acquaint him with the public feeling re- specting his voyage and the cargo with which the vessel was ladened. The three gentlemen who had set out for Chester, when some distance below the city, were informed that the "Polly" at noon had weighed anchor, and was on her way to her port of destination. They, therefore, returned to the city. About two o'clock she appeared in sight at Gloucester Point, where, as the news had spread in all directions, a large crowd had gathered. When the vessel came sufficiently near she was hailed, and Capt. Ayres re- quested to come on shore. This he did, and, the people dividing so as to form a lane, he was con- ducted to the members of the committee, who repre- sented to him the general feeling and the danger to him personally if he refused to comply with the pop- ular demand. They also requested him to go with them to Philadelphia, where he could learn fully the temper and resolution of the masses. The next morn- ing eight thousand people gathered in the State-House yard, when it was resolved that the tea should not be landed; that the vessel should not be reported or entered at the custom-house; that the tea must be taken back to England immediately ; that a pilot must take charge of the "Polly," and on the next high-water take her to Reedy Island; that Capt. Ayres could stay a day in town to procure supplies for his return voyage; that he then should go to the vessel and put to sea immediately. On Tuesday, after being in the town forty-six hours, Capt. Ayres left the city where he had been so inhospitably received, and like a prudent man sailed for London, where he re- ported the unsatisfactory result of his voyage. On Feb. 5, 1774, Earl Dartmouth wrote to Governor Penn, that "the Insult that has been offered to this Kingdom by the Inhabitants of Philadelphia, in the Case of the 'Polly,' Capt. Ayres, is of a very serious nature, and leads to very important consequences." In conclusion, the earl demanded that "a Circum- stance, which at present Appears so extraordinary, should be fully explained."1 If it was, no record seems to have been preserved of that fact.

In 1774, when the news of the determined resist- ance made by the colonists to the landing of the tea was received in Europe, England was greatly excited at the intelligence, and Parliament hastily enacted several bills relating to colonial matters extremely offensive in their provisions. Because of the destruc- tion of the tea in Boston harbor, the vengeance of the ministry was particularly directed against that town, hence the law which was known as the Boston Port Bill was passed, interdicting all vessels from landing and discharging, or of landing and shipping wares and merchandise at that port. As soon as these acts were promulgated in the colonies, a storm of de- nunciation and defiance swept across the land. Staid, dignified Philadelphia even yielded to the tempest, and on Saturday, June 18, 1774, at a large meeting of the leading citizens of that city, was passed a series of resolutions, among which was a call for the holding of a Continental Congress, and instructing the com- mittee thus appointed to take steps necessary to have the province of Pennsylvania represented in the pro- posed assemblage. Rev. Dr. William Smith, Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, who addressed that gathering, in his calm, dispassionate remarks, with prophetic vision saw that the business they were then about meant " perhaps nothing less than whether the breach with the country from which we descended shall be irreparably widened." On June 28th, the com- mittee sent a circular letter to every county in the province, particularly urging the appointment of a committee in the several counties to assemble in Phil- adelphia on Friday, the 15th of July, to meet the com- mittee from the whole province. This letter was ad- dressed to Francis Richardson, Elisha Price, and Henry Hayes, of Chester County, who by a peculiar coincidence issued the following call for a meeting of the people of the county on the day which two years afterwards was to become one of the most memorable in the world's history :

" To the Freeholders and others, inhabitants of the County of Chester, qualified by law to vote for Representatives in General Assembly.

"GENTLEMEN :

"The large and very respectable committee for the City and County of Philadelphia have wrote to ue, the eubecrihers, requesting that a committee might be chosen for this county as soon as possible, to meet the committee from the other Counties of thie provioce, at the city of Philadelphia on the 15th day of this inetant, to deliberate on matters of the greatest weiglit and importance, not only to us, but to all America. And we are now assured, that on the account of the Indian disturbances his Honor- the Governor-hee found it necessary to call the Assembly to meet, in their legislative capacity, on Monday the 28th of this instant ; and we also find, that it is not only the opinion and request of the said committee for Philadelphia, hut also the opinion and desire of a number of respectable persons of this county coinciding with our own opinions, as lovers of civil and religious liberty, that the committee of the several counties of this province should meet at Philadelphia, on the said 15th of this instant, in order to assist in framing instructions, and preparing such matters as may be proper to recommend to pur representatives, at this meeting the Monday following.

" We have therefore thought proper on mature deliberation and by the advice of a number of gentlemen of this county, to appoint Wed- needay, the 13th instent, at one o'clock in the afternoon, as a proper time for the inhabitants of this county to meet at the Court-House in Chester, to choose a number of our best and wisest men as a committee for this

1 Penna. Archivee, Ist series, vol. iv. p. 480.

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

county, as shall be judged necessary to meet the other committees, at the time and place above mentioned, for the purpose aforesaid, and for such other purposes as msy then be deemed useful and necessary. Aod we sincerely hope that the good people of this county will give their attendance on that day, and calmly and heartily joio with [us] in doing the business proposed, which we earnestly wish and desire may answer the good proposed, and the good purposes intended by it.

" CHESTER, July 4, 1774."

The following is the record of the proceedings of the meeting :

" At a meeting of a very respectable number of the freeholders and others, iohabitants of the conaty of Chester, at the court-house, ou Wednesday, the 13th of July, 1774, in consequence of public antice for that purpose given, Francis Richardson, Esq., chairman,-

" This Assembly, taking into their serious consideration the present critical and alarming situation of American affairs and the unhappy differences now subsisting between Great Britain and her colonies, do agree and resolve, as follows, viz .:

"]. That the inhabitants of this county do owe and will pay all due faith and allegiance to our lawful and rightful sovereign lord, George the Third, king of Great Britain and the dominioos therenato be- loaging.

"2. That it is an absolute right, inherent in every English subject, to have free use, enjoyment, and disposal of all his property, either by hini- self or representatives, and that no other power on earth can legally divest him of it.

"3. That the act of Parliament Istely passed for shutting up the port of Bostun is unconstitutional, oppressive to the inhabitants uf that town, in its consequences dangerous to the liberties of the British colonies; and that, therefore, we consider our brethren at Boston as suffering ia the common canse of America.

"4. That the protection of the liberties of America is an indispensable duty, which we owe to ourselves who enjoy them, to our ancestors whe transmitted them down, end to our posterity who will claim them at uur hands, as the best birthright and noblest inheritance of mankind.

"5. We do agres with the Committee of the City and Connty of Phila- delphia, that a Congress of Deputies from the said colonies is the most profitable and proper mode of procuring relief for our suffering brethren, obtaining redresa, preserving our rights and liberties, and establishing pesce and mutual confidence between our mother country and her colo- Dies on & constitutional foundation.

"6. The inhabitants of this county ought and will cheerfully adopt, adhere to, and assist in executing all and singular such peaceable and constitutional measures, which may hereafter be agreed upon and de- termined by the said general Congress.

"7. It is our opinion that it would conduce greatly to the restoration uf the liberties of America, should the coloniesenter into a solemn agree- meat uot to purchase any goode, wares, or merchandise imported from Great Britain, under such restrictions as be agreed upon by the Congress. We, for our parts, seneible of the great advantages which must arise from promotingeconomy and manufacturing among ourselves, are determined to use as little of foreign manufactures, of what kind or quality soever, as our necessities will permit, until the several acts of the British Parlia- meat, injurious to American liberty, be repealed.

"8. That, as our brethren at Boston are now suffering in the cause of America, it is the duty of the inhabitants of this county, in common with the neighboring colonies, generously to contribute towards their support ; and, therefore, the Committee hereafter appointed are re- quested immediately to opeo and set on foot a subscription for the said sufferers, and the money arising therefrum to be laid ont and expended as the said committee, or a majority of them, shall judge best to answer the benevolent ioteotiou.

"9. That the following persons, to wit : Francia Richardsoo, Elisha Price, John Hart, Anthony Wayne, John Sellers, Hugh Lloyd, William Montgomery, Francis Johnston, William Parker, Richard Riley, Thomas Hockley, Robert Mendenhall, and John Fleming, or a majority of them, be and they are bereby appointed a committee for this county to meet and correspond with the committees of the several counties of this and the other colonies, and to join io such measures as to them ehall appear necessary for the public goud.

" FRANCIS JOHNSTON, Clk. Com."

The provincial meeting of deputies chosen by the several counties in Pennsylvania was held at Phila- delphia, July 15, 1774, and Chester County was rep-

resented thereat by Francis Richardson, Elisha Price, John Hart, Anthony Wayne, Hugh Lloyd, John Sel- lers, Francis Johnston, and Richard Riley. On the committee appointed to prepare and report a draught of instructions to be presented to the General Assem- bly asking that body to appoint delegates to the Con- tinental Congress, then in session, Chester County was represented by Elisha Price. The Assembly unani- mously concurred in the instructions and promptly appointed Joseph Galloway (their Speaker), Daniel Rhoads, Thomas Mifflin, John Morton, Charles Hum- phreys, George Ross, Edward Biddle, and (at a subse- quent meeting) John Dickinson the delegates from Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress to be held at Philadelphia on the 5th day of September follow- ing. Of these, two-Morton and Humphreys-were resident within the present county of Delaware.

After agreeing to the Declaration of Rights Con- gress remained in session nearly eight weeks, having, on October 18th, adopted articles of confederation, signed two days thereafter, which date, Oct. 20, 1775, the late distinguished orator, Henry Armitt Brown, maintained should be accepted as the commencement of the American Union, based upon freedom and equality. On the 26th of October, after adopting an address to the people of Great Britain, a memorial to the inhabitants of British America,-the Canadian provinces,-and a loyal address to the king, the body adjourned to meet at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775. Before that Congress again assembled, in less than six months after it had adjourned, the April gales, as Patrick Henry had foreseen, sweeping from the North carried to the ears of the long-suffering colonists the clash of resounding arms, the last appeal had been made, and the Revolutionary struggle had actually begun.

CHAPTER VII.

THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.

THE thoughtful men of that period who stopped in the midst of the popular clamor to consider the probable termination of the controversy between the mother-country and her colonies began to be alarmed at the excited temper of the public mind in both hemispheres, hence many of those persons who had been prominent in advising resistance to the arbitrary acts of Parliament, now when their reason taught them that the absolute overthrow of the power of Great Britain in the provinces, or the abject sub- mission of the colonies, could alone set at rest the long dispute, hesitated, some retraced their steps, casting their lots with the established authority ; others, shrinking from public view, ceased to be active on either side ; while yet others, believing that

THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE TO THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.

man, mentally and socially, was but partially devel- oped, picturing to themselves the possibilities of a free representative government, comprehending fully the lesson of the hour, braved the issue, and boldly advocated the adoption of a then untried Utopian scheme. The great mass of the people-the majority uneducated-drifted with the day until events made them bitter partisans either for crown or Congress. When sides became radical, as a general rule, the wealthy and cultured few, afraid of change, were loyalists, while the middle classes and the poor were Whigs.

The direct result of the meeting of the Continental Congress of 1774 was to intensify the feeling of the masses in opposition to the ministerial powers, the address issued by that body being so calm and dis- passionate, but so convincing, that it found ready re- sponse in popular approval. Especially was this true of the resolution that all importations of English goods should be prohibited, and that no articles should be exported from the colonies to Great Brit- ain after December, 1776, unless before that time Parliament had removed the obnoxious law against which the people in America complained. In all parts of the colonies meetings were held to ratify and carry into execution the association recommended by Congress, and on Dec. 20, 1774, "a very respectable number of the inhabitants of the County of Chester convened at the Court-house in the Borough of Ches- ter," at which the following persons were named as a committee to act for the county to that end, viz. : An- thony Wayne, Francis Johnston, Richard Riley, Evan Evans, and James Moore, Esqs. ; Hugh Lloyd, Thomas Hockley, David Coupland, John Hart, Sketchley Mor- ton, Samuel Fairlamb, David Coupland, John Crosby, Nicholas Diehl, Jesse Bonsall, Aaron Oakford, Ben- jamin Brannan, John Talbot, Joseph Brown, Samuel Price, John Crawford, John Taylor, Lewis Gronow, Ed- ward Humphreys, Henry Lawrence, Richard Thomas, William Montgomery, Persifor Frazer, Thomas Tay- lor, John Foulke, Robert Mendenhall, Joseph Pen- nell, George Pierce, Nicholas Fairlamb, Samuel Trim- ble, Charles Dilworth, John Hannum, George Hoops, Joel Bailey, John Gilliland, Joseph Bishop, Jr., John Kerlin, Edward Jones, William Lewis, Patrick An- derson, Joshua Evans, Thomas Hartman, Dr. Bran- son van Leer, William Evans, Joseph Cowan, Thomas Haslep, Patterson Bell, Dr. Jonathan Morris, Andrew Mitchell, Thomas Buffington, James Bennett, Joseph Musgrave, William Miller, Richard Flower, Walter Finney, James Simpson, David Wherry, James Ev- ans, Thomas Bishop, William Edwards, Jonathan Vernon, Jr., Lewis Davis, Sr., Joseph Gibbons, Jr., and Thomas Evans; which committee were "to be and continue from this time until one month after the rising of the next Continental Congress, with full power to transact such business, and enter into such associations as to them shall appear expedient."

Immediately after the committee had been selected

that body organized by the appointment of Anthony Wayne, chairman, and Francis Johnston, secretary. The following resolutions were then unanimously adopted :

"]st. That any twelve or more of the said Committee, meeting upon dne notice, be empowered to enter upon and transact all euch business as shall come under their consideration ; provided, the majority agreeing shall not be less than twelve.

"2d. That the present unheppy situation of public affaira in general, and of this province in particular, renders it highly necessary that a Provincial Convention should be held as soon as possible, for which pur- pose twelve persons shall be appointed out of the said committee as dele- gates to attend the said Convention, at euch time and place as shall be generally agreed on."

As there were no further matters requiring imme- diate attention, after the delegation of twelve to the Provincial Convention had been named, the commit- tee adjourned to meet on Jan. 9, 1775, at the house of David Coupland in the borough of Chester.

In the mean while, in furtherance of the resolutions passed by the convention of the people of Chester County, held on July 15th, heretofore mentioned, as well as the similar resolution adopted by Congress, calling on the other colonies to aid with contributions the necessities of the inhabitants of Massachusetts, so long as the enforcement of the Boston .Port Bill rendered such assistance needful, the people of Chester County made generous contributions to the fund. Dr. Smith shows that the purse-strings of Friends were unloosened liberally to this end: "Chester monthly meeting contributed £70 for the relief of Necessitous inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay and Provinces ad- jacent. Darby meeting paid £33 14s. for the relief of the poor and distressed in New England, while Hav- erford meeting responded to the request of the meet- ing for suffering, 'that Friends should contribute liberally for the relief of friends or others (in the New England Government), who are or may be reduced to indigent circumstances in this time of public calamity, and in a short time had the satisfaction to receive an affecting account of the state of the poor of these provinces, and of the distribution of the donations sent from hence.' " 1

On Jan. 23, 1775, the Provincial Convention assem- bled at Philadelphia, and continued in session for six days. Chester County was represented in that body by Anthony Wayne, Hugh Lloyd, Richard Thomas, Francis Johnston, Samuel Fairlamb, Lewis Davis, William Montgomery, Joseph Musgrave, Joshua Evans, and Persifor Frazer. Thomas Hockley and Thomas Taylor, who had been appointed delegates, failed to attend. The proceedings of this body show that the men who composed it had carefully weighed the means necessary to build up and sustain a nation, while at the same time they comprehended that slav- ery, which then existed throughout the colonies,- largely due to the fact that Great Britain had always interdicted any restriction in the traffic,-was an ob-

1 Dr. Smith's " History of Delaware County," p. 282.

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

stacle which intruded itself in carrying out the idea of a free constitutional government, and should be done away with. Hence, to that end they resolved that the members of the General Assembly should be urged to pass a law prohibiting the future importation of slaves into the province.

On March 20th a meeting of the committee of Chester County was held at the house of Richard Cheyney, in East Calm, where Messrs. Hockley, John- ston, Gronow, Lloyd, Frazer, Moore, and Taylor were appointed a committee to draft a petition to the As- sembly, "with regard to the manumission of slaves, especially relating to the freedom of infants hereafter born of black women within this Colony," and report at the following meeting, while each committeeman was instructed to " use his utmost diligence in collect- ing the several sums of money subscribed for the use of Boston, and pay the same" to Anthony Wayne, "treasurer," at the next meeting, after which the committee adjourned . to meet on Wednesday, May 31st, at the house of David Coupland. But before that date had come, the reverberation of the musketry volleys at Lexington and Concord had stirred the blood of the Whigs throughout the colonies, and nothing was considered but how preparation should be made to meet the storm which had now broken on the country. Hence, in Chester County the commit- tee met at an earlier day than that named when they adjourned in March, and published the following extract from the proceedings then had :

"IN COMMITTEE, CHESTER, May 22, 1775.

" WHEREAS, it appears very necessary in order to avert the evils and calamities which threaten our devoted country, to ambody ourselves and make all the military preparation in our power; and it appears ab- solutely impossible to carry thia laudable design into axecution without observing the greatest order, harmony, and concord not only under the Jawa of civil government, but also while under arma and in actual duty, we therefore unanimonaly recommend the following Association, to be entered into by the good people of this County :

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 11

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1150

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1150