USA > Rhode Island > History of Rhode Island > Part 17
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This loyalty on the part of the Colonies, could never have been alienated, but for the continual aggressions on the part of the Crown, disregarding the most solemn appeals, and setting at defiance every remonstrance made of the injustice of their
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policy towards the Colonies. They were aware of their great inferiority, to attempt to cope with so gigantic a power as that of Great Britain, celebrated for her military and naval prowess, with her immense resources ; hence any measure which wisdom and prudence could dictate to effect a reconciliation was resorted to, but without effect. Great Britain was determined to overawe her Colonies, to submit to her arbitrary and despotic measures. But the principle of liberty was lodged deep in the hearts of the Colonists, and they could not tamely acquiesce in British misrule and oppression.
The first act of the British Parliament to tax the Colonies, passed that body in September, 1764; the avowed object of which was to raise a revenue for the better protection of his Majesty's Colonies in New England, by a duty paid the British Crown, on certain articles of commerce sold in the Colonies. This was to test the fidelity of their subjects, and to open the way for bolder developments. Accordingly, by the next spring, the famous, or rather IN-famous Stamp Act, passed both Houses of Parliament.
This Act required that all deeds, notes, bonds, &c., in the Colonies, should be null and void, unless executed on stamp paper, for which a duty must be paid the Crown. The former Act the Colonies could not approve, because it was arbitrary and unjust, levying a tax without their consent, not being repre- sented in that body. But such was their attachment to the honor of their fathers, that they acquiesced in the measure, however oppressive and unjust.
On the subject of the right of the British Parliament to tax the Colonies, it was asserted, in the Mother Country, " to be essential to the unity, and of course prosperity, of the Empire, that the British Parliament should have right of taxation over every part of the Royal dominions." In the Colonies it was contended, " that taxation and representation were inseparable, and that they could not be safe, if their property might be taken from them without their consent." This claim of the right of taxation on the one side, and the denial of it on the other, was the very hinge on which the Revolution turned.
Mr. Pitt, the invariable friend of the Colonies, delivered his famous speech on American Liberty, in which he declared it to be his opinion, that the kingdom has no right to tax the
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Colonies ; that he rejoiced that they had resisted, and he hoped that they would resist to the last drop of their blood."
These sentiments proved Mr. Pitt to have been a man of principle, and the sworn enemy to oppression.
When this bill was brought in, the Ministers, and particu- larly Charles Townshild, exclaimed :
" These Americans, our own children, planted by our care, nourished by our indulgence, &c., will they now turn their backs upon us, and grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from the heavy load which overwhelms us ?"
Col. Barre caught the words, and with a vehemency becom- ing a soldier, rose and said :
" Planted by your care! No! Your oppression planted them in America ! They fled from your tyranny into a then uncultivated land, where they were exposed to almost all the hardships to which human nature is liable; and among others, to the savage cruelty of the enemy of the country-a people the most subtle, and I take upon me to say, the most truly ter- rible of any people that ever inhabited any part of God's earth. And yet, actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all these hardships with pleasure, compared with those they suffered in their own country, from the hands of those that should have been their friends."
The night after this Act passed, Dr. Franklin, who was then in London, wrote to Charles Thompson, afterwards Secretary of the Continental Congress : " The sun of liberty is set ; the Americans must light the lamps of industry and economy." To which Mr. Thompson answered : " Be assured, we shall light . torches, quite of another sort.". Thus predicting the convulsions which were about to follow.
On the arrival of the news of the Stamp Act, in America, a general indignation spread through the country, and resolutions were passed against the Act, by most of the Colonial Assem- blies.
It will not be necessary, in a history like this, to go into a recapitulation of all the preliminary steps which occurred, before actual hostilities commenced ; but merely to show that a cause existed, of vital importance to the interest of the Colonies, why they should oppose British aggressions. They could not con- scientiously succumb to the unjust laws, attempted to be exer-
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cised over them by a foreign power, without fearlessly showing a spirit of resistance toward such high-handed measures. The spirit of liberty which burnt brightly on the altar of the heart, could not tamely brook such outrages, without showing that in- dependence of character which had invariably characterized their history.
No people had greater cause to fear a rupture between the Colonies and Great Britain, than those of Newport. Her com- mercial prosperity was identified with her union with the mother country. Her exposed situation was fraught with imminent peril, and without the means of defence, she must be rendered desolate ; but no selfish consideration could for a moment deter her from embarking in the glorious struggle for liberty and in- dependence. They never flinched, as we shall have occasion to notice as we proceed to show the events of the American Revo- lution. Some have been heard to say, that the causes which brought about the struggle, were not of sufficient magnitude to have involved the nation in all the horrors of war. But such reasoning is highly preposterous and absurd. Had the Colonies tamely submitted to the first attempt of aggression, it would have been followed up, and like Rehoboam, they would have " put men to the yoke," and attempted to chastise us with " scorpions." Had no resistance been made to British misrule, the condition of this Western Continent would have been equally as distressing as that of England, where the many would have been the slaves of the few ; and those who opposed the action of the Colonies, and cast in their influence on the side of tyranny, were unworthy of the name of freemen, and their names have been justly handed down as traitors to their country, and the stigma of reproach has rested upon them.
Associations were formed, and resolutions were passed, into the spirit of which, the female sex entered with patriotic ardor, not to import or use goods imported from Great Britain, until this obnoxious and oppressive Act be repealed. So universal and determined were the Colonies in their opposition to this Act, that Parliament had no alternative but to repeal it. This, however, was followed by another infamous Act, which struck at the last hope of freedom, and assumed the right and power, "in all cases whatsoever, to bind the Colonies." Accordingly, a new tax was laid on glass, paper, tea, &c., &c. This, in addi-
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tion with other acts equally arbitrary and oppressive, kindled up anew the spirit of opposition to the British ministry, which had in some degree subsided on the repeal of the Stamp Act.
On the meeting of Parliament in February, 1769, both Houses of that body, in an address to the King, recommended that the Royal Governor of Massachusetts, be directed to notice all such as manifested a spirit of disloyalty to His Majesty's edicts, that they might be sent to England and tried as traitors.
Such intolerance and oppression could not any longer be en- dured, it would have evinced a weak and pusilanimous spirit, unbecoming freemen, and they came forward in their majesty, and on the altar of liberty pledged their lives, their fortunes, and sacred honor, in defence of the Colonies.
The first overt act in the great drama which separated the Colonies from Great Britain, and which finally resulted in the American Independence, although claimed by, and awarded to others, was made at Newport, in 1769, in the destruction of his Britannic Majesty's armed sloop, Liberty. And when it is con- sidered that the principle of liberty had been more generally diffused among the inhabitants of the Island, it should be no surprise that they were the first to strike the blow in the cause of freedom. And however unwilling other sections of the coun- try may be to award to them the praise, we shall claim it as an act of justice of which they are deserving.
The sloop was fitted out by the King's officers at Boston, to enforce the revenue laws on the inhabitants of this Colony ; and were directed to examine and detain all vessels suspected of evading or violating these laws. Two vessels, a sloop and a. brig, belonging to Connecticut, had been seized and brought into Newport. A few days subsequently, the captain of the brig went on board his vessel, when on inquiring for his wearing apparel, he was informed they had been removed on board of His Majesty's sloop Liberty. Missing also his sword, he made inquiry for that, when he was told that a man belonging to the Liberty was lying on it in the cabin. As he descended the cabin, he was met with a volley of savage and cowardly oaths. He seized his sword, which the men of the Liberty en- deavored in vain to wrest from his hands, sprang into his boat with two of his men, and made for the shore ; on which the offi- cer of the Liberty ordered his men to fire on the captain of the brig, and a musket and brace of pistols were fired at the boat.
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HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND.
This unprovoked attack upon the life of Captain Packwood, so enraged the populace of Newport, that the following evening a large number of citizens met Captain Reid, of the sloop Liberty, on the Long Wharf, and demanded that the man should be sent on shore, who fired on Captain Packwood. Ac- cordingly, a man was sent for, but they asserted he was not the man, and another, and another, until all the men on board, ex- cept the mate, were on shore. A number then went on board the Liberty and cut away her cables, when she drifted over to a wharf on the Point, where she grounded.
Here they cut away her mast, and threw overboard all her armament and stores of war, scuttled her, and left her to the mercy of the elements. Her boats were dragged by the insulted and enthusiastic multitude, up the Long Wharf, thence up the Parade, through Broad-street, at the head of which, on the Com- mon, they were burned.
Tradition says, that owing to the keel of the boats being shod with iron, such was the velocity of their locomotion, as they passed up the Parade, that a stream of fire was left in the rear of several feet in length.
The fate of His Majesty's sloop Liberty, may be learned from the Newport Mercury, July 31st, of that year :
" Last Saturday the sloop Liberty was floated by a high tide, and drifted over to Goat Island, and is grounded at the north end, near the place where the pirates were buried. What this prognosticatos we leave to the determination of astrologers."
August 7th, the same paper observes :
" Last Monday evening, just after the storm of rain, hail, and lightning, the sloop Liberty, which we mentioned in our last as having drifted to Goat Island, was discovered to be on fire, and continued burning several days, until almost entirely consumed."
This was the first motion given to the Revolutionary ball, which continued to roll until independence was acquired by the Colonies. The Gasper was destroyed three years after, and the people of Boston destroyed the cargo of tea, in 1773. These . popular resistances to British oppression was taking the bull by the horns, and showed plainly what would be the final result in the great struggle.
In consequence of the associations and resolutions of the Colo- nies to suspend the importation and use of tea, a vast quantity of
سيد فية تصد بـ
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EVENTS PRIOR TO THE REVOLUTION.
nearly twenty million pounds, accumulated on the hands of the East India Company, when Parliament granted them permis sion to export the same to any part of the world, free from duty. Confident that under these circumstances, they should find a ready market in America, they shipped large quantities to the Colonies. But it was too late. The resolutions of the Ameri- cans were fixed, and the market for tea was closed. That des- tined for Boston was consigned to the friends and relatives of the Royal Governor ; but the populace was so enraged, that in- stead of its being landed on the wharf, it was thrown into the sea as an oblation to " the watery god."
On the first intelligence of this in England, the Boston Port Bill was passed by the British Parliament, by which its com- merce was entirely destroyed, and many of its inhabitants re- duced to the greatest distress. Expressions of sympathy, and resolutions of united resistance to these arbitrary and unjust measures of the British throne, were forwarded from every part of the country, to the suffering inhabitants of Boston.
The people of Newport, in Town Meeting, Jan. 12, 1774, passed the following resolutions :
" Whereas, The East India Company, notwithstanding the resolutions of the Colonies not to import tea while it remains subject to a duty in America, have attempted to force large quantities thereof, into some of our sister Colonies, without their consent, in order to be sold in this country ; and Whereas, they may attempt to introduce it into this Colony, we, the inhabi- tants of Newport, legally convened in Town Meeting, do firmly resolve :
" 1. 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 them without their consent ; that the claim of Parliament to tax America, is a claim of right to levy contributions upon us at their pleasure.
" 2. That the duty imposed by Parliament on tea, is taxing the Americans, or levying contributions on them, without their consent.
" 3. That a virtuous and inflexible opposition to the minis- terial plan of governing America, is absolutely necessary, to preserve even the shadow of liberty,-and is a duty which every
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freeman in America owes to his country, to himself, and to his posterity.
" 4. That the resolution lately entered into by the East India Company, to send out their tea to America, subject to the pay- ment of a duty on being landed here, is an open attempt to force the ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of the Americans.
" 5. That it is the duty of every American to oppose this attempt. That whoever shall, directly or indirectly, counte- nance this attempt, or in any wise aid or abet in unloading, receiving, or vending the tea sent out by the East-India Com- pany, or by any other person, while it remains subject to the payment of a duty in America, is an enemy to his country."
At a subsequent Town Meeting, they passed the following expression of sympathy, for the suffering inhabitants of Boston :
" Resolved,-That we have the deepest sense of the injuries done the town of Boston, by the Act of Parliament lately passed, for putting an end to their trade, and destroying their port : And that we consider this attack upon them, as utterly subversive of American liberty ; for the same power may, at pleasure, destroy the trade, and shut up the ports of every other Colony, so that there will be a total end of all prosperity.
" Resolved,-That we will heartily unite with the other Colonies, in all reasonable and proper measures to procure the establishment of the rights of the Colonies ; and particularly in case the other Colonies shall, upon this most alarming occa- sion, put a stop to their trade with Great Britain and the West Indies, we will heartily join with them in the measure."
An exciting and animated paper was circulated in Newport, with this motto, " JOIN OR DIE." The state of Boston was represented as a regular siege, and this was a direct and hostile invasion of all the Colonies. " The Generals of despotism," it says, " are now drawing the lines of circumvallation around our bulwarks of liberty, and nothing but unity, resolution, and perseverance, can save ourselves and posterity, from what is worse than death, slavery."
In 1769, the manifestation of liberty in Newport, exceeded that of many places, which laid claim to great patriotism.
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ADMIRAL WALLACE IN NEWPORT.
The country were resolved, with the Virginia orator, on " liberty or death." The boldness of Patrick Henry, and the great influence which he exerted, caused him to be presented to the British Government in a bill of attainder. His name, with that of Thomas Jefferson, Peyton Randolph, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and several others, were on the black list, and had the Colonies not succeeded, they would undoubtedly have been hung on the gibbet, as the most promi- nent rebels.
At this day we find a class of apologists for Great Britain, who contend, that her feelings towards America is purely pacific, and disposed to rejoice at our prosperity. Such falla- cious reasoning will never be countenanced by the patriot who has learnt experience by the past. The mind has evidently deteriorated under the light and culture of science ; it has lost its elasticity and force, by being cradled in the lap of ease, secure from the rude storms which spent its fury against the veterans of the Revolution, whose towering heads received the shock undismayed. They were men of iron frame, and giant intellect, and not to be diverted from their purpose by threats or flattery.
The harbor of Newport was occupied by his Majesty's ships, for several years previous to actual hostilities, for the purpose of enforcing the revenue laws, and sustaining the authority of the King over his rebellious subjects. But after the destruc- tion of the sloop Liberty, in the harbor of Newport, and as the the hostility of the Colonies to the acts of the British ministry, began manfully to develope itself, their number was increased until a whole squadron of ships of war, under the command of Admiral Wallace, were stationed in the bay, to watch over his Majesty's subjects in Rhode Island. This Admiral, ( Wallace,) was a most miserable poltroon, and incurred the hatred of the people of the island, for his mean and despicable acts.
On the 19th of April, 1775, the dark elements of strife, which had been so long gathering, portentous of the storm of blood and carnage, burst upon the Colonies in the battle of Lexing. ton, where eight Americans were shot by the wanton cruelty of the British commander, Major Pitcairn, without the least provocation. This fired the Americans with indignation, and the battle of Bunker Hill, and the surrender of Ticonderoga to
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the American arms, under the command of Col. Ethan Allen, followed each other in quick succession.
Ticonderoga, on Lake Champlain, was the key to the northern entrance into Canada, and was under the command of La Place, an old friend of Allen's. Colonel Ethan Allen, with only eighty-three men, approached the fortress in the grey of the morning, being conducted by a boy whom he met in the neigh- borhood, to the door of La Place's bed-chamber, who, at the moment, appeared half-dressed, and demanded the cause of the tumult. The rough and well-known voice of Col. Allen bade him surrender the fort. " By what authority do you make the demand ?" asked La Place. " By the Great Jehovah, and the Continental Congress," thundered Allen. The commander found it useless to parley, and at once surrendered.
They secured one hundred and twenty brass cannon, twenty- four pounders, several howitzers, balls, bombs, and ammunition. A party was immediately sent to sieze Crown-Point, which was easily effected, and more than a hundred pieces of artillery were secured.
Such were the master spirits which achieved our glorious Independence.
" Long years have pass'd away, and all dismantled and alone, Thou standest there, thy blacken'd walls with weeds and grass o'ergrown ; Amid thy trenched bound, which once the clang of war could wake, Is heard no sound, save insects' hum, or bugle's from the lake,"
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A REGIMENT RAISED.
' In May, of this year, a regiment was raised in the county of Newport, commanded by Col. Church, of Little Compton. Newport raised three companies of sixty men each, commanded by John Topham, William Tew, and Ebenezer Flagg. One company was raised in Portsmouth, commanded by Jonathan Browning. This regiment marched to Boston, and joined the American army at that place, during this and the following month, when this island was guarded by the militia and minute- men.
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THE MINUTE-MEN.
Sept .- Admiral Wallace, who commanded the British fleet in the harbor at this time, exciting the suspicions of the inhabi- tants, that he intended to remove from the south part of the Island (called the Neck) a quantity of stock, several persons during the night went down, and brought off about fifty head of cattle, and one thousand sheep. A few days after this, Wal- lace removed some stock from the two lower farms on the Island, where it was supposed they had been collected for sup- plying his Majesty's troops at Boston. But the arrival of three hundred minute-men, who marched to the place and drove off the remaining cattle, prevented any more from being removed by the enemy. But this so enraged the British lion, that he threatened destruction to everything around him, both by sea and land. He laid the town under contribution to supply the fleet with provisions, and urged his rigorous demands by cut- ting off all supplies of fuel and provisions from the main, and by continued threats of cannonading the town. The menacing attitude of Wallace against the place, threw the inhabitants into the greatest agitation and distress, and about one-half of the inhabitants left the town, and many the Island. It is stated that " Wallace would place lanterns in the shrouds of the ship- ping, as the signal for firing on the town," which so alarmed and terrified the female portion of the inhabitants, that many died through fright. It cannot well be conceived, at this late period, the sufferings which were endured by the inhabitants of New- port. And it has been said that many who sought shelter on the main did not improve their condition, owing to the want of the friend in the pocket. Nearly all the principal merchants left, with their families and effects.
A treaty was finally concluded between Wallace and the town of Newport, by consent of the State government, and concurrence of the Continental Congress, then in session ; who unanimously recommended that, in the present exigency, New- port should supply the fleet with beer and fresh provisions, as usual, and also the removal of the troops from the town. Such being the condition of the treaty, Wallace agreed to remove his restrictions.
Many were of the opinion that Wallace dared not burn the town, and that his only object was to awe the inhabitants into a compliance with his demands. But there was no other alter-
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native in the then present position of affairs, but to acquiesce in his requirements. On the 7th of October, he sailed up the river to Bristol, where he demanded three hundred sheep in sacrifice to his sacred Majesty, King George III. But the in- habitants of that town, not being satisfied of the divine right of his Majesty to make the demand, refused the sacrifice. That evening, about eight o'clock, Wallace commenced a heavy cannonading of the town, and Governor Bradford's house, with seventeen others, was burnt; also the Episcopal church, and Congregational meeting-house. The inhabitants were plun- dered of everything valuable they could lay their hands on. " The females, even, had their clothes taken, all that were deem- ed of sufficient value to carry away, and their rings forced from their fingers."
Nothing could surpass the consternation of Bristol, when surprised by the entrance of the British. Whether they did not expect their return at all, or whether they expected them to reembark at Papoose Squaw Neck, is not known; but they seemed to be taken by surprise, and women and children were flying in every direction. From Bristol, they proceeded to Warren, burning a windmill on their way, and plundering and destroying at every step.
Wallace captured all American vessels that came into port, and sent them to Boston with their crews, and many of them never returned. About the last of November he sailed out of the harbor, passed over to Connanicut, landing about two hun- dred marines, and burnt all the buildings at and in the neighbor- hood of the ferry. This wanton outrage in the destruction of property, was aggravated by the death of one of the inhabi- tants, a Mr. Martin, grandfather of T. Prescott Hall, Esq., the owner of the Malborn garden seat, who was shot while stand- ing at his own door. He was a loyalist, and it was supposed to have been done through mistake.
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