FROM 1763 UNTIL THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVO

HE history of the period between the close of the Seven Years' War and the commencement of the struggle of the colonies for independence is particularly interesting, as displaying the spirit of the colonists, and the immediate causes of that revolution which gave another nation to the world. We have seen that in most of the provinces, the people had become accustomed to electing their assemblies, and that an ardent love of liberty and self-government had been thus cherished. We have seen that the home-government perceived the tendency of such institutions when it was too late to check their influence. Yet the grand object of the policy now pursued towards the colonies was the increase of royal authority, and the complete extinguishment of an independent and republican spirit among the people. The enterprise and valorous conduct displayed by the inhabitants of New England, during the wars with the French and Indians, were viewed with suspicion and jealousy, and considered as evidences of a spirit which should be humiliated. Immediately after the treaty of Paris had restored peace between the

two nations, the design of the British ministry to support troops in America at the colonial expense was announced in the English papers. The next proceeding was to endeavor, by oppressive measures, to increase the amount of revenue derived from the provinces. In March, 1764, it was debated in the House of Commons, whether they had a right to tax the Americans, they not being represented; and the question was decided unanimously in the affirmative. On the 5th of April, parliament passed the "sugar or molasses act," by which offenders against its provisions. were deprived of the right of trial by jury. This increased the discontent which had been caused by the quartering of troops in the colonies without their consent.

HE general court of Massachusetts, at its first session, I drew up a letter of spirited and decided instructions to Mr. Manduit, the provincial agent in England. After vindicating their cause, and complaining particularly of the rapid passing of acts of parliament, they concluded by observing, that the power of taxing was "the grand barrier of British liberty, and that, this once broken down, all was lost; that, in a word, a people might be free and tolerably happy, without a particular branch of trade; but without the privilege of assessing their own taxes they could be neither." These instructions, with a brief statement of the rights of the colonists. which accompanied them, were ordered to be entered on the journals of the house, and measures were adopted to secure the aid of the assemblies of the different colonies, in order to obtain a repeal of the Sugar Act, and prevent the imposition of taxes without due representation.

Early in 1764, James Otis, of Boston, published his powerful essay, entitled, "The Rights of the British Colonies asserted and proved." In November the house of burgesses, of Virginia, on receiving information of the passage of the act, declaring the right to tax the colonies, prepared an address to the king, a memorial to the House of Lords, and a remonstrance to the House of Commons. The increase of smuggling, consequent upon acts restricting commerce, had become so prejudicial to the revenue, that the British government adopted a regulation, requiring the commanders of vessels, stationed on the coast of England, and even of those ships destined for America, to perform the functions of revenue officers, and to conform themselves to the rules established for the protection of the customs. This law called forth loud complaints from all the colonies. No sooner did they feel its disastrous effects upon their commerce, than the people generally resolved to refrain from purchasing in future any English stuffs, with which they had been accustomed to

clothe themselves. This economy became so general at Boston that the consumption of British merchandise during the year was diminished upwards of £10,000 sterling.

Instead of redressing the grievances of which the colonies complained, the Grenville ministry proceeded one step further. A bill for raising revenue by a general stamp duty was brought into parliament, and after an exciting debate, in which Colonel Barre and the Whig leaders generally, distinguished themselves by pleading the cause of America, passed both houses on the 22d of March. The act was to begin its operation in the following November.

The house of burgesses of Virginia was in session when intelligence. of the passage of the stamp act was received. Patrick Henry, already renowned for his eloquence, introduced several spirited resolutions, asserting the colonial rights and denying the claim of parliamentary

taxation. The legislatures of the other colonies passed similar resolutions. The assembly of Massachusetts, besides denying the claim of parliament to tax the colonies, originated a scheme for calling a continental congress, which was approved by most of the other colonies.

On the 7th of October, a congress consisting of 28 delegates from the assemblies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Delaware counties, Maryland, and South Carolina, convened in the city of New York, and Timothy Ruggles, of Massachusetts, was chosen president. The first measure of the congress was a declaration of the rights and grievances of the colonists. They were declared to be entitled to all the rights and liberties of natural-born subjects within the kingdom of Great Britain; among the most essential of which are, the exclusive power to tax themselves, and the privilege of a trial by jury. The grievance chiefly com

plained of was the act, granting certain stamp duties and other duties in the British colonies, which, by taxing the colonists without their consent, and by extending the jurisdiction of courts of admiralty, was declared to have a direct tendency to subvert their rights and liberties. A petition to the king, and a memorial to each house of parliament, were also agreed on; and it was recommended to the several colonies to appoint special agents, who should unite their utmost endeavors in soliciting redress of grievances. The assemblies of Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia, were prevented by their governors from sending representatives to the congress; but they forwarded petitions to England, similar to those adopted by that body.

In the mean time, the people, in the various parts of the colonies, assumed the controversy without waiting the result of legitimate measures. In August the effigies of Andrew Oliver, the proposed distributer of stamps in Massachusetts, was found hanging on a tree, afterward well known by the name of Liberty Tree, on the main street of Boston, accompanied with emblems designating Lord Bute, and the wicked motives of the obnoxious acts of parliament. At night, the images were taken down, and carried on a bier, amidst the acclamations of an immense collection of people, through the court-house, down King street, to a small brick building, supposed to have been erected by Mr. Oliver for the reception of stamps. This building was soon levelled with the ground, and the rioters, proceeding to Fort Hill to burn the pageantry, next assaulted