227. The Americans Still Loyal. The people of the colonies were strongly inclined towards loyalty to the mother country. They were Englishmen, and had no wish to be separated from Great Britain. Most revolutions are brought about by the leaders of the people. In this case, both leaders and people were averse to revolution, and only yielded to it when no other means were available for retaining their rights and their liberties. Had the British government manifested a spirit of conciliation, had it yielded to the better sentiment in America, it would have made the Revolution impossible, but Providence, which so often clearly shapes the course of nations, as well as of individuals, planned otherwise.

228. "The Intolerable Acts." In March, 1774, full intelligence of the proceedings at Boston was received at London. Before the end of April the British ministry had proposed, and Parliament had passed, a series of acts, which made the Revolution only a question of time. These were called by the colonists "The Intolerable Acts." They were intended to crush Massachusetts and awe the other colonies into obedience. The "Boston Port Bill" closed the town of Boston against all commerce until the tea which had been destroyed was paid for, and the inhabitants of the town returned to manifest loyalty. The "Massachusetts Act" changed the charter of that colony to such an extent that the governor's council and the sheriffs were to be appointed by the Crown; juries were to be selected by the sheriffs; and all town meetings were strictly forbidden, except by special permission of the governor. General Gage, who had been appointed commanderin-chief of the British forces in the colonies, was made governor, and four regiments of soldiers with proper artillery were sent to Boston to support him in his arbitrary measures, and to overawe the people. A special act required the transportation of offenders and witnesses to England or her other colonies for trial.

George III.

229. The Quebec Act. The "Quebec Act," passed the same year, proposed ostensibly to regulate the government of Canada; but it would have resulted in raising a barrier between the Canadian provinces and the thirteen colonies, now on the verge of war. This act granted the free exercise of the Roman Catholic religion, and extended the province from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Mississippi River, which province was to be governed by officers appointed by the Crown. As might have been expected, the news of these severe, repressive acts crystallized at once every element of union. in the colonies. The points embodied included all for which the colonies had been contending. The Quebec Act

Bancroft says: "The king set himself, his ministers, Parliament, and all Great Britain to subdue to his will one stubborn town on the sterile coast of the Massachusetts Bay. The odds against it were fearful; but it showed a life inextinguishable, and had been chosen to keep guard over the liberties of mankind. The old world had not its parallel. It counted but 16,000 inhabitants of European origin, all of whom learned to read and write. Good public schools were the foundation of this political system."

would cut off the colonies from the Western expansion to which they had been hopefully looking forward as plainly open to them for future settle

ment.

230. Public Sentiment in Great Britain. -It must not be supposed that these severe and unreasonable acts passed Parliament without strong and vigorous

opposition. The king and his prime minister had a majority of Parliament in favor of their extreme measures of opposition to the colonies; but with only two or three exceptions all the eminent and shining lights of the country, under the leadership of Edmund Burke, were strongly opposed to these unjust measures of the government, and persistently advocated the rights of the colonies. These various acts of Parliament at once not only provoked a feeling of hostility to the home government, but also cemented every colony with all the others in one common sentiment of union. Thus it came to pass that the thirteen North American colonies rebelled against the mother country, and the American Revolution was precipitated. We shall see in the subsequent chapters how united the colonies became, and how patriotically and courageously they fought for independence, which, after years of desolating war, they finally secured.

CHRONOLOGY.

1760. England - Reign of George III.

1764. England - Parliament passes the Navigation Laws. England - Parliament votes to tax the colonies.

1765. England - Parliament passes the Stamp Act, March. New York Stamp Act Congress, October 7.

1766. England - Parliament repeals the Stamp Act, March. 1767. England Parliament taxes tea, etc.

1768.

Massachusetts - British troops arrive.

1770. Massachusetts - Boston Massacre, March 5.

England Parliament removes taxes except on tea. 1772. Rhode Island Burning of the "Gaspee," June 9. 1773. Massachusetts-Boston Tea Party, December 16. 1774. England - Parliament passes the intolerable acts.

231. Committees of Correspondence. The colonies all had what they termed "Committees of Correspondence," and through these committees they kept one another informed by letter of what was going on. In Boston, only one town meeting a year was permitted by the governor.

The citizens accordingly

held one town meeting, and by adjourning from time to time made it last through all the year. Throughout the colonies first steps were being taken. They knew not whither these steps would lead; they hoped to a redress of grievances. As the result showed, they could lead only to independence.

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232. A Continental Congress proposed. On the 17th of June, 1774, Samuel Adams proposed in the Massachusetts General Court, held at Salem, that a Continental Congress should be called to meet in Philadelphia the first of September.

Samuel Adams, one of the leaders of the Revolutionary patriots, probably foresaw independence quite as early as any other man. His influence in shaping public sentiment for absolute independence of Great Britain was, doubtless, second to that of no one. He was born in Boston in 1722, and died there in 1803. He was graduated from Harvard when he was eighteen years old. On taking the master's degree in 1743, he discussed the affirmative of the question, whether it be lawful to resist the supreme magistrate if the Commonwealth cannot otherwise be preserved." He was always courageous and ardent, but was also always prudent and successful in bending the wills of others to his own purposes. His prominent characteristics were "an enthusiastic love of liberty, an inextinguishable hate of tyranny, great promptness of decision, and inflexible firmness."

Five delegates from Massachusetts were chosen. Two days earlier, Rhode Island had elected delegates to such a congress.