1766. Debates made pub lic. Deaths. Duty im posed on paper, The house of representatives in Massachusetts ordered that their debates should be open; and that a gallery be erected "for the accommodation of such as shall be inclined to attend them." The Salem Marine Society was instituted. It was designed for the charitable assistance of distressed mariners and their families. It also embraced the liberal design of promoting every thing useful to navigation, and of preserving and communicating all discoveries and occurrences on the voyages of the members, as well as receiving all plans to facilitate the navigation of the port of Salem.1 Jonathan Mayhew, one of the ministers of Boston, died in the 46th year of his age; and Zabdiel Boylston, an eminent physician, in his 87th year.3 1767. THE plan of taxation was resumed. Parliament passed an act, imposing a duty to be paid by the colonists, on paper, glass, glass, &c. painters' colours, and teas imported into the colonies. This act received the royal assent on the 29th of June; and it was considered by the colonists as unjust, and dangerous to their essential rights. The preamble states, that the duties are laid for the better support of government, and the administration of the colonies. One clause of the act enables the crown, by sign manual, to establish a general civil list, throughout every province of North America, to an indefinite extent, with any salaries, pensions or appointments, to an unlimited amount. The act provides, that into the colony of Rhode Island only, about one million one hundred and fifty thousand gallons, annually; the duty on this quantity is £14,375 sterling, to be paid yearly by this little colony; a larger sum than was ever in it any one time."-This able paper appears among the Colonial Tracts, soon after republished in London. On inquiring of my antiquarian Friend Moses Brown, of Providence, who was the writer of it? he replied, that he did not certainly know, but he thought it was written by STEPHEN HOPKINS. 1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. vi. 239. Bentley's Funeral Discourse on Gen. Fiske. MS. Lett. from Salem. The Society was incorporated in 1771; and has always consisted of the more advanced navigators and merchants. It has large funds. 2 The Rev. Dr. Mayhew, son of Rev. Experience Mayhew of Martha's Vineyard, was graduated at Harvard College in 1744, and ordained minister of the West church in Boston in 1747. He was distinguished for his mental powers and literary attainments. He became conspicuous by his theological and political writings, especially by his controversy with Mr. Apthorp and others respecting the charter and conduct of the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign parts. See 1763. The writings on both sides of this subject make collectively à large octavo volume. Those of Dr. Mayhew unite keen satire with close argumentation. Sketch of his life, Character, and Writings, in the Literary Miscellany [Cambridge, 1805.] i. 62-70; 157-164. Eliot and Allen, Biog. 3 He was the first physician who ventured to inoculate for the small pox in New England. See 1721. He was born at Brookline, and died at his paterual estate. Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 301; 2d Series, i. 106. Pierce's Century Discourse. Eliot and Allen, Biog. as 1767. after all such ministerial warrants under the sign manual, ters for execution; An act had been passed by parliament, the same session in Act to prowhich the stamp act was passed, that obliged the several colonial vide quarassemblies to provide quarters for the soldiers, and furnish them soldiers; with fire, beds, candles, and other articles, at the expense of the colonies. The jealousy of Massachusetts was awakened by the Massachuattempt of the governor to execute this law. In June, an setts opaddition was made to the British troops at the Castle in the posed to its harbour of Boston; and the governor requested that provision be made by the assembly for their support. After due deliberation, the house resolved, that such provision be made for them, while they remain here, as has been heretofore usually made for his majesty's regular troops, when occasionally in the province. The caution with which this resolution was drawn shows how reluctant the assembly were to have a military force placed in the province; and how careful, neither to yield any portion of their legislative rights, nor to furnish a precedent for the repetition of bly of New measure, equally obnoxious and dangerous to the colonists.3 The legislature of New York, on the ostensible plea of the and New inability of the colony, begged to be excused from making the York. provision. For this offence, the parliament passed an act for Act for rerestraining the assembly of New York from passing any act until straining they should comply with the requisition. This suspension of the the assempower of legislation in one province justly excited alarm through York. all the colonies; for it was perceived, that every colonial assembly would by parity of reason be put to the trial of good behaviour, of which the British ministry would be the judge.* "An act for suspending the legislature of that province," said Richard Henry Lee, "hangs, like a flaming sword, over our heads, and requires, by all means, to be removed."5 1 Gordon, i. 158, 159. Marshall, ii. 101-103. 2 Causes of the present disturbances in America explained. 3 Bradford, Mass. i. 107, 108. 4 Gordon, i. Lett. 4. True Sentiments of America, 149. The bill was brought in 27 May, and received the royal assent 2 July. 5 Life of R. H. Lee, i. 53. Mr. Arthur Lee was animated by the same patriotic spirit. He writes from London to his brother R. H. Lee, after describing the ministry-" So circumstanced here, the cause of American liberty would be desperate indeed, if it find not a firm support in the virtuous and determined resolution of the people of America. This is our last, our surest hope, this our trust and refuge. To encourage and invigorate this spirit, must be the constant endeavour of every patriot, Si patria volumus, si nobis vivere cari." The two Lees were a rich contribution from one family to the cause of Freedom: "Par nobile fratrum."-Mr. A. Lee observes in the same letter: "The Farmer's Letters are much read here, but to little purpose, though universally admired, and no answer attempted." Ib. 59-61. 1767. Act estab lishing a custom house in America. Farmer's Letters. Massachu setts justi fies its conduct to wards the Indians. The parliament passed an act also for establishing a custom house and a board of commissioners in America. The duties were to take place after the 20th of November; and in the beginning of that month three of the commissioners arrived at Boston. The colonists, believing that this board was appointed to enforce the new duties, were renewedly inflamed, and pronounced the appointment unconstitutional and oppressive.1 The discussions, occasioned by the Stamp act, had at once convinced the colonists of their exemption from parliamentary taxation, and excited their jealousy of the designs of Great Britain. This new occasion brought forward additional essays on colonial rights; and now were written the celebrated "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies," which had a rapid and extensive circulation through North America.2 An opportunity was now presented for the government of Massachusetts to do justice to the colony in respect to its conduct towards the Indians. On a message from the governor, communicating a letter from secretary Shelburne, and making known his majesty's pleasure that his proclamation of a former date, relating to the Indian trade, be strictly observed; a report was made upon the subject, prepared by a joint committee of the council and house of representatives. The secretary_observed in his letter, that complaints had been made, from the Indians in some of the colonies, of encroachments on their lands. "We are satisfied," said the assembly, "there are no complaints against this province by his majesty's agents for Indian affairs; and that no settlement has been made or attempted by us, without proper authority. It is with much pleasure that we remind your Excellency, and inform the world, that greater care was taken of the Indians by our pious ancestors during the old charter, and by this government under the new, even to this day, than was ever required of us by the British government. The Indians had perfect confidence in this government, and applied to it in all their difficulties. Nothing hath been omitted by the province, since 1633 to this day, which justice or humanity required, for 1 Gordon, i. 159, 160. Henry Fulton, William Burch, and Charles Paxton, now arrived; the other two, John Temple and John Robinson, were previously in America. 2 Gordon, i. 162. Adams, N. Eng. 255. These Letters "proved the extreme danger which threatened the liberties of America, from their acquiescence in a precedent which might establish the claim of parliamentary taxation.-It was now demonstrated by several writers, especially by the Pennsylvania Farmer, that a small tax, though more specious, was equally dangerous, as it established a precedent which eventually annihilated American property." Ramsay, Amer. Rev. i. c. 2. The Farmer's Letters were reprinted the next year in London. The author is known to have been John Dickinson, Esq. of Pennsylvania; and the "Letters" are printed among his "Political Writings," i. 143-284. their interest within this jurisdiction. We glory in the conduct 1767. of our government; we make our boast of it, as unexampled; and we have been free and spontaneous on our part. We assure you, that, being animated by the same principles with our ancestors, we shall do every thing which duty to the king and the maxims of good policy, of justice and equity to the Indians can require.1 Thomas Clap, year of his age. president of Yale College, died in the 64th Deaths. Jeremiah Gridley, of Boston, died.3 1768. THE recent acts of parliament met similar opposition to that Mass. asof the stamp act. They called forth resolves, petitions, address-sembly vote to petition es, and remonstrances, from the colonists. The house of repre- to the king. sentatives of Massachusetts voted an humble petition to the king, which was signed by the speaker on the 20th of January. Their petition temperately combines the spirit of liberty with the feelings of loyalty. "Our ancestors, the first settlers of this country, having with the royal consent, which we humbly apprehend involves the consent of the nation, migrated from the mother 1 Bradford, Mass. i. 110. This well informed writer, the late Secretary of the Commonwealth, subjoins, "The statement is believed to be fully supported by facts." See A. D. 1633. The Report refers to a law made that year, and to the early regard shown to the Indians in providing instructers and ministers of religion and houses of worship for them; and to a subsequent act, which made it the duty of magistrates and jurors to see justice done them, by any who should commit trespasses upon their property or lands.-On my asking the opinion of the late president Adams concerning the treatment of the Indians in New England, he replied, that he believed it to have been just. "In all my practice at the bar," said he, "I never knew a contested title to lands, but what was traced up to the Indian title." 2 President Clap was born at Scituate, in Massachusetts, in 1703; graduated at Harvard College in 1722; settled in the ministry at Windham in Connecticut in 1726; became president of Yale College in 1739, and resigned the office in 1766. He was a man of extensive and profound learning. In mathematics and natural philosophy he was surpassed by few, if any, of his contemporaries in this country. He constructed the first orrery, or planetarium, made in America. His labours and services as president were very extensive and important, as well as indefatigable. During his presidency he produced a greater attention than had been paid to the abstruse sciences, particularly to mathematics, astronomy, and the various branches of natural philosophy; and "this period may be considered as forming an era in the literary history of Connecticut." Miller. Among his publications are, " An Essay on the nature and foundation of Moral Virtue and Obligation," and "The Annals or History of Yale College" from its foundation in 1700 to the year 1766. 3 He was graduated at Harvard College in 1725. In 1731 he was editor of a newspaper called The Weekly Rehearsal; and he was author of political essays. As a lawyer he became preeminent. He was appointed king's attorney, and in that capacity he defended the writs of assistance against Mr. Otis, who had been his pupil. With his professional distinction, his extensive learning gave him a high rank among men of literature. Eliot and Allen, Biog. Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 301. 1768. kingdom, took possession of this land, at that time a wilderness, the right whereof they had purchased for a valuable consideration of the council established at Plymouth, to whom it had been granted by your majesty's royal predecessor king James the first. They obtained a charter from king Charles the first, wherein his majesty was pleased to grant to them and their heirs and assigns for ever, all the lands therein described, to hold of him and his royal successors in free and common soccage; which we humbly conceive is as absolute an estate as the subject can hold under the crown. And in the same charter were granted to them, and their posterity, all the rights, liberties, privileges, and immunities of natural subjects, born within the realm." The conditions of that charter, they most humbly conceived, they had complied with, "till in an unhappy time it was vacated." They mention the subsequent charter, given them by William and Mary, granting and confirming to them as ample estate in the lands or territories, as was granted by the former charter, together with other the most essential rights and liberties contained therein; the principal of which is that which your majesty's subjects within the realm have ever held a most sacred right, of being taxed only by representatives of their own free election. They express the happiness of the province under the auspicious government of his majesty and his royal predecessors, and the acquisition to his majesty of a numerous increase of loyal subjects, a large extent of dominion, and a new and inexhaustible source of commerce, wealth, and glory. They acknowledge the superintending authority of parliament in all cases that can consist with the fundamental rights of nature and the constitution'; but they proceed to say: "It is with the deepest concern that your humble suppliants would represent to your majesty, that your parliament, the rectitude of whose intentions is never to be questioned, has thought proper to pass divers acts imposing taxes on your subjects in America, with the sole and express purpose of raising a revenue. If your majesty's subjects here shall be deprived of the honour and privilege of voluntarily contributing their aid to your majesty, in supporting your government and authority in the province, and defending and securing your rights and territories in America, which they have always hitherto done with the utmost cheerfulness: if these acts of parliament shall remain in force, and your majesty's commons in Great Britain shall continue to exercise the power of granting the property of their fellow subjects in this province, your people must then regret their unhappy fate in having only the name left of free subjects. With all humility we conceive that a representation of this province in parliament, considering their local circumstances, is utterly impracticable. Your majesty has heretofore |