clamation causes Toward the close of the year, a proclamation that had been 1774. issued by the king, prohibiting the exportation of military stores from Great Britain, reached America. The people of Rhode Royal proIsland no sooner received an account of it, than they moved from the public battery about 40 pieces of cannon; and the violence in assembly of the colony passed resolutions for obtaining arms and R. Island, military stores, and for raising and arming the inhabitants. In New Hampshire similar precautions were taken. The public letter and New of the secretary of state, and the king's order in council, prohi- Hampshire. biting the exportation of military stores, were published at Rhode Island; and this publication, with an account of the subsequent proceedings in that colony, were sent by the committee in Boston to a committee in Portsmouth. Mr. Paul Revere went express with a despatch from that committee. The day after his arrival at Portsmouth, about 400 men collected together, and proceeding to his majesty's Castle William and Mary, at the entrance of the harbour, took forcible possession of it, occupied the garrison till they had broken open the powder house, and carried away upwards of 100 barrels of powder.2 Virginia. In the more southern colonies, signs of discontent and jealousy of the British government were still strongly manifested. A Meeting of meeting of the officers under the command of governor Dun-officers in more was holden at Fort Gower on the 5th of November, for the purpose of considering the grievances of British America. They resolved, that they would bear the most faithful allegiance Resolu to his majesty, king George the Third, whilst his majesty delights to reign over a brave and free people; but as the love of liberty, attachments to the real interests and just rights of America, out 1 The king's cannon upon Fort Island consisting of 6 twenty four pounders, 18 eight pounders, 14 six pounders, and 6 four pounders, were conveyed to Providence. Captain Wallace, on his return to Newport from a cruise, apprized of this seizure, waited upon governor Wanton to inquire of him why such a step had been taken. The governor frankly told him, "they had done it to prevent their falling into the hands of the king, or any of his servants; and that they meant to make use of them to defend themselves against any power that shall offer to molest them." Letter of vice admiral Greaves, dated on board his majesty's ship Rose, at Newport, Rhode Island, 12th December, 1774. 2 Letter from governor Wentworth to governor Gage, in the Parliamentary Register. The letter is dated 14 December, and states, "this most unhappy affair was perpetrated here this day." Gov. Wentworth ascribes it to the publications and proceedings at Rhode Island, and the despatch from Boston.General authorities for this year: Ramsay, Amer. Revol. i. c. 5; Revol. S. Car. i. 16-23. Gordon, i. Lett. 8-10. History of the Dispute with America, from its Origin in 1754. Having seen in Bibliotheca Americana this title of a work, which was there ascribed to Mr. John Adams, I made inquiry of the late president of the United States, and ascertained that he was the author of it. That History was first printed in the Boston Gazette. It is the first article inserted in the first volume of Almon's Remembrancer. See also Adams' Letters, Lett. i. Marshall, ii. 152-189. Adams, N. Eng. c. 23, 24. - Warren, i. c. 4, 5. tions. 1774. weigh every other consideration, they resolved, that they would exert every power within them for the defence of American liberty, and for the support of her just rights and privileges; "not in any precipitate, riotous, or tumultuous manner, but when regularly called forth by the unanimous voice of our countrymen." Provincial Maryland. Resolu tions. A provincial congress of Maryland, holden at Annapolis in congress of December, unanimously approved the proceedings of the continental congress, and passed a number of resolutions suited to the crisis. One resolution was: "That if the late acts of parliament, relative to the Massachusetts Bay, shall be attempted to be carried into execution by force, in that colony, or if the assumed power of parliament to tax the colonies shall be attempted to be carried into execution by force, in that or any other colony; in such case, this province will aid such colony to the utmost of their power." Another resolution recommended to the committees of each county to raise by subscription, or in such other voluntary manner as they think proper, such sums of money as, with monies already raised, would amount to £10,000; and that the committees lay out the same in the purchase of arms and ammunition for the use of the several counties. The same congress resolved unanimously, That contributions from the several counties of this province for supplying the necessities and alleviating the necessities of our brethren in Boston ought to be continued in such manner, and so long, as their occasions may require.1 Judge Drayton's patriotic charge to jury. Judge Drayton, in his charge to the grand jury at a judicial court held at Camden, South Carolina, gave a decided indication of the energy and patriotism, for which he was soon afterwards the grand distinguished. "In order," said he, "to stimulate your exertions in favour of your civil liberties, which protect your religious rights; instead of discoursing to you the laws of other states, and comparing them to our own, allow me to tell you what your civil liberties are, and to charge you, which I do in the most solemn manner, to hold them dearer than your lives; a lesson and charge at all times proper from a judge, but particulary so at this crisis, when America is in one general and generous commotion touching this truly important point. It is unnecessary for me to draw any other character of those liberties than that great line by which they are distinguished; and happy is it for the subject, that those liberties can be marked in so easy and so distinguished a manner. And this is the distinguishing character: English people cannot be taxed, nay they cannot be bound by any law, unless by their consent, expressed by themselves or 1 Parliamentary Register. by their representatives of their own election. This colony was settled by English subjects, by a people from England herself; a people are brought over with them, who planted in this colony, and who transmitted to their posterity the invaluable rights of Englishmen; rights, which no time, no contract, no climate can diminish. . . . Hence, by all those ties which mankind hold most dear and sacred; your reverence to your ancestors; your love to your own interests; your tenderness to your posterity; by all the awful obligations of your oath, I charge you to do your duty; to maintain the laws, the rights, the constitution of your country, even at the hazard of your lives and fortunes." Supposing that "courtly judges, who style themselves the king's servants, might possibly think that, in the present situation of American affairs, this charge is inconsistent with his duty to the king; but for my part," proceeds the judge, "in my judicial character, I know no master but the law; I am a servant, not to the king, but to the constitution; and, in my estimation, I shall best discharge my duty as a good servant to the king and a trusty officer under the constitution, when I boldly declare the laws to the people, and instruct them in their civil rights."1 1774. The testimony of one of the earliest and most distinguished Dr. Warren, martyrs to the cause of liberty, is at once illustrative of his own patriotism and of that of his countrymen. "It is the united voice of America to preserve their freedom or lose their lives in defence of it. Their resolutions are not the effects of inconsiderate rashness, but the sound result of sober enquiry and deliberation. I am convinced that the true spirit of Liberty was never so universally diffused through all ranks and orders of People, in any country on the face of the earth, as it now is through all North America."2 lin dismiss Dr. Franklin was dismissed from his office of deputy post Dr. Frankmaster general in North America. When he received the office, ed from the it would not pay the salary allowed him; but it now produced post-office. near £3000 a year clear to the English treasury. The cause of his dismission was his fidelity to the country which gave him birth. The petition of Massachusetts assembly to the king, for the removal of governor Hutchinson and lieutenant governor Oliver, having been referred to the lords of the Committee for Plantation affairs, Dr. Franklin was required, in January, to attend a meeting of that committee. He supported the petition, and the day after was dismissed from the office of post master. It is easy to conceive, that he had now become obnoxious to the government, 1 Parliamentary Register. 2 Letter of Dr. Joseph Warren to Josiah Quincy, Esq. A fac simile of the original is given in the Life of Quincy. The letter is dated “ Boston, November 21st, 1774." 1774. Indian congress in Georgia. Murder of Logan's family. Speech of whose councils he embarrassed, and whose measures he thwarted. His remarks, on this occasion, illustrate his own character, and the question in controversy between Great Britain and her colonies. "When I see that all petitions and complaints of grievances are so odious to government, that even the mere pipe, which conveys them, becomes obnoxious, I am at a loss to know how peace and union is to be maintained or restored between the different parts of the empire. Grievances cannot be redressed unless they are known; and they cannot be known but through complaints and petitions: If these are deemed affronts, and the messengers punished as offenders, who will henceforth send petitions? and who will deliver them?-It has been thought a dangerous thing in any state to stop up the vent of griefs. Wise governments have therefore generally received petitions with some indulgence, even when but slightly founded. Those who think themselves injured by their rulers, are sometimes, by a mild and prudent answer, convinced of their errour. But where complaining is a crime, hope becomes despair."1 A congress was held in Georgia by Sir James Wright, governor of that colony, with a great number of the kings and headmen of the Creek and Cherokee nations'; who ceded to the king of Great Britain several millions of acres of valuable land, in the most fertile and healthful part of the country, for the payment of debts, which they owed to the Indian traders.2 In the spring of this year, the family of Logan, the celebrated Shawanese chief, was murdered by a party of whites under the command of captain Michael Cresap. The cause of this outrage was a report, that the Indians had killed a number of white persons, who were looking out for new settlements. A war immediately ensued, and many men, women, and children, were killed by the Indians. In the autumn, a decisive battle was fought at the mouth of the great Kanhaway, between the collected forces of the Shawanese, Mingoes, and Delawares, and a detachment of the Virginia militia, in which the Indians were defeated. They sued for peace; but Logan disdained to appear among the suppliants. The speech which he sent by a messenger to lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, is justly admired for its conciseness and eloquence. "I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed him 1 Original Letters of Dr. Franklin to Hon. Thomas Cushing, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts in Collections of Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 115. 2 Stokes, Brit. Colonies. This cession was obtained "with the greatest fairness;" but the breaking out of the war between Great Britain and the colonies prevented the intended effects. Ib. not. During the course of the last long and bloody war Logan 1774. remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed, as they passed, and said, Logan is the friend of white men. I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not even sparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it; I have killed many; I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbour a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one."1 The Shawanese Indians, including men, women, and children, did not, at this period, exceed 600.2 the Ohio Indians. The Indians on the Ohio having committed hostilities, Virginia Battle with sent out colonel Lewis with 1400 men, who were attacked, on the 10th of October, by about 600 Indians. In this battle about 400 of the Virginians were killed, and 100 wounded; 20 Indians were left dead on the field.3 Governor Tryon, of New York, gave 10,000 acres of new Prof. of law lands to King's College, and founded in that seminary a professor- in King's ship of municipal law.4 College. the govern An act was passed by the British government for the better Act for regulating the government of the province of the Massachusetts regulating Bay in New England. By this act, from the 1st of August this ment of year so much of the charter of William and Mary as related Mass. to the time and manner of electing the assistants and counsellors of that province was revoked.5 Lamps were, for the first time, lighted in the streets of Lamps used Boston.6 1 Jefferson, Notes on Virginia. Allen, Biog. Art. LOGAN. Loskiel, P. ii. c. 2. Logan was the second son of Shikellemus, a celebrated chief of the Cayuga nation, whose residence was at Shamokin, and who was very hospitable to the white people whose business led them that way. Count Zinzendorf, when in this country in 1742, was desirous of seeing him, and visited him at his house in Shamokin. About the year 1772, Logan was introduced to Mr. Heckewelder, the well known Moravian missionary, by an Indian friend, as son to the late reputable chief Shikellemus, and as a friend to the white people; and in April, 1773, while on his passage down the Ohio for Muskingum, he called at Logan's settlement; "where," he says, "I received every civility I could expect from such of the family as were at home." 2 Stiles, MS. from Mr. Jones's Journal, 1773. 3 Pres. Stiles, MS. 4 Ibid. 5 Charters and Laws of Massachusetts. Append. 39. 6 Boston Records. Pemberton, MS. Chron. in Boston, |