^- % <'''-^s«v.°^ j^'-^^Mk-X c°*.ia;;:A ^**.'i.;;^ A" <5> " * o ; ' -"^^ .•^^.c:^^^^ .co^.^%>o ./\g.;^.;\ ,/"-. 85 '^^^ '^ •*-o» .^ ''-^^^^ < o v\ 0' »V^:.'* *> *. o. 'oK • AT ^ .«>■...■•. ^"o. .•V V .v.. .7 *^A . • A.* '-i 1^' -x^"^ /Xl CHAPTER IV. 1765-1773- Protests by the Citizens of Philadelphia against Taxation by the Parliament of Great Britain. "^ ^ ^ Public Meeting ill the State Hotise Yard to enforce the retztrn of the ^' dutied Tea!' AGAIN, in October, 1773, on the IGth, an m^mense public meeting was held in the State House Yard. It was called in consequence of the effort made by the East India Company to force upon the good people of Philadelphia tea which had aceuraulated in immense quanti- ties in their warehouses in London, owing to the absolute refusal of the Americans themselves to import. The direct effect of the action of the merchants of Pliiladelphia, followed as it was by those of New York, \\\\\ indeed throughout the colonics, in adopting and enforcing "Non-Importation Resolutions," had produced the repeal of the odious "Stam[) Act," though simultaneously with that repeal, Parliament had sullenly passed an act declaring: " That the said Colonics and plantations in America have been} are, and " of right ought to he subordinate unto and dependent upon the Imperial " crown and Parliamcid of Great Britain, and that the King's Majc.sti/, bt/ LIBEWrT'' ^mirJkll^IT^ J^^^.o^^^ Downfall of OPPRE SSIOJKZ i« ur ^^W'^'^^^'si^M^^^''''^^^'^^ — , ^ .„ ,1 ■ I „■ ■■,■■ , , *' and with the adtnce and consent of the Lords, spiritual and temporal, and " commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, had, hath, and of " right ought to have full power and aidhority to make laws and statutes of " suficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America^ "subjects of the Crown 0/ Great Britain, in all cases ichatsoever." Many months were allowed to elapse, liowever, ere any attempt was made to exercise that power — when suddenly in 1767, an act was passed for imposing duties on glass, paper, painters' colors, and tea — the duties were trifling, but the discussions incident to the Stamp Act had opened the eyes of the colonists, generally, to their rights as freemen under the Constitution of England. In the guise of a plain farmer, John Dick- inson, by a series of letters published in the newspapers, clearly demon- strated the necessity of resisting the imposition of a tax by the British Parliament, and pointed out that a free people are not those over whom only a government is reasonably and equitably exercised, but those who live under a government so constitutionally checked and controlled, that its exercise otherwise is rendered impossible. These letters, reprinted in book form, not only in America, but also in Great Britain, were ably seconded by the newspapers and by the decisive action of the merchants and traders throughout the country, and produced the repeal of this act, though an exception was still made by Pai'liament. That exception was the duty on tea, an article that even then had become a necessity, and had yielded to the East India Company £130,000, sterling, per annum. Relying upon the importance of this beverage, and ajiparently believing that, by reducing it.s price, the technical claim of " right to tax America," could continue to be made, an export duty was actually taken off, while a smaller duty on importation into the colonies was imposed, and even this was attempted to be covered up by requiring the payment in Eng- land, thus to the consumers the cost apparently was alone increased. The Americans were not to be taken unawares, nor yet to be overcome by the bribe; they detected the "snake in the grass," and forthwith set about crushing its head. The news which reached Philadelphia at the end of September gave rise to an unprecedented commotion among the inhabitants, and, possibly to the now well-known expression of " a tempest in the tea pot," for to such "base uses" may the most solemn events be subservient. The Philadelphia papers teem with addresses to the Commissioners and to the Public. Pi-obably the most able is from Sorevola, in ilu* Pcnnsjjlrania Chronicle, of the lltli October. The Boston papers took up the refrain, and, on the 14th of the same montli, "express the same sentiments in regard to the tea exjx?cte(l from London as the people of New York and Philadelphia, whose conduct they highly apin'ove and stronglv urge their countrymen to imitate. The masters of aH their London vessels, too, they expect, like those of New York and Philadel])hia, will n-liise to briu"; any tea to America while tlip dutv remains."* *In Boston, on 3rcl November, a mi'Ctini,' was luld at " Liberty Tree," to enforce the resignation of the consignees of the tea intended for tliat city, whicli pixived inef- fective, but resulted in another on oth November, when the Hon. .lohn Hancock, Ksq., was chosen moderator, and at wliich it was — '' Bcsolved, That the sense of this town cannot be better expressed than in the words of certain judicious resolves, lately entered into by our worthy brethren, tlie citizens of Phila- delphia." Here follow the resolves of the citizens op Philad'a, of Octobek 16Tir, PRECEDING, AS OIVEN IN THE TEXT. 1t IS ESPECIALLY NOTKWORTJIY THAT THE HANDSOME COMPLIMENT THUS AND THEN PAID TO THE CITY OF PhILAD'a, IS TC- DAY RETURNED IN KIND, HV THE SELECTION FOR COMMEMORATION — AS THE SALIIOT EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE DEFEAT OF THE " TeA ScHEME "—OF THE PATRIOTIC ACTION OF THE BoSTONIANS. At this meeting it was also, — " Besolred, that it is the deten>iinply; then pledging each other to carry their votes and resolutions into exvcution at the ri.story : "Resolved. 1. That the tea on. board the ship "Polly," Captain Ayres, shall not be landc* c. 'V-o^ ;♦