[1] In order to indicate the relations existing, at the time of the
“Tea-Party,” between Boston and the surrounding towns, as well as to
give unity of form to this ballad, the story has been told as given,
some years ago, by David Kinnison, one of the survivors of the party,
who boarded the tea-ships. He stated that certain young men of Lebanon,
Me., united in a secret society—one of many existing at that time—and
formed alliances with clubs in Boston and in other places. These young
men determined to destroy the tea, and went to Boston for that purpose.
Having resolved to stand by each other, to throw overboard those who
faltered, and not to reveal each other’s names, twenty-four went on board
as Indians, half armed with muskets and bayonets, half with tomahawks and
clubs, and all expecting a fight.—See _Lossing’s Pict. Field Bk. of the
Rev._, vol. i, p. 499.
[2] In 1770, “September, Hutchinson received the order ... which marks
the beginning of a system of ... prevention of American independence....
Boston was made the rendezvous of all ships ... and the fortress ...
garrisoned by regular troops.... But the charter of Massachusetts
purposely and emphatically reserved to its governor the command of the
militia of the colony, and of its forts; the castle had been built and
repaired and garrisoned by the colony itself at its own expense; to ...
bestow it on the commander-in-chief was a plain violation of the charter,
as well as of immemorial usage.”—_Bancroft’s Hist. U. S._, vol. vi., ch.
45, pp. 368, 369.
[3] “Never was a community more distressed or divided by fear and hope
than ... Boston. There the ... Board of the Commissioners of the Customs
was to be established ... as the lawyers of England ... decided,” in
1767, “that American taxation by Parliament was legal and constitutional,
the press of Boston sought support in something more firm than human
opinion.... ‘The law of nation,’ said they, ‘is the law of God.’”—_Idem_,
ch. 30, pp. 101, 102.
[4] “‘Hancock and most of the party,’ said the governor, ‘are quiet, and
all of them, except Adams, abate their virulence.’”—_Idem_, ch. 47, p.
407.
[5] “Bernard ... dissolved the Assembly. Massachusetts was left without a
legislature.”—_Idem_, ch. 34, pp. 165. See also “Our First Break with the
British,” note 9.
[6] “The officers screened their men from legal punishment, and sometimes
even rescued them from the constables.”—_Idem_, ch. 43, p. 334. See also
the whole account, in this chapter, of the Boston massacre.
[7] “For New York, the Lords of Trade ... refused to Presbyterians
any immunities but such as might be derived from the British Law of
Toleration.”—_Idem_, vol. vi., ch. 7, p. 84. See also “Our First Break
with the British,” note 12.
[8] “‘It was not reverence for kings,’ he (Adams) would say, ‘that
brought the ancestors of New England to America. They fled from kings and
bishops, and looked up to the King of kings. We are free, therefore,’ he
concluded, ‘and want no kings.’”—_Idem_, ch. 36, pp. 194.
[9] “New York alone had been perfectly true to its engagements ...
impatient of a system of voluntary renunciation ... so unequally kept....
Merchants of New York ... consulted those of Philadelphia on agreeing to
a general importation of all articles except of tea ... and now trade
between America and England was open in every thing but tea.”—_Idem_,
ch. 44, pp. 365, 366. “The students at Princeton burnt the New York
merchants’ letter.... Boston tore it into pieces” at a full meeting of
the trade.—_Idem._
[10] “The continued refusal ... to receive tea ... had brought distress
upon the East India Company.... Praying ... to export teas, free of all
duties, to America ... Lord North proposed to give to the company itself
the right of exporting its teas ... the ministry would not listen to the
thought of relieving America from taxation.”—_Idem_, ch. 49, pp. 457, 458.
[11] “Massachusetts ... elected its Committee of Correspondence, fifteen
in number. New Hampshire and Connecticut did the same, so that all New
England and Virginia ... on the first emergency, ... could convene a
congress.”—_Idem_, p. 460.
[12] “‘Brethren,’ they wrote, ‘we are reduced to this dilemma—either to
sit down quiet ... or to rise up and resist ... we earnestly request your
advice.’”—_Idem_, p. 476.
[13] See “Our First Break with the British,” note 27. Also _Idem_, vol.
v., ch. 16, p. 310.
[14] “A large flag was hung out on the pole at Liberty Tree; the bells in
the meeting-houses were rung from eleven till noon.”—_Idem_, vol. vi.,
ch. 50, p. 473.
[15] “Molineux read a paper requiring the consignee to promise not to
sell the teas, but to return them.... Then read ... a Resolve passed at
Liberty Tree that the consignees who should refuse ... were enemies to
their country.”—_Idem_, pp. 473, 474.
[16] “Each and all answered: ‘I cannot comply.’”—_Idem._
[17] “There was once more a legal Town Meeting to entreat the consignees
to resign. Upon their repeated refusal, the town passed no vote ... but
... broke up.”—_Idem_, p. 475.
[18] “The Committee of Correspondence ... authorized Samuel Adams to
invite ... Dorchester, Rozbury, etc., ... to hold a mass meeting ... the
assembly resolved unanimously that ‘the tea should be sent back ... at
all events.’”—_Idem_, pp. 477, 478. See also the reply of the towns, p.
483.
[19] “Sunday, the 28th of November,” 1773.—_Idem_, p. 477.
[20] “A party ... under ... Edward Proctor as its captain, was appointed
to guard the tea-ship.”—_Idem_, p. 478.
[21] “The select men ... sought in vain for the consignees, who had taken
sanctuary in the castle.”—_Idem_, 477.
[22] “On the same day, the council, who had been solicited by the
Governor and the consignees to assume the guardianship of the tea,
coupled their refusal with a reference ... that the tax upon it ... was
unconstitutional.”—_Idem_, p. 478.
[23] “Let the tea be entered, and it would be beyond the power of the
consignees to send it back.”—_Idem_, p. 477.
[24] “The Committee of Correspondence ... obtained from the Quaker Rotch,
who owned the Dartmouth, a promise not to enter the ship.”—_Idem_, p. 477.
[25] “Faneuil Hall could not contain the people ... on Monday.”—_Idem_,
478.
[26] “The Sheriff ... entered with a Proclamation from the Governor,
warning, exhorting, and requiring ... each ... unlawfully assembled
forthwith to disperse.... The words were received with hisses, ... and a
unanimous vote not to disperse.”—_Idem_, p. 479.
[27] “We now declare to you our readiness to store them.”—_Idem._
[28] “Every ship owner was forbidden, on pain of being deemed an enemy
to his country, to import or bring as freight any tea from Great
Britain till the unrighteous act taxing it should be repealed, and this
vote was printed and sent to every seaport in the province, and to
England.”—_Idem_, p. 480.
[29] “Two more tea ships ... arrived.”—_Idem._
[30] “A military watch was regularly kept up ... by night. The tolling of
the bells would have been the signal for a general uprising.”—_Idem._
[31] “The ships, ... on the twentieth day from their arrival, would be
liable to seizure.”—_Idem._
[32] “The Active and the Kingfisher ... were sent to guard the passages
out of the harbor.... Orders were given ... to load guns at the castle so
that no vessel ... might go to sea without a permit.”—_Idem_, p. 482.
[33] “A meeting of the people ... directed ... the owner of the Dartmouth
to apply for a clearance. He did so ... accompanied by ... eight others
as witnesses.... The collector and comptroller unequivocally and
finally refused.... Then said they (_i.e._, the people) ... protest
immediately against the custom-house, and apply to the Governor for his
pass.”—_Idem_, pp. 483-5.
[34] “‘They find themselves,’ ... said Hutchinson, ‘involved in
invincible difficulties.... The wealth of Hancock, Phillips, Rowe,
Dennie, and so many other men of property, seemed to him a security
against violence.”—_Idem_, pp. 480-2. “Hutchinson began to clutch at
victory.”—_Idem_, p. 484.
[35] See note 15 under this Ballad.
[36] “‘The only way to get rid of it,’ said Young (speaking of the tea in
one of the Boston public meetings), ‘is to throw it overboard.’”—_Idem_,
p. 478.
[37] “‘Shouts and hozannas will not terminate the trials of this day ...
insatiable revenge which actuates our enemies ... must bring on the most
... terrible struggle this country ever saw.’ Thus spoke the younger
Quincy.”—_Idem_, p. 486.
[38] “The whole assembly of seven thousand voted unanimously that the tea
should not be landed.”—_Idem._
[39] “A few hours would have placed the tea under the protection of the
admiral at the castle.”—_Idem_, 487.
[40] See note 1 under this Ballad.
[41] “A quarter before six Rotch appeared ... relating that the governor
had refused him a pass.... Samuel Adams rose and gave the word: ‘This
meeting can do nothing more to save the country.’ On the instant, a shout
was heard at the porch.... A body of men ... disguised as Indians, ...
encouraged by ... others, repaired to Griffin’s wharf, posted guards
to prevent the intrusion of spies, ... and in about three hours, three
hundred and forty chests of tea, being the whole quantity ... were
emptied into the bay without ... injury to other property.”—_Idem_, pp.
486, 487.
[42] “The people around ... were ... still.... After the work was done,
the town became as still and calm as if it had been holy time.”—_Idem._
[43] “The next morning the Committee of Correspondence ... sent
Paul Revere, as express with the information to New York and
Philadelphia.”—_Idem._
[44] “The ministry had chosen the most effectual measures to unite the
colonies.... Old jealousies were removed, and perfect harmony subsisted
between all.”—_Idem_, p. 488.