First settlements in Massachusetts: sketch of revolutionary events in this province: its actual condition.

The first settlements made in that part of North America called Massachusetts, owed their origin to the religious persecutions in England under the reigns of Elizabeth, James I. and Charles the first. The history of the first emigrants, who came to seek amidst the savages of the New World, liberty of conscience, which the European philosophy of the seventeenth century refused them, offers nothing but a mournful picture of continual struggles against climate, disease and famine. It was not until 1630, that they were reinforced by a more numerous and better regulated expedition, which aided them in founding the towns of Boston, Charlestown and Salem. Cromwell, Hampden and many others who exercised so terrible an influence over the revolution that broke out soon after, were to have accompanied this expedition: they were already on board the ships, and were about to seek in the New World, occupations for their ardent dispositions, which would perhaps have been less excited here, than in the presence of tyranny, when Charles the first, as if urged by some fatality, had them arrested and brought back to land.

It is a fact, worthy of remark, that the majority of these emigrants who relinquished their country, families and friends solely to escape religious persecution, and who by consequence might be supposed to hate their persecutors, continued, notwithstanding their exile, attached to the English government, and honoured the names of their kings in the land of their refuge by bestowing them upon the rivers they discovered, upon the towns they founded, and the monuments they erected. Was it from habitual reverence for royalty, which in spite of its crimes, appeared still sacred to them, that they acted thus? Or was it merely to cover and protect the weakness of their settlements with the name of a powerful authority, and at the same time pay a sort of tribute to the English government, the self constituted proprietor of these vast regions, by right of discovery, which would not have allowed the colonists peace, if they seemed desirous of dissolving all ties, and obliterating all recollections of the mother country? The latter appears to us, to be the most probable, and is sufficiently confirmed by the following declaration drawn up and signed by the Pilgrims, who landed in 1620 at New Plymouth.

“In the name of God, amen, We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, and having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and of one another, covenant and combine ourselves together in a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names. Cape Cod, eleventh of November in the year of the reign of our sovereign Lord, king James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. A. D. 1620.”

This act, as is evident, even in appearing to recognize the authority of England, claims for the colonists the direct administration of their affairs, and laid the foundation of that spirit of Independence, which more than a century afterwards threw off the yoke of the mother country, when she wished to return to the exercise of a despotism, which she seemed to consider her prescriptive right. In order to secure its right of sovereignty over Massachusetts, the English government in 1692, under the reign of William and Mary, usurped the right of appointing governors of this province: this however fell short of its aim, as the right of fixing and paying the governor’s salaries, was left with the provincial legislature, so that he was without power or influence. The English government soon perceived its error, and wished to correct it, and thenceforth the misunderstandings commenced between the colonies and the mother country, in which the latter increased their resistance, in proportion as the demands of the former were augmented.

The privileges of the different powers were soon entirely confounded. The governor was invested by the crown with the right of erecting courts and nominating judges; privileges which were vividly contested by the people, who claimed them as legislative prerogatives. Notwithstanding the multifarious encroachments of the crown, the colony, even when most actively opposing them, remained still attached to the mother country, and willingly aided her in the colonial war she had to sustain against France in 1744. After this war, which had alternately been renewed and suspended during sixteen years, with various successes and reverses, and which finally terminated in the ruin of the French colonies, the colonists hoped that the gratitude of England for the services they had rendered, would assure them thenceforth the enjoyment of their rights and liberties, acquired by every kind of sacrifice; but scarcely had two years elapsed after the establishment of peace, before all their hopes were blighted.

England at that time triumphed by land and sea; her commercial preponderance was felt in all parts of the world, and aroused the envy of all European nations. But this glory with which she was intoxicated, was not acquired without waste of treasure, and the contracting of immense debts. To pay these debts, and re-establish her finances, new sources of revenue were to be created, and her attention was turned towards her colonies.

The colonies had made an immense profit by their West India trade, and by the aid of a good administration had found means to form a sinking fund, which enabled them to pay their debts, and successively to increase their importations of English manufactures. The cupidity of the crown was excited by this prosperity, and from that moment ministerial adroitness was exercised in nothing but varying the means of extracting money from the colonists. The commanders on the coasts were converted into harsh excisemen, charged to repress unlawful commerce, and prevent smuggling. These commanders, assured of impunity, since they were only to be tried by the courts of Great Britain, were not backward in making illegal seizures, for their own profit. The import duties were raised to the highest pitch, and these duties were made exclusively payable in gold or silver, which rendered the paper money circulated among the colonists of no value. In short, the new system introduced by the English minister, became as tyrannical as ruinous, because at the moment enormous duties were imposed, it annihilated the means of paying them. Emboldened by the forbearance of the colonists, the British government knew not where to stop, and in the year 1765, the oppressive law called the stamp act was passed, which ordered, that for the future all contracts, wills, deeds, &c. should be drawn on stamp paper, under penalty of being rendered null, and imposed a tax on this paper, destined to pay the expenses of the last American war. This law produced universal exasperation, as soon as it was made known; it became the subject of conversation and discussion in all public and private societies; every one looked to the past, and recapitulated with bitterness the outrages perpetrated by England, and from that moment, it may be said, the revolutionary fire was kindled. From supplications and remonstrances, to which the colonists had hitherto confined themselves, they advanced to threats; the people of Massachusetts especially, expressed their resentment forcibly. It was at the instigation of this state, that a congress formed of deputies from many provinces, assembled at New York, on the 7th of October. This Congress, composed of men respectable for their characters and information, and which eventually served as the model of the Congress that so gloriously conducted the war of the revolution, published an energetic declaration of the rights of the colonies; a view of the oppressions of England; a petition to the king, and a memorial to parliament. These acts of Congress produced an effect upon parliament, which was augmented by the presence and writings of Benjamin Franklin, who was then in London, and had been called before the house of Commons to be examined relative to the complaints of his fellow citizens. He presented himself with characteristic modesty, and a republican simplicity, which was singularly in contrast with the insolent splendor of the minions of power, who attended his examination in crowds, in hopes of seeing him humbled, whom they regarded as a rebel, for presuming to speak of the rights of man in the presence of royalty. His calm answers and profound arguments produced a great impression upon the assembly, causing the promoters of the stamp act to reconsider the matter, and determined them to withdraw this monument of their ignorance and tyranny.

In proportion to the height the indignation of the Americans had been raised by the passage of the stamp act, was their joy on hearing of its repeal. The British government however, did not profit by this return of public feeling to a milder mood; not only were all the odious restrictions upon the colonial commerce continued, but the stamp act was followed by an equally intolerable duty upon the paper, tea, glass and colours imported by the colonists from England. But the preamble to this act was most especially grevious to the colonists; as it announced that the product of these new taxes should be placed at the disposal of parliament, to defray the expenses of the colonial administration, and particularly to pay the salaries of the governors and judges, who would thereby be rendered independent of the provincial Legislatures and made dependent upon the ministry. A permanent administration to superintend these taxes was created by parliament and established at Boston. The people of Massachusetts could not be deceived as to the views of the ministry; accustomed for a long time to discuss and manage their own affairs they resolved not voluntarily to submit to the disgrace of being governed by an unlawful authority, appointed at a distance of more than 3,000 miles. The representative assembly was then convened, and protested against the taxes and the use to be made of them; and they addressed a circular to the other provincial assemblies, in which, after recapitulating their privileges, and the oppressions of England, they conclude by asking for their co-operation in resisting a tyranny which daily pressed with increased weight upon the colonies. This step was treated as infamous and rebellious by the servants of the crown, who redoubled their vexations. Two English regiments arrived, which being refused quarters in the city, by the council, landed under protection of their ships, with fixed bayonets and two pieces of cannon, and established their guard-house in front of the state house, which was thus turned into a barrack. The city was thenceforth in the power of the military, who scoured the streets, insulting the citizens, disturbing their rest or business, and interrupting even their religious exercises by the continual noise of their martial music.

Under these circumstances the assembly was convoked at Boston, but did not meet, declaring that they did not feel at liberty in presence of an armed force; the session was consequently removed to Cambridge, where the governor had the impudence to present himself and demand funds to pay the troops; which being refused, the assembly was dissolved.