HARPER'S
NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
No. XIX.—DECEMBER, 1851.—Vol. IV.
CASTING TEA OVERBOARD IN BOSTON HARBOR.
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY.[1]
BY BENSON J. LOSSING.
Revolutions which dismember and overturn empires, disrupt political systems, and change not only the forms of civil government, but frequently the entire character of society, are often incited by causes so remote, and apparently inconsiderable and inadequate, that the superficial observer would never detect them, or would laugh incredulously if presented to his consideration as things of moment. Yet, like the little spring of a watch, coiled unseen within the dark recess of its chamber, the influences of such remote causes operating upon certain combinations, give motion, power, and value to latent energies, and form the primum mobile of the whole machinery of wonderful events which produce revolutions.