But," said JUNIUS, "it is truly colonies "in all cases whatsoever." astonishing that they should have conceived that a compliance which acknowledged the rod to be in the hands of the Americans, could ever induce them to surrender it." Mr. Grenville desired Mr. Knox's opinion of the effects which the repeal would produce in America. The answer was, “Addresses of thanks and measures of rebellion." The contemporary accounts from every part of the colonies show that never before had there been such rejoicings in America. It is a source of supreme satisfaction to reflect that Dr. Mayhew lived to share in this triumph of liberty. We naturally feel a certain curiosity as to the places which are associated with great names and memorable scenes. Fortunately we have a lively description of the Council Chamber as it was when James Otis so eloquently opposed the writs of assistance, written by one who then heard the great patriot lawyer, and was familiar with its aspect, adornment, and fittings. "Whenever," said the venerable Adams, "you shall find a painter, male or female, I pray you to suggest a scene and subject: The scene is the Council Chamber of the Old Town House in Boston; the date is the month of February, 1761. That Council Chamber was as respectable an apartment, and more so too, in proportion, than the House of Lords or House of Commons in Great Britain, or that in Philadelphia in which the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. In this chamber, near the fire, were seated five judges, with Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson at their head as Chief Justice, all in their new, fresh robes of scarlet English cloth, in their broad bands, and immense judicial wigs. In this chamber was seated, at a long table, all the barristers of Boston and its neighboring county of Middlesex, in their gowns, bands, and tye-wigs. They were not seated on ivory chairs, but their dress was more solemn and more pompous than that of the Roman senate when the Gauls broke in upon them. In a corner of the room must be placed wit, sense, imagination, genius, pathos, reason, prudence, eloquence, learning, science, and immense reading, hung by the shoulders on two crutches, covered with a cloth great-coat, in the person of Mr. Pratt, who had been solicited on both sides, but would engage on neither, being about to leave Boston forever, as Chief Justice of New York. Two portraits, at more than full length, of King Charles the Second and King James the Second, in splendid golden frames, were hung up on the most conspicuous side of the apartment. If my young eyes or old memory have not deceived me, these were the finest pictures I have seen. The colors of their long flow ing robes and their royal ermines were the most glowing, the figures the most noble and graceful, the features the most distinct and characteristic: far superior to those of the King and Queen of France in the Senate Chamber of Congress. I believe they were Vandyke's. Sure I am there was no painter in England capable of them at that time. They had been sent over, without frames, in Governor Pownall's time; but, as he was no admirer of Charleses or Jameses, they were stowed away in a garret among rubbish till Governor Bernard came, had them cleaned, superbly framed, and placed in council for the admiration and imitation of all men, no doubt with the concurrence of Hutchinson and all the junto." "Now for the actors and performers. Mr. Gridley argued with his characteristic learning, ingenuity, and dignity, and said everything that could be said in favor of Cockle's petition; all depending, however, on the-If the Parliament of Great Britain is the sovereign legislator of all the British empire.' Mr. Thatcher followed him, on the other side, and argued with the softness of manners, the ingenuity, the cool reasoning which were peculiar to his amiable character. But Otis was a flame of fire. With a promptitude of classical allusions, a depth of research, a rapid summary of historical events and dates, a profusion of legal authorities, a prophetic glare of his eyes into futurity, and a rapid torrent of impetuous eloquence, he hurried away all before him. American Independence was then and there born. The seeds of patriots and heroes, to defend the Non Sine Diis Animosus Infans, to defend the vigorous youth, were then and there sown. Every man of an immense crowded audience appeared to me to go away, as I did, ready to take arms against writs of assistance. Then and there was the first scene of the first act of opposition to the arbitrary claims of Great Britain. Then and there the child Independence was born. In fifteen years that is, in 1776-he grew up to manhood, and declared himself free." Dr. Chauncy, the preacher, was one of the greatest divines in New England, and no one except President Edwards and Dr. Jonathan Mayhew had been so much known among the literati of Europe. He was zealous for liberty, and, on the death of Dr. Mayhew, continued the war against its most specious enemy with great power and learning. He was born January 1, 1705, graduated at Harvard College in 1721, and was pastor of the first church in Boston from 1727 till his death in 1787. This sermon—an admirable historical picture, drawn by a master, himself a leader of the hosts abounds in facts, discusses the great princi ples involved with energy and power, and with the calmness and precision of the statesman. The following witty lines, from the London "Craftsman newspaper of March 29th, 1766, give a lively and just idea of the effect of the Stamp Act on British industry, temper, and politics. CHAPTER IV. OF THE BOOK OF AMERICA. 1. The men of the cities assemble. 3. Their discourse to each other. 11. They petition the Grand Sanhedrim. 14. The lamentation of George the Treasurer. 19. Newspapers. 22. And hireling Scribes. 25. These Scribes write against taking off the tribute. 26. The subject of their letters. 32. They prevail not. 34. But are answered. 38. The tribute taken off. 39. Great rejoicings thereat. 41. The song of the people. 1¶ AFTER these things the men of London, and the men of Birmingham, and the men of the great cities and strong towns; even all who made cloth, and worked in iron and in steel, and in sundry metals, communed together. 2 And they met in the gates of their cities, and of their towns; 3 And they said unto each other, Behold now the children of America are waxed strong; and they have not only opposed the men who were sent by George the Treasurer to collect the tribute on the marks which are called stamps; 4 But they make unto themselves the wares wherewith we were wont to furnish them; 5 And they will buy no more of us unless this tribute is taken off: 6 And, moreover, they cannot pay unto us the momes which they owe; and the loss is great unto us, and the burthen thereof exceeding grievous: 7 Neither can we give bread unto those who labored for us; and behold! they, and their wives, and their little ones, have not bread to eat. 8 What then shall we do? and wherewithal shall we be comforted? 9 Shall we not petition our Lord the King, and his Princes, and the wise men of the nation, even the Grand Sanhedrim of the nation? 10 For we know that they are good and gracious, and will hearken to the voice of the people, who open their mouths and cry unto them for bread. 11 ¶ Then the men of London, and the men of the great cities, sat them down and wrote petitions. 12 And they sent men from amongst them, that were goodly men to look at; and they stood before the Grand Sanhedrim: 13 And they presented their petitions, and they were read, and days were appointed to consider them. 14 ¶ Now it came to pass, that while these things were doing, that George the late Treasurer, and those who had joined in laying the tribute on the stamps, were wroth, and their countenances fell; 15 And they said in themselves, If this tribute is taken off, then William the late Scribe, and those who are now in authority, and who have taken our places, will be had in remembrance of men. 16 And we also shall be had in remembrance, but it will be with evil remembrance indeed. 17 For behold the people will say, It is we that have cursed the land; and it is they who have blessed it. 18 Therefore we must bestir ourselves like men, to oppose the taking off the tribute, let whatsoever hap besides. 19 ¶ And in those days there were papers sold daily among the men of Britain, which declared those which were joined in marriage, those which were gathered unto their fathers, and those who had found favour in the eyes of the King and his rulers, and were exalted above their brethren, 20 And also of whatsoever was done in the land. 21 And these papers were called newspapers; and all men read them. 22 And there were certain also Scribes who let themselves out unto hire. 23 And one of the chief of these was a Levite, and his name was Anti Sejanus. 24 And these Scribes were hired to poison the minds of the people, and to cause them to set their faces against the men of America their brethren. 25 ¶ Then came Anti Sejanus, and Pacificus, and Pro Patria, and sundry other children of Belial, and they wrote letters which were put into the newspapers. 26 T And they said in those letters, Men and brethren! Behold, the men of America are rich, and they are grown insolent, being full of bread; 27 And they are not mindful of the days of old when they were poor, but they would withdraw themselves from under the wings of their mother Britain. 28 And they would establish themselves as a people, and suffer us to have no power over them. 29 Behold, they have opposed the edict, and they are become as rebels. 30 Wherefore then go we not forth with a strong hand, and force them unto obedience to us? 31 And if they are still murmuring, and shall still oppose our authority, why do we not send fire and sword into their land, and cut them off from the face of the earth? 32 And these children of Belial who dipped their pens for hire, and would scatter plagues in wantonness, and say, This is sport; 33 Even these men wrote still more. Yet they prevailed not. 34 For they were answered, So the men of America are our brethren; they are the children of our forefathers; and shall we seek their blood? If they are mistaken shall we not pity them, and keep them obedient unto us through love? 35 For behold, it is a wise saying of old, That many flies may be caught with a little honey; but with much vinegar ye can catch not one. 36 Neither are they inclined to be a people of themselves, but wish yet to be under our wing. 37 And the counsel of these men prevailed; for the counsel of the hireling Scribes was defeated; even as was the counsel of Achitophel in the days of David, King of Israel. 38 For behold, the Grand Sanhedrim took off the tribute from the people; and George THE GRACIOUS King of Britain assented thereto. 39 ¶ Then were great rejoicings made throughout the land; and fires were lighted up in the streets, and the people eat, drank, and were merry. 40 And they sang a new song, saying, 41 Long live the King; let his name be glorious, and may his rule over us be happy. 42 And may the princes and the rulers of the land, and the wise men of the Lord the King, and all those who joined to take off this tribute, be blessed. 43 For they have listened unto the cries of the people, and have given ear unto the voice of calamity; they have procured the payment of the debts of the merchants of this land, ease to the children of America, and labor and bread to the poor. 44 And the women shall sing their praises; and the little children shall lisp out, Bless the King and his Sanhedrim. 45 For we were desolate and distressed; our hammers and our shuttles were useless; for we got no work; neither had we bread to eat for ourselves, nor our little ones. 46 But now can we work, rejoice, and be exceeding glad. 47 And there was peace in the land. 48 But to Anti Sejanus and the rest of the hirelings there was shame, and the scorn of all good men fell upon them, and their employers, so that their names were had in abomination. BY HIS EXCELLENCY FRANCIS BERNARD, ESQ., Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, and Vice-Admiral of the same. A PROCLAMATION FOR A DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING. Whereas the House of Representatives of this Province having in the last session taken into their consideration the kind interposition of Providence in disposing our most gracious Sovereign and both Houses of Parliament to hearken to the united supplications of his dutiful and loyal Subjects in America, and to remove the great difficulties which the Colonies in general, and this Province in particular, labored under, occasioned by the Stamp Act, did resolve that the Governor be desired to appoint a Day of General Thanksgiving to be observed throughout this Province, that the good People thereof may have an opportunity in a public manner to express their Gratitude to Almighty GOD for his great Goodness in thus delivering them from their Anxiety and Distress and restoring the Province to its former Peace and Tranquillity: which Resolution was concurred in by the Council, and has since been laid before me: In pursuance of such Desire, so signified unto me, I have thought fit to appoint, and I do, by and with the advice of his Majesty's Council, appoint Thursday, the twenty-fourth day of this instant July, to be a Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving; that the ministers of God's holy word may thereupon assemble to return Thanks to Almighty GOD for his Mercies aforesaid, and to desire that he would be pleased to give his People Grace to make a right improvement of them, by observing and promoting a dutiful Submission to the Sovereign Power to which they are subordinate, and a brotherly Love and Affection to that People from whom they are derived, and to whom they are nearly related by civil Policy and mutual interests. And I command and enjoin all Magistrates and Civil Officers to see |