XXX.

dressed to the colonies of St. John's (now Prince Ed- CHAPTER ward's), Nova Scotia, Georgia, and the two Floridas, inviting them to join in the Association.

An elaborate "Address to the Inhabitants of Canada" was drawn up by Dickinson. Both the civil and ecclesiastical provisions of the Quebec Act were highly offensive to the other colonies, as well as to the small body of British settlers in Canada. But the French Cana dians, and especially the priests, were so well satisfied with the restoration of their old laws and security to their religion, that the eloquent appeal of Congress for union and co-operation had but little effect; the less, in deed, as the Canadians and their religion were but slight ingly alluded to in the Address to the People of Great Britain.

The petition to the king, along with a vote of thanks to the advocates of the colonies in both houses of Parliament, was inclosed in a letter to the colonial agents. Having made provision for another Congress to meet the May following, unless redress of grievances should meanwhile be obtained, after a busy session of eight weeks this remarkable assembly adjourned without day.

The course of measures finally adopted in the Congress had not been agreed to without considerable opposition and a good deal of debate. "Every man in this assembly," wrote John Adams to his wife, "is a great man, an orator, a critic, a statesman, and therefore every man, upon every question, must show his oratory, his criticism, and his political abilities. The consequence is, that business is spun out to an immeasurable length." After the first flush of confidence was over, suspicions and jealousies began to revive. There were in all the colonies many wealthy and influential men, who had joined, indeed, in protesting against the usurpations of

1774

CHAPTER the mother country, but who were greatly disinclined to

XXX. any thing like a decided rupture. Galloway proposed,

1774. as a means of accommodation, a union of the colonies,

with a Grand Council authorized to regulate colonial affairs jointly with the British Parliament-Parliament and the council to have a mutual negative on each other. This plan seemed at first to find a good deal of favor; but, after a warm debate, was rejected by a majority of one, and was even refused an entry on the journal. Still, however, it was generally believed that matters might yet be accommodated. The two Adamses, who thought differently, were regarded by several members as desperate men with nothing to lose, too much implicated by the long struggle in Massachusetts to be safe guides for gentlemen who had estates to forfeit The zeal of these two northern members was seconded, indeed, by the impetuous and plain-spoken Gadsden, who proposed to attack Gage, and expel him from Boston before he could be re-enforced. The Congress, however, was not yet prepared for any direct assumption of political authority. Even the American Association, the nearest approach to it, was warmly opposed, not only by Galloway and Duane, but by all the South Carolina members except Gadsden. It was only at the last moment that Gadsden's colleagues were induced to sign it, by an exception in favor of rice inserted into the nonexportation clause.

The

These differences in Congress were veiled, however, from the public eye by the injunction of secrecy. proceedings of that body went forth with all the weight Oct 20. of apparent unanimity. The signature of the Associa tion by the members of Congress may be considered as the commencement of the American Union.

While the Continental Congress was still in session,

ΧΧΧ.

matters in Massachusetts were fast verging to a crisis. CHAPTER Gage had summoned a House of Representatives to meet him at Salem, to proceed to business under the late act 1774. of Parliament; but the spirit evinced in the resolutions of the town meetings and county conventions induced him to issue a proclamation countermanding the Assembly. It was denied, however, that the governor could prorogue the court till it had first met; and, notwithstanding the countermand, most of the members elect assembled at Salem on the day appointed. As nobody Oct. appeared to open the session and administer the oaths, they adopted the advice already given by the Essex county Convention, resolved themselves into a Provincial Congress, adjourned to Concord, and there organized by Oct. choosing John Hancock as president, and for secretary Benjamin Lincoln, a farmer of Hingham, afterward a major general in the revolutionary army. A large committee, appointed to consider the state of the province, reported an address to Gage, which the Congress adopted; after which they adjourned to Cambridge, whence a committee was sent to present the address to the governor. The Congress, in this address, protested their attachment to Great Britain, their loyalty to the king, and their love of peace and order, but complained of the recent acts of Parliament, the employment of the powers of government to harass and enslave them, the military force concentrated in Boston, and the fortifications erecting there. The people, they declared, would never be satisfied till these military preparations were discontinued and those fortifications demolished.

Gage replied that his military preparations were only in self-defense, and justified by threats every where ut tered. He disavowed, on behalf of Great Britain, any design to harass or enslave; expressed a wish for har

CHAPTER mony; begged them to consider, while complaining of XXX. violations of their charter, whether their present assem1774. bly was not a violation of it; and required them, in conclusion, to desist from their illegal proceedings.

So far from desisting, the Congress appointed a Committee of Safety, at the head of which was John Hancock, with power to call out the militia. A committee was also raised to take measures for the defense of the province, and another to procure military stores and provisions, toward which the sum of £20,000, $66,666, was appropriated. Constables and other collectors of taxes were ordered to pay no more money to the lato treasurer of the province, but to hand over all future collections to a new treasurer appointed by the Congress. Preble, of Falmouth, an old militia officer, Artemas Ward, a colleague of Ruggles on the bench of the Worcester Common Pleas, and Pomeroy, who had led a regiment at the battle of Lake George, were commissioned as generals. The militia were called upon to choose company and regimental officers of their own, and to perfect themselves in military discipline. The Congress disavowed any intention to attack the British troops; but, as their capital was occupied by a large force, as the mili tary stores of the province had been seized, and as there was too much reason to apprehend a still more direct invasion of their rights, they declared these measures neces sary for defense. Gage issued a proclamation denouncing their proceedings, to which no attention was paid, while the recommendations of the Provincial Congress had all the force of law. Gage had no support except in his troops and a few trembling officials, while the zealous cooperation of an intelligent, firm, energetic, and overwhelming majority of the people gave to the Congress all the strength of an established government.

St. Clair

XXX.

While the colonies were thus busy in defense of their CHAPTER rights, the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia had been again visited by Indian war. Surveyors sent un- 1774 der the royal authority, at the request of the Assembly of Virginia, to extend the western limits of that province, had pushed their explorations to a great distance westward. Some of these surveyors had descended the Ohio as far as the falls, and had traced up the Kentucky a considerable distance from its mouth. Collisions took place between these explorers and the Indians on the Ohio. Under the impulse of a false rumor of previous hostilities on the part of the Indians, nine persons, the family of Logan, a chief distinguished for friendship to the whites, were murdered in cold blood. This and other April similar atrocities excited the Indians to revenge. The jurisdiction of the region about Pittsburg was still disputed between Virginia and Pennsylvania. and others, who recognized the authority of Pennsylvania, endeavored to conciliate matters, and an appeal was made to Sir William Johnson by the Pennsylvania authorities to induce the Six Nations to act as mediators. Just at this time Sir William died, but the business was undertaken by his son-in-law, Guy Johnson, soon appointed his successor as superintendent of the Northern Indians. While these efforts for peace were made by Pennsylvania, Conolly and others in the Virginia interest were bent on war, in which they were fully supported by Governor Dunmore. Daniel Boone was sent Jane. to guide back by land the surveyors employed on the Lower Ohio; after which he was placed in command of a frontier fort. Volunteers to march against the Indians were easily obtained. Major M'Donald, having assembled four hundred men at Fish Creek, on the Ohio, just below Wheeling, marched against and destroyed the Aug 7