Show ago M qa IL ot THE BY THE installment 12 lie had not been put upon their of correspondence or been with nicholas and pendle attan suad and leo and henry to draw reso maloas and but when vt K name to choosing those thosa who should tho the old dominion in tile tho con armi but two names stood before yi TAS in tile tho vote peyton randolph IM richard henry lee george 98 99 patrick honry henry 89 bland 79 70 benjamin hardtman V i edmund pendleton 62 such duch traxl atut been tho the preference prefer enco of tho the con admired by northerners Norther nera the northern delegates admired his omay like alko air and gesture aad ala hIs modest and coot cool but deter minad acyle and accent when he and wondered to see him film look IB carco forty when they recalled how kio name had gone gond through the tha colo twenty years ago when he had anft amet thet tha rench french so BO gallantly at great greal meadows arca and with braddock Braddo cli at the Mr knof tile tha 01 olo ao itlie massai betts delegates had fferson me asonto admire to lite hla manly openness too coo and a straightforward craigh t forward candor an old ald comrade in arms whom he es as I a virginian now in regular and stationed with tho the in doston boston had written him very damaging things about tho the pu pa tf riot leaders of the beset town of their tyrannical oppression over one ia mother and their axed aim at total independence and had biad charged them roundly with being no better chaa demagogues and rebels for fop himself washington went at once to 10 tile the men amused accused to learn from their own lips thear principles and intentions taking chard henry lee and discreet dr ShIp shippan pan along with him as his spon mors and witnesses spent the oven tas enig at home with colonel leo lee colonel Wan washington hIngton and dr shippen who cazz in III to consult us was waa john adams entry la iff his mary diary for septem zer mth ivo doubt samuel adams found the interview a trying one and winced a under tho the examination of tho c jm and steady soldier going so to the point tor for all hla his vir kanlan ceremony there had bad been many outward signs of tile the demagogue denio demo gogue in adams ca weer lie had been consciously and planning and scheming vor independence ever since 1768 and aind made do public avowal ot of ills his pur epam no longer ago than last year it roust have taxed even hla his adroit pow pew vs B to convince these frank virginians that his bis purpose was not rebellion but bill lat Eft barty that he venerated what they and wished only what they t k wished f omada massachusetts men genuine genuino truth somehow lay open be fore the evening was gone there was waa crank cordiality in the parting ng wash was convinced of their genuine mess iness and sobriety though you are UA fied to believe by venal men lie he replied to captain mackenzie that the a ot of massachusetts are rebel rabel uwin setting up for the independency tend rand what not cot give me leave my good to tell you that you are abused 1 abused this I 1 advance with ib degree of confidence and boldness which may claim your our belief having ater opportunities tor for knowing the wal real ol of the lie people you are among from tho the leaders of them in opposition to the present measures of 0 ahe administration than you have irom from those whose business it la Is not to disclose truth but to misrepresent in order to justify as much as ven sensible sible to the world their own conduct the massachusetts men had come rw a better understanding of tho the game began to see how cautiously it must ibie played how slowly and how wisely A critical business it was a critical business this of drawing all the colonies into a coman nun congress as it if to create a dt dl sr etIng body for the continent with tout constitution or warrant tho the establishment mabli of committees of corre had seemed little short of for it was notorious the committees were formed to concert action the government at home but bals congress of committees was an ven even inore serious matter would the colonies venture a con Cn organization to defy parliament dangerous of opinion were blown hot between neighbors tty by such auch measures some same of the best men in america were opposed to the course which was now kaow evidently to bo be taken so long lone as jt it was werely merely a matter of at protest by the col onlea severally they bad had no criticism tomake to laako except perhaps that mr mr henry luul held unnecessarily high language and had bad been beef bold and defiant beyond aneas but when they saw how the opposition gathered head hastened crom protest to concerted resistance put out popular coi into the place of it lawful legislative assemblies and advanced at length aoa to a continental deemed it to abom vats yes vindicate ulger loyalty to hla his maje government and avert a revolution opposed to rash measures they were not men to be trifled with had they been able to unite upon active measures had they advanced van cod from defence to to aggressive action they might havo have rendered themselves formidable beyond possibility of defeat everywhere men of 0 substance and of influence were to be found by th tho 0 score who were opposed to a revolutionary agitation such auch as this ibis that now seemed to be gathering head even in massachusetts men who bore the best and oldest names of the commonwealth mon wealth were of this number in now york and pennsylvania at the very heart of tile the continent they could it was believed boast a majority as aa well as to tho the far southward in tile the low country of south carolina and georgia without hurt to the empire no one they declared but designing politicians and men without property those who had bad much to gain and nothing to lose by the upsetting of law and ordered government wished to see this contest with the ministry pushed to extremes they wished no less than others to sen see the colonies keep their lawful and chartered liberties but the thing must bo be accomplished soberly and without loss of things equally dear of honor and tile the maintenance of an unbroken english empire the nice balance of the parties was disclosed in tho the congress itself tile the pennsylvania delegation was led by joseph galloway calloway a man in the prime of life full of force and learning who had be been 1 en speaker of the provincial house these eight years by the almost unanimous choice of his collea colleagues guei end and who now stood forth to utter the real voice ot or hla his colony in proposing measures of accommodation the speakers proposition ile he proposed that the home government be asked to sanction an the establishment lish ment of a confederate parliament tor for america composed of delegates to bo be chosen every third year by the legislatures of the several not colonies and acting under a goberni gove ral T general tobo appointed by tho the drown crown edward rutledge of south carolina hot orator for liberty though he be was declared in an almost perfect plan and was eager to see it adopted influential members from almost every quartee gave it their hearty support M mr john jay of new york among the rest and it was waa defeated d only by t to e narrow majority of a single colons col onys vote chathams opinion of congress chatham might very justly commend the congress of 1774 as conspicuous among deliberative bodies tor for its decency firmness and wisdom its solidity of reasoning force of sagacity and wisdom of conclusion under such a complication ot of circumstances was waa such as even he be did not fully comprehend for seven weeks of almost continuous session did it hammer its stiff business into shape never wearying of deliberation or debate till it could I 1 put forth papers to the world an address to the king memorials to the people of great britain and to the people of british america their fellow subjects and a solemn declaration of rights which should mark it na no revolutionary body but a congress of just and thoughtful englishmen in love not with license or rebellion but with right and wholesome liberty A single aggressive act their only act of aggression was the formation of an american association cia tion pledged against trade with great britain till the legislation of which they complained should bo be repealed their only intimation of intention for the future was a resolution to meet again tho the next spring should their prayers not meanwhile bo be heeded washington turned tun ad homeward from the congress con greas with thoughts and purposes every way deepened and matured it had been a mere seven weeks conference no one had bad deemed the congress a governments government or had spoken of any object save peace and accommodation mo dation but no one could foresee the issue of what had been done A vision of united america A spirit had bad run through those deliberations libe rations which gave thoughtful men as they pondered it a now new idea of the colonies it needed no prophet to discern beyond all this sober and anxious business a vision of america united armed belligerent tor for her rights there was no telling what form of scornful rejection awaited that declaration of rights or the grave pleading of that urgent memorial to the crown it behooved every man to hold himself in readiness for the worst and washington saw as clearly as any man at how nice a hazard things stood washington not deceived ile he had bad too frank a Judg judgment mint upon affairs to cheat himself with false also hopes an ignato spirit of freedom first told me that the measures which administration hath bath for tome ome time been and now are most violently pur suing are repugnant to every principle of natural justice had been his earnest language to dryan bryan fairfax ere lie he set out for the congress whilst nuch much abler heads beads than my 0 wn own hath bath fully convinced me that it la Is not only repugnant to natural right but subversive of the laws and constitution of groat great britain itself in the establishment lish ment of which some borne of tile tho best beat blood of the kingdom hath been split 1 1 I could wish I 1 own wn he had added a that this dispute had been left to posterity to determine could be no compromise nut but he knew more clearly than ever before as aa ii he a rode he homeward ward from tao the congress through the autumn woods w that it had not been that lee and an I 1 henry and mason were rightly ot of the same mind and purpose I 1 with the me men from massachusetts that tha t conference had only united and heartened those who stood tor for liberty in every colony that there could bo be no compromise perhaps no yielding either and that every roan man must now take his soberest resolution for the times to come came washington turned steadily to his private business for the winter never th eless as was his wont pushed tor for ward the preparation and settlement of hla his western lands and stood guard as before over tho the soldiers grants upon the ohio against official bad faith and negligence the busiest man in virginia for or a year or two past there has been scarce a moment that I 1 could properly call ray my own he declared to a friend who soll solicited cited hla his promise to act as guardian to his son what with my own business my present wards my mothers which Is wholly in my hands colonel colonel mercers and tho the little assistance I 1 have undertaken to give in the management of my brother augustinas Augu stines concerns together with the share I 1 take in public affairs I 1 have been constantly engaged in writing letters settling accounts and negotiating one piece of business or another by which means I 1 have really been deprived of every kind of enjoy enjoyment meni and had almost fully resolved to engage in no fresh matter till I 1 had entirely wound w 0 u n d up the th 0 old does not shirk responsibility lie he promised to undertake the new charge nevertheless it was stuff of his nature to spend himself thus and keep his powers stretched always to a great compass with tho the now new year 1776 1775 public affairs afus loomed big again and ominous amino Us the petitions ot of the congress at philadelphia had bad been received in england almost with contempt chatham indeed with that broad and noble sagacity which made him so great a statesman had proposed that americas demands should bo be met to the utmost length of repeal and withdrawal ot of menace and that sho she should be accorded to the full the self government she demanded in respect to taxation and every domestic concern chathams fervid warning it Is not cancell cancelling ing a piece of parchment he cried that can win back america the old fire burning hot within him you must respect her fears and her resentments presentments resent ments the merchants too in fear for their trade urged very anxiously that there should be instant and ample concession dut but the kings stubborn stub bora anger the parliaments indifference the tha min incapacity made it impossible anything wise or generous should be done adding insult to injury instead of real concessions there was fresh menace the ministry did indeed otter offer to exempt from taxation every colony that would promise that by its own vote it would make proper contribution to the expenses of public defence and imperial administration ad ration in the hope thereby to disengage tho the lukewarm luke warm middle colonies from the plot now thickening against the government ern ment but massachusetts was at once proclaimed in rebellion every port in new england declared closed against trade new england fishermen wore were do da aled access to tho the newfoundland fisheries and ten thousand fresh troops were ordered to boston look for no concession neither the pleas of their friends nor the tha threats of their enemies reached tile the ears cara of the colonists promptly from over sea that spring but they were not slow sl ow to perceive that they must took look for or no concessions and a d did not wait upon parliament in their preparation for a doubtful future upon the very day the congress ot of ca committees minitte es at philadelphia adjourned a provincial congress in massachusetts chu formed of its 16 own authority in the stead of tao house of delegates the governor had but lust just now dissolved had voted to organize and equip the militia of the colony and to collect stores and arms virginia in arms arm virginia had been equally hold bold and almost equally prompt tar away as 13 ehe he seemed from the kings troops at iston uy the end of january charles charlea leq lee could write from williamsburg the whole country Is full of soldiers all furnished all in arms arma never was waa such vigor and concord heard board of not a single traitor scarcely a silent allent dissentient every county Is now arming a company of men for the avowed purpose of protecting their committees dunmore had reported to the ministry before the year 1774 was out and to bo be employed against government it occasion oc caslow require As to the power of government which your lordship directs should bo be exerted to counteract the dangerous danger oua measures pursuing hero here I 1 can assure your lordship that it Is entirely disregarded it not ly overturned there Is not a justice of pence peace in virginia that acts except as a committeeman the abolishing ol of courts of justice was the first ato taken in which the men of fortune and preeminence pre pro eminence joined equally with wit b the lowest and meanest washington asked to lead company after company as it formed asked colonel washington to as sume bume command over it not only in hit own county ot of fairfax but in counties niso also at a distance and ho he accepted the responsibility as often as it wai wa offered to him it Is my full intention he said simply to devote my life and fortune to the cause we are engaged in il 11 needful |