American commerce, a continuance of the same aids in time of peace. On the other hand, he asked the repeal of the Quebec act, and insisted on the repeal of the acts regulating the government and changing the laws of Massachusetts. "The old colonies," it was objected, "have nothing to do with the affairs of Canada." "We assisted in its conquest," said Franklin; "loving liberty ourselves, we wish to have no foundation for future slavery laid in America." "The Massachusetts act," it was urged, "is an improvement of that government." "The pretended amendments are real mischiefs," answered Franklin; "but, were it not so, charters are compacts between two parties, the king and the people, not to be altered even for the better but by the consent of both. The parliament's claim and exercise of a power to alter charters which had been always held inviolable, and to alter laws of the colonial legislatures which, having received the royal approbation, had been deemed fixed and unchangeable but by the powers that made them, have rendered all our constitutions uncertain. As by claiming a right to tax at will, you deprive us of all property, so, by this claim of altering our laws at will, you deprive us of all privilege and right but what we hold at your pleasure. We must risk life and everything rather than submit to this."

The words of Franklin were in harmony with the true voice of England. "Were I an American," said Camden in the house of lords, "I would resist to the last drop of my blood." Still the annual estimates indicated no fear of the interruption of peace. The land-tax was continued at but three shillings in the pound; no vote of credit was required; the army was neither increased nor reformed; and the naval force was reduced by four thousand seamen. "How is it possible," asked the partisans of authority, "that a people without arms, ammunition, money, or navy, should dare to brave the foremost among all the powers on earth?" "I know," said Sandwich, now at the head of the admiralty, "the low establishment proposed will be fully sufficient for reducing the colonies to obedience. Americans are neither disciplined nor capable of discipline; their numbers will only add to the facility of their defeat ;" and he made the lords merry with jests at their cowardice.

The congress of Massachusetts, though destitute of munitions of war, armed vessels, military stores, and money, had confidence that a small people, resolute in its convictions, outweighs an empire. On the return of Samuel Adams, they adopted all the recommendations of the continental congress. They established a secret correspondence with Canada. They entreated the ministers of the gospel in their colony "to assist in avoiding that dreadful slavery with which all were now threatened." "You," said they to its people, "are placed by Providence in the post of honor, because it is the post of danger; while struggling for the noblest objects, let nothing unbecoming our character as Americans, as citizens, and Christians, be justly chargeable to us. Whoever considers the number of brave men inhabiting North America will know that a general attention to military discipline must so establish their rights and liberties as, under God, to render it impossible to destroy them. But we apprise you of your danger, which appears to us imminently great." With such words they adjourned, to keep the annual Thanksgiving which they themselves had appointed, finding occasion in their distress to rejoice at "the smiles of Divine Providence on the union in their own province and throughout the continent."

As British ships of the line successively arrived, they brought for the land service no more than six hundred recruits, which only made good the losses by sickness and desertion; so that Gage had scarcely three thousand effective men. Before the middle of December it became known that the king in council had forbidden the export of arms to America; at once men from Providence removed more than forty pieces of cannon from the colony's works near Newport; and the assembly and merchants of Rhode Island took measures to import military stores.

At Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the fourteenth of December, just after letters were received from Boston, members of the town committee, with other Sons of Liberty, preceded by a drum and fife, paraded the streets till their number grew to four hundred, when they made their way in scows and "gondolas" to the fort at the entrance of the harbor, overpowered the few invalids who formed its garrison, and carried

off upward of one hundred barrels of powder that belonged to the province. The next day John Sullivan led a party to dismantle the fort, from which they brought away all the small arms, a quantity of shot, and sixteen light pieces of artillery.

In Massachusetts three hundred thousand people continued their usual avocations without a legislature or executive officers, without sheriffs, judges, or justices of the peace. As the supervision of government disappeared, each man seemed more and more a law to himself, and order prevailed in a province where there existed no administration but by committees, no military officers but those chosen by the militia. Yet never were legal magistrates obeyed with more alacrity. The selectmen continued their usual functions; the zeal of the churches increased in fervor. From the sermons of memorable divines, who were gone to a heavenly country, leaving their names precious among the people of God on earth, a brief collection of faithful testimonies to the cause of God and his New England people was circulated by the press, that the hearts of the rising generation might know what had been the great end of the plantations, and count it their duty and their glory to continue in those right ways of the Lord wherein their fathers walked before them. Their successors in the ministry, all pupils of Harvard or Yale, true ministers to the people, unequalled in metaphysical acuteness and familiarity with the principles of political freedom, were heard as of old with reverence by their congregations in their meeting-houses on every Lord's day, and on special occasions of fasts, thanksgivings, lectures, and military musters. Elijah's mantle being caught up was a happy token that the Lord would be with this generation, as he had been with their fathers. Their exhaustless armory was the Bible, whose scriptures furnished sharp words to point their appeals, apt examples of resistance, prophetic denunciations of the enemies of God's people, and promises of the divine blessing on the defenders of his law.

But what most animated the country was the magnanimity of Boston; "suffering amazing loss, but determined to endure poverty and death, rather than betray America and posterity." Its people, under the eyes of the general, disregarding his army, his proclamations, and the British statute against town-meet

ings, came together according to their ancient forms, and, with Samuel Adams as moderator, elected delegates to the next provincial congress of Massachusetts.

When the proceedings of congress reached England, their firmness, moderation, and unanimity took the ministry by surprise. Franklin invited the colonial agents to unite in presenting the petition of congress, but he was joined only by those for Massachusetts. Dartmouth received it courteously, and laid it before the king, who promised that it should be communicated to parliament.

British industry in that age made every able-bodied man of so much value that considerable enlistments at home were out of the question; rank in the army was bestowed by favor or sold, so that even boys at school held commissions; and not one general officer of that day had gained a great name. Aristocratic selfishness had unfitted England for war, unless under a minister who could inspirit the nation. Barrington, the military secretary, pressed upon the government the result of his observations: "The contest will cost more than we can gain. We have not strength to levy internal taxes on America; many among ourselves doubt their equity; all the troops in North America are not enough to subdue the Massachusetts; the most successful conquest must produce the horrors of civil war. Till the factious chiefs can be secured, judicial proceedings would confer the palm of martyrdom without the pain;" and he urged an immediate withdrawal of the troops, the "abandonment of all ideas of internal taxation," and such "concessions" as could be made "with dignity."

Lord North was ready to negotiate with the Americans for the right to tax themselves. Franklin appeared to be the great agent of the continent; and, as it was still thought that his secret instructions might authorize him to modify the conditions of conciliation, Lord Howe undertook to ascertain the extent of his powers.

The name of Howe was dear to Americans. The elder Lord Howe had fallen near Lake George, as their companion in arms; and Massachusetts had raised to him a monument in Westminster Abbey. His brother, William Howe, who had served with Americans in America, was selected as the new

colonial commander-in-chief; and his oldest surviving brother, now Lord Howe, was to be employed as the pacificator.

"No man," said Lord Howe to Franklin at their first interview on Christmas-day evening, 1774, "can do more toward reconciling our differences than you. I have a particular regard for New England, which has shown an endearing respect for my family. If you will indulge me with your ideas, I may be a means of bringing on a good understanding." At the unexpected prospect of restoring harmony, tears of joy wet Franklin's cheeks. He had remained in London at the peril of his liberty, perhaps of his life, to promote reconciliation. With candor and fidelity he explained the measures by which alone tranquillity could be restored; and they included the repeal of the regulating act for Massachusetts.

Lord Howe made his report of the interview to Dartmouth and North; but they adhered to the vague and aimless plan of commissioners who should repair to America and endeavor to agree with its leading people upon some means of composing all differences. Every prospect of preferment was opened to Franklin if he would take part in such a commission. In reply he frankly pointed out, as the only basis for a cordial union, the repeal of the acts complained of; the removal of the fleet and the troops from Boston; and a voluntary recall of some oppressive measures which the colonists had passed over in silence; leaving the questions which related to aids, general commerce, and reparation to the India company, to be arranged with the next general congress.

The assembly of the island of Jamaica, at their session in December, disclaiming any intention of joining the American confederacy, entreated the king to recognise the title of all Americans to the benefits of the English constitution as the bond of union between them and Britain; but their petition, though received by the king and communicated to the house of commons, had no effect whatever.

"It is plain enough," so reasoned Vergennes, "the king of England is puzzled between his desire of reducing the colonies and his dread of driving them to a separation; so that nothing could be more interesting than their affairs." As the king of France might be asked to render them assistance, the English

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