spondence to the other Towns;" which contained a short epitome of the ideas of the two previous portions of the report, a reference to the official papers that passed between the town and the governor, and invited a free communication of sentiment to Boston. "If," the letter says, "you concur with us in opinion, that our rights are properly stated, and measures of administration pointed out by us are subversive of these rights, you will doubtless think it of the utmost importance that we stand firm as one man to recover and support them."1

This report was the boldest and most comprehensive summary of the American cause that had appeared. It is remarkably free from passion; and, stating principles and their violation with simplicity, it calmly addressed the reason. It may not, in a literary point of view, rank with the great state-papers of congress, which Lord Chatham subsequently eulogized; but it had the qualities of other Boston statepapers, which he now (1772) perused with avidity, as "genuine fruits of unsophisticated good sense and of virtue uncorrupted;"" and, being grandly American, it well supplied the wants of the people on a themeits own words-"of such great and lasting moment as to involve in it the fate of all their posterity."

1 This report is entitled, "The Votes and Proceedings of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston, in town-meeting assembled according to Law. Published by order of the Town. To which is prefixed, as introductory, an Attested Copy of a Vote of the Town at a Preceding Meeting. Boston: printed by Edes and Gill in Queen Street, and T. and J. Fleet in Cornhill."

2 Thomas Hollis, Nov. 26, 1772, sent to Lord Chatham three publications of Boston, "which," he wrote, "tend to show a people of strong sense and virtue, in the rough, on the rise:" to which Lord Chatham replied, on the same day, "Lord Chatham will peruse with avidity the publications of the honest New Englanders, genuine fruits of unsophisticated, masculine good sense, and of virtue uncorrupted."

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The public mind, however, was so calm, face appearing even glassy to earnest souls, was feared a failure of the towns to respond to the call of the metropolis would prejudice the cause which it was designed to promote. "I wish the measure would take a general run," a zealous patriot, James Warren, of Plymouth, wrote (Dec. 8, 1772) to Samuel Adams. "I shall not fail to exert myself to have as many towns as possible meet, but fear the bigger part of them will not. They are dead, and the dead can't be raised without a miracle. I am sensible that. the Tories spare no pains (as you say) to disparage the measures; which, with their other conduct, shows their apprehension. They are nettled much." Adams was prompt to reply, "I am very sorry to find in your letter any thing that discovers the least approach towards despair. Nil desperandum. That is a motto for you and for me. All are not dead; and, where there is a spark of patriotic fire, we will rekindle it. Say you that the Tories spare no pains to disparage our measures? I knew they would, and should have greatly doubted of the importance of the measures, if they had not been nettled." Anxious, however, as

1 John Adams, at this time, owing to his health and professional practice, was averse to political life. His Diary (Life and Works of John Adams, ii. 298), of the year 1772, supplies interesting glimpses of political men. He says, Sept. 22, "I will devote myself wholly to my private business;" Nov. 21, "I must avoid politics, political clubs, town-meetings; " Nov. 28 (he had removed his family to Boston), "I am disengaged from public affairs;" Dec. 16, he dined with Warren, at Rev. Mr. Howard's: Captain Phillips was of the party, who said, "they (the people) were all still and quiet at the southward, and at New York they laugh at us." Dec. 29, Samuel Pemberton and Samuel Adams invited him to deliver the next oration, which he declined to do. Dec. 30, "Spent the evening with Mr. Samuel Adams, at his house. Had much conversation about the state of affairs, Cushing, Phillips, Hancock, Hawley, Gerry, Hutchinson, Sewall, Quincy, &c. Adams was more cool, genteel, and agreeable than common; concealed and restrained his passions, &c. He affects to despise riches, and not to dread pov

the originators of the measure were for its success, they did not follow the report into the country, and speak there in public meetings in its favor. I have not seen the mention of a single address, delivered by a Boston orator to a political gathering in the other towns, during the ten years' controversy before the war; nor of a speech, delivered by a patriot from the country, at a Boston public meeting. The popular leaders relied on correspondence and the press, in the promotion of their objects.

The report was its own orator. In a few weeks after it was sent out on its mission, the fears of the timid were dispelled, and the faith of the confident was justified. When the selectmen of the towns read it in their legal meetings, it reached communities which were planted under Christian influences, erty; but no man is more ambitious of entertaining his friends handsomely, or of making a decent, an elegant, appearance than he. He has lately new covered and glazed his house, and painted it very neatly, and has new papered, painted, and furnished his rooms; so that you visit at a very genteel house, and are very politely received and entertained. Mr. Adams corresponds with Hawley, Gerry, and others. He corresponds in England, and in several of the other provinces. His time is all employed in the public service."

1 In one instance, application was made to Josiah Quincy, jun., to prepare resolutions for the town of Petersham, which Gordon (i. 316) incorporates into his text. The introduction, and several resolutions which are marked with an asterisk, were not supplied by Quincy.

2 The "Boston Gazette," Dec. 28, 1772, has the proceedings of the town of Marblehead, on the 15th inst. It is said the debates lasted through the day, and that the meeting was composed of the greatest number of inhabitants ever known to attend a town-meeting in this place. One resolve provides that one of the pamphlets be preserved in the clerk's office, and read annually; and, — 'Further: To inform posterity, should their rights and liberties be preserved, how much they are indebted to many eminent patriots of the present day: that the names of the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., moderator of the meeting that originated the state of rights; of the Hon. James Otis, Esq., Mr. Samuel Adams, Esq., Dr. Warren, and other members of the committee which reported them,be recorded in the book of this town, as great supporters of the rights and liberties of this province, and gentlemen who do much honor and service to their country."

fixed in habits of personal independence, and invigorated by the customs of freedom; whose youth were nurtured in the common schools, and whose young men were trained in civil affairs in the town-meeting. These communities were and are, all over the country, fountains of public spirit that never failed in a crisis to supply a noble conservatism on the side of law and liberty. It was instinctively felt that the report dealt with precious heirlooms which were prized and cherished. As the people mused on its thought,— each community kindling its own fires, — patriotism warmed; and the flow of sentiment from every quarter, to the Boston committee, had the power of an intelligent public opinion.

The journals, those photographs of passing time, preserved a picture of this great scene for the admiration of posterity. Their record of the communing of the towns with the metropolis, by addresses, letters, and resolves, often elaborate, ever fresh, and always soul-stirring, is an authentic manifestation of the spirit of the time. They embrace the names of the chief men of the place as the local committee, indorse the sentiment of the report, pledge to support the metropolis as the exponent of the general cause, and express a desire for union. "May every town in this province," are the words of Cambridge, "and every colony upon the continent, be awakened to a sense of danger, and unite in the glorious cause of liberty!" "It becomes us," a town resolved in the

1 The "Boston Gazette " of Dec. 28, 1772, has the "following letter, lately received from Cambridge," which will give an idea of this political communion :"To the Committee of Communication and Correspondence at Boston:

"The committee appointed by the town of Cambridge to write to the committee of communication and correspondence at Boston, gladly embrace this oppor

heart of the province, "to rely no longer on an arm of flesh, but on the arm of that All-powerful God who is able to unite the numerous inhabitants of this extensive country as a band of brothers in one common cause." In a month, forty-five towns, out of two hundred and fifty in the province, heartily indorsed the report. A week later, it was stated that the number had increased to eighty. The announcement was then made that it would be impossible to print the proceedings of all the towns, and to make selections would be to show impartiality; and for this reason the journals stopped entirely the publication of them; but a card,' from authority, appeared in the journals,

tunity. In the name and behalf of the said town of Cambridge, and with the most sincere respect, they acknowledge the vigilance and care, discovered by the town of Boston, of the public rights and liberties; acquainting you that this town will heartily concur in all salutary, proper, and constitutional measures for the redress of those intolerable grievances which threaten, and, if continued, must overthrow the happy civil constitution of this province.

"It is with the greatest pleasure we now inform you, that we think the meeting was as full as it has been, for the choice of a representative, for a number of years, if not fuller; and that the people discovered a glorious spirit, like men determined to be free. We have here enclosed you a copy of the votes and proceedings of this town, at their meetings, so far as they have gone. "We would add, may the town of Boston, the capital of this province, rejoice in perpetual prosperity! May wisdom direct her in all her consultations! May her spirited and prudent conduct render her a terror to tyrants! May every town in this province, and every colony upon the continent, be awakened to a sense of danger, and unite in the glorious cause of liberty. Then shall we be able effectually to disappoint the machinations of our enemies. To conclude, that this land may be purged from those sins which are a reproach to a people, and be exalted by righteousness; that God Almighty may be our God, as he was the God of our fathers; and that we may be possessed of the same principles of virtue, religion, and public spirit which warmed and animated the hearts of our renowned ancestors, is the sincere prayer of your friends in the common cause of our country, the committee of the town of Cambridge.

"EBENEZER STEDMAN, per order."

1 To the Public. It is proposed that all the proceedings of the towns in the Massachusetts province, for the preservation of the rights of America, be collected and published in a volume, that posterity may know what their ancestors have done in the cause of freedom; it is expected that the inhabitants of every