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Page 48
"True, they did," said Grandfather; "and they told the English rulers
so. But the king and his ministers would not listen to good advice. In
1765, the British Parliament passed a Stamp Act."
"What was that?" inquired Charley.
"The Stamp Act," replied Grandfather, "was a law by which all deeds,
bonds, and other papers of the same kind, were ordered to be marked with
the king's stamp; and without this mark, they were declared illegal and
void. Now, in order to get a blank sheet of paper, with the king's stamp
upon it, people were obliged to pay three pence more than the actual
value of the paper. And this extra sum of three pence was a tax, and was
to be paid into the king's treasury."
"I am sure three pence was not worth quarrelling about!" remarked Clara.
"It was not for three pence, nor for any amount of money, that America
quarrelled with England," replied Grandfather; "it was for a great
principle. The colonists were determined not to be taxed, except by
their own representatives. They said that neither the king and
Parliament nor any other power on earth, had a right to take their money
out of their pockets, unless they freely gave it. And, rather than pay
three pence when it was unjustly demanded, they resolved to sacrifice
all the wealth of the country, and their lives along with it. They
therefore made a most stubborn resistance to the Stamp Act."
"That was noble!" exclaimed Laurence. "I understand how it was. If they
had quietly paid this tax of three pence, they would have ceased to be
freemen, and would have become tributaries of England. And so they
contended about a great question of right and wrong, and put every thing
at stake for it."
"You are right, Laurence," said Grandfather; "and it was really amazing
and terrible to see what a change came over the aspect of the people,
the moment the English Parliament had passed this oppressive act. The
former history of our chair, my children, has given you some idea of
what a harsh, unyielding, stern set of men the old Puritans were. For a
good many years back, however, it had seemed as if these characteristics
were disappearing. But no sooner did England offer wrong to the
colonies, than the descendants of the early settlers proved that they
had the same kind of temper as their forefathers. The moment before, New
England appeared like an humble and loyal subject of the crown; the next
instant, she showed the grim, dark features of an old king-resisting
Puritan."
Grandfather spoke briefly of the public measures that were taken in
opposition to the Stamp Act. As this law affected all the American
colonies alike, it naturally led them to think of consulting together in
order to procure its repeal. For this purpose, the legislature of
Massachusetts proposed that delegates from every colony should meet in
Congress. Accordingly nine colonies, both northern and southern, sent
delegates to the city of New York.
"And did they consult about going to war with England?" asked Charley.
"No, Charley," answered Grandfather; "a great deal of talking was yet to
be done, before England and America could come to blows. The Congress
stated the rights and the grievances of the colonists. They sent an
humble petition to the king, and a memorial to the Parliament,
beseeching that the Stamp Act might be repealed. This was all that the
delegates had it in their power to do."
"They might as well have staid at home, then," said Charley.
"By no means," replied Grandfather. "It was a most important and
memorable event--this first coming together of the American people, by
their representatives from the north and south. If England had been
wise, she would have trembled at the first word that was spoken in such
an assembly!"
These remonstrances and petitions, as Grandfather observed, were the
work of grave, thoughtful, and prudent men. Meantime, the young and
hot-headed people went to work in their own way. It is probable that the
petitions of Congress would have had little or no effect on the British
statesmen, if the violent deeds of the American people had not shown how
much excited the people were. LIBERTY TREE was soon heard of in England.
"What was Liberty Tree?" inquired Clara.
"It was an old elm tree," answered Grandfather, "which stood near the
corner of Essex street, opposite the Boylston market. Under the
spreading branches of this great tree, the people used to assemble,
whenever they wished to express their feelings and opinions. Thus, after
a while, it seemed as if the liberty of the country was connected with
Liberty Tree."
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