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Page 49
"It was glorious fruit for a tree to bear," remarked Laurence.
[Illustration]
"It bore strange fruit, sometimes," said Grandfather. "One morning in
August, 1765, two figures were found hanging on the sturdy branches of
Liberty Tree. They were dressed in square-skirted coats and
small-clothes; and, as their wigs hung down over their faces, they
looked like real men. One was intended to represent the Earl of Bute,
who was supposed to have advised the king to tax America. The other was
meant for the effigy of Andrew Oliver, a gentleman belonging to one of
the most respectable families in Massachusetts."
"What harm had he done?" inquired Charley.
"The king had appointed him to be distributor of the stamps," answered
Grandfather. "Mr. Oliver would have made a great deal of money by this
business. But the people frightened him so much by hanging him in
effigy, and afterwards by breaking into his house, that he promised to
have nothing to do with the stamps. And all the king's friends
throughout America were compelled to make the same promise."
CHAPTER III.
"Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson," continued Grandfather, "now began to
be unquiet in our old chair. He had formerly been much respected and
beloved by the people, and had often proved himself a friend to their
interests. But the time was come, when he could not be a friend to the
people, without ceasing to be a friend to the king. It was pretty
generally understood, that Hutchinson would act according to the king's
wishes, right or wrong, like most of the other gentlemen who held
offices under the crown. Besides, as he was brother-in-law of Andrew
Oliver, the people now felt a particular dislike to him."
"I should think," said Laurence, "as Mr. Hutchinson had written the
history of our Puritan forefathers, he would have known what the temper
of the people was, and so have taken care not to wrong them."
"He trusted in the might of the king of England," replied Grandfather,
"and thought himself safe under the shelter of the throne. If no dispute
had arisen between the king and the people, Hutchinson would have had
the character of a wise, good, and patriotic magistrate. But, from the
time that he took part against the rights of his country, the people's
love and respect were turned to scorn and hatred; and he never had
another hour of peace."
In order to show what a fierce and dangerous spirit was now aroused
among the inhabitants, Grandfather related a passage from history, which
we shall call
THE HUTCHINSON MOB.
On the evening of the twenty-sixth of August, 1765, a bonfire was
kindled in King Street. It flamed high upward, and threw a ruddy light
over the front of the town house, on which was displayed a carved
representation of the royal arms. The gilded vane of the cupola
glittered in the blaze. The kindling of this bonfire was the well known
signal for the populace of Boston to assemble in the street.
Before the tar-barrels, of which the bonfire was made, were half burnt
out, a great crowd had come together. They were chiefly laborers and
seafaring men, together with many young apprentices, and all those idle
people about town who are ready for any kind of mischief. Doubtless some
school-boys were among them.
While these rough figures stood round the blazing bonfire, you might
hear them speaking bitter words against the high officers of the
province. Governor Bernard, Hutchinson, Oliver, Storey, Hallowell, and
other men whom King George delighted to honor, were reviled as traitors
to the country. Now and then, perhaps, an officer of the crown passed
along the street, wearing the gold-laced hat, white wig, and embroidered
waistcoat, which were the fashion of the day. But, when the people
beheld him, they set up a wild and angry howl, and their faces had an
evil aspect, which was made more terrible by the flickering blaze of the
bonfire.
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