Stories of Later American History | Page 7

for the

newspapers, and sometimes urgent letters to the various leaders in
Massachusetts and in the other colonies. Long after midnight, those
who passed his dimly lighted windows could see "Sam Adams hard at
work writing against the Tories."
[Illustration: Patriots in New York Destroying Stamps Intended for Use
in Connecticut.]
Had you seen him at this time, you would never have thought of him as
a remarkable man. He was of medium size, with keen gray eyes, and
hair already fast turning white. His head and hands trembled as if with
age, though he was only forty-two years old and in good health.
He was a great power in the colony. Not only did he rouse the people
against the Stamp Act, but he helped to organize, in opposition to it,
societies of patriots called "Sons of Liberty," who refused to use the
stamps and often destroyed them. In Massachusetts, as in Virginia and
elsewhere, the people refused to buy any English goods until this
hateful act was repealed.
At the close of a year, before it had really been put into operation, the
act was repealed, as we have already seen. But this did not happen until
many resolutions had been passed, many appeals made to the King, and
after much excitement. Then great was the rejoicing! In every town in
the country bonfires were lighted, and every colonial assembly sent
thanks to the King.
But the obstinate, power-loving George III was not happy about this
repeal. In fact, he had given in very much against his will. He wanted to
rule England in his own way, and how could he do so if he allowed his
stubborn colonists in America thus to get the better of him?
So he made up his mind to insist upon some sort of a tax. In 1767,
therefore, only one year after the repeal of the Stamp Act, he asked
Parliament to pass a law taxing glass, lead, paper, tea, and a few other
articles imported into the colonies.
This new tax was laid, but again the colonists said: "We had no part in

levying it, and if we pay it, we shall be giving up our rights as freemen.
But how can we help ourselves?"
Samuel Adams and other leaders answered: "We can resist it just as we
did the Stamp Act--by refusing to buy any goods whatever from
England." To this the merchants agreed. While the unjust tax was in
force, they promised to import no English goods, and the people
promised not to ask for such goods.
Then many wealthy people agreed to wear homespun instead of
English cloths, and to stop eating mutton in order to have more sheep to
produce wool for this homespun, thus showing a willingness to give up
for the cause some of the luxuries which they had learned to enjoy.
Of course, this stand taken by the colonists angered the King. He called
them rebels and sent soldiers to Boston to help enforce the laws (1768).
From the first the people of Boston felt insulted at having these soldiers
in their midst, and it was not long before trouble broke out. In a street
fight at night the troops fired upon the crowd, killing and wounding a
number of men.
This caused great excitement. The next day, under the leadership of
Samuel Adams, the citizens of Boston demanded that all the soldiers
should be removed. Fearing more serious trouble if the demand was
disregarded, the officers withdrew the soldiers to an island in the
harbor.
Still the feeling did not die down. The new taxes were a constant
irritation. "Only slaves would submit to such an injustice," said Samuel
Adams, and his listeners agreed. In Massachusetts and in other colonies
the English goods were refused, and, as in the case of the Stamp Act,
the English merchants felt the pinch of heavy losses, and begged that
the new tax laws be repealed.
SAMUEL ADAMS AND THE "BOSTON TEA PARTY"
Feeling grew stronger and matters grew worse until at length, after

something like three years, Parliament took off all the new taxes except
the one on tea. "They must pay one tax to know we keep the right to
tax," said the King. It was as if the King's followers had winked slyly at
one another and said: "We shall see--we shall see! Those colonists must
have their tea to drink, and a little matter of threepence a pound they
will overlook."
It would have been much better for England if she had taken off all the
taxes and made friends with the colonists. Many leaders in that country
said so, but the stubborn King was bent upon having his own way. "I
will be King," he said. "They shall do as I say."
Then he