Stories of Later American History | Page 8

and his followers worked up what seemed to them a clever
scheme for hoodwinking the colonists. "We will make the tea cheaper
in America than in England," they said. "Such a bargain! How can the
simple colonists resist it?" Great faith was put in this foolish plan.
But they were soon to find out that those simple colonists were only
Englishmen across the sea, that they too had strong wills, and that they
did not care half so much about buying cheap tea as they did about
giving up a principle and paying a tax, however small, which they had
no part in levying.
King George went straight ahead to carry out his plan. It was arranged
that the East India Company should ship cargoes of tea to Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, and Charleston.
In due time the tea arrived. Then the King's eyes were opened. What
did he find out about the spirit of these colonists? That they simply
would not use this tea. The people in New York and Philadelphia
refused to let it land, and in Charleston they stored it in damp cellars,
where it spoiled.
But the most exciting time was in Boston, where the Tory governor,
Hutchinson, was determined to carry out the King's wishes. Hence
occurred the famous "Boston Tea Party,"--a strange tea-party, where no
cups were used, no guests invited, and no tea drunk! Did you ever hear
of such a party? Let us see what really happened.

It was on a quiet Sunday, the 28th of November, 1773, when the
Dartmouth, the first of the three tea ships bound for Boston, sailed into
the harbor. The people were attending service in the various churches
when the cry, "The Dartmouth is in!" spread like wild-fire. Soon the
streets were alive with people. That was a strange Sunday in Puritan
Boston.
The leaders quickly sought out Benjamin Rotch, the owner of the
Dartmouth, and obtained his promise that the tea should not be landed
before Tuesday. Then they called a mass meeting for Monday morning,
in Fanueil Hall, afterward known as the "Cradle of Liberty."
[Illustration: Fanueil Hall, Boston.]
The crowd was so great that they adjourned to the Old South Church,
and there they overflowed into the street. There were five thousand in
all, some of them from near-by towns. Samuel Adams presided. In
addressing the meeting, he asked: "Is it the firm resolution of this body
not only that the tea shall be sent back, but that no duty shall be paid
thereon?" "Yes!" came the prompt and united answer from these brave
men.
So the patriots of Boston and the surrounding towns, with Samuel
Adams at their head, were determined that the tea should not be landed.
Governor Hutchinson was equally determined that it should be. A
stubborn fight, therefore, was on hand.
The Boston patriots appointed men, armed with muskets and bayonets,
to watch the tea ships, some by day, others by night. Six post-riders
were appointed, who should keep their horses saddled and bridled,
ready to speed into the country to give the alarm if a landing should be
attempted. Sentinels were stationed in the church belfries to ring the
bells, and beacon-fires were made ready for lighting on the surrounding
hilltops.
Tuesday, December 16, dawned. It was a critical day. If the tea should
remain in the harbor until the morrow--the twentieth day after
arrival--the revenue officer would be empowered by law to land it

forcibly.
[Illustration: Old South Church, Boston.]
Men, talking angrily and shaking their fists with excitement, were
thronging into the streets of Boston from the surrounding towns. By ten
o'clock over seven thousand had assembled in the Old South Church
and in the streets outside. They were waiting for the coming of
Benjamin Rotch, who had gone to see if the collector would give him a
"clearance," or permission to sail out of the port of Boston with the tea.
Rotch came in and told the angry crowd that the collector refused to
give the clearance. The people told him that he must get a pass from the
governor. Then the meeting adjourned for the morning.
At three o'clock in the afternoon a great throng of eager men again
crowded the Old South Church and the streets outside to wait for the
return of Rotch. It was an anxious moment. "If the governor refuses to
give the pass, shall the revenue officer be allowed to seize the tea and
land it to-morrow morning?" Many anxious faces showed that men
were asking themselves this momentous question.
[Illustration: The "Boston Tea Party."]
But while, in deep suspense, the meeting waited for Rotch to come they
discussed the situation, and suddenly John Rowe asked: "Who knows
how tea will mingle with salt water?" At once a whirlwind of applause