6. The madness that afflicted the last years of the life of George III
seems to have taken possession of the British ministry. Exaction
followed exaction in increasing intensity and number. The history of
coercive legislation can scarcely find a parallel to that of the
British Parliament for the fifteen years following the fall of Quebec.
Withal, no excuse was ever made for injustice done, no sympathy was
ever expressed for suffering inflicted, but all communication conveyed
the stern purpose to subdue. Hungry for affection, the half-grown
offspring turned his face toward England for the smallest caress, and
the east wind brought back across the Atlantic full in his face the
sharp crack of a whip.
7. Then came a period of aggression and resistance. The Stamp Act was
passed, but stamp could not be sold, and the lives of stamp-venders
became miserable. Soldiers crowded citizens upon Boston Common;
citizens mobbed the soldiers; soldiers fired, killing five citizens,
and were saved from destruction only by the active interference of the
patriot leaders. This affray marked the first shedding of blood, and
has gone into history as "The Boston Massacre." Tea was taxed, but
the matrons took to catnip and sage, and no tea was sold. Three
cargoes of taxed tea were sent into Boston harbor, but a war-whoop was
heard; the vessels were boarded by a band of painted savages, tomahawk
in band; the tea-chests were broken up and the tea was thrown into the
water.
Pages:
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277