George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 5, 13th edition.

[425] towards an organization, which should embrace

chap. XXIII.} 1766. Feb.

the continent. In February, those in Boston, and in many towns in Massachusetts, acceded to the association of Connecticut and New-York; and joined in urging a continental union. They of Portsmouth in New Hampshire pledged themselves equally to the same measures.¹ In Connecticut, on the tenth of February, the patriots of Norwich welcomed the plan; while, on the next day, a convention of almost all the towns of Litchfield county resolved that the Stamp Act was unconstitutional, null, and void, and that business of all kinds should go on as usual. Then, too, the hum of domestic industry was heard more and more: young women would get together, and merrily and emulously drive the spinning wheel from sunrise till dark; and every day the humor spread for being clad in homespun.²

Cheered by the zeal of New England, the Sons of Liberty of New-York, under the lead of Isaac Sears and John Lamb, sent circular letters as far as South Carolina, inviting to the formation of a permanent continental union.³

But the summons was not waited for. The people of South Carolina grew more and more hearty against the Act. ‘We are a very weak province,’ reasoned Christopher Gadsden,⁴ ‘yet a rich growing one, and of as much importance to Great Britain as any upon the continent; and a great part of our weakness, though at the same time 'tis part of our riches, consists in having such a number of slaves amongst ’