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George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 49: (search)
further authority, of themselves, in an act drawn by Elbridge Gerry to encourage the fitting out of armed vessels, instituted such tribunals. The king's silly proclamation will put an end to petitioning, wrote James Warren, the speaker, to Samuel Adams; movements worthy of your august body are expected; a declaration of independence, and treaties with foreign powers. Hawley was the first to discern through the darkness the coming national government of the republic, even while it still lay far below the horizon; and he wrote from Watertown to Samuel Adams: The eyes of all the continent are fastened on your body, to see whether you act with firmness and intrepidity, with the spirit and dispatch which our situation calls for; it is time for your body to fix on periodical annual elections—nay, to form into a parliament of two houses. The first day of November brought to the gen- Chap. XLIX.} 1775. Nov eral congress the king's proclamation, and definite rumors that the colonies
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 51: (search)
ion of the several colonies. Thus the speech, which in its words and its effects was irrevocable, presented a false issue. The Americans had not designed to establish an independent government; of their leading statesmen it was the desire of Samuel Adams alone; they had all been educated in the love and admiration of constitutional monarchy, and even John Adams and Jefferson so sincerely shrunk back from the attempt at creating another government in its stead, that, to the last moment, they weand passion the cheering idea, that the impending change, which had been deprecated as the ruin of the empire, would bring no disaster to Britain. American statesmen had struggled to avoid a separation, which neither the indefatigable zeal of Samuel Adams, nor the eloquence of John Adams, nor the sympathetic spirit of Jefferson, could have brought about. The king was the author of American independence. Chap. LI.} 1775. His several measures, as one by one they were successively borne across
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 56: (search)
nd referred the subject to congress. That body appointed Wythe, Samuel Adams, and Wilson, to deliberate on the question; and on the report ofhad cultivated the society of Franklin, Rittenhouse, Clymer, and Samuel Adams; his essay, when finished, was shown to Franklin, to Rittenhouse, to Samuel Adams, and to Rush; and Rush gave it the title of common sense. The design and end of government, it was reasoned, is fre speech at the opening of parliament arrived. The tyrant! said Samuel Adams; his speech breathes the most malevolent spirit; and determines ng independence. He was strongly supported. On the other hand, Samuel Adams insisted that congress had already been explicit enough; and appvering, they elected Elbridge Gerry to his place; at the moment, Samuel Adams repaired for sympathy and consolation to Franklin. In a free conies could not be obtained. If none of the rest will join, said Samuel Adams to Franklin, I will endeavor to unite the New England colonies i
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 58: (search)
disarm them. Meantime the New York provincial convention, in spite of many obstacles and delays, met in sufficient numbers to transact business; explained to the general congress the expediency of delaying the appeal to arms in their city till better preparations could be made; and requested that body to undertake the disarming of the disaffected on Long Island. All their suggestions were approved, and made general in their application. After the report of a committee, consisting of Samuel Adams, William Livingston, and Jay, the several colonial conventions or committees were authorized to disarm the unworthy Americans who took the part of their oppressors; and were carefully invested with full authority to direct and control the continental troops who might be employed in this delicate service. Colonel Nathaniel Heard of Woodbridge, New Jersey, and Colonel Waterbury of Stamford in Connecticut, were then directed, each with five or six hundred minute men, to enter Long Island, a
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 60: (search)
perior to any one of them; he had more learning than Washington, or any other American statesman of his age; better knowledge of liberty as founded in law than Samuel Adams; clearer insight into the constructive elements of government than Franklin; more power in debate than Jefferson; more courageous manliness than Dickinson; mor should be offered and soldiers enlisted for the war. The obvious wisdom of the advice and the solemnity with which it was enforced, arrested attention; and Samuel Adams proposed to take up the question of lengthening the time of enlistments, which had originally been limited from the hope of a speedy reconciliation. Some membble measure put it out of our power to terminate this destructive war; I wait for the expected propositions with painful anxiety. Of this waiting for commissioners Samuel Adams made a scorn. His words were: Is not America already independent? Why not, then, declare it? Because, say some, it will forever shut the door of reco
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 63: (search)
rs conferred on him did not extend so far as to justify him in voting for the measure without a breach of trust; and yet, if the averments of the preamble should be confirmed, he pledged New York to independence. Sherman argued, that the adoption of the resolution was the best way to procure the harmony with Great Britain, which New York desired. Mackean, who represented Delaware, thought the step must be taken, or liberty, property, and life be lost. The first object of New York, said Samuel Adams, is the establishment of their rights. Our petitions are Chap. LXIII.} 1776. May. answered only by fleets, and armies, and myrmidons from abroad. The king has thrown us out of his protection; why should we support governments under his authority? Floyd of New York was persuaded, that it could not be long before his constituents would think it necessary to take up some more stable form of government than what they then exercised; that there were little or no hopes of commissioners co
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 65: (search)
se he represented Virginia from which the proposition had gone forth, and because he had been elected by the largest number of votes. On the twelfth the office of digesting the form of a confederation to be entered into between the colonies, was referred to a committee of one member from each colony; and as if the subject had not been of transcendant importance, the appointment of the committee was left to the presiding officer. Among those whom Hancock selected are found the names of Samuel Adams, Dickinson, and Edward Rutledge: it could have been wished that the two Adamses had changed places, though probably the result would at that time have been the same; no one man had done Chap LXV.} 1776 June. so much to bring about independence as the elder Adams; but his skill in constructing governments, not his knowledge of the principles of freedom, was less remarkable than that of his younger kinsman. In the committee, Dickinson, who, as an opponent of independence, could promote o