[30] “Afterwards, ... a reward of five thousand dollars for the leader and two thousand five hundred ... the other parties.”—_Idem._ [31] “A commission of inquiry under the great seal of England ... sat from the 4th until the 22d of January ... adjourned until ... May ... and sat until the 23d of June. But not a solitary clue to the identity of the perpetrators could be obtained.”—_Idem._ THE LEBANON BOYS IN BOSTON.[1] The Tea-Party, December 16, 1773. “New trouble brews in Boston,” Was told us half the year; Yet every week the postman came With something new to fear. “Our freedom,” so they wrote soon, “Such progress here begets That England seeks to check it[2] With swords and bayonets. “Their foreign ‘Board of Customs,’[3] Past our laws’ reach, they say, Here pluck from us their living, As vultures from their prey. Ah! would we keep our freedom, We must not basely yield, But claim our rights,[4] as when of old The Stamp Act was repeal’d.” We read, and thought together That something must be done; And we were those to do it, We boys of Lebanon. The words of Samuel Adams[4] We heard a neighbor quote: “They silence our Assembly;[5] A sword is at its throat; Our charter is their target, Our judgment-seat their fort,[6] Our men they rob for rations, Our boys they shoot for sport; Our faith that their horizon burst And zenith held not down, Their Toleration Law[7] would force To cringe beneath the crown. I care not what to others A loyal feeling brings; To me it still will loyal be To serve the King of kings.”[8] We heard, and swore together That work must be begun; And we were those to do it, We boys of Lebanon. We signed a pledge of “Union.” To all the land we wrote. We went to meet the postman. We read the Boston note: “In Union only is there strength; And strength is all our stay. Alas that some divide us! Alas that some give way! Once none would touch a thing they tax; To-day the weak agree, And say: ‘Enough if none will taste, If none will trade in tea.’[9] The lords have found our weakness out; And now are talking thus: That India’s losing traders May bring tea free to us.[10] Ay, ay, as if these would not heap Her lap with tribute gold, ‘Let them,’ says England, ‘take the tax; Let them the duties hold.’ “Already bound for Boston, May tea be on the waves, A bait flung out to tempt us To touch, and then be slaves. And if our strong men falter, Nor thrust this bait away, How can the weak be kept from all That makes us England’s prey?