The Loyalists of Massachusetts and the Other Side of the American RevolutionStark, James Henry
History
The Loyalists of Massachusetts and the Other Side of the American Revolution
Stark, James Henry
American loyalists -- Massachusetts; Massachusetts -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783
the calamities I should occasion if I did not comply: I found myself
giving way, and began to cast about to contrive means to come off with
honor. I proposed they should call in the people to take me out by
force, but they said the people were enraged, and they would not answer
for the consequences. I told them I would take the risk, but they
refused to do it. Reduced to this extremity, I cast my eyes over the
paper, with a hurry of mind and conflict of passion which rendered me
unable to remark the contents, and wrote beneath the following words:
'My house at Cambridge being surrounded by four thousand people, in
compliance with their commands, I sign my name, THOMAS OLIVER,' The five
persons took it, carried it to the people, and, I believe, used their
endeavors to get it accepted. I had several messages that the people
would not accept it with those additions, upon which I walked into the
court-yard, and declared I would do no more, though they should put me
to death. I perceived that those persons who formed the first body which
came down in the morning, consisting of the landholders of the
neighboring towns, used their utmost endeavors to get the paper received
with my additions; and I must, in justice to them, observe, that, during
the whole transaction, they had never invaded my enclosures, but still
were not able to protect me from other insults which I received from
those who were in arms. From this consideration I am induced to quit the
country, and seek protection in the town."
[Illustration: REVOLUTIONISTS MARCHING TO CAMBRIDGE.
To oblige Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Oliver to resign from the Council
Board.]
The document presented to Mr. Oliver on the 2d of September, and which
he signed, was as follows: "I, Thomas Oliver, being appointed by his
Majesty to a seat at the Council Board, upon, and in conformity to the
late Act of Parliament, entitled an 'Act for the better regulation of
the Province of Massachusetts Bay,' which being a manifest infringement
of the Charter rights and privileges of this people, I do hereby, in
conformity to the commands of the body of this county now convened, most
solemnly renounce and resign my seat at said unconstitutional Board, and
hereby firmly promise and engage, as a man of honor and a Christian,
that I never will hereafter, upon any terms whatsoever, accept a seat at
said Board on the present novel and oppressive plan of Government." To
this, the original form, he added the words above recited. Judge
Danforth and Judge Lee, who were also Mandamus Councillors and Mr.
Phipps, the sheriff, and Mr. Mason, clerk of the county, were compelled
to submit to the same body, and make written resignations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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