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
mob who called themselves patriots. Faneuil Hall is a permanent memorial
of the Huguenots of Boston and with the exception of a few crumbling
gravestones it is the only visible monument of their residence here.
[177] See Boston Town Records 1742 to 1757. pp. 14, 15, 16. Printed by
the City of Boston.
Peter Faneuil died in 1742 and left his vast fortune to his two nephews,
Peter and Benjamin Faneuil the younger, the latter being an eminent
merchant and was one of the consignees of the tea that was destroyed by
the mob. The following letter sent to him by the "patriots" at that time
undoubtedly expresses the feelings and the sentiment of those who formed
the "Boston Tea Party." The letter he said was found in his entry.
"Gentlemen, It is currently reported that you are in the extremest
anxiety respecting your standing with the good people of this Town
and Province, as commissioners of the sale of the monopolized and
dutied tea. We do not wonder in the least that your apprehensions
are terrible, when the most enlightened humans and conscientious
community on the earth view you in the light of tigers or mad dogs,
whom the public safety obliges them to destroy. Long have this
people been irreconcilable to the idea of spilling human blood, on
almost any occasion whatever, but they have lately seen a
penitential thief suffer death for pilfering a few pounds, from
scattering individuals you boldly avow a resolution to bear a
principal part in the robbing of every inhabitant of this country,
in the present and future ages of every thing dear and interesting
to them. Are there no laws in the Book of God and nature that
enjoin such miscreants to be cut off from among the people, as
troublers of the whole congregation. Yea, verily, there are laws
and officers to put them into execution, which you can neither
corrupt, intimidate, nor escape, and whose resolution to bring you
to condign punishment you can only avoid by a speedy imitation of
your brethren in Philadelphia. This people are still averse to
precipitate your fate, but in case of much longer delay in
complying with their indispensable demands, you will not fail to
meet the just rewards of your avarice and insolence. Remember,
gentlemen, this is the last warning you are ever to expect from the
insulted, abused and most indignant vindicators of violated liberty
in the Town of Boston.
Thursday evening 9 o'clock,
Nov. 4. 1773. O. C. Secy, per order.
To Messrs. the Tea Commissioners,
Directed to B---- F---- Esq."[178]
[178] Tea Leaves pp. 292-3.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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