THE period of the American Revolution of which a portion is here treated, divides itself into two epochs; the first extending to the Declaration of Independence; the second, to the acknowledgment of that Independence by Great Britain. In preparing the volume, there has been no parsimony of labor; but marginal references to the documents out of which it has mainly been constructed are omitted. This is done not from an unwillingness to subject every statement of fact, even in its minutest details, to the severest scrutiny; but from the variety and multitude of the papers which have been used, and which could not be intelligibly cited, without burdening the pages with a disproportionate commentary.
From the very voluminous manuscripts which I have brought together, I hope at some not very distant day to cull out for publication such letters as may at once confirm my narrative and possess an intrinsic and general
interest by illustrating the character and sentiments of the people during the ten or twelve years preceding the Fourth of July, 1776.
At the close of the sixth volume of this work, some imperfect acknowledgment was made to those from whom I have received most essential service while making my collection of materials. I shall hereafter have occasion to recur to that subject; at this time I desire to express my sense of the friendly regard of many persons in various parts of our country, who have sent me unpublished documents, or historical pamphlets and monographs, such as the liberal and inquisitive are constantly publishing. Whatever can be obtained in the ordinary way through the booksellers, I have no need to solicit; but I am and shall ever be grateful to any person who will forward to me at New York any materials which cannot be obtained except through pri vate courtesy.
NEW YORK, March 31, 1858.
AMERICA, BRITAIN, AND FRANCE, IN MAY, 1774. May, 1774.
The hour of the American Revolution, 21-Its necessity, 21-Freedom
founded on a universal principle, 22-Most cherished in America, 22—Britain
should have offered independence, 23-Infatuation of the king and parlia-
ment, 24-France, 25-Increase of monarchical power, 25-The people of
France, 25-Its unity, 26-Decay of the French nobility, 26-They escape
military service and taxation, 26-The king master of the treasury, 27—Of
the army, 28-Of the church, 28-The magistrates, 28-Municipal charters,
29-Scepticism in France, 29-Degradation of the monarchy, 30-Rising
importance of the people, 31-The dauphin, 31-Marie Antoinette, 31-Ac-
cession of Louis XVI., 32-Voltaire's hopes, 32-Beaumarchais, 32—Charles
III. of Spain, 33-The mourners for Louis XV., 33-Jealousy between Britain
and France, 34-Port act received in Boston, 34-Meeting of nine commit-
tees, 35-The tea not to be paid for, 36-Circular to the colonies, 36-Boston
town meeting, 37-Gage arrives, 37-His character, 38-Firmness of New-
buryport and Salem, 38-Of Boston, 39.
NEW YORK PROPOSES A GENERAL CONGRESS. May, 1774.
New York Sons of Liberty propose a general congress, 40-Formation
of a conservative party, 41-Effect of the port act on the people, 42—Con-
necticut, 42-Providence, 42-New York committee of fifty-one, 42–The
king approves two acts against Massachusetts, 43-Philadelphia, 43—Dick-
inson moderates public feeling, 44-His measures, 45-Second thought of
New York, 46-Zeal of Connecticut, 46-Hutchinson's addressers, 46—They
are condemned, 47-Samuel Adams suppresses murmurs, 47-Massachusetts
legislature organized, 47-Patience of Boston, 48.
VOICES FROM THE SOUTH. May, 1774, continued.
Baltimore, 49-Its conduct a model, 50-New Hampshire, 50-New Jer-
sey, 50—South Carolina, 50-Its sympathy for Boston, 51-Virginia, 52—
Its burgesses appoint a fast, 53-House dissolved, 54-Meeting of its mem-
bers, 54-Convention called, 54-North Carolina, 55-Union of the coun-
try, 55.
Blockade of Boston, 56-Effects elsewhere, 57-The king makes a list
of mandamus councillors, 58-The governor of Massachusetts may order
troops to fire on the people, 58--Contrast between the king and Samuel
Adams, 59-The new league and covenant, 60-Non-intercourse with
Britain, 60--The legislature at Salem, 61—The council affronts the gover-
nor, 61-Proceedings of the house, 62-Arrival of more troops at Boston,
62-Firmness of the people, 63-The Massachusetts legislature appoints the
time and place for the National congress, 63-Gage dissolves the assembly,
64-Boston town meeting, 64-John Adams enters public life, 65-Prompt-
ness of Rhode Island, 65-And of Maryland, 66.
Generous conduct of Marblehead and Salem, 67-Intrigues of Gage, 67—
Boston town meeting, 68-The town approve their committee of corre-
spondence, 69-Addresses to Hutchinson, 69-Gage's proclamation, 69—
Threats of arrest, 70-Threats not executed, 71-Hutchinson reaches Eng-
land, 71—His interview with the king, 71-Confidence of the king, 72—Bos-
ton ministered to by the Carolinas, 73-By Connecticut, 73-By Quebec, 74
-By Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, 74.
Differences of opinion in the New York committee, 80-Formation of two
parties, 81-South Carolina elects its deputies, 81-Timidity of Dickinson, 82
-Pennsylvania chooses its deputies, 82-New Jersey, 82-New Hampshire,
83-Compromise between the parties in New York, 83-Virginia meets in
convention, 83-Opinions of Jefferson, 83-Virginia forbids the slave trade,
84-Opinions of Washington, 84-Decision of Virginia, 85.
THE CABINET OF LOUIS THE SIXTEENTH. July-August, 1774.
Character of Louis the Sixteenth, 86-Choice of Maurepas as chief minis-
ter, 87-Character of Maurepas, 87-Vergennes minister of foreign affairs,
89—His character, 89-Turgot minister of finance, 90-Abuses in the French
finances, 91-Turgot plans reform, 92-Sartines becomes minister of the
marine, 93-France leans to the colonies, 93.
Gage receives the regulating act, 94-Character of the act, 94-Two
other acts against Massachusetts, 97-The question between America and
Britain changed, 97-Boston consults the country towns, 98—Answer from
Pepperell, 99-General spirit of resistance, 100-Thomas Gardner, 100-
Number of the militia, 101-Putnam visits Boston, 101-Charles Lee, 101-
Opinions of Hawley, 102-Courts of Hampshire broken up, 103-Mandamus
councillors terrified, 103-Ruggles of Hardwick, 104--Timothy Paine, 104
-Murray of Rutland, 104-Willard resigns, 105—And Watson, 105.
THE SUFFOLK COUNTY CONVENTION. September, 1774.
Gage seizes the powder of the province, 114-The people rise, 114-More
councillors resign, 115-Good conduct of the people, 116-Opinions of
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