John Adams, the Statesman of the American Revolution: An Address Before the Webster Historical Society, at Its Annual Meeting in Boston, Jan. 18, 1884 |
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action Acts of Trade American Revolution Anglican hierarchy authority became began Bishop of London Boston Boucher British Constitution cause character charter Church of England civil and religious civil government colo colonial constitution colonial rights commercial conduct Congress of 1774 contest continent Continental Congress Council courage Court Crown Declaration of Rights English Episcopacy Episcopal essential established facts finally fortunes Franklin governors ground growth Hildreth Hist hostility Hutchinson independence inevitable influence interests James Otis Jefferson John Adams John Adams's king later legislation liberty lution Massachusetts Bay measure ment mind mother country movement never nists Palfrey parlia Parliament parliamentary supremacy patriotic party peace period political popular position principle provincial public affairs Puritans regarded relations religion repeal representatives respect Revo Revolutionary royal government Samuel Adams says sentiments Stamp Act statesman statesmanship stitutional strife taxation thirteen colonies tion Tory Virginia Whig
Popular passages
Page 80 - But, from the necessity of the case, and a regard to the mutual interest of both countries, we cheerfully consent to the operation of such acts of the British parliament, as are bona fide, restrained to the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpose of securing the commercial advantages of the whole empire to the mother country, and the commercial benefits of its respective members ; excluding every idea of taxation internal or external, for raising a revenue on the subjects in America,...
Page 80 - That the foundation of English liberty, and of all free government, is, a right in the People to participate in their legislative council...
Page 79 - To these grievous acts and measures Americans cannot submit; but in hopes their fellow subjects in Great Britain will, on a revision of them, restore us to that state in which both countries found happiness and prosperity, we have, for the present, only resolved to pursue the following peaceable measures.
Page 62 - Soon after the Reformation, a few People came over into this new world for conscience sake. Perhaps this, apparently, trivial incident may transfer the great seat of empire into America. It looks likely to me. For if we can remove the turbulent Gallicks, our People according to the exactest Computations, will in another Century, become more numerous than England itself.
Page 82 - We are between hawk and buzzard. We ought to have had in our hands a month ago the whole legislative, executive and judicial of the whole continent, and have completely modelled a constitution; to have raised a naval power and opened all our ports wide...
Page 16 - Resistance by arms against usurpation and lawless violence is not rebellion by the law of God or the land.
Page 36 - If the Church of England had been the established and general religion in all the northern colonies as it has been among us here, and uninterrupted tranquility had prevailed throughout the continent, it is clear to me that slavery and subjection might and would have been gradually insinuated among us.
Page 5 - He recalled a couplet that had been inscribed or rather drilled, into a rock on the shore of Monument Bay in our old colony of Plymouth: " 'The Eastern nations sink, their glory ends, And empire rises where the sun descends.
Page 41 - no aid, tax, tallage, assessment, custom, loan, benevolence, or imposition whatsoever, shall be laid, assessed, imposed, or levied on any of their majesties' subjects, or their estates, on any color or pretence whatsoever, but by the act and consent of the governor, council, and representatives of the people assembled in general court.
Page 21 - Rome, with indifference, who will believe that the apprehension of Episcopacy contributed fifty years ago, as much as any other cause, to arouse the attention, not only of the inquiring mind, but of the common people, and urge them to close thinking on the constitutional authority of parliament over the colonies?