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    Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'
    Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'
    Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'
    Ebook151 pages1 hour

    Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'

    By James Otis

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    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArchive Classics
    Release dateNov 27, 2013
    Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'
    Author

    James Otis

    James Otis Kaler (March 19, 1848 — December 11, 1912) was an American journalist and author of children’s literature. He used the pen name James Otis.

    Read more from James Otis

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      Book preview

      Under the Liberty Tree - James Otis

      The Project Gutenberg EBook of Under the Liberty Tree, by James Otis

      This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with

      almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or

      re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

      with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

      Title: Under the Liberty Tree

      A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'

      Author: James Otis

      Release Date: March 8, 2010 [EBook #31555]

      Language: English

      *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNDER THE LIBERTY TREE ***

      Produced by David Edwards, Larry B. Harrison and the Online

      Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This

      file was produced from images generously made available

      by The Internet Archive)

      UNDER THE LIBERTY TREE.

      STORIES OF

      American History,

      BY

      JAMES OTIS.

      Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of the

           Boston Massacre.

      The Boys of 1745 at the Capture of Louisbourg.

      An Island Refuge: Casco Bay in 1676.

      Neal the Miller: A Son of Liberty.

      Ezra Jordan's Escape from the Massacre at

           Fort Loyall.

      Each volume cloth, small 12 mo, neatly

      bound, 75 cents.

      ESTES & LAURIAT,

      PUBLISHERS.

      UNDER THE LIBERTY TREE

      A STORY OF

      THE BOSTON MASSACRE

      BY

      JAMES OTIS

      Author of Jenny Wren's Boarding-House, Jerry's Family,

      The Boys' Revolt, The Boys of 1745, Etc.

      Illustrated

      BOSTON

      ESTES AND LAURIAT

      1896

      Copyright, 1896,

      By Estes and Lauriat

      All rights reserved

      Colonial Press:

      C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, Mass., U.S.A.

      Electrotyped by Geo. C. Scott & Sons

      CONTENTS.

      LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

      Your Lordship must know that Liberty Tree is a large, old Elm in the High Street, upon which the effigies were hung in the time of the Stamp Act, and from whence the mobs at that time made their parades. It has since been adorned with an inscription, and has obtained the name of Liberty Tree, as the ground under it has that of Liberty Hall. In August last, just before the commencement of the present troubles, they erected a flagstaff, which went through the tree, and a good deal above the top of the tree. Upon this they hoist a flag as a signal for the Sons of Liberty, as they are called.

      Extract from a letter written by Governor Bernard to Lord Hillsborough under date of June 18, 1768.

      The world should never forget the spot where once stood Liberty Tree, so famous in your annals.

      The Marquis de Lafayette, in a speech delivered in Boston during his last visit to America.

      UNDER THE LIBERTY TREE

      A Story of the Boston Massacre

      CHAPTER I.

      THE LIBERTY TREE.

      It was on the evening of February 21, 1770, in the city of Boston, that a party of boys, ranging in age from ten to eighteen years, were assembled at what was known as Liberty Hall, which was not a building, but simply the open space sheltered by the wide-spreading branches of the Liberty Tree.

      Although General Gage's troops occupied the city, and patrols of the bloody backs, as the red-coated soldiers had been called in derision, paced to and fro at regular intervals along the streets, these boys spoke openly of their desire, and even of their intention, to avenge the wrongs under which the colonists were suffering, believing from past experience that the troops would not dare proceed to extremities with the citizens, more especially since Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson doubted his authority to order the soldiers to fire upon the populace.[A]

      These boys had shown several times in the vicinity of this same so-called Liberty Hall of what acts they were capable, and there was not one of them but that looked forward to the time when it should be possible to do something more than simply vent his displeasure in words.

      They had been among the throng who, in open defiance of the law, had made prisoner of Giles Hendricks; tarred and feathered, and then carried him in a cart through the principal streets of the city to the Liberty Tree, because he had given evidence regarding the smuggling of wine from Rhode Island. Here under the old elm he had been forced to swear he would never be guilty of a like crime in the future, and only then was allowed to go free, wearing his closely fitting and decidedly uncomfortable garment of tar.

      The gathering on this particular night at Liberty Hall was, in the opinion of those participating, of great importance.

      Several shopkeepers had failed to keep the promise not to import British goods, made in January, and on the afternoon of this day, Hardy Baker, who was apprenticed to Master Piemont, the barber, had learned that Theophilus Lillie, whose shop was on Hanover Street, near the New Brick Church, had not only broken his agreement, but openly declared it was his intention to sell whatsoever he pleased.

      He boasts he will sell even tea, if it so be his customers wish to buy, Master Baker said, in concluding his story of the shopkeeper's iniquities.

      How did you learn this? Amos Richardson asked, quite sharply, for the barber's apprentice was noted rather for his imaginative powers than a strict adherence to the truth.

      I heard it when I went to the Custom House this morning.

      But what were you doing there? How long is it since you have been hobnobbing in that quarter?

      Am I accused of being friendly with the 'bloody backs'? Hardy asked, indignantly. Can't I go anywhere in the town but that suspicions are aroused?

      It will be well for you to show anger only after you have explained why you were at the Custom House.

      There is no reason why I should be forced to do so. The part I took in bringing Hendricks to the Liberty Tree is enough to show that the 'bloody backs' can expect no favour from me.

      Yet your master has among his customers many who wear coats of red, and you shave some of them.

      True; but it is not every one over whose face my razor passes, that I call a friend. Since you are so suspicious, Amos Richardson, I will explain my going to the Custom House, Hardy added, only after noting the fact that several of those standing nearest were gazing at him sternly. "You must know that many of the Britishers who come to Master Piemont's shop to be served pay for the work at the end of every three months, instead of doing so each day or week. Now, among these redcoats who hold on to their money as long as possible, is one Lieutenant Draper, whom I attend. When it was learned that he intended to let his account

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