File:Our greater country; being a standard history of the United States from the discovery of the American continent to the present time (1901) (14598208209).jpg

Identifier: ourgreatercountr00nort (find matches)
Title: Our greater country; being a standard history of the United States from the discovery of the American continent to the present time ..
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Northrop, Henry Davenport, 1836-1909
Subjects:
Publisher: Philadelphia, National pub co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
s by compell-ing the North American colonies to tradewith them. Thrilling Speech of James Otis. IIn order to enforce the various restrictions upon the trade of the colonies Great Britainestablished in America a large force of cus-toms officers, who were given unlawfulpowers for this purpose. Parliament enactedthat any sheriff or officer of the customs, whosuspectedthdX merchandise imported into thecolony in which he was stationed had notpaid the duty required by law, might applyto the colonial courts for a search warrant, or writ of assistance, and enter a store orprivate dwelling and search for the goods hesuspected of being unlawfully imported. These writs were first used in Massachu-setts in 1761, and aroused a storm of indig-nation from the people, who felt that theirmost sacred rights were being violated bythem. They were resisted, and the case wascarried before the courts in order to test theirvalidity. James Otis, the attorney for thecrown, resigned his office rather than arguo
Text Appearing After Image:
SCENE NEAR THE SOUKCE OF THE RARITAN RIVER, 329 330 THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. in behalf of them, and with great eloquencepleaded the cause of the people. His speechcreated a profound impression throughoutthe colonies, and aroused a determination inthe hearts of his fellow-citizens to oppose theother enactments of Parliament which theyfelt to be unjust. This trial was fatal to thewrits, which \ ;ere scarcely ever used after-wards. Then and there, says JohnAdams, was the first opposition to arbi-trary acts of Great Britain. Then and thereAmerican Independence was born. Taxing the Colonies. The spirit of opposition soon manifesteditself in the New England colonies. Themanufactures, trade and fisheries of that sec-tion were almost ruined, and the people hadno choice but to defend themselves. Asso-ciations were formed in all the coloniespledging themselves not to purchase of Eng-lish manufacturers anything but the absolutenecessities of life. Families began to maketheir own linen and woolen

Note About Images