American Leaders and Heroes Part 14

The treaty of peace at the end of the war, called the Last French War,[8] was signed at Paris in 1763. By this treaty France ceded to Spain all the territory between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains; also the town of New Orleans, controlling the navigation of the Mississippi. To England she gave Canada and all the territory east of the Mississippi. Thus by a single final blow did Wolfe so weaken the hold of the French upon North America, as to compel them to give up practically all they had there.

[8] This war has sometimes been called the Old French War, and sometimes the French and Indian War.

REVIEW OUTLINE

THE CROWNING FEATURE OF THE LAST FRENCH WAR.

WOLFE'S LOVE FOR HIS MOTHER.

THE YOUNG SOLDIER.

WOLFE'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE.

HIS CHARACTER.

WOLFE SENT ON AN EXPEDITION AGAINST QUEBEC.

HIS TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES.

HE DISCOVERS A STEEP PATHWAY.

HE DECEIVES MONTCALM.

HIS ARMY FLOATS DOWN THE RIVER.

THE ENGLISH REACH THE ROCKY HEIGHTS.

"VICTORY OR DEATH!"

THE CLASH OF BATTLE.

WOLFE AND MONTCALM RECEIVE MORTAL WOUNDS.

THE FRENCH SURRENDER QUEBEC.

END OF THE LAST FRENCH WAR.

TO THE PUPIL

1. How did Wolfe look, and what were his most striking personal traits?

2. What were his trials and difficulties at Quebec?

3. Picture his army floating down the river on the way to the battle-field; also the soldiers climbing the steep heights.

4. Describe the battle, going in imagination with Wolfe at the head of his men.

5. Why was the capture of Quebec by the English so important?

6. Are you forming the habit of looking up on your map all the places mentioned in the text? If you wish to become strong in history, such a habit will be invaluable.

7. Remember that the Last French War began in 1756 and ended in 1763.

CHAPTER XII

Patrick Henry and the Stamp Act

[1736-1799]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Patrick Henry.]

With the fall of Quebec, France lost her hold of nearly all the territory in North America that she had acquired through the energy and heroism of her explorers. England profited by this loss, but England herself had soon to meet with a misfortune far heavier--the loss of all her colonies east of the Alleghanies and along the Atlantic coast. Very soon after the close of the Last French War, she began, under the lead of the dull-witted King George, to treat them with so much injustice and oppression that in self-defence they were driven to take up arms for the security of their rights as a free-born people. The result was the American Revolution, which began in 1775 and ended in 1783. How this Revolution came to be, is one of the most interesting chapters in our history. Let us now trace the course of events leading to its outbreak.

After the close of the Last French War, England was heavily in debt. As this debt had been incurred largely in defence of the English colonies in America, George III., King of England, believed that the colonies should help to carry the burden. Moreover, as he intended to send them a standing army for their protection, he deemed it wise to levy upon them a tax for its support.

Parliament, therefore, which was composed largely of the King's friends, ready to do his bidding, pa.s.sed a law called the Stamp Act. This required the colonists to use stamps upon their newspapers and upon legal doc.u.ments, the price of stamps ranging from a half-penny to twelve pounds. The King thought this tax would be just because it would fall upon all the colonists alike.

But the colonists were of a different mind; for England had not fought the Last French War so much to defend them as to protect her own trade.

Besides, they had already paid a reasonable share of the war expenses, and had furnished a fair proportion of soldiers for battle. They had always given their share toward the expenses of their defence, and were still willing to do so. If the King would ask them for a definite sum, they would raise it through their Colonial a.s.semblies. But they strongly objected to any English tax.

These Colonial a.s.semblies were composed of men who represented the colonists and made laws for the colonists. Therefore the colonists were willing to pay any taxes levied by the a.s.semblies. As free-born Englishmen they objected to paying taxes levied by Parliament, which did not represent them. Parliament might levy taxes upon the people of England, whom it did represent. But only the Colonial a.s.semblies could tax the colonists, because they alone represented the colonists. In other words, as James Otis in a stirring speech had declared, there must be "No taxation without representation."

George III. could not understand the feelings of the colonists, and he had no sympathy with their views. His mother had said to him when he was crowned, "George, be King," and this advice had pleased him. For he was wilful, and desired to have his own way as a ruler. Thus far he had shown little respect for the British Parliament, and he felt even less for Colonial a.s.semblies. Certainly if he was to rule in his own way in England, he must compel the obedience of the stubborn colonists in America. The standing army which the King wished to send to America was designed not so much to protect the colonies as to enforce the will of the King, and this the colonists knew. They therefore opposed with bitter indignation the payment of taxes levied for the army's support.

Patrick Henry was one of many who were willing to risk everything in their earnest struggle against the tyrannical schemes of King George.

Patrick Henry was born in 1736 in Hanover County, Va. His father was a lawyer of much intelligence, and his mother belonged to a fine old Welsh family. As a boy, Patrick's advantages at school were meagre, and even these he did not appreciate. Books were far less attractive to him than his gun and fishing-rod. With these he delighted to wander through the woods searching for game, or to sit on the bank of some stream fishing by the hour. When out-door sports failed, he found delight at home in his violin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: George III.]

When he was fifteen years old, his father put him into a country store, where he remained a year. He then began business for himself, but he gave so little attention to it that he soon failed. He next tried farming, and afterward storekeeping again, but without success.

At length he decided to practise law, and after six months' study applied for admission to the bar. Although he had much difficulty in pa.s.sing the examination, he had at last found a vocation which suited him. He did well in his law practice; but we must pa.s.s over this part of his life in order that we may go with him to Williamsburg. He went there in 1765, soon after the pa.s.sage of the Stamp Act by the English Parliament, to attend the session of the Virginia House of Burgesses, of which he had been elected a member.

We get a vivid picture of our hero at this period of his career as he rides on horseback toward Williamsburg, carrying his papers in his saddle-bags. John Esten Cooke says of him: "He was at this time just twenty-nine, tall in figure, but stooping, with a grim expression, small blue eyes which had a peculiar twinkle, and wore a brown wig without powder, a 'peach-blossom coat,' leather knee-breeches, and yarn stockings."

There was great excitement in Williamsburg, and it was a time of grave doubt. What should be done about the Stamp Act? Should the people of Virginia tamely submit to it and say nothing? Should they urge Parliament to repeal it? or should they cry out against it in open defiance?

Most of the members were wealthy planters, men of dignity and influence.

These men spoke of England as the "Mother" of the colonies, and were so loyal in their attachment that the idea of war was hateful to them.

Certainly, the thought of separation from England they could not entertain for a moment.

But Patrick Henry was eager for prompt and decisive action. Having hastily written, on a blank leaf taken from a law-book, a series of resolutions, he rose and offered them to the a.s.sembly. One of these resolutions declared that the General a.s.sembly of the colony had the sole right and power of laying taxes in the colony.

A hot debate followed, in the course of which Patrick Henry, ablaze with indignation, arose and addressed the body. His speech closed with these thrilling words: "Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third--" "Treason! Treason!" shouted voices from the stormy a.s.sembly. Pausing a moment in a fearless att.i.tude, the young orator calmly added, "may profit from their example. If this be treason make the most of it." The resolutions were pa.s.sed.

It was a great triumph for the young orator, who now became the "idol of the people." As he was going out of the door at the close of the session, one of the plain people gave him a slap on the shoulder, saying, "Stick to us, old fellow, or we are gone!"

The note of defiance sounded by Patrick Henry at this time vibrated throughout America, and encouraged the colonists to unite against the oppressive taxation imposed upon them through the influence of the stubborn and misguided King George.

But the English people as a whole did not support the King. Many of them, among whom were some of England's wisest statesmen, believed he was making a great mistake in trying to tax the Americans without their consent. Said William Pitt, in a stirring speech in the House of Commons: "Sir, I rejoice that America has resisted. Three millions[9] of people so dead to all the feelings of liberty as voluntarily to submit to be slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of all the rest."

[9] This number is too large. Two millions is nearer the truth.

In the ten years following the pa.s.sage of the Stamp Act, events in America moved rapidly. Some of these we shall learn more about a little later. It is sufficient here to say that the colonial merchants refused to import goods so long as the Stamp Act was in effect; that their action caused the merchants, manufacturers, and ship-owners in England to lose money heavily; that these merchants and ship-owners at once begged Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act; and that Parliament did repeal it one year after its pa.s.sage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: St. John's Church, Richmond.]