from
History of Providence County, Rhode Island
Edited by Richard M. Bayles.
In two volumes, illustrated. Vol. I.
New York: W. W. Preston & Co., 1891.
pp. 171 - 191. (part 8)
"Thus it may be claimed, with the facts recited, that the war began in
Rhode Island, and that the first gun of the revolution was fired by a
Providence man, and the first bloodshed was scarcely beyond the limits of
the present city. So Providence may boast of early and important
revolutionary honors.
Events followed in thickening succession, ripening the sentiment which in
due time was to break forth in the great struggle for American
independence. No occasion offered itself to demonstrate the readiness with
which the people of Providence would have followed the example of Boston in
relation to the importation of tea, but the following expressions, passed
by a vote of the town at a town meeting for the purpose held at the court
house on the 19th of January, 1774, Jabez Brown, moderator, present a good
picture of the sentiments entertained at the time:
'Inasmuch as the British Parliament have undertaken to raise a revenue in
the American colonies, by a duty upon tea; we, the freemen of the town of
Providence, legally assembled in meeting, cannot be silent on so
interesting and alarming an occasion. Should we, in this case, omit to
assert and express the firmest resolutions to vindicate our rights, it
might be construed as a cession of them into the hands of those who have
wantonly invaded them in this instance.
'We do therefore, in justice to ourselves, our posterity, and the sister
colonies, openly and publicly make the following declarations, hoping that
by a vigorous exertion, in conformity thereto, we may in some measure
contribute towards escaping the dreadful train of evils which must be the
consequence of a tame submission to any invasions of American freedom.
'We lament any seeming acquiescence which hath at any time heretofore been
made in these colonies, under parliamentary usurpations of our liberties;
but as any such tacit concessions of their rights, we strongly protest
against any precedent being made thereby, to our disadvantage.
'When we consider that many of our ancestors removed from Britain and
planted themselves here; that the religion, language and customs of the two
countries are mostly similar, and that there hath been a long intercourse
of trade and commerce between them, we are willing, and even desirous of a
continuance of connexion between the colonies and Britain, if it may be on
terms in any measure equal.' "
continued in part 9.