ge majority of the Congress yet opposed to
independence, but were unanimously in favour of energetic
measures for the defence of their constitutional rights 448

Tom Paine's appeal to the Colonists, called _Common Sense_,
the first publication in America against monarchy 450

But the majority of the Congress opposed to republicanism 450

The exact time when the leading men of the Colonies
conceived the measure of independence not certainly known 451

Prompted by the now-known King's own personal acts and
hostility to the American Colonists 451

Deprecated by South Carolina in May, 1775, after the bloody
affair of Concord and Lexington (in a note) 451

Disclaimed by Dr. Franklin in 1773 452

Disclaimed by Washington and Jefferson until after the
middle of the year 1775 453

Though urged by President Dwight (of Yale), discountenanced
by leading New Englanders in July, 1775 453

Retrospect of events and position of affairs between
Great Britain and the Colonies at the close of the year 1775 454

CHAPTER XXIV.

(THE YEAR 1775 AND BEGINNING OF 1776.)

AN EVENTFUL YEAR; PREPARATION IN ENGLAND TO REDUCE
COLONISTS TO ABSOLUTE SUBMISSION; SELF-ASSERTED AUTHORITY
OF PARLIAMENT. 459-478

Oppressive Acts of Parliament enumerated, with the
measures of employing foreign soldiers, Indians, and
slaves; and all with the express sanction of the King,
and while Colonists professed loyalty, and asked for
nothing but the redress of grievances and restoration
of rights which they had heretofore enjoyed 459

The loyalty and effective services of the Colonists
in the English and French war, and the experience and
skill they thereby acquired in military affairs;
their superiority as marksmen 460

They desire to provide for their own defence, and
for the support of their own civil government, as
aforetime, and as is done in the provinces of the
Canadian Dominion, but this is opposed by the King and
his ministers 460

General Gage (Governor of Massachusetts, and
Commander-in-Chief of the British