sible way the men of
the colony in their struggle to gain all the rights due them as British
subjects.

[Illustration: THE CUPOLA HOUSE, EDENTON, NORTH CAROLINA]

The news of this bold stand of the Edenton women spread far and wide,
and was commented upon by the newspapers of the day, both in America and
England. Arthur Iredell, of London, brother of James Iredell, of
Edenton, who married the sister of Samuel Johnston, on hearing of the
event which seemed to have caused considerable stir in London, as well
as throughout the thirteen Colonies, wrote to his brother from his home
in London the following letter anent the affair:

"I see by the papers the Edenton ladies have signalized themselves by
their protest against tea-drinking. The name of Johnston I see among
them. Are any of my sister's relatives patriotic? I hope not, for we
English are afraid of the male Congress; but if the ladies should
attack us, the most fatal consequences are to be dreaded. So dextrous
in the handling of a dart, each wound they give is mortal, while we,
so unhappily formed by nature, the more we strive to conquer them,
the more we are conquered.

"The Edenton ladies, conscious of this superiority on their side by
former experiences, are willing to crush us into atoms by their
omnipotency. The only security on our side, to prevent impending ruin
is the probability that there are few places in America which possess
so much female artillery as Edenton. Pray let me know all the
particulars when you favor us with a letter."

The old house under whose roof this historic Tea Party was held has only
of recent years been destroyed. Age and decay undermined its walls, and
it was found necessary to tear it down, but a handsome bronze tea-pot on
an iron pedestal now marks the site of the ancient building; and within
the halls of the State Capitol the Daughters of the Revolution have
placed a bronze tablet in commemoration of this spirited act of the
women of Edenton.

When John Harvey, of Perquimans, "The Father of the Revolution" in North
Carolina died, his mantle fell upon Samuel Johnston, of Edenton, whose
residence at "Hayes" now became the headquarters of the Whig party in
North Carolina, and his office the rendezvous of the leaders of the
patriots in the State, among whom Hewes, Iredell and Johnston, all of
Edenton, stood foremost. So active were these three men in arousing and
spreading the spirit o