as thrown overboard by men
disguised as Indians.

George III. in a rage closed the port of Boston, cancelled the Charter
of Massachusetts, withdrew the right of electing its own council and
judges, investing the Governor with these rights, to whom he also gave
the power to send rebellious and seditious prisoners to England for
trial. Then to make all this sure of fulfilment, he sent troops to
enforce the order, in command of General Gage, whom he also appointed
Governor of Massachusetts.

Fox said, "How intolerable that it should be in the power of one
blockhead to do so much mischief!" The obstinacy of George III. cost
England her dearest and fairest possession. It is almost impossible to
picture what would be her power to-day if she had continued to be
mistress of North America!

All unconscious of his stupendous folly, the King was delighted at his
own firmness. {148} He rubbed his hands in high glee as he said,--"The
die is cast, the Colonies must submit or triumph," meaning of course
that "triumph" was a thing impossible. Pitt (now Earl Chatham), Burke,
Fox, even the Tory House of Lords, petitioned and implored in vain.
The confident, stubborn King stood alone, and upon him lies the whole
responsibility--Lord North simply acting as his compliant tool.

The colonies united as one, all local differences forgotten. As they
fought at Lexington and at Bunker Hill, the idea of something more than
_resistance_ was born--the idea of _independence_.

A letter from the Government addressed to the Commander-in-Chief as
"George Washington, Esq.," was sent back unopened. Battles were lost
and won, the courage and resources of the Americans holding out for
years as if by miracle, until when reinforced by France the end drew
near; and was reached with the defeat of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.

It was a dreary morning in 1782 when a humiliated King stood before the
House of {149} Lords and acknowledged the independence of the United
States of America!

Thus ended a contest which the Earl of Chatham had said "was conceived
in injustice, and nurtured in folly."

It was during the American war that the Press rose to be a great
counterbalancing power. Popular sentiment no longer finding an outlet
in the House of Commons, sought another mode of expression. Public
opinion gathered in by the newspapers became a force before which
Government dared not stand. The "Chronicle," "Post," "Herald" and
"Times" came into exis