to
their unreasonable and oppressive demands; and, should not this be
found sufficient, to compel them into submission by the force of its
arms.

Oh, woful, woful, that ever a tyrant should live to keep his
dragon-watch on the birth of the free-born thought, the independent
wish, and ere the full, clear light of heaven descend upon it, warming
it into strength and beauty, to seize and crush it into slavish fear,
and love and justice without power to stay his impious hand!

XXV.

RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY.

With what deep and earnest interest Washington watched the course of
these momentous events may be readily imagined, if we reflect how much
of his life had been already spent in the service of the public, and
how near he had ever kept the good and welfare of his native land at
heart.

He was not a mere looker-on, but one of those who had in the very
beginning shown themselves ready to enter, heart and hand and fortune,
into all just and lawful measures of resistance to oppression in every
shape and form; but, with his usual modesty, forbearing to push
himself forward, which served, no doubt, to add to his example still
greater weight and influence, and make it all the more illustrious. He
rigidly observed the non-importation agreement, and was, in fact, one
of the first to propose its adoption; and none of the articles therein
named were to be seen in his house until the odious burdens laid
thereon had been removed.

Little or no lasting good, however, could be expected from these, or
indeed any measures, unless the Colonies should come to a clearer and
fuller understanding, one with another, touching the troubles that
concerned all equally and alike. To bring this much-to-be-wished-for
end about, it was resolved that a general assembly of all the Colonies
should be called, wherein each province, through its representatives
chosen by the people thereof, should have a voice. As the first step
towards this object, conventions were summoned in the various
provinces, the members whereof had the authority to choose from among
their number those who were to be their representatives or
mouth-pieces in this great Colonial Assembly, since known in history
as the Old Continental Congress.

Patrick Henry (the great American orator), Mr. Pendleton, and
Washington were those appointed to represent Virginia. Accordingly,
about the middle of September, 1774, these three Congress-men set out
together on horseback for P