The Books: “Samuel Adams : The Father of American Independence” (Dennis Brindell Fradin)

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Next book in my American history section is Samuel Adams: The Father of American Independence by Dennis Brindell Fradin

This book is an over-size hardcover – and it’s filled with paintings, woodcuts, engravings, newspaper cartoons from the time … It’s a really rich book that way, in terms of images, and I love to flip through it. John Adams was a really successful lawyer before the Revolution came along. Washington was a rich dude who had distinguished himself as a soldier. Franklin – fuggedaboutit – what DIDN’T the guy succeed in? Sam Adams, though, really didn’t have much going on for himself except his rage at the British – he wasn’t Mr. Successful like all the rest of them – but when it came time to rebel? He was at the top of his game. It was his moment. Without the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin would still have made it into the history books. Even just as a philanthropist and general smarty-pants. But the American Revolution MADE Sam Adams – without it, he would have been completely forgotten. I find that one of the most interesting things about him. How certain people merge with certain moments in time … It is as though they were MEANT to be born at that time. Sam Adams was a perfect example of right man- right time. He needed a CAUSE to bring out his particular brand of energy and genius. I mean, I guess they all did – but he REALLY did, because he didn’t have too much else going for him. He was the kind of guy who get others fired up. He was inspirational, fierce, tireless … When he spoke (or wrote) – people listened.

Here’s an excerpt about the most famous protest he organized.

Samuel Adams: The Father of American Independence by Dennis Brindell Fradin

The first of the tea ships, the Dartmouth, arrived in Boston Harbor on November 28, followed soon after by the Eleanor and the Beaver. The Sons of Liberty posted armed guards at Griffin’s Wharf to watch over the three ships and make sure that the agents did not try to sneak the tea ashore. Meanwhile, Samuel Adams was whipping the patriots into a frenzy, as demonstrated by a message that he sent to towns near Boston in late November:

Now brethren, we are reduced to this dilemma, either to sit down quiet under this and every other burden that our enemies shall see fit to lay upon us as good-natured slaves, or rise and resist this and every other plan laid for our destruction, as becomes wise freemen. In this extremity we earnestly request your advice, and that you would give us the earliest intelligence of the sense your several towns have of the present gloomy situation of our affairs.

By mid-December Adams had completed the details of his secret plan. On Thursday, December 16, the largest public gathering in Boston had ever held in its 143-year history took place at the Old South Meeting House. About five thousand Bostonians and two thousand people from outlying areas crowded into and around the church. Since Boston’s population was about seventeen thousand, nearly every adult in the Massachusetts capital must have attended this gigantic town meeting.

The townspeople decided to send a final request asking that Hutchinson send away the tea ships. As they awaited the governor’s answer, people in the meeting house stood up and made defiant speeches. One man hinted at what was coming by saying: “Who knows how tea will mingle with salt water?” His comment drew loud applause. Finally, at about six at night, the messenger returned with the response that Samuel Adams and nearly everyone else had expected: Hutchinson absolutely refused to send the tea ships back to England.

Samuel Adams then arose and faced the multitude of angry Bostonians. “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country!” he shouted. These words were a prearranged signal to forty or fifty men, disguised as Indians, who were posted at the church entrance.

“Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!” whooped the “Indians”, waving their hatchets. The war party set off along Milk Street toward Griffin’s Wharf. As the crowd emptied out of the Old South, John Hancock was heard to say, “Let every man do what is right in his own eyes!” Many in the crowd decided to help the “Indians” dispose of the tea, for by this time everyone knew the purpose of the hatchets.

Not counting spectators, the mob contained about a hundred and fifty people by the time it reached Griffin’s Wharf. Most of their identities remain unknown, but we do know that Paul Revere was among them. By the light of torches and lanterns, the men boarded the three ships, smashed open the 342 chests (some sources say 340) with their hatchets, then dumped all the tea into Boston Harbor.

Their mission accomplished, the Bostonians marched home to the tooting of a fife. As the men joked about having turned Boston Harbor into a “teapot”, Admiral John Montagu of the British Navy stuck his head out of a window and said, “Well, boys, you’ve had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper. But mind, he who dances must pay the fiddler.” A leader of the tea party shouted back, “Oh, never mind, Admiral. Just come out here, if you please, and we’ll settle the bill in two minutes!”

Most Bostonians considered the destruction of the tea a brave and necessary act of defiance. Even John Adams, who loathed violence and destruction, said that the Boston Tea Pary was “the most magnificent act” the patriots had yet perpetrated. But no one was happier than Samuel Adams, who on New Year’s Eve of 1773 wrote a letter to a friend about the events of December 16. “You cannot imagine the height of joy that sparkles in the eyes and animates the [faces] as well as the hearts of all [Bostonians,” he wrote. Also on December 31, the Boston Gazette printed a New Year’s message from Samuel Adams charged with the highly emotional style he was using to move his fellow Americans closer to war:

To all Nations under Heaven, know ye, that the PEOPLE of the AMERICAN WORLD are Millions strong – countless Legions compose their ARMY OF FREEMEN … AMERICA now stands with the Scale of JUSTICE in one Hand, and the Sword of VENGEANCE in the other … Let the Britons fear to do any more so wickedly as they have done, for the HERCULEAN ARM of this NEW WORLD is lifted up – and Woe be to them on whom it falls! — At the Beat of the Drum, she can call five Hundred Thousand of her SONS to ARMS … Therefore, ye that are wise, make Peace with her, take Shelter under her Wings, that ye may shine by the Reflection of her Glory.

May the NEW YEAR shine propitious on the NEW WORLD – and VIRTUE and LIBERTY reign here without a Foe, until rolling Years shall measure Time no more.