“They might as well have staid at home, then,” said Charley.

“By no means,” replied Grandfather.  “It was a most important and memorable event—­this first coming together of the American people, by their representatives from the north and south.  If England had been wise, she would have trembled at the first word that was spoken in such an assembly!”

These remonstrances and petitions, as Grandfather observed, were the work of grave, thoughtful, and prudent men.  Meantime, the young and hot-headed people went to work in their own way.  It is probable that the petitions of Congress would have had little or no effect on the British statesmen, if the violent deeds of the American people had not shown how much excited the people were.  Liberty tree was soon heard of in England.

“What was Liberty Tree?” inquired Clara.

“It was an old elm tree,” answered Grandfather, “which stood near the corner of Essex street, opposite the Boylston market.  Under the spreading branches of this great tree, the people used to assemble, whenever they wished to express their feelings and opinions.  Thus, after a while, it seemed as if the liberty of the country was connected with Liberty Tree.”

“It was glorious fruit for a tree to bear,” remarked Laurence.

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“It bore strange fruit, sometimes,” said Grandfather.  “One morning in August, 1765, two figures were found hanging on the sturdy branches of Liberty Tree.  They were dressed in square-skirted coats and small-clothes; and, as their wigs hung down over their faces, they looked like real men.  One was intended to represent the Earl of Bute, who was supposed to have advised the king to tax America.  The other was meant for the effigy of Andrew Oliver, a gentleman belonging to one of the most respectable families in Massachusetts.”

“What harm had he done?” inquired Charley.

“The king had appointed him to be distributor of the stamps,” answered Grandfather.  “Mr. Oliver would have made a great deal of money by this business.  But the people frightened him so much by hanging him in effigy, and afterwards by breaking into his house, that he promised to have nothing to do with the stamps.  And all the king’s friends throughout America were compelled to make the same promise.”

Chapter III

“Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson,” continued Grandfather, “now began to be unquiet in our old chair.  He had formerly been much respected and beloved by the people, and had often proved himself a friend to their interests.  But the time was come, when he could not be a friend to the people, without ceasing to be a friend to the king.  It was pretty generally understood, that Hutchinson would act according to the king’s wishes, right or wrong, like most of the other gentlemen who held offices under the crown.  Besides, as he was brother-in-law of Andrew Oliver, the people now felt a particular dislike to him.”