The conduct of Ruggles, in refusing his signature, was severely censured by the Massachusetts representatives. Ogden was burned in effigy by the people of New Jersey."[1]
The first of November was the day appointed for the Stamp Act to go in operation; but no stamps were anywhere to be seen on that day. The stamp distributer in New York had resigned, and the obnoxious act was contemptuously cried about the streets, labelled, "The Folly of England and Ruin of America!" Lieut.-Governor Golden took every precaution to secure the stamp papers, but many of the inhabitants of the city, offended at the conduct and disliking the political sentiments of the governor, having assembled on the evening of November 1st, broke open his stable, and took out his coach; and after carrying it through the principal streets of the city, marched to the common, where a gallows was erected, on one end of which they suspended his effigy, with a stamped bill of lading in one hand, and a figure of the devil in the other. When the effigy had hung a considerable time, they carried it in procession, suspended to the gallows, to the gate of the fort, whence it was removed to the bowling green, under the very muzzles of the guns, and a bonfire made, in which everything, including the coach, was consumed, amidst the acclamations of several thousand spectators. The next day, the people insisting upon having the stamps, it was agreed that they should be delivered to the corporation, and they were deposited in the city hall. Ten boxes of stamps, which arrived subsequently, were committed to the flames. Satirical pamphlets and cutting articles in the journals, constantly added fresh fuel to the flame. One of those published at Boston bore for its title, "The Constitutional Courier, or Considerations important to Liberty, without being contrary to Loyalty." But the device adopted was most original, representing a serpent cut into eight pieces, the head bearing the initials of New England, and the other pieces those of the other colonies as far as Carolina, the whole being surmounted by the significant inscription, in large letters, "United or Die." Similar striking demonstrations of the popular feeling in regard to the stamp tax, occurred in Philadelphia, and in Maryland and Virginia.
Notwithstanding the Stamp Act was to go into operation on the first of November, yet legal proceedings were carried on in the courts just the same as before. Vessels entered and left the ports without stamped papers. The printers boldly issued their newspapers, and found a sufficient number of readers, though they used common paper, in defiance of the act of Parliament. In most departments, by common consent, business was carried on as though no Stamp Act had existed This was accompanied by spirited resolutions to risk all consequences, rather than submit to use the paper required by law. While these matters were in agitation, the colonists entered into associations against importing British
- ↑ Hildreth's "History of the United States," vol. ii., p. 530.
