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The Other Tea Parties.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,200.00 USD Estimated At:2,400.00 - 3,200.00 USD
The Other Tea Parties.
The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, Jan. 17, 1774. Broadsheet, 2 pp., 9 3/4 x 15, bearing Paul Revere's celebrated masthead design, showing seated Britannia freeing a dove of peace from its cage (Brigham plate 67). Red-hot discourse, just one month after the Boston Tea Party - termed the most influential event in America's formative history - its incendiary ramifications already seen here. Reporting an ill-fated East-India landing of tea on Cape Cod, and unusual mention of "Tea burning Parties" - bonfires in Lexington and Charlestown, Mass.: "...The Town-Cryer went about; those who had a Mind to part with their Tea, knew where to carry it; those who had a Mind to keep it by them, were left at Liberty...The Dealers in Tea in the Town of Boston, having agreed amongst themselves, that from and after the 20th of Jan. 1774, they will totally suspend the Sale of all Teas, until the Sense and Determination of the Sea-Ports and other Towns can be known...." News from town meeting in Medway (Mass.), Dec. 27: "...The East-India Co...exporting their Teas to America, subject to Duties payable on its being landed, for the express Purpose of raising a Revenue in America...To prevent the many Evils consequent upon the Success of this alarming and subtle Attempt of Inslaving of us, the Town...Resolves...imposing a Duty on Tea...is not only Unconstitutional, but its Consequences tends directly to involve us in Slavery...There is nothing in the Votes and Proceedings of the Town of Boston, at their several late legal Meetings on this alarming Occasion...We...in Conjunction with our oppressed American Brethren, exert ourselves...in the Support and Defence of our Constitutions, Rights, Liberties and Privileges...If any Head of a Family in this Town shall buy any Tea or Permit any to be used and Consumed...while subject to Duties...ought to be viewed as an Enemy to the Country...." Another correspondent in Milton, Mass. (home town of the Governor) defends the American position at length, concluding, "...Man is often the Instrument in executing the Purposes of Heaven for the Punishment of Man." Patriot "R.S." writes, "It is proper that the whole American publick should be made acquainted with the circumstances attending the East-India Company's Tea, ship'd on board Capt. Loring's vessel, which was cast on shore on Cape Cod...The Stamp-Masters by their resignation, made some atonement for their wickedness in suffering themselves to be made the instruments of carrying into effect a former parliamentary revenue act for the sake of filthy lucre...." Ads include sale of "A very likely Negro Man..." and auction of "A Neat Assortment of Guns, compleat with Bayonets...Pocket Pistols...." Several contemporary creases, one full width, all present when printed; some dust and brown toning, old waterstaining at left margin and feathering of blank lower margin, with no loss of text, else generally good plus. An enduring historical chapter, it has been said that the Boston Tea Party changed the course of history. At this time, there were fewer than forty newspapers in the colonies. Coverage of the Tea Party period in a Boston newspaper is ideal - and scarce on the market. This newspaper was called the "voice of resistance and mouthpiece of the Revolution"--dissertation by Sandra Moore, University of Houston, 2005. Notwithstanding the poignant content, newspapers with Revere's illustrations are now elusive. Of Revere's eight "newspaper and periodical cuts in lead" recorded by the American Antiquarian Society, this design, dated c. 1769, was his first. No copies this issue located by WorldCat. Only four copies located by Library of Congress' Chronicling America.