VOX POPULI.

"WE DARE."

To the stamp distributors they said, "Assure yourselves, the spirit of
Brutus and Cassius is yet alive. We will not submit to the stamp act upon
any account or in any instance."

McEvers, the head stamp distributor, frightened by the bold, determined
attitude of the people, refused to receive the stamps, and Golden had them
sent for greater safety to Fort George. He had written, to the British
Secretary, "_I am resolved to have the stamps distributed_." But the
people were equally resolved they should not be. Still, on the 30th day of
October, he and all the royal governors took the oath to carry the stamp
act into effect; but they soon discovered that they could find no one bold
enough to act as distributor. All along the sea-coast, in every part of
the colonies, the people were aroused, and either assembling quietly, or
called together by the ringing of bells and firing of cannon, presented
such a united, determined front, that not one person remained duly
commissioned to distribute stamps. On the last day of October, the
merchants of New York came together, and bound themselves to "send no new
orders for goods or merchandise, to countermand all former orders, and not
even receive goods on commission, unless the stamp act be repealed"--that
is, give up commerce at once, with all its wealth and benefits, rather
than submit to a tax of a few shillings on paper.

Friday, the 1st of November, was the day fixed upon for a public
demonstration of the people throughout the colonies against it, and never
dawned a morning more pregnant with the fate not only of a nation, but of