the world.

From New Hampshire to South Carolina it was ushered in by the tolling of
muffled bells, the firing of minute-guns, and flags hung at half-mast.
Eulogies were pronounced on liberty, and everywhere people left their
shops and fields, and gathered in excited throngs to discuss the great
question of taxation.

"Even the children at their games, though hardly able to speak, caught up
the general chorus, and went along the streets, merrily carolling:
'Liberty, Property, and no Stamps.'" [Footnote: Bancroft.]

In New York the uprising was terrific, for the population rushed together
as one man--as Gage, the commander of Fort George said, "by thousands."

The sailors flocked in from the vessels, the farmers from the country, and
the shouts, and ringing of bells, and firing of cannon made the city
fairly tremble. Colden was terrified at the storm that was raised, and
took refuge in the fort. An old man, bent and bowed with the weight of
eighty years, he tottered nervously to the shelter of its guns, and
ordered up a detachment of marines from a ship of war in port, for his
protection. In his indignation, he wanted to fire on the people, and the
black muzzles of the cannon pointing on the town had an ominous look.
Whether he had threatened to do so by a message, we do not know; at any
rate, the people either suspected his determination or got wind of it, for
during the day an unknown person handed in at the fort-gate a note,
telling him if he did, the people would hang him, like Porteus of
Edinburgh, on a sign-post. He wisely forebore to give the order, for if he
had not, his gray hairs would have streamed from a gibbet.