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LIBERTY TREE. 21 |
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Hill, where a bonfire was made of the pageantry in sight of Mr. Oliver's house. It being intimated to Mr. Oliver that it would conduce to the quiet of the public, if he would go to the tree and openly resign his commission, he appeared the next day, and declared, in the presence of a large concourse of people, that he would not continue in office. It was thenceforward called the Liberty Tree, and the following inscription was placed upon it, " This tree was planted in the year 1614, and pruned by the order of the Sons of Liberty, February 14, 1766." On future occasions there was seldom any excitement on political subjects, without soine evidence of it appearing on this tree. Whenever obnoxious o.'lices were to be resigned or agreements for patriotic purposes entered into, the parties were notified to appear at the tree, " where they always found pens and paper, and a numerous crowd of witnesses, though the genius of the tree was invisible. When the British army took possession of Boston, in 1774, Liberty Tree fell a victim to their vengeance, or to that of the persons to Avhom its shade had been disagreeable." Liberty Trees were consecrated in Charlestown, Lexington and Roxbury, Mass., and also in Charleston, S. C, Newport and Providence, R. I.—Tudor1 s Ufe of Otis |
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