The First American Revolution by Ray Raphael

Author:Ray Raphael [Raphael, Ray]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Revolutionary, United States, Colonial Period (1600-1775), Revolutionary Period (1775-1800), Social History
ISBN: 9781595587343
Google: of-g6vZMyPUC
Publisher: The New Press
Published: 2010-03-16T00:33:52+00:00

Concord physician Joseph Lee was taken to task for a grievous sin: While hundreds of his neighbors gathered on the common the night of September 1 and prepared to march into Cambridge, Lee set forth to warn councilor Joseph Lee (no relation) that a crowd was on its way. According to local folklore, Concord’s Joseph Lee “was seen in the morning fording the river above the South Bridge in great haste, with his long stockings down to his heels.” 15 When word got around about Lee’s treachery, he was forced to repent. The wording of his apology was excessive and flamboyant, certainly not authored by Lee himself: Whereas I, Joseph Lee, of Concord, Physician, on the Evening of the 1st ult, did rashly and without Consideration, make a private and precipitate journey from Concord to Cambridge, to inform judge Lee, that the Country was assembling to come down . . . that he & others concern’d might prepare themselves for the Event, and with an avowed Intention to deceive the People; by which the Parties assembling might have been exposed to the brutal Rage of the Soldiery, who had timely Notice to have waylaid the Roads and fired on them while unarmed and Defenceless in the dark.

By which imprudent Conduct, I might have prevented the salutary Designs of my Countrymen, whose innocent intentions were only to request certain Gentlemen, sworn into Office on the new system of Government, to resign their Offices, in order to prevent the Operation of that (so much detested) Act of the British Parliament for regulating the Civil Government of the Massachusetts Bay: By all of which I have justly drawn upon me the displeasure of my Country.

When I cooly reflect on my own imprudence, it fills my Mind with the deepest Anxiety.

I deprecate the resentment of my injured Country, humbly confess my Errors, and implore the Forgiveness of a generous and free People. Solemnly declaring that for the future, never to convey any intelligence to any of the Court Party, whether directly or indirectly, by which the designs of the People may be frustrated in opposing the barbarous Policy, of an arbitrary, wicked and corrupt Administration.

Joseph Lee16

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