Page:History of Journalism in the United States.djvu/131

Rh writings of the day, both in newspapers and pamphlets, was an endeavor to find a legal basis for getting rid of the tyranny of the British Government.

In 1774 and 1775 John Adams wrote the "Novanglus " letters, which were among the most important contributions to the Boston Gazette. They were answers to letters that had been written by Daniel Leonard and printed in the Massachusetts Gazette,—one of the names of the Weekly Advertiser. Leonard's letters defended the course of the English Government and tried to make it appear that the colonists had no substantial grievance. Adams was then opening the congress in Philadelphia and when he returned and found that these letters, which were signed "Massachusettsensis," were making a deep impression, he began his series of letters in the Gazette, defending the course of the colonies in declaring' that America would defend her rights and that submission was not to be thought of.

The last of these letters appeared with the date of April 17, 1775. Two days later, April 19th, the battle of Lexington took place, and the newspaper war gave way to the fight of arms. These letters were reprinted during the war and were widely read, both then and afterward. In the words of Charles Francis Adams, " they formed a masterly commentary on the whole history of American taxation and the rise of the Revolution."

When we come to discuss Sam Adams' own part, it must be said first, that never before in the history of a people had there been such a successful endeavor to conduct a public issue within peaceful lines, while, at the same time, nothing was omitted that would arouse the public to a full sense of the importance of the events that were taking place. English historians, even in this cen