In March 1765, Parliament, in search of revenue to meet the costs of war and empire, passed a Stamp Act to take effect in November of the same year, which required that formally written or printed matter such as deeds, bills, diplomas, and newspapers carry a stamp to indicate that the designated taxes had been paid. The Act raised new questions about the limits and legitimacy of imperial rule; and for the first time the colonies united in a common effort—the Stamp Act Congress—to effect the repeal of the tax.
In Boston the leaders of popular resistance to the Stamp Act were artisans and shopkeepers known as the Loyal Nine, and later as the Sons of Liberty. They persuaded the town gangs who had previously mobbed one another on Guy Fawkes Days to turn their energy against a common enemy, the British. Led with discriminating purposefulness by a shoemaker, Ebenezer MacIntosh, the Bostonians attacked the individuals who were to put the new tax into effect. On August 14, a mob attacked the house of Andrew Oliver, the Stamp Collector-designate. On the 26th they damaged the houses of a judge of the Admiralty Court, the Comptroller of Customs, and completely destroyed the house of Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson.
Boston set the example for the other colonial ports. In Newport a crowd broke up the houses of the designated stamp collector, two men who had written pamphlets advocating submission to Parliament, and the Customs Collector. Elsewhere a show of force was enough to compel resignations, and when the November deadline arrived not a single colony had an official who would distribute the stamps.
The violence was minimal; no one was killed. This is the more remarkable when compared to European riots in these years, and probably can be accounted for by the absence or ineffectiveness of governmental authority. Having insufficient force to suppress rioters, officials capitulated to their demands.
The following account of the destruction of Andrew Oliver’s property was reported in the Boston Gazette, August 19, 1765. On the riots, see Gordon Wood: “A Note on Mobs in the American Revolution,” William and Mary Quarterly, XXIII (October 1966), 635–42; Edmund S. and Helen M. Morgan: The Stamp Act Crisis: Prologue to Revolution (1963); William Ander Smith, “Anglo-Colonial Society and the Mob: 1740–1775,” unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Claremont Colleges, 1965.
Early on Wednesday morning last, the effigy of a gentleman sustaining a very unpopular office, viz, that of St—p Master, was found hanging on a tree in the most public part of the town, together with a boot, wherein was concealed a young imp of the Devil represented as peeping out of the top. On the breast of the effigy was a label, In Praise of Liberty, and announcing vengeance on the subvertors of it. And underneath was [sic] the following words. HE THAT TAKES THIS DOWN IS AN ENEMY TO HIS COUNTRY. The owner of the tree finding a crowd of people to assemble, though at five o’clock in the morning, endeavored to take it down; but being advised to the contrary by the populace, lest it should occasion the demolition of his windows, if not worse, desisted from the attempt the diversion it occasioned among a multitude of spectators who continually assembled the whole day, is surprising; not a peasant was suffered to pass down to the market, let him have what he would for sale, till he had stopped and got his articles stamped by the effigy. Towards dark some thousands repaired to the said place of rendezvous, and having taken down the pageantry, they proceeded with it along the main street to the town house, thru which they carried it, and continued their route thru Tilby Street to Oliver’s dock, where there was a new brick building just finished; and they imagining it to be designed for a Stamp Office, instantly set about demolishing of it, which they thoroughly effected in about half an hour. In the meantime the high sheriff etc., etc., being apprehensive that the person of the then Stamp Master and his family, might be in danger from the tumult, went and advised them to evacuate the house; which they had scarcely done, making their retreat across the gardens, etc., before the multitude approached Fort Hill, contiguous thereto, in order to burn the effigy, together with the timber and other woodwork of the house they had demolished. After setting fire to the combustibles, they proceeded to break open the stables, coachhouses etc., and were actually increasing the bonfire with a coach, Booby-Hutch, Chaise, etc. but were dissuaded going so far by a number of spectators present, tho they burnt the coach doors, cushions, etc. But it seems not having completed their purpose, they set about pulling down a range of fences upwards of fifteen feet high, which enclosed the bottom of the garden, into which having entered, they stripped the trees of the fruit, despoilt some of them by breaking off the limbs, demolished the summer house, broke the windows in the rear part of the house, entered the same, went down the cellars, and helped themselves to the liquor which they found there in the silver plate that the house afforded, none of which however was missing the next day, altho scattered over various parts of the house. They then destroyed part of the furniture, among which was a looking glass said to be the largest in North America, with two others, etc.
The next day the transactions of the preceeding night was of course the general topic of conversation; when the Stamp Master, in order to appease the sensations which seemed to possess the breasts of everyone, at the prospect of a future stamp duty, sent a card to several gentlemen, acquainting them that he had absolutely declined having any concern in that office, which being publicly read upon change, it was thought all uneasiness would subside; but the evening following they again assembled, erected a number of stages with tar barrels, etc. in the form of a pyramid, in the center of which was a flag staff, and a Union flag hoisted; whereupon ’tis said, the Stamp Master sent them a letter with the aforementioned resolution of non acceptance, and assurance of endeavors to serve the province, etc. Upon which they thought proper to demolish the bonfire and retire, but did not disperse till they went down to his H—r the L—t G—r’s, with whom they said they wanted to have a talk; but not finding him at home, they concluded the business of the night by loud acclamations in every quarter of the town, on account of the resignation of the Stamp Master; which they were assured was forwarded by express to New York to go in the packet from thence.