APPENDIX A XXVII 



might have thrown light upon the feelings of these loyal old founders 

 of our country. Deeds speak, however, and I wish to point out the great 

 and beneficial influence exerted by these sturdy but silent fathers of 

 cur people. 



Their history has been written by their enemies. The first work 

 on the U. E. Loyalists was by Lorenzo Sabine, a citizen of the United 

 States, who tried to be fair, but whose bias is shown in many places. 

 It was not till 1879 that Dr. Ryerson published his book on the " Loyal- 

 ists and their Times," written from the loyal standpoint, by a descendant 

 of one of the most distinguished of the exiles. 



It is very gratifying to find that during the last few years literary 

 men in the United States, of high character and great ability, have 

 been making careful research into the records preserved in that country, 

 and are writing historical works which, for the first time, do justice 

 to those who s4;ood true to their King and Constitution in the troublous 

 times of the Eevolution. 



Professor Moses Coit Tyler wrote several magazine articles, and 

 a book upon the literature of the Revolution. He was the first, I believe, 

 among United States authors, to recognize that there was a justification 

 for the Loyalist position. 



Van Tyne's " Loyalists of the American Revolution" is also a 

 valuable contribution to the history of the Loyalists, and is fair and 

 impartial in its treatment of the question. Professor Flick's book on 

 " Loyalism in N'ew York during the Revolution," is also a most valuable 

 contribution to the history of the time. These three writers, who base 

 tbeir statements, after careful research, upon original sources of in- 

 formation, give a striking picture of the origin and growth of the 

 Revolution, and of the causes which led to its successful termination. 



The Revolution began by agitation on the part of the lawless 

 elements, against; some of the steps taken by the Imperial 'Government, 

 to obtain from the Colonies a small contril)ution towards defraying the 

 enormous expenses which had been incurred by the Mother Country, in 

 the long wars waged to defend the rights and existence of the Colonies 

 themselves. The Stamp Act was passed in 1765, and although it was 

 soon repealed and never properly put into force, it served as a pretext 

 for the unruly classes to commence a movement against Great Britain. 

 The subsequent determination of the British Government to tax tea, 

 added fuel to the flame, and gave the disaffected classes the weapon 

 they needed to help on their designs. These lawless elements were led 

 by impecunious lawyers and unsuccessful merchants, by ship owners wha 

 lived by smuggling, and by men on the verge of bankruptcy. John 

 Hancock, the first to sign the Declaration of Independence, was defend- 



