During March 1747, Samuel Adams accepted his election as a Boston Market Clerk, which gave him a decent salary, but more importantly far more closely connected him to the goings-on in Boston. Adams’ position sent him out to the streets of Boston, where he was able to talk and work with bakers, butchers, oystermen, etc., to make sure city codes were followed. Among his responsibilities was to make sure there was no price-gouging or made-up weights (the “thumb on the scale”). Boston had a reputation of being the best-governed city in the Colonies, and the 24 year-old idealistic Samuel Adams fit in well with that political landscape.
Adams was in his element making connections with the working class, and in the process he became very adept with retail politics. Adams came to realize that the opinions of the “Man on the Street” should not be neglected, which was a core tenet that stayed with him when he became a revolutionary. Several of Adams’ acquaintances from Harvard filled some of the other dozen of the clerk positions. The clerk position was the first step up the social, political, and economic ladder in Boston; Adam’s father had been a clerk in 1727, and he worked his way up the ladder in the city.
Adams certainly heard the scuttlebutt concerning the MA governor’s veto that kept his father from being in the Council (upper chamber). To many in the streets, the rejection of Adams, Sr. was seen as a badge of honor, but to the Adams family, it was an insult that rankled. The ability of the MA governor to veto with impunity was unmatched in the Colonies, even in Britain, where not even the King of Great Britain, which at that time was King George II, could reject a member of the House of Lords.
Adams was in his element making connections with the working class, and in the process he became very adept with retail politics. Adams came to realize that the opinions of the “Man on the Street” should not be neglected, which was a core tenet that stayed with him when he became a revolutionary. Several of Adams’ acquaintances from Harvard filled some of the other dozen of the clerk positions. The clerk position was the first step up the social, political, and economic ladder in Boston; Adam’s father had been a clerk in 1727, and he worked his way up the ladder in the city.
Adams certainly heard the scuttlebutt concerning the MA governor’s veto that kept his father from being in the Council (upper chamber). To many in the streets, the rejection of Adams, Sr. was seen as a badge of honor, but to the Adams family, it was an insult that rankled. The ability of the MA governor to veto with impunity was unmatched in the Colonies, even in Britain, where not even the King of Great Britain, which at that time was King George II, could reject a member of the House of Lords.
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During the Fall of 1747, a Royal Navy squadron arrived in Boston, where many British sailors deserted. The admiral saw no reason why Boston shouldn’t supply the replacements; it didn’t matter to him if Bostonians agreed with his decision or not. The admiral swept the wharves, and while this was a common practice in London, it was met with resistance in Boston. Bricks were thrown through windows, and mobs formed, which led to the MA governor leaving his house. It reached the point where some of the admiral’s officers were taken hostage and held prisoner, and then paraded through the streets.
From 1744 to 1747, Boston had lost 20% of its male population, due mostly to the poor economy, so it was very predictable that the city would strongly resist the admiral when he tried to take Boston’s men. Two weeks after arriving, the Royal Navy squadron left the harbor without a single Bostonian on any ship. Those events provided Adams with his first up-close experience with violent resistance, which to him at least hinted that there were times where standing up to authority was necessary and effective.
The year 1747 was important for Boston, in that before that year Boston was simmering, due to the economic downturn and the land bank crisis. But when thousands took to the streets to resist the British admiral, the MA governor discovered that a seismic change had occurred. When he activated the militia to deal with the mobs, he discovered that the militia was the mob.
From 1744 to 1747, Boston had lost 20% of its male population, due mostly to the poor economy, so it was very predictable that the city would strongly resist the admiral when he tried to take Boston’s men. Two weeks after arriving, the Royal Navy squadron left the harbor without a single Bostonian on any ship. Those events provided Adams with his first up-close experience with violent resistance, which to him at least hinted that there were times where standing up to authority was necessary and effective.
The year 1747 was important for Boston, in that before that year Boston was simmering, due to the economic downturn and the land bank crisis. But when thousands took to the streets to resist the British admiral, the MA governor discovered that a seismic change had occurred. When he activated the militia to deal with the mobs, he discovered that the militia was the mob.
The MA governor quickly realized that he needed to be politically nimble, so he made it clear that he just wanted the mob to be dispersed, and only the ringleaders arrested. The admiral’s point-of-view was very different, in that he regretted that he couldn’t shell the hell out of Boston. Given what the city had gone through economically, as well as an increase in taxes due to military action against the French, Adams started to think about creating a newspaper. Doing so would “get the word out”, so to speak, but would also almost certainly be a money-losing proposition. The Independent Advertiser was first published in January 1748, with the first edition dealing with the crisis of the admiral in 1747. The newspaper promised its readers the most recent information, and when news was slow, editorials and columns would be featured.
The Independent Advertiser claimed to have no agenda, and would not represent any specific political points-of-view, claiming its mission was to defend liberty and to inspire New Englanders. From the very beginning, the newspaper attacked the actions of the MA governor during the crisis with the admiral, conveniently omitting the violent nature and actions of the mobs, insisting that the people in Boston were calm and behaved during the entire ordeal.
The Independent Advertiser claimed to have no agenda, and would not represent any specific political points-of-view, claiming its mission was to defend liberty and to inspire New Englanders. From the very beginning, the newspaper attacked the actions of the MA governor during the crisis with the admiral, conveniently omitting the violent nature and actions of the mobs, insisting that the people in Boston were calm and behaved during the entire ordeal.
In the first publication of the Independent Advertiser, there was an editorial that mirrored Adams’ master’s thesis at Harvard. The main argument was that the people owed no allegiance to an authority that trampled on their rights, which strongly indicated that Adams was the author. The Advertiser proved to be deeply partisan at a time when most Colonial newspapers at least tried to be objective. There was much speculation in Boston as to who the anonymous authors were in the Advertiser; quite a few editorials in future issues had the logical voice, if not his future prose, of Samuel Adams.
Adams used the word “liberty” often, but liberty was something that was treasured and admired far more than it was understood or experienced. For most, liberty was something to talk about, but not to actually pursue, whereas Adams was in the process of becoming a person that would not just talk about defending liberty, but to also take action. One can almost hear Samuel Adams saying the same thing that Johnny Unitas, the legendary Baltimore Colts NFL quarterback would tell his offense: “Talk is Cheap; Play the Game”. The reception of his editorials in the streets puffed up Adams’ pride, and while he considered letting people know that he was the author, he chose to remain anonymous and mysterious.
Adams used the word “liberty” often, but liberty was something that was treasured and admired far more than it was understood or experienced. For most, liberty was something to talk about, but not to actually pursue, whereas Adams was in the process of becoming a person that would not just talk about defending liberty, but to also take action. One can almost hear Samuel Adams saying the same thing that Johnny Unitas, the legendary Baltimore Colts NFL quarterback would tell his offense: “Talk is Cheap; Play the Game”. The reception of his editorials in the streets puffed up Adams’ pride, and while he considered letting people know that he was the author, he chose to remain anonymous and mysterious.
During March 1748, Adams dominated the Advertiser’s front page, denouncing out-of-control avarice and ambition, seeing both as a threat to the proper balance of power. Adams argued that the people needed to monitor those who governed, and he stressed the dangers of complacency, making sure to resist the initial small attempts to take away their liberty so it would not become a situation beyond their control. During March 1748, Samuel Adams. Sr. died at the age of 59, and the Advertiser featured a lengthy and honorific obituary. The death of Adams, Sr. was not sudden, and a will had been properly done.
Samuel Adams took over the malt business, in addition to his editorial writing. For at least a few hours a week, Adams had to keep track of quite a few things in the malt (barley) side of the business. Most in that trade kept pigs that were fed the spent (useless) leftover grain, which led to a side business of selling pork products, such as bacon. Among the customers of those pork products from the Adams malt business was the Hancock family. Adams also inherited his father’s land bank debt, which would prove to be an albatross for many years to come.
Samuel Adams married Elizabeth Checkley in October 1749, a woman that he had known for many years. Typical for Adams, nothing is known about their courtship, other than it had started before the death of his father. Elizabeth was a minister’s daughter, and her brother was an even more prestigious clergyman in Boston than his father. Samuel Adams had found his soulmate.
Samuel Adams took over the malt business, in addition to his editorial writing. For at least a few hours a week, Adams had to keep track of quite a few things in the malt (barley) side of the business. Most in that trade kept pigs that were fed the spent (useless) leftover grain, which led to a side business of selling pork products, such as bacon. Among the customers of those pork products from the Adams malt business was the Hancock family. Adams also inherited his father’s land bank debt, which would prove to be an albatross for many years to come.
Samuel Adams married Elizabeth Checkley in October 1749, a woman that he had known for many years. Typical for Adams, nothing is known about their courtship, other than it had started before the death of his father. Elizabeth was a minister’s daughter, and her brother was an even more prestigious clergyman in Boston than his father. Samuel Adams had found his soulmate.