The king's birthday, the 4th of June, was made the occasion of a grand celebration, one of whose incidents was the erection of a This organliberty pole under the auspices of the Sons of Liberty. ization was a secret confraternity of the more radical element of It appears the people, with ramifications throughout the colonies. at the time of the taking effect of the to have been full Hedged Stamp Act, since the thoroughly organized resistance to the act which was offered by the people at large was uniformly traceable to its The Sons of Liberty were the mainstay of the whole popmembers. ular agitation against British oppression and in favor of American independence from the time of the passage of the Stamp Act until the championship of their cause became the business of armies in the field. The Stamp Act repeal was followed by a year of quiet. But in May, 1767, another parliamentary scheme for taxing the colonies was instituted, which imposed port duties on many articles of com-

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

mon use, including glass, paper, lead, painters' colors, and tea. Although intense feeling was excited throughout the colonies by the new law, two years passed by before a systematic policy of effective opposition was entered upon. Then, in the spring of 17(59. the merchants of New York again met and formulated a second Non-Importation Agreement, under which no English goods, with but few exceptions, were to be purchased so long as the duties should remain in force. The mercantile communities of Philadelphia and Boston were somewhat tardy in assenting to this instrument, but by the fall they gave in their adhesion. Again the British ministry, appalled at the falling off in American trade, was forced to yield, and in 1770 all the duties objected to, except that on tea, were annulled.