History of the Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770, consisting of the narrative of the town, the trial of the soldiers, and a historical introduction containing unpublished documents of John Adams, etc

Preface

. The one hundredth anniversary of the Boston Massacre being at hand, it is thought proper to republish the narrative of that event prepared by the authorities of the town ; as also the account of the trial of the soldiers, who fired on the people ; to which is added some additional facts, not before printed ; particularly the notes of the trial, as taken down at the time by John Adams, one of the counsel for the prisoners. This is in his own hand-writing, as verified by his grandson, and biographer, the Hon. Charles Francis Adams. This rare document has never before been printed, having been for a long period in the hands of the com piler. The words printed in italics were underscored in the original. The vindication and trial are both reprinted from the original editions published in 1770, the year in which the massacre occurred.

In imitation of a practice then in vogue in the cities and large towns of England, the gunpowder plot was annually celebrated in Boston in Colony times. After the Boston massacre, the 5th of March was publicly celebrated instead of the 5th of November. After the peace of 1783 the Fourth of July was substituted, and has since been yearly observed by the town and city authorities, to this time. Melrose, Mass., Feb., 1870.