ashington kept fine horses and dogs and was very fond of hunting.
Although busy with the care of his great farms and his wife's large
estate, he found time to follow the hounds. His wisdom and honesty were
so trusted that, aside from his own affairs, other people gave him
charge of theirs. He was often called upon to settle disputes, thus
preventing law-suits. He was a member of the Virginia Legislature, then
called the House of Burgesses, of which he attended every meeting and
was careful to know all about the affairs of the colony. When he first
took his seat in the Legislature, he was thanked for his military
service to the colony. He rose to reply, but could only blush and
stammer. The speaker said, "Sit down, Mr. Washington, your modesty
equals your valor!"

For fifteen years, Washington led a peaceful and happy life with his
family. He was kept busy looking after his vast estates. But then again,
the country began to claim his attention. George III was King of
England. Under his rule, unjust laws were made for the colonies, which
the wise men of America knew would destroy their rights. The colonies
were not represented in the British Parliament (where the laws were
made) and so claimed that Parliament had no right to tax them. Needing
money, England laid heavy taxes on the colonies, which they would not
pay. After much trouble, all the taxes were taken off except the one on
tea. That was left to prove England's right to tax the colonies.

In the autumn of 1773, several ships were sent over loaded with tea,
which was to be sold very cheaply. But the colonists refused to have tea
at any price rather than submit to "taxation without representation."
There can be no freedom in a land whose people may be taxed without
their consent. From several ports, the ships were sent back. In Boston,
a party of citizens dressed as Indians, boarded the ships at night,
December 16, and threw all the tea into the harbor. This is called the
Boston Tea Party. The same violence occurred at Annapolis, Maryland. To
punish the city of Boston, Parliament passed a law that no ship should
come in or go out of her harbor. The port was closed and business
stopped.

[Illustration: The Boston Tea-Party]

News of this was carried to the other colonies. In Virginia, a day of
fasting and prayer was appointed. The people did not want to give up
their liberties, for which many had come to America. It seemed, on the
other hand, very dreadful to go