How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"My master, Mr. John Hancock, Esquire, bids me leave these coins—one for each of the poor work-boys—hoping they will drink his health and be diligent at their benches." Then he was gone.
"Hoping they will vote for him—when they are grown up and have enough property."
"Don't you ever vote for Mr. Hancock, sir?" asked Johnny.
"I never do. I don't hold much with these fellows that are always trying to stir up trouble between us and England. Maybe English rule ain't always perfect, but it's good enough for me. Fellows like Mr. Hancock and Sam Adams, calling themselves patriots and talking too much. Not reading God's Word—like their parents did—which tells us to be humble. But he's my landlord and I don't say much." (1.3.42-45)
There are a couple of things going on here. The first is possible bribery: is Mr. Hancock just a nice guy, or is he greasing the wheels of the old political machine? The second is the issue of Mr. Lapham's feelings about Whigs: is it possible to be both patriotic and humble?
Quote #2
"He's sly. When the merchants agreed not to import any English goods until the Stamp Act was repealed, he was one of the first to sign—then imported secretly. Sold through another name. Made more money. Sam Adams spoke to him privately—scared him. He says he won't do that again. He's trying to ride two horses—Whig and Tory."
Johnny's life with the Laphams had been so limited he knew little of the political strife which was turning Boston into two armed camps. The Whigs declaring that taxation without representation is tyranny. The Tories believing all differences could be settled with time, patience, and respect for government. (4.2.27-28)
There's a third camp: the merchants, trying to make as much money as possible off both sides. Johnny and Rab are talking about Merchant Lyte here, but he's hardly the only person in history to have done this. Also, note the great definition of Whigs and Tories that we get here. Keep it for handy reference.
Quote #3
So Rab was one of the semi-secret famous Sons of Liberty, those carefully organized "mobs" who often took justice into their own hands. They frightened royal officers out of Boston, stopped British admirals from impressing Yankee seamen, as they were impressed in England. They could at will paralyze trade, courts, government. Many a night Johnny had heard their whistles, conch shells, and cries of "town-born, turn out," the running of their feet. And next day had seen the effigies they had hung, the Tory fences they had torn down or windows broken, and heard that Royal Commissioner So-and-So had been frightened out of Boston. Or such-and-such a merchant had wept when haled before the Liberty Tree and sworn never to do trade with England until all grievances had been righted. The Laphams had hated such lawless seizure of government by the Sons of Liberty. Johnny had not thought much about it. Seeing the medal at Rab's throat made him think it might be fun to be out with them. (4.4.2)
The Sons of Liberty are often depicted as no less than heroes in popular culture, but some of Johnny's encounters with them indicate that they weren't quite as noble as they've been painted. As we can see from this paragraph, they didn't mind taking the law into their own hands. Still, Johnny's thinking he might have fun with them. Is this because he agrees with their mission or because he's looking for a place to belong?