yourselves to be driven. Have some indulgence for your own likeness; respect their sturdy English virtue; retract your odious exertions of authority; and remember, that the first step to make them contribute to your wants, is to reconcile them to your government."

Another member closed his remarks in a speech in support of Colonel Barre, with the following remarks. "I will now take may leave of the whole plan. You will commence your ruin from this day. I am sorry to say, that not only this house has fallen into this error; but the people approve of the measure. The people, I am sorry to say it, are misled. But a short time will prove the evil tendency of this bill. If ever there was a nation running headlong into ruin, it is this." The bills passed. But the opposition was so strong in the House of Lords, that a very powerful protest was entered upon both, by some of the first characters in the nation; yet both bills received the royal assent, May 20th, 1774. Another bill was introduced at the close of this session, termed the Quebec bill, in the following stile. "A bill for making more effectual provision for the government of Quebec, in North America."

This bill met with a powerful opposition; but passed also, and received the royal assent, June 22d. This bill was a sample of that despotism which ministers were contemplating for all the other colonies, viz. a legal parliamentary despotism, committed into the hands of the crown, and its minister; since the crown is thereby rendered absolute, and despotic.

General Gage was appointed to succeed Governor Hutchinson, removed, and he landed in Boston May 13th, where he was politely received, and honourably entertained; but the Boston port-bill, which arrived at the same time, was met the next day, by a numerous town-meeting, which passed the following resolves.

"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this town, that if the other colonies come into a joint resolution, to stop all importation from, and exportation to Great-Britain, and every part of the West-Indies, till the act be repealed, the same will prove the salvation of North America, and her liberties; and that the impolicy, inhumanity, injustice, and cruelty of the act, exceed all our powers of expression. We therefore leave it to the just censure of others, and appeal to God and the world." Copies of this act flew through the colonies with an unprecedented rapidity, and in every possible manner, that was calculated to inflame the public mind. Sometimes the act was printed on a mourning paper, with a black border, under the title of a barbarous, cruel, bloody, and inhuman murder. At others it was committed to the flames amidst a vast concourse of people, collected for the occasion, by advertisement, ringing of the bells, &c. after the manner of the stamp act.

A Captain Sears, and a Mr. McDougle stood forth in New-York, as champions in support of Boston; but the tories made such opposition, that in appointing a com mittee of opposition to the port-bill, consisting of fifty; the tories were so nearly equal to the whigs, that it became necessary to add two more, to command a majority. So critical had the fate of America become at this time.

Boston managed her cause with the greatest wisdom, and prudence, in distributing her circulars, and at the same time a new general court was convened in Boston, May 25th. The new governor negatived thirteen of the council, and on the first of June, adjourned them to Salem, to meet on the 7th. Philadelphia met the port-bill honourably, and set forward a subscription for the relief of the distressed poor of Boston.

The house of Burgesses appointed the first of June as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, throughout that colony, to implore the protection of Almighty God, as well as his interposition to avert the heavy

calamities which threatened destruction to their civil rights, as well as the evils of a civil war. Also for giving firmness, and unanimity to the American people, in defence of their just rights. The governor dissolved the assembly; but before they separated, eighty-nine members entered into an association under the following declaration" That an attack made on one of our sister colonies, to compel submission to arbitrary taxes, is an attack made on all British America, and threatens ruin to the rights of all, unless the united wisdom, and strength of the whole, be applied." Committees of correspondence were again renewed, as under the stamp act, and other duties, and the colonies were alive to the crisis that awaited them.

On the first of June, the custom-house in Boston was closed, and the harbour was shut, at 12 o'clock, against the entry of all vessels, and on the 14th, against the departure of such as had entered. The shops were generally closed at Philadelphia, and the bells were rung muffled on that day, and the solemnity was nearly as great as the solemn fast in Virginia. Many places throughout the colonies observed it as a day of mourning.

The general court met at Salem, agreeable to adjourn ment, and a committee was appointed to enquire into, and report the state of the province; but when it was ascertained that they were not all firm, and could not be relied upon, a caucus was convened, through the instrumentality of Mr. Samuel Adams, to take into consideration, what was most expedient to be done; when it was concluded to collect a general congress. The house proceeded to appoint a committee of five, to meet the committees of the other colonies, in general congress, at Philadelphia, on the first of September, and voted money for their support. At this critical moment, the governor had a hint of their proceedings, and sent his secretary to dissolve the assem

bly; but it was too late, the business was closed, and the assembly retired. The other colonies met the plan cordially and firmly, and chose committees to meet in general congress at Philadelphia in September. During this period the most cordial letters were transmitted from all the colonies to Boston, expressing the highest approbation of their firmness, and patriotism, assuring them of their sympathy, co-operation, and support.

The people began very generally to provide themselves with arms and ammunition, especially in Massachusetts, knowing that such a contest was not likely to subside without an appeal to the sword. This disposition in the people, led the governor to send over to Charlestown and secure the arsenal. This the people considered as a flagrant outrage upon their just rights, and assembled in arms throughout the vicinity, to the number of several thousand, and took their stand at Cambridge. Their first object was to march into Boston, and demand the powder, &c. taken from the arsenal; but being dissuaded from this, they turned their attention to the Lt. Gov. Oliver, with such of the council as were near, and compelled them either to resign, or declare that they would no longer give support to arbitrary measures against the colonies.

In the midst of these scenes, the true spirit of the public feeling was put to the test, and ought to have proved sufficient to have opened the eyes of ministers, as well as their minions on this side of the water, to a true sense of the situation of the nation. An alarm was spread amongst this assembled multitude, that the fleet and troops were firing upon the town of Boston. The shock became general, and flew like lightning through the country, and in less than twenty-four hours, there were collected at Cambridge, more than 30,000 men in arms; many had travelled more than thirty miles, before they were, or could be undeceived.

Strong as was this expression of the firmness and resolution of the public mind, to maintain and defend their just rights, at the point of the sword, it made no impression upon the ministers, and gave no hope for any favourable change in their measures. All the officers of government took the alarm at this rising and gathering of the people at Cambridge, and fled into Boston; even the custom-house was removed from Salem, and fixed in the proscribed town of Boston. At the same time the governor removed Col. Hancock from the command of his company of cadet guards; the company returned to the governor the standard which he had presented to them, and disbanded themselves. Twenty-four officers of the regiment under the command of Col. Murray, resigned their commissions, because he accepted a seat at the council board. In this state of things, the county of Suffolk called an assembly of delegates from the several towns, and resolved "that no obedience was due from this province, to either or any part of the late acts; but that they be rejected as the attempts of a wicked administration, to enslave America," &c. "And that the fortifications begun, and now carrying on upon Boston neck, give us reason to apprehend some hostile intention against the town," &c. "That during the present hostile appearances on the part of Britain, we are determined to act merely on the defensive, so long as such conduct may be vindicated by reason, and the principles of self preservation; but no longer." "We do therefore recommend, for the honour and security of the county and province, that such persons be elected in each town as officers of the militia, as shall be judged of sufficient capacity, and who have evidenced themselves the inflexible friends of the rights of the people, and that the inhab itants do use their utmost diligence to acquaint themselves with the art of war, and do for that purpose assemble under arms, at least once in every week." The meeting proceeded to recommend the observance of good VOL. III.

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