evening, the selectmen of Boston were required to quarter the two regiments in the town; but they absolutely refused. A temporary shelter, however, in Fanueil Hall, was permitted to one regiment, that was without its camp equipage. The next day, the state house, by order of the governor, was opened for the reception of the soldiers; and the quarters were settled, two field pieces, with the main guard, were stationed just in its front. Every thing was calculated to excite the indignation of the inhabitants. The lower floor of the state house, which had been used by gentlemen and merchants as an exchange, the representatives chamber, the court house, Fanueil Hall-places with which were intimately associated ideas of justice and freedom, as well as of convenience and utility-were now filled with regular soldiers. Guards were placed at the doors of the state house, through which the council must pass, in going to their own chamber. The common was covered with tents. Soldiers were constantly marching and countermarching to relieve the guards. The sentinels challenged the inhabitants as they passed. The Lord's day was profaned, and the devotion of the sanctuary disturbed by the sound of drums and other military music. There was every appearance of a garrisoned town.

16. In Feb., 1769, both houses of parliament went a step beyond all that had preceded, in an address to the king, requesting him to give orders to the governor of Massachusetts the spirited conduct of which province was particularly obnoxious to the ministry-to take notice of such as might be guilty of treason, that they might be sent to England and tried there.

A measure more odious to the people of America, or more hostile to the British constitution, could not be named, than for a man to be torn from his country, to be tried by a jury of strangers.

The house of burgesses of Virginia met soon after the official accounts of this address were received, and, in a few days, passed several spirited resolutions, expressing "their exclusive right to tax their constituents, and denying the right of his majesty to remove an offender out of the country for trial." The next day, the royal governor of that colony sent for the house of burgesses, and addressed them laconically as follows:-" Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the house of burgesses, I have heard of your resolves, and augur ill of their effects. You have made it my duty to dissolve you, and you are accordingly dissolved!" The assembly of North Carolina passed similar resolutions, and were dissolved by their governor, in a similar manner,

In May following, the assembly of Massachusetts convened, but refused to transact any business while the state house was surrounded by an armed force. This force, however, the governor would not remove, but adjourned the assembly to Cambridge. At this place, the assembly passed resolutions expressing their belief, that the maintenance of a standing army in the colony, in time of peace, was an infringement of the natural rights of the people. They refused to make any of the appropriations of money desired by the governor, in consequence of which he prorogued them. In August, the governor (Bernard) was recalled, and the government devolved upon Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson.

17. During the session of parliament in 1770, the Duke of Grafton, first lord of the treasury, resigned, and was succeeded in that office by the afterwards celebrated Lord North. In March, this latter gentleman introduced a bill, abolishing all duties, imposed by the act of 1767, on all the articles, except tea. This partial suspension of the duties served to soften the feelings of the Americans; but the exception in relation to tea, it was quite apparent, was designed as a salvo to the national honor, and an evidence, which the British ministry were unwilling to relinquish, of the right of parliament to tax the colonies.

18. While affairs were thus situated, an event occur red, which produced great excitement in America, particularly in Massachusetts. This was an affray, on the evening of the 5th of March, 1770, between several of the citizens of Boston, and a number of British soldiers, stationed at the custom-house. Several of the inhabitants were killed, and others severely wounded.

The quarrel commenced on the 2d of March, at Gray's rope walk, between a soldier and a man employed at the rope walk. The provocation was given by the citizen, and a scuffle ensued, in which the soldier was beaten. On the 5th of the month, the soldiers, while under arms, were pressed upon and insulted, and dared to fire. One of them, who had received a blow, fired at the aggressor; and a single discharge from six others succeeded. Three of the citizens were killed, and five dangerously wounded. The town was instantly thrown into the greatest commotion, the bells were rung, and the general cry was, “To In a short time, several thousands of the citizens had

ms."

assembled, and a dreadful scene of blood must have ensued, but for the promise of Gov. Hutchinson, that the affair should be settled to their satisfaction in the morning. Capt. Preston, who commanded the soldiers, was committed with them to prison. Upon their trial, the captain and six soldiers were acquitted; wo were convicted of manslaughter. For several subsequent years. the evening of the day on which this outrage was committed was commemorated by the citizens of Boston, and the event gave Dccasion to addresses the most warm and patriotic, which served o waken up and increase the spirit of the revolution.

19. During the summer of 1772, another event occurred, which presented a fresh obstacle to a reconciliation between America and the mother country. This was the destruction, by the people of Rhode Island, of a British armed schooner, called Gaspee, which had been stationed in that colony to assist the board of custom in the execution of the revenue and trade laws.

The destruction of this vessel grew out of an odious requisition of her commander, upon the masters of packets, navigating the bay, to lower their colors, on passing the schooner.

On the 9th of June, as the Providence packet was sailing into the harbor of Newport, her captain was ordered to lower his colors. Upon his refusal, a shot was fired at him from the schooner, which immediately made sail in chase. By a dexterous management, on the part of the master of the packet, he led the schooner on a shoal, where she grounded, and remained fast. At night, it was determined by a number of fishermen, and others, headed by several respectable merchants of Providence, to make themselves masters of her, and then set her on fire. When the knowledge of this event came to the governor, a reward of five hundred pounds was offered, by proclamation, for the discovery of the offenders, and the royal pardon to those who would confess their guilt. Commissioners were appointed also to investigate the offence, and bring the perpetrators to justice. But after remaining some time in session, they reported that they could obtain no evidence, and thus the affair terminated.

20. In 1773, an important measure was adopted by most of the colonies, viz. the appointment of committees of correspondence and inquiry, in various parts of their respective territories, by means of which a confidential and invaluable interchange of opinions was kept up between the colonies, and great unity of sentiment was thereby promoted.

This measure had its origin in Massachusetts, in which towa meetings were called to express their views of the oppressive acts of the British parliament, and especially of an act by which & salary was voted to the royal governor of Massachusetts by par liament, and the people of that colony required to pay it. In these meetings, the town of Boston took the lead. A committee was appointed to address the several towns in the colony, and to urge upon them the importance of an unanimous expression of their feelings, with regard to the conduct of the British ministry.

The proceedings of the assembly, and of the towns in Massa chusetts, were communicated to the house of burgesses in Virginia, in March, 1773, upon which that body passed a resolution appointing a committee of correspondence and inquiry, whose business it was to obtain the most early and authentic intelligence of the proceedings of the British government in relation to the colonies, and to maintain a correspondence with the other col onies touching all affairs of mutual interest.

Upon the recommendation of Virginia, similar committees of correspondence and inquiry were appointed by the different colonial assemblies, and a confidential interchange of opinions was thus kept up between the colonies.

21. During these transactions in America, a plan was devised by the British ministry to introduce tea into the colonies. For some time little of that article had been imported into the country, from a determination of the people not to submit to the payment of the duty upon it. In consequence of this, the teas of the East India company had greatly accumulated in their warehouses. To enable them to export their teas to America, the British minister introduced a bill into parliament, allowing the company to export their teas into America, with a drawback of all the duties paid in England. As this would make the tea cheaper in America than in Great Britain, it was presumed that the Americans would pay the small duty upon it, which was only three pence. this, however, the parliament mistook. Not a single penny, by way of duty, was paid upon it, nor a single pound of it consumed.

In

On the passage of this bill, the company made a shipment of large quantities of tea to Charleston, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. Before its arrival, the resolution had been formed by the inhabitants of those places, that, if possible, it should not even

be landed. The cargo destined for Charleston was, indeed, landed and stored, but was not permitted to be offered for sale. The vessels which brought tea to Philadelphia and New York, were compelled to return to England, without even having made an entry at the custom-house.

It was designed by the leading patriots of Boston to make a similar disposition of the cargoes expected at that place; but, on their arrival, the consignees were found to be the relations or friends of the governor, and they could not be induced to resign their trust. Several town-meetings were held on the subject, and spirited resolutions passed, that no considerations would induce the inhabitants to permit the landing of the tea. Orders were at the same time given to the captains to obtain clearances at the custom-house, without the usual entries; but this the col lector pertinaciously refused.

It was in this state of things that the citizens of Boston again assembled to determine what measures to adopt. While the discussions were going on, a captain of a vessel was despatched to the governor to request a passport. At length, he returned to say that the governor refused. The meeting was immediately dissolved. A secret plan had been formed to mingle the tea with the waters of the ocean. Three different parties soon after sal

lied out, in the costume of Mohawk Indians, and precipitately. made their way to the wharves. At the same time, the citizens