sented by their agent Dr. Franklin, and heard in due form, before the king in council, January 29th, 1774, and in due form dismissed; Dr. Franklin was also dismissed from the office of deputy postmaster-general for the colonies; after having been overwhelmed with a torrent of invective, and abuse from Mr. Secretary Whateley.

In March following, his majesty disclosed the riotous proceedings in Boston, by a message to both houses, which highly inflamed the resentment of the ministry, and they, in their turn, inflamed the public mind by their inflammatory publications, and the passions of both ministers and people breathed nothing but revenge, or such measures as will warrant a satisfactory subjection. The king, and the court, considered their authority as being in danger, the merchants, and manufacturers considered their trade as being in danger, and the people considered that Boston had done violence to the honor of the crown, and the storm was now about to burst upon that devoted town.

On the 24th, a bill was introduced, laying a commercial interdiction upon the town of Boston, which was received with applause; but the minority met this bill with the following objections. "Have we not (say they) given an extent of power to his majesty for preventing the port of Boston from ever being reinstated, if the king should think proper? A fine is laid; the trade is prohibited until it is paid, and when it is paid, the town may be as far from recovering her trade as ever. crown must have satisfaction, and revenue must be obeyed. The act under pretence of an indemnity to the East-India Company, is meant to enforce the submission to taxes. America will see this, and the cause of Boston will be made the cause of all the colonies. They are all as guilty as Boston. Not one has received the tea; some have destroyed it; others sent it back," &c. But the die

The act provides that the and that the laws of trade There is a sting in this.

was now cast, and ministers had nothing left but one straight course, and that right forward. The bill was accordingly passed, and on the 31st March, it was sanctioned by the king. This was the entering wedge to the ministerial plan of war measures. Another bill soon followed, "for the better regulating and governing MassachusettsBay." This bill contemplated the removal of their charter, and surrendering Massachusetts as a royal government, subject wholly, and entirely to the crown. This bill also surmounted all opposition, and was passed.

On the 21st of April following, Lord North introduced the following, as a third bill, which might serve as a key to the whole. "For the impartial administration of jus tice in the cases of persons questioned for any acts done by them in the execution of the laws, or for the suppression of riots, and tumults in Massachusetts-Bay." The object of this act was to transport offenders to Great-Britain for trial, or to any other colony, and the whole charge to be paid out of the customs. Colonel Barre rose in opposition, in the majesty of himself, and this was his stile to the ministers.

"You have changed your ground. You are becoming the aggressors, and offering the last of human outrages to the American people, by subjecting them in fact, to military execution. Instead of sending them the olive branch, you have sent the naked sword. By the olive branch, I mean a repeal of all the late laws, fruitless to you, and oppressive to them. Ask their aid in a constitutional manner, and they will give it to the utmost of their ability. They never yet refused it, when properly required. Your journals bear the recorded acknowledgments of zeal with which they have contributed to the necessities of the state. What madness is it that prompts you to attempt to obtain that by force, which you may more certainly procure by requsition. They may be flattered into almost any thing, but they are too much like

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 rai pidity, 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, through. out 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 adjournment, 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 committce 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 dissolye the assem