General Gage came from New York on a visit. In a short time, two regiments, the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth,- direct from Ireland, landed in the town; Commodore Hood, the commander of the naval forces in the American seas, came from Halifax; and General Pomeroy, colonel of the Sixty-fourth, arrived in December, and took the command of the land-force. He was an excellent officer, and became popular with the citizens. The two regiments that last arrived were quartered in commodious stores on Wheelwright's Wharf: a portion of the troops that first arrived were quartered in a house owned by James Murray, and hence the name "Murray's Barracks," which, from its connection with the massacre, became historic. The main guard was located in King Street, directly opposite the Town House; and here were planted two field-pieces pointing towards this building, in which the courts met and the legislature held its sessions. Detachments were posted at the land avenue into the town and at the ferryways. "Our town is now a perfect garrison," the patriots said, as this rough experiment on their free municipal life began.

This presence of force created a local issue of the deepest interest, in which Warren entered with his accustomed zeal. The popular leaders, disclaiming any scheme of rebellion, held that to quarter among them in time of peace a standing army, without the consent of the general court, was as violative of the constitution of Massachusetts, and as harrowing to the feelings of the people, as it would be contrary to the Bill of Rights and the English Constitution, and irritating to the British people, if an army were

posted in London without the consent of parliament. They therefore opposed a continuance of the troops in the town, as being against constitutional right and an impeachment of their loyalty. The question of their removal entered largely into the politics of the day; and a steady pursuit of this object from October, 1768, to March, 1770, gave unity, directness, and an ever-painful foreboding to the local politics, until the flow of blood created a crisis. The House of Representatives, in reviewing this period, declared that there resulted from the quartering of this military force in Boston a scene of confusion and distress which ended in the blood and slaughter of His Majesty's good subjects.

I have only space to glance at the meetings in which Warren took a part, and to refer generally to the aspect of the town, until the crisis, which was brought on by the event known as the "The Boston Massacre." Warren mingled with his fellow-citizens on the memorable evening of the Fifth of March, and took a part in the great town-meeting on the following day. He also delivered two of the commemorative discourses on the massacre. He became in this way identified with these scenes.

Warren was a member of an important committee, appointed at the annual March meeting of 1769, which adopted a petition to the king, praying for a removal of the troops. This paper, with the strongest declarations of attachment to constitutional rights, expressed the warmest loyalty to the Crown; and it pronounced those relations ill-grounded which represented the town as held to its allegiance and duty to the best of sovereigns only by the bond of terror and

the force of arms. The meeting appointed a noble committee to consider the expediency of vindicating the town from the misrepresentations to which it had been exposed; the members being James Otis, Samuel Adams, Thomàs Cushing, Richard Dana, Joseph Warren, John Adams, and Samuel Quincy.

Governor Bernard now received (April 20) from Lord Hillsborough,1 who had recently been appointed first lord of trade, a letter, enclosing the address of the House of Lords to the king, in relation to the proceedings of the town, with the king's severe answer. The minister instructed the governor to take the most effectual methods for procuring the fullest information that could be obtained, "touching all treasons or misprision of treason," committed in the province since the 30th of December, 1767, and to transmit the same, together with the names of the persons who were the most active in the commission of such offences. Thus the governor was clothed with all the power for which he applied, to inflict censure on, as he said, the heads of the faction which had harassed the province for three years.

Warren, at the May town-meeting, was one of the committee appointed to prepare the customary instructions to the representatives. This paper, besides delineating the public grievances, claimed for each subject in America equality of political rights with

1 The appointment of the Earl of Hillsborough to the post of the first lord of trade is an event much to the satisfaction of those concerned in our colonies, as well as to the mother-country in general; being universally acknowledged a judicious choice in the ministry, as that amiable nobleman's character and abilities will add lustre to their recommendation.

John Pownall, Esq., secretary to the lords of trade, is appointed undersecretary of state to the Earl of Hillsborough. —Boston Evening Post, Sept. 5, 1768.

each subject in England, and for the general court the dignity of a free assembly. It averred that the first labors of the assembly ought to be an endeavor to procure a removal of "those cannon and guards, and that clamorous parade, that had been daily about the Court House since the arrival of His Majesty's troops."

Warren took part in a town-meeting in June, which was called to consider the subject of the removal of the troops, and was held under peculiar circumstances. The military force was now under the command of Hon. Alexander Mackay, colonel of the Sixty-fifth Regiment, and a member of parliament. He was a major-general; and, on his arrival (April 30), it was announced that "the command of the troops of the eastern district of America" devolved on him. The ministry, without consulting Governor Bernard, authorized General Gage, if he should think it best, to withdraw the troops from Boston; when General Mackay was ordered to remove the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Regiments from the town. The first notice Bernard had of this order was the reception (June 10) of a letter from General Gage, advising him of the order, and asking him (Bernard) whether even the remainder were necessary to preserve the public peace. The report of this order, at which Bernard expressed great surprise, and other reports, he says, exalted the Sons of Liberty as though the bells had rung for a triumph; while there was consternation among the Crown officials and adherents of the Administration, who strongly urged a retention of the troops. Warren was one of the leading petitioners, a hundred and

forty-two in number, for a town-meeting, to urge a removal of the troops. This meeting declared that the law of the land made ample provision for life and property, and that the presence of the troops was an insult. This availed nothing. The governor, who was much embarrassed by the request of General Gage, replied, after some hesitation, that to remove a portion of the two regiments would be detrimental to His Majesty's service; to remove both of them would be quite ruinous to the cause of the Crown; but that one regiment in the town and one at the castle might be sufficient. Of course, General Gage, if he paid any respect to the governor's advice, could do no less. than order both regiments to remain.

Governor Bernard received (June 10) the king's command to repair to England, and lay before him the state of the province. He now said that "the Boston faction" had taken possession of the general court in such a manner that there were not ten members in both branches who dared to contradict it. As he left Boston (July 31, 1769), the general joy was manifested by congratulations among the people, salutes from Hancock's Wharf, the Union flag flying above Liberty Tree, and bonfires kindled on the hills.1 He had been a had governor, but not worse than the cause which he was required to uphold. He had been arbitrary, but was not so imperious as were his instructions. He had been vascillating, but not to

1 The Union flag was displayed from Liberty Tree, where it was kept flying till Friday. Colors were also flung out from most of the vessels in the harbor, and from the tops of the houses in town. The bells were rung and cannon were incessantly fired until sunset. In the evening, there was a bonfire on Fort Hill, and another on the heights of Charlestown. The general joy in this city was soon diffused through the neighboring towns, who gave similar demonstrations of it. Boston Gazette, Aug. 7, 1769.