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and request their resignation of their trust; and, in case they refused, or declined to give a pledge not to land the tea or to pay the duty on it, to present a resolve to them, declaring them to be enemies to their country. The committee immediately proceeded in their duty; those named as acting, being Messrs. Molineux, Warren, Dennie, Church, and Johonnot,1 who were followed by a portion of the meeting. Hutchinson saw the procession,-it might have been as it passed the Town House, - and says there were on the committee, citizens of considerable popularity, who were accompanied by a large body of the people, many of them not of the lowest rank. On arriving at the warehouse, some entered the lower story, the doors of which had been left open, while the committee went up the stairs leading to the counting-room in which were the consignees, but found the doors closed. A parley was carried on between these parties through an open window, Molineux acting as the spokesman. "From whom are you a committee?" asked Clarke. "From the whole people" was the reply. The names of the committee were then read, and the demand of the meeting was stated. "I shall have nothing to do with you," Clarke said. The consignees declined to resign their trust. The resolve was now read, declaring them to be enemies of their country. When the committee returned to the lower story of the building and reported the result, the cry arose, "Out with them! out with them!" and some pushed up stairs. stairs. A slight disturbance had occurred, from an attempt by Mr. Clarke's friends, on a request from the counting-room, to close the doors of the

1 These are named in Bernard's narrative as acting at Clarke's warehouse.

warehouse. This was resisted; and the doors were unhinged, and carried to another street. The justice, who, in the king's name, now commanded the peace, was hooted at and struck, when the people were persuaded to refrain from further violence. One of the Hutchinsons, with a friend, soon came out of the counting-room, passed quite unmolested through the crowd, and joined his father in the council chamber at the head of the street. He had with him less than a quorum of the council, and did not act. The committee soon returned to Liberty Tree, where they reported in form to the meeting; when the people dispersed. The character of the citizens who gave countenance to this meeting attested its respectability: it reflected the general sentiment; and the rough denial of a demand, which in other places had been complied with, was ominous of the future.1

It was said by the Tories, that the meeting at Liberty Tree was irregular, and of no account. Petitioners for a town-meeting now represented (Nov. 4) the common alarm at the report that the East-India Company were shipping cargoes of tea to America; that they had reason to fear, what more than any thing in life was to be dreaded, the tribute would be established, and thus, by this political plan, the liberties for which they had so long contended would be lost to them and their posterity; and they prayed for a town-meeting to take such steps as their safety and well-being required. The selectmen issued

1 Bancroft, vi. 484, gives the conversation at Clarke's warehouse. Bernard says that it was Mr. Hatch, the justice, who was struck. The "Gazette" and "News Letter" say that the whole body of the people went from Liberty Tree to King Street. Hutchinson's letters are voluminous on the proceedings relating to the tea.

a notification for a meeting, to be held the next day at ten o'clock in the morning.

The meeting on the fifth of November was largely attended, and John Hancock was the moderator. After earnest debates, it was decided that the sense of the town could not be better expressed than in the words of a series of resolves which had been passed at a meeting convened (Oct. 18) for the same object in Philadelphia; and these resolves, temperate in tone but clear in principle and decided in terms, were adopted. They declare that freemen have an inherent right to dispose of their property; that the tea tax was levying contributions on them without their consent; that the purpose of it tended to render assemblies useless, and to introduce arbitrary government; that a steady opposition to this ministerial plan was a duty which every freeman owed to himself, his country, and posterity; that the East-India Company importation was an attempt to enforce this plan; and that whoever countenanced the unloading, vending, or receiving the tea, was an enemy to his country. They requested the consignees, out of regard to their character and to the peace of the province, immediately to resign their appointment. The meeting chose a committee1 to present these resolves to the consignees; it voted that the town expected the merchants, under no pretext whatever, would import any tea liable to duty; and it then adjourned until three o'clock. At this hour there was again a full meeting, when the committee reported that the consignees gave as a reason why a definite answer could not be

1 This committee consisted of the moderator, Henderson Inches, Benjamin Austin, and the selectmen.

given until Monday, that two of their number, the Hutchinsons, were at Milton; and, as they chose to have a consultation, they could not agree upon an answer until that day. Samuel Adams, Warren, and Molineux were then desired to acquaint the Messrs. Clarke and Mr. Faneuil that the town expected an immediate answer from them; and the committee soon reported that a reply might be expected in half an hour. These consignees, in a letter, gave the reasons why they regarded it as impossible for them to comply with the request of the town; but the meeting voted the letter to be unsatisfactory. A committee,1 Warren being a member, was directed to wait on the Hutchinsons, and request an immediate resignation; and then the meeting adjourned until the next day. One of the Hutchinsons was at the governor's house, at Milton; and the other was at the house of the lieutenant-governor, in Boston.

The

Faneuil Hall, on the next day, was crowded. committee to wait on the Hutchinsons reported that they sought them in vain at Milton, but found Thomas Hutchinson in town, who, in a letter, stated that, when he and his brother knew definitely that they had been appointed factors, they would be sufficiently informed to answer the request of the inhabitants. This cool reply caused great excitement in the meeting; there were cries, "To arms! to arms!" and the ominous words were responded to by clapping of hands, and general applause. As usual, good sense predominated; and the meeting simply voted that the obnoxious letter was daringly affrontive to the town,

1 This committee consisted of John Hancock, John Pitts, Samuel Adams, Samuel Abbot, Joseph Warren, William Powell, and Nathaniel Appleton.

and then dissolved. Hutchinson (Nov. 8) said that he was trying to collect evidence of the inflammatory speeches that had been uttered, but could find no person willing to give it.

Nothing material, in relation to the tea question, occurred for a week. No person, it was said, attempted the smallest affront to the tea commissioners. The town was quiet. It was believed that the tea ships were near the harbor; and the journals were full of political speculation, some of it inflammatory, but, in the main, strong, well put, statesmanlike, and of an elevating character. There is significance even in the names selected for signatures. They are not of the school of Rousseau, but of Milton. "Sydney"1 says, "America seems to be reserved by Providence for a land of real freedom, that the world may see in these latter days the true glory of liberty." "Locke" says, "It will be considered by Americans, whether the dernier resort and only asylum for their liberties is not an American commonwealth."2 It was evident to the leaders on both sides, that things were drifting to the pass of a great exigency; nor did they disagree in the view which they took of the principle at stake.

1 Massachusetts Spy, Nov. 11, 1773.

2 Ib., Nov. 26. Z., in the "Boston Gazette," Oct. 11, 1773, writes: "How shall the colonies force their oppressors to proper terms? This question has been often answered by our politicians; viz., Form an independent State, -an American commonwealth.' This plan has been proposed, and I can't find that any other is likely to answer the great purpose of preserving our liberties: I hope, therefore, it will be well digested and forwarded, to be in due time put into execution, unless our political fathers can secure American liberties in some other way. As the population, wealth, and power of this continent are swiftly increasing, we certainly have no cause to doubt of our success in maintaining liberty, by forming a commonwealth, or whatever measures wisdom may point out for the preservation of the rights of America."

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