ships with the poisonous herb might be expected; and, conceding to the consignees a disposition to do all in their power to quiet the public mind, even to ship the tea back to the place it came from, they repeated the assurance that the tea would not be suffered to be landed or to be sold; for it was the "determination of almost all the people, both of town and of country, resolutely to oppose the artful measures of the East-India Company in every possible way." The journals also contained a call for a public meeting, to be held in Faneuil Hall at nine o'clock,which had been printed in a hand-bill form and posted over the town, to make united and successful resistance to the last, worst, and most destructive measure of the British Administration. By the side of this call, there was an inspiring voice from the country in the proceedings of a noble town-meeting held in Cambridge. How the hearts of the patriots must have throbbed, and their purpose must have been strengthened, by fearless and high-toned resolves, pronouncing Boston to be struggling for the liberties of the country; announcing that the men of Cambridge could no longer remain idle spectators, and pledging themselves to be ready, at the shortest notice, to join the men of Boston and of other towns in any measure that might be thought proper to deliver them and their posterity from slavery! The brave Colonel Gardner lived here, was one of the to do every thing in their power to quiet the minds of the people relative thereto, and are willing that baneful article should be re-shipped to the place from whence it came. Be that as it may, however, we are assured it will not be permitted to be landed or sold here; it being the determination of almost all the people, both of town and country, resolutely to oppose this artful measure of the India Company in every possible way.-Massachusetts Gazette (Tory), Nov. 29, and Boston Gazette (Whig).

foremost of the patriots, and redeemed this pledge when he poured out his blood by Warren's side at Bunker Hill.

At nine o'clock, on the ringing of the bells, a great concourse gathered in and around Faneuil Hall; for again the yeoman left his field, the mechanic his shop, and the merchant his counting-room, to turn politicians and act for the country. "The form of a townmeeting," Hutchinson says, was assumed, the selectmen of Boston, town-clerk, &c., taking their usual places; but, the inhabitants of any other towns being admitted, it could not assume the name of a legal meeting of any town." The selectmen were John

୧୯

Scollay, John Hancock, Timothy Newell, Thomas Marshall, Samuel Austin, Oliver Wendell, and John Pitts, in most cases Scollay's name appearing first in signatures to official papers, who were serving their country well, and whose names are household words; and the ever-faithful William Cooper was the town-clerk. The meeting chose for the moderator, Jonathan Williams, who hitherto had not been prominent, but was a citizen of character and wealth. The meeting voted, that, "as the town of Boston, in a full legal meeting, had resolved to do the utmost in its power to prevent the landing of the tea, this body were absolutely determined that the tea which had arrived should be returned to the place whence it came, at all hazards." The meeting then, better to accommodate the people, adjourned to the Old South Meeting-house, where it is said "five or six thousand of respectable inhabitants met,-men of the best characters and of the first fortunes."2

Governor Hutchinson came into town from Milton early in the morning. He says, "Although this meeting or assembly consisted principally of the lower ranks of the people, and even journeymen tradesmen were brought to increase the number, and the rabble were not excluded, yet there were divers gentlemen of good fortune among them." The consignees were within two miles of Castle William, having in their possession an order from the governor for their admission to that place of refuge. "They," Hutchinson says, "apprehended they should be seized, and, may be, tarred and feathered and carted, an American torture, — in order to compel them to a compliance: groundless apprehensions, certainly; for neither revenge, nor a spirit of hostility to rights of property or persons, formed a part of the programme of the popular leaders.

The meeting at the Old South deliberated long on the question. Crown officials name, as leading characters in the debates, Samuel Adams, Warren, Hancock, Young, and Molineux. "Adams was never in greater glory," Hutchinson says. It needs the words uttered on this occasion by earnest men, whose souls were in their work, to do them justice. A few of the speakers talked in a style that was violent and inflammatory; others were calm, and advised moderation, and, by all means, to abstain from violence; but the men who appeared to have the confidence and esteem of the people were unanimous that the tea should be sent back to London. A patriot from Rhode Island says he was so unexpectedly entertained and instructed by the regular and sensible conduct of the

1 Williamson's Examination.

meeting, that he should have thought himself rather in the British senate than in the promiscuous assembly of a people of a remote colony, had he not been convinced by the genuine integrity and manly hardihood of its rhetoricians, that they were not tainted by venality nor debauched by luxury. The speeches that elicited this tribute perished with the hour. The meeting resolved, that no duty on the tea should be paid in Boston; and, to give the consignees time to make the expected proposals, adjourned till three o'clock. On learning of the first vote passed in Faneuil Hall, the consignees withdrew to Castle William.2

It is remarked, that Whigs and Tories united in the action of this meeting; which indicates, that the candid among the friends of the ministry were desirous to wash their hands of any sanction of this scheme of absolute power. Both these parties were also represented in the council, which happened, by adjournment, to be in session at the Town House, not three hundred yards' distance from the excited concourse who had gathered in and around the Old South. Governor Hutchinson was present.* On the Tory side were Judges Danforth, Leonard, and Russell, who had many years been members; Isaac Royall, for thirty years of the house or the council; and John Erving, one of the most eminent of American merchants. On the Whig side were James Bowdoin, the future governor; James Pitts, of inflexible public virtue; Samuel Dexter, an able man, and a

1 Boston Gazette, Dec. 20, 1773.

2 Hutchinson, Dec. 2, 1773.

Scollay's Letter, Dec. 23, 1773: "These meetings consisted of all sorts, both Whig and Tory." 4 Letter, Dec. 2.

benefactor of learning; Artemas Ward, the future general; and John Winthrop, a professor in Harvard College, of great fame in the philosophic world, and of large political service. These ten members, who, by their private worth and public virtue, were worthy representatives of their political friends, discussed the terms of an elaborate and statesman-like report on the petition of the consignees, which had been made at the previous session. It traced the progress of events candidly and truthfully, and ascribed the prevailing excitement to unconstitutional taxation. I have space to state only one of its points,- that touching on the issue of the hour. The consignees asked for measures to secure the landing of the teas. The report averred that the duty on the tea must be either paid or secured on its being landed; and, were the Board to direct or advise any measure for landing it, they would of course advise to a measure for procuring the payment of the duty. The vote on the acceptance of this report was unanimous. The council would only advise the governor to renew his orders to the sheriffs and justices to preserve the public peace. Hutchinson pointed "to the rabble that were together," and urged the council to join him in some measure to break up the unlawful assembly.2 He says, members thought the consignees ought to decline to execute their trust. When he asked, "whether the council would give him no advice upon the disorders then prevailing," the answer was, ee that

1 The full report of the proceedings of the council on the petition of the consignees was printed in the journals of Dec. 27, 1773.

2 Whilst the rabble were together in one place, I was in another not far distant, with His Majesty's council, urging them to join with me in some measure to break up this unlawful assembly, to no purpose. - Letter, Dec. 1, 1773.