to fire on the king's representatives. Early in the day, four of the commissioners, on the pretext that their persons were not safe, notified the governor, by a card, that they were going on board the "Romney," and asked for orders for their admission to the castle, whither they soon went, with their families. Temple and several of the chief officers remained in the town.1 In the afternoon, by a hand-bill, the Sons of Liberty requested those who, in this time of distraction and oppression, wished well to the town and the province, and who would promote peace, good order, and security, to assemble on the next day (Tuesday), at ten o'clock in the forenoon, at Liberty Hall, under Liberty Tree; and the journals say, that the expectation of this meeting kept the town in peace. A red flag was now hoisted above Liberty Tree.

On Tuesday morning, though it rained, so many people flocked into Boston from the neighboring towns, that there was a larger assemblage at Liberty Tree, over which still waved the red flag, than had ever been seen in the town. The senior member of the board of selectmen was the moderator, who was surrounded by the popular leaders; but, it being uncomfortable in the streets, the meeting, before passing any votes, adjourned to Faneuil Hall. On re-assembling here, it was resolved, as the call had been informal and there was not a legal town-meeting, to adjourn, to meet at the same place, at three o'clock in

1 It is stated in the "Boston Evening Post," March 20, 1769, that, when the four commissioners retired to the castle, "the following gentlemen did not fall in with their plan, but resided safely in Boston, and went daily to the castle to do business: the Hon. Mr. Temple, a commissioner; Samuel Venner, Esq., secretary; Charles Stuart, Esq., receiver-general; John Williams, Esq., inspectorgeneral; William Wooten, Esq., inspector-general; David Lysle, Esq., solicitorgeneral; Messrs. McDonald and Lloyd, principal clerks.

the afternoon; and accordingly the selectmen issued a warrant for a meeting. Meantime the governor, at his country-seat, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, received such startling advices from his friends, as to the doings of the Sons of Liberty, that he sent one of his own sons into town, to desire the immediate attendance of the Lieutenant-governor, Hutchinson, as he (Bernard) was in expectation of very important news from town, and of such a nature that he would be obliged to withdraw to the castle.

Faneuil Hall, at three o'clock, could not contain the people who assembled. It was the largest townmeeting ever known. Those inside the hall organized by choosing James Otis for moderator. The patriot, since the argument on the question on writs of assistance, had been the popular idol. The Tories affected to consider his manly word, in the November meeting, against mobs and for social order, as in favor of the measures of the Administration; and he had met the ordeal of being eulogized by his political opponents. On entering the hall, the meeting gave him a warm reception; there being "great clapping of hands" as he passed through the crowd to take the chair. No other business was transacted here; a motion being carried to adjourn, for the better accommodation of the people, to the Old South Church. In the church, the moderator spoke from the pulpit on the questions of the day. Hutchinson says, that, after haranguing the people some time, he suffered them to harangue one another; and Bernard says, that some "made wild and violent proposals, but were warded off;" one being, that every captain of a 1 See page 38.

man-of-war who came into the harbor should be under the command of the general court. A petition, to be presented to the governor, was submitted to the meeting. It averred that a people had the fundamental right to make their own laws; that the late acts of parliament were in direct violation of this right; that menaces had been thrown out fit only for barbarians; that the state of the town was as though war had been declared against it. It expressed the hope that, as the commissioners had relinquished their office of their own motion, they would not renew it; and it requested the governor to order the "Romney" to be removed from the harbor. "To contend with our parent-state," are its words, "is, in our idea, the most shocking and dreadful extremity; but tamely to relinquish the only security we and our posterity retain of the enjoyment of our lives and properties is so humiliating and base, that we cannot support the reflection." And it expressed the opinion, that it was in the power of the governor to prevent the distressed and justly incensed people "from effecting too much, and from the shame and reproach of attempting too little." It is related, in the townrecords, that the petition was adopted, "after very cool and deliberate debates upon the distressed circumstances of the town and critical condition of affairs." A committee was now appointed, consisting of John Rowe, John Hancock, and Warren, to ascertain when the governor would receive the petition; and, on their reporting that he was at his countryseat, a committee of twenty-one, Warren being one, was directed to wait on him immediately. A committee, of which Warren was a member, was chosen

to prepare a letter to the Massachusetts agent in London, Mr. De Berdt;1 another committee, consisting of Warren, Benjamin Church, and Samuel Adams, was appointed to prepare resolves expressing the feeling that was excited by the removal of the "Liberty" from Hancock's Wharf, and characterizing the ill consequences that would follow the introduction of the troops into Boston. The moderator, on adjourning the meeting until the next afternoon at four o'clock, earnestly enjoined an adherence to peace and order. "The grievance the people labor under," James Otis said, "might in time be removed; if not, and we are called on to defend our liberty and privileges, I hope and believe we shall, one and all, resist unto blood; but, at the same time, pray Almighty God it may never so happen."

The reports of these transactions that were carried to the governor, at Jamaica Plain, strengthened his impression that an insurrection was at hand; and as he was awaiting, in the afternoon, the arrival of his confidential adviser (Hutchinson), he must have been surprised to see on the road, moving towards his house, not a noisy populace, pell-mell, flourishing pikes and liberty caps, but a train of eleven chaises, from which alighted at his door the respectable committee from the meeting; among whom were Otis, Samuel Adams, and Warren. "I received them," Bernard says, "with all possible civility; and, having

1 This was the same committee who presented the petition to the governor. 2 The committee were James Otis, John Hancock, John Rowe, Joshua Henshaw, John Ruddock, Joseph Jackson, Samuel Pemberton, Henderson Inches, Thomas Young, Joseph Warren, Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Church, Samuel Quincy, Edward Payne, Daniel Malcolm, Richard Dana, Melatiah Bourne, Benjamin Kent, Royal Tyler, Josiah Quincy.

heard their petition, I talked very freely with them, but postponed giving a formal answer till the next day, as it should be in writing. I then had wine handed round; and they left me highly pleased with their reception, especially that part of them which had not been used to an interview with me." Considering the governor's state of mind, the committee could not have been more highly pleased when they left than he was when they arrived; but his perturbation was over when Hutchinson, soon after this interview, came in, and the governor was convinced that there was no insurrection, and that there was no occasion for him to take the awkward step of retiring to the castle, or, indeed, for any unusual political action.

On the next day, Wednesday, at the adjournment of the meeting, at four o'clock in the afternoon, in the Old South Church, the answer of the governor to the town's petition was read. He said that his official station made him a very incompetent judge of the rights which the people claimed as set against the acts of parliament; and on this subject he expressed no opinion. He stated, that he had no control over the board of customs, and was bound to support their authority; but he promised to remove the inconveniences of impressments. He said that he should think himself most highly honored, if, in the lowest degree, he could be an instrument in promoting a perfect conciliation between the colonies and Great Britain. This answer, on the face of it proper and reasonable and conciliatory throughout, was unusually satisfactory to the patriots. The moderator, Otis, made it still more acceptable, by acknowledging the polite treat