made at Boston had haftened the people there to the commiffion of actual violence fooner than was intended."

In justice to the province where we refide, and indeed to all America, we beg leave to affure you, that fuch representations are without any juft foundation, and that nothing can be a greater deviation from truth. Though at the fame time we confefs, that the ends accomplished by thefe and fuch like infamous flanders and vile arts, have given a general alarm, and caused a universal uneafinefs in the minds of the Americans. They now fee a rod of power held over their heads; they begin to feel the severities of a court, that by its late enlarged jurifdiction, is empowered to break in upon the proceedings of the common law courts; and they have anxious fears for the existence of their affemblies, which they confider as their laft and only bulwark against arbitrary power. For if, fay they, laws can be made, money levied, government supported, and justice administered, without the intervention of affemblies, of what ufe can they be? They are no effential member of the conftitution. And being useless and uneffential, is there not reafon to fear they will quickly become difagreeable, and then be wholly laid aside ? And when that happens, what fecu, rity have we for freedom, or what remains for the colo nifts, but the most abject slavery?

These are not the reasonings of politicians; but the fentiments and language of the people in general. For with great truth we may fay, in no country is the love of liberty more deeply rooted, or the knowledge of the rights inherent in freemen, more generally diffused, and the principles of freedom and government better under, tood, than among the British American colonies.

For

For this reafon we think ourselves obliged to inform you, that though the merchants have confined their agreements to the repeal of the act laying a duty on tea, paper, glafs, &c. yet nothing lefs than a repeal of all the revenue acts, and putting things on the fame footing they were before the late innovations, can or will fatisfy the minds of the people. The fleets and armies may overawe our towns; admiralty courts and boards of commiffioners, with their fwarms of underlings, may by a rigorous execution of fevere unconftitutional acts, ruin our commerce, and render America of little use to the people of Britain; but while every farmer is a freeholder, the spirit of liberty will prevail, and every attempt to divest them of the privileges of freemen must be attended with consequences injurious to the colonies and the mother country.

In a matter of fo great importance you will excuse this freedom. We confider the merchants here and in England as the links of the chain that binds both countries together. They are deeply concerned in preferving the union and connection. Whatever tends to alienate the affections of the colonists, or to make them averfe to the customs, fafhions and manufactures of Britain, hurts their intereft. While fome therefore, from ambitious views and finifter motives, are laboring to widen the breach, we whose private interest is happily connected with the union, or which is the fame, with the peace and profperity of both countries, may be allowed to plead for an end to these unhappy difputes; and that by a repeal of the offenfive acts, the caufe of jealoufy and: uneafiness may be removed, tranquillity reftored, har

mony

mony and mutual affection re-established, and trade return to its ufual channel."

The names of the committee on the back of the draft. from which the above has been copied, were, Alexander Hufton, John Rhea, John Cox, John Gibson, Jofeph Swift, James Meafe, J. M. Nefbit, William Weft, Robert Morris, Charles Thomfon, Daniel Benezet, William Fisher, George Roberts, Samuel Howell, and Thomas Mifflin.

The ftationing of troops in Boston might afford greater perfonal fecurity to the commiffioners than what they could otherwise have enjoyed, and might induce them or their underlings to exceed the bounds of their commiffion or of prudence, but could not prevent smuggling, or protect informers from infult and abufe. Even fkippers, bound to different parts of the colony, had their veffels stopt and libelled for having uncleared articles of-trifling confequence on board. Perfons who ventured to lodge informations, when discovered, were often fubject to a treatment, which gave them a ridiculous appearance, and laid them under a difficulty to clear themselves of the drefs impofed upon them. They were stripped, well tarred, and then covered with feathers. The punishment took fo with the lower clafs of people, that afterward it was not confined to informers, but was also applied by them to others who offendedtheir dread majefty. There was a degree of intemperance and indiscreetness on the part of the commiffioners and custom-houfe officers, which tended to irritate; whereas the utmost lenity and forbearance were requifite in order to general tranquillity. Mr. Eliot at New York, where fmuggling was as prevalent as at Bofton, found

it neceffary to wink at many irregularities that he might prevent disturbances and ill humor among the body of merchants. The commiffioners expreffed their diffatiffaction, and wanted him to alter his line of conduct: he ftated the cafe to a friend at home, and by his influence was fecured from fuch like directions in future. They transmitted to Britain fuch representations of Mr. Otis jun. as provoked him to infert a publication in the Bofton gazette, which brought on an affray at the coffee houfe between him and Mr. Robinson, one of the com-. miffioners, from the latter's attempting to pull the other by the nofe, because of fome expreffions in the faid publication. Mr. Robinson being in danger of coming off with the worst, feveral of the company fell upon Mr. Otis; fome of whom held him while others ftruck him with canes or different weapons. A friend paffing along, obferved what was doing, preffed in and rescued Mr. Otis, though he himself fuffered confiderably from the affailants. The noise foon drew multitudes about the house, when Mr. Robinson and his affociates prudently retreated by means of a back door *. This procedure of the revenue officers (for no military one was prefent) opened a large field of altercation, and multiplied quarrels, which were before too frequent between the king's officers and the leaders of opposition.

Governor Bernard could carry nothing in the governmental way through the presence of the troops, but was continually lofing ground, and growing more and more obnoxious to the inhabitants; fo that he was abused in

* Mr. Otis afterward profecuted Mr. Robinson for the affault, and the law gave heavy damages against him; but Mr. Otis generously forgave him upon an acknowledgment of the offence,

fcurrilous

1

fcurrilous publications, for which the Boston gazette v notorious. They were craftily calculated for the me dian where they first appeared, and fuited the too. velling difpofition of the Bay-men; after the politici had encouraged a fpirit of licentioufnefs, in order weaken the force of government, and counteract defigns carrying on against their liberties: but t want of decency offended many of the fons of lib in the other colonies. Heavy threats were alfo thr out against the governor's perfonal fafety. Of t however he was regardless; and being asked by a fri how he could venture to walk about alone at his co try feat, only five miles from the centre of Boston, whether he was not afraid, he anfwered," No, are not a blood-thirsty people."

At length it was thought proper to recall him, as to lay before his majesty the true ftate of the provi this he fignified to the affembly in the month of Before they were prorogued, they embraced the oco for drawing up a petition to his majesty, in which, complaints of him, they entreated that he might ever removed from the government of the pro When his letters, written home in confidence, ca be exposed to public view, it would have argued weakness to have continued him, unless it was def to adopt his plans, and fupport him by force at a ventures. Governor Bernard was too open, and h little command of his temper; and fuffered his ment to get the better of what ought to have be political judgment. Every governor fhould divef felf of refentment, efpecially in his public capac his own happiness, and that of the governed req