or import any kind of goods or merchandise from Great-Britain, &c. from the first of January, 1769, to the first of January, 1770, except salt, coals, fish-hooks and lines, hemp and duck, bar lead and shot, wool-cards and card-wire."" We will not purchase of any factor or others, any kind of goods imported from GreatBritain, from January, 1769, to January, 1770."-" We will not import on our own account, or on commissions, or purchase of any, who shall import from any other colony in America, from January, 1769, to January, 1770, any tea, glass, paper or other goods commonly imported from Great-Britain."" We will not, from and after the first of January, 1769, import into this province any tea, paper, glass, or painters colours, until the act imposing duties on those articles shall be repealed." The subscription paper was carried about town; and, at length, generally signed, though several respectable merchants remained non-subscribers. The same month the Connecticut and New-York merchants came into similar agreements; and those of Salem, the beginning of September. Some merchants had undoubtedly the foresight to provide for an abstinence from importation for a year, by unusually large orders. A report having been spread that governor Bernard had intimated his apprehensions that one or more regiments were to be daily expected at Boston, a meeting of the inhabitants was called, and a committee appointed to wait on him to know the grounds of his apprehensions, and to pray him to issue precepts forthwith for convening a general assembly. He acknowledged his having received those informations which produced such apprehensions, but said they were of a private nature. The calling of another assembly he told them could not be complied with, till his ma→ jesty's commands were received. The answer being reported, it was resolved, "That the freeholders, and other inhabitants of the town of Boston, will, at the peril of their lives and fortunes, take all legal and constitutional measures to defend all and singu lar the rights, liberties, privileges, and immunities, granted in their royal charter." It was also declared to be the opinion of those present, "That a suitable number of persons to act for them as a committee in convention, with such as may be sent to join them from the other towns, should be now chosen, in order that such measures may be consulted and advised, as his majesty's service, and the safety of the province may require." It was then voted, "That the select men of Boston should write to the select men of the other towns, to acquaint them with the foregoing resolutions, and to propose, that a convention be held at Fanueil-hall in Boston, on the twenty-second instant." It was afterward voted, “That, as there is an apprehension, in the minds, of many, of an approaching approaching war with France, those inhabitants who are not provided, be requested to furnish themselves forthwith with arms. [Sept. 22.] The convention, consisting of committees from ninety-six towns and eight districts, met as proposed; and after conference and consultation, petitioning the governor, declaring that they only considered themselves as private persons, making loyal professions, expressing their aversion to standing armies, to tumults and disorders, their readiness to assist in suppressing riots and preserving the peace, and recommending patience and regard to good order, they broke up and went home on Thursday the twenty-ninth. Advice was received the day before, that the men of war and transports from Halifax, with some hundreds of troops, were safe arrived at Nantasket harbour, a few miles below Castle William. Two days before the convention closed, they dispatched a letter to Mr. Berdt, containing a representation of what had taken place, with such papers and instructions as were judged most suitable to the circumstances of their assembly. When the news was first received of troops being ordered to Boston, broad hints were thrown out that they should never land; and to strengthen the appearance of an intention to oppose them, a barrel was placed upon the beacon, supposed to be a tar barrel, to have been fired to call in the country upon the troops appearing, which was afterwards found to be an empty nail barrel. Many of the deputies came down to the convention, with instructions and dispositions to prevent the Bostonians in volving the province in the fatal consequences of their own furious devices. Numbers were from the beginning sensible of the impropriety and danger of their proceeding, and desirous by a moderate conduct, to correct the one and ward off the other. The governor's message to them after their address, was high, and might tend to keep some of them in awe, as the troops were thought to be at no great distance. When Mr. Otis joined them, instead of being violent he was quite moderate: and when Mr. Samuel Adams attempted to launch out into the same free and unrestrained language to which he was accustomed in the house of representatives, he was presently silenced. The convention having finished in the above manner, the persons just named assumed to themselves the moderation of those whom they called together for very different purposes. The governor himself was not always wholly ignorant of what was going forward among the sons of liberty. He kept up an acquaintance with some of them, and by that means, at times, procured useful intelligence, while he gave his informers the strongest assurance that their names should not be quoted, nor any communication be made of it, which could make them suspected. Tos much much occasion was given for this paragraph, which soon after appeared in the New-York Journal. "I blame the Bostonians for having given some room for the idle reports of their designing to oppose the landing of the troops, by the ridiculous puff and bombast (for which our eastern brethren have always been too famous) of warning every man to provide himself with a good firelock, ammunition, &c. under the disingenuous jesuitical pretence of the prospect of a French war, full as absurd and hypocritical as is the pretence of a military establishment in America for its protection and defence." When the troops from Halifax were daily expected, the governor would have prevailed upon the council to have provided quarters for them in Boston, but they refused; and in answer to what he advanced, said, "the troops are by act of parliament, to be quartered no where else but in the barracks, until they are full: there are barracks enough at the castle to hold both the regiments; and it is therefore against the act to bring any of them into town." However, the orders of general Gage to lieutenantcolonel Dalrymple were positive to land one of them at Boston. But in the interim, captain Montresor, the engineer arrived, with letters of a subsequent date, from general Gage, for the governor and the colonel, wherein the general menuoned, that it being reported and believed from a number of private letters and the publications, that the people in and about Boston had revolted, he had therefore sent the captain to assist the forces, and enable them to recover and maintain the castle, and such other posts as they could secure. Upon this the colonel altered his plan, and concluded to land both regiments at Boston without loss of time. The fleet therefore was immediately put into motion, and the next morning commanded the whole town.Every thing being fully prepared, near upon fourteen ships of war lying with their broadsides to the town, having springs on their cables, and their guns ready for firing instantly upon the place, in case of the least opposition; about one o'clock at noon, October the first, the troops began landing, under cover of the ships cannon, without molestation; and having effected it, marched into the common, with muskets charged, bayonets fixed, drums beating, fifes playing, &c. making with the train. of artillery, upward of 700 men. In the evening, the select men were required to quarter the two regiments in town, but absolutely refused. One of the regiments, however, being with *The Lancefton of 40 guns, the Mermaid of 28, Glasgow 20, Beaver 14, Senegal 14, Bonetta ro, and feveral armed schooners, befides the Romney of 60 guns, and other fhips which had been fome time in the harbour. out out their camp equipage, was humanely permitted to enter Fa -neuil-hall and its chambers, about nine o'clock at night, that so the men might enjoy a temporary shelter. The next being Lord's day, the town or state-house was opened in the evening, by order of the governor, for the reception of the troops, who took possession of all the chambers, except the one appropriated for the meeting of the council. He certainly stretched his authority in several points; but particularly in thus acting. This step was an insult not only to the town, as it was a great annoyance to the gentlemen and merchants, who had been accustomed to make the lower floor their exchange, but to the whole colony, as the representatives chamber was now possessed by the soldiery. After the quarters of the troops were settled, the main-guard was posted directly opposite to, and not twelve yards from the state-house with two field picces pointed to it. It was with no small indignation that the people beheld the representatives chamber, courthouse, and Faneuil-ball-seats of freedom and justice-occupied by troops, and guards placed at the doors, and the council passing through the guards in going to their own chamber. They resented also the common's being covered with tents, and alive with soldiers; their marchings and counter-marchings to relieve the guards; the town's being a perfect garrison, and the inhabitants being challenged by the sentinels, as they passed and repassed. Persons devoutly inclined, complained much of being disturbed at public worship on the sabbaths, with drums beating, and fifes playing, to which they had never been accustomed in the Massachusetts. Quarters being obtained for the troops, the council were required to provide barrack provisions for them, agreeable to act of parliament; but resolutely declined going into any measure which might be construed into a submission to the said act. The opposition of the council to the quartering of and providing for the troops, was so encouraged and strengthened by Mr. James Bowdoin, who was one of them, that Mr. Hutchinson, in his letter of November 6, ascribed the whole to his management. It was thought that the peaceable landing of the troops was not what some of the ministry either expected or desired; and that they were in hopes, that the folly and rage of the town and colony would have led them into an hostile opposition, and thereby have afforded an opportunity for giving them some naval and military correction. Under this apprehension, the gentleman who delivered the first dispatches from governor Bernard, containing the account of the troops having landed, &c. narrowly watched the countenance and conduct of the person who read them, and was confirmed in such opinion. But had he not possessed that opinion, it might not have been excited by what what he observed. The sentiments of the military differed so extremely from those of the Bostonians, who were unjustly viewed as rebelliously inclined, that it was not to be wondered at that they were insulted and abused, and that quarrels should ensue, tho' they did not proceed soon to a dangerous height. Undoubtedly the inhabitants could not be continually blameless; there would necessarily be some rash and imprudent persons among such a multitude; but the greatest rashness and imprudence lay in the sending of troops on a service which could have been effectually and better executed by a naval force properly stationed and enployed. Ships of war might have possessed the harbour till the commissioners could have executed their office with safety. The committee of merchants in London paid a due attention to the memorial sent them by the merchants and traders of Philadelphia, and took pains to obtain relief from the grievances therein complained of, though without effect. The department to which they applied, afforded little hopes of redress in a way that might put an end to the differences that had arisen between Great-Britain and her American colonies. The act imposing duties on glass, paper, &c. was acknowledged to be inexpedient; but it was added, "Such has been the unjustifiable conduct of some in America, that the present juncture is not a proper season for a repeal." Administration was firmly resolved to oppose it with their utmost strength, while it should be insisted on by threats on the part of the colonists, for in that light they consider the It was steps which had been taken by them to obtain redress said, “If a proper disposition appears in the colonies, and their merchants, in a succeeding session, shall think proper to petition parliament on the principle of expediency only, there is every reason to believe that no part of administration will object to the repeal." But the minister did not declare what was the proper disposition he expected. No sooner were the Philadelphians apprised, by the receipt of this information, that no hope remained of a repeal in that session, than they unanimously entered into the very agreement, which some months before, when proposed to them, they had declined; and it was their opinion, that as the agreement had been formed on mature deliberation, the people of the province would firmly adhere to it. Of this they gave notice to the committee of merchants in London, by letter of April 8, 1769. In that letter, remarking upon the information they had received, they wrote-"It would become persons in power to consider, whether even the unjustifiable behavior of those who think themselves aggrieved, will justify a perseverance in a matter confessed to be wrong. Certain it is, that the wisdom of government is better manifested, its honor and autho rity |