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inflicted on a sister in consequence of her exer- CHAP. III.
tions in the common cause. They clung to 1774.
her with increased affection; and that spirit of
enthusiastic patriotism, which, for a time, General
elevates the mind above all considerations of in America.
individual acquisition, became the ruling pas-
sion in the American bosom.

enthusiasm

On receiving the first intelligence of the Boston port bill, a meeting of the people of that May 13. town was called. They were sensible that "the sharpest, sharpest conflict" was indeed now approaching, but seemed unawed by its terrors. Far from seeking to shelter themselves by submission from the threatening storm, they grew more determined as it increased.*

Resolutions were passed, expressing their opinion of the impolicy, injustice, inhumanity, and cruelty of the act, from which they appealed to God and the world; and also inviting the other colonies to join with them in an agreement to stop all imports and exports to and from Great Britain, Ireland, and the West Indies, until the act should be repealed, as the only means remaining for the salvation of North America and her liberties.

It was not in Boston only that this spirit was aroused. Addresses were soon received from every part of the continent, expressing sentiments of sympathy in their sufferings, exhorting them to resolution and perseverance, and assur

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CHAP. IH. ing them that they were considered as suffering 1774. in the common cause.

The legislature of Virginia was in session when the first intelligence of the Boston port bill reached that province. The house of burgesses appointed the first of June; the day on which the bill was to commence in operation, to be set apart for fasting, prayer, and humiliation, to implore the divine interposition to avert the heavy calamity which threatened destruction to their civil rights, and the evils of a civil war; and to give one heart and one mind to the people, firmly to oppose every invasion of their liberties. Similar resolutions were adopted almost every where, and the first of June became throughout the old colonies, a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, in the course of which, sermons were universally preached to the people, well calculated to inspire them with the utmost horror against the authors of the unjust suffering of their fellow subjects in Boston.

In consequence of this measure the assembly was dissolved; but before their separation, an association was entered into, signed by eightynine members, in which they declared that an attack on one colony to compel submission to arbitrary taxes, is an attack on all British America, and threatens ruin to the rights of all, unless the united wisdom of the whole be applied in prevention. They therefore recommended

to the committee of correspondence, to commu- CHAP. III. nicate with the several committees of the other 1774. provinces, on the expediency of appointing deputies from the different colonies to meet annually in general congress, and to deliberate A general on those general measures, which the united proposed. interests of America might from time to time render necessary. This measure had already been proposed in town meetings in New York and Boston.

congress is

arrives in

While the people of Boston were yet employed in the first, consultations which took place on hearing of the bill directed particularly against their town, general Gage, the successor General Gage of governor Hutchinson, arrived among them. Boston. Notwithstanding the deep and solemn gloom of the moment, he was received with those external marks of decent respect which had been usual, and which were supposed to belong to his station.

In a few days the general court assembled, and had notice from the governor that, in pursuance of the late act of parliament, their place of session would be changed, and that they would be called together on the first of June at Salem. To evade this measure they were hurrying to complete the business before them prior to that day, which being made known to the governor, he hastily adjourned them to the seventh of June then to meet at the place designated by his instructions.

CHAP. III. Soon after assembling, the house of repre1774. sentatives, mindful of the importance of comJune 7. bining the wisdom of America in one great and common council, passed resolutions declaring the expediency of a meeting of committees from the several colonies for the purposes therein specified, and appointing five gentlemen as a committee on the part of Massachussetts.

The colonies from New Hampshire to South Carolina inclusive, adopted this measure; and where the legislatures were not in session, the people either elected delegates who chose a committee, or, in the first instance, elected a committee to represent them in the general congress.

The legislature of Massachussetts also passed declaratory resolutions expressive of their sense of the state of public affairs, and the designs of government, in which they recommended to the inhabitants of that province totally to renounce the consumption of East India teas, and as far as in them lay, to discontinue the use of all goods imported from the East Indies and Great Britain, until the public grievances of America should be radically and totally redressed.

The more fully to effect this essential purpose it was again strongly recommended to give every possible encouragement to American manufactures.

The governor having obtained intelligence of the manner in which the house was employed

1774.

sent his secretary, the day on which the com- CHAP. III. mittee reported their resolutions, with directions immediately to dissolve the assembly. He found the doors shut, and being refused admittance, read the order of dissolution aloud on the stair case.

The day after the dissolution of the assembly, the governor received an address from the principal inhabitants of Salem, now become the metropolis of the province, which does them infinite honour, and marks the deep impression which a sense of common danger had made.* They no longer considered themselves merely as the inhabitants of Salem, but as Americans; and they spurned advantages to be derived to themselves from the distress inflicted on a sister town for its patriotic zeal in a cause common to all..

"We are deeply afflicted," say they, "with the sense of our public calamities; but the miseries that are now rapidly hastening on our brethren in the capital of the province, greatly excite our commiseration; and we hope your excellency will use your endeavours to prevent a further accumulation of evils on that already sorely distressed people. By shutting up the port of Boston some imagine that the course of trade might be turned hither, and to our benefit; but nature, in the formation of our harbour, forbids our becoming rivals in commerce with that convenient mart. And were

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