34 THOMAS HUTCHINSON 



views were thus expressed in a private letter to a 

 friend in Dublin, early in 1772, " It is not likely 

 that the American colonies will remain part of the 

 British dominion another century, but while they do 

 remain, the supreme absolute legislative power must 

 remain entire, to be exercised upon the colonies so 

 far as is necessary for the maintenance of its own 

 authority and the general weal of the empire, and no 

 farther." This was moderately expressed ; probably at 

 that moment neither Dickinson nor Franklin would 

 have taken serious exception to it. Yet the argument 

 could not be pushed without involving the surrender 

 of the American cause. It does not appear that 

 Hutchinson was anxious to push it, or that he courted 

 the position of chief upholder of Toryism in America; 

 but the attitude of mind that went naturally along 

 with his official position could hardly fail to drive him 

 in this direction. In the summer of 1769 Governor 

 Bernard was recalled to England, to appease the people 

 of Massachusetts, while his own feelings were assuaged 

 with a baronetcy. Before his ship had weighed anchor 

 in the harbour, the sound of clanging bells and boom- 

 ing cannon told him of the fierce rejoicings over his 

 departure. The administration of affairs was left in 

 the hands of Hutchinson as lieutenant-governor, and 

 it was not long before the course of events was such 

 as to show, with vivid and startling suddenness, the 

 false position into which he was drifting. In the fatal 

 squabble between soldiers and townspeople on that 

 memorable moonlit evening in March, 1770, he showed 

 vigour and discretion, and but for his prompt arrest 

 of the offending soldiers the affair might have grown 

 into something which it would have been no misnomer 



