tant political events of the day as occasion might arise. With- 

 in the walls of this plain and simple council house, consecrated 

 to the cause of liberty by the eloquence of many a bold, zeal- 

 ous, and uncompromising patriot, scenes of the most thrilling: 

 interest had been frequently enacted during the last ten years. 

 Every oppressive measure, devised by the British Parliament 

 to humble and degrade the American colonies, had here been 

 warmly and earnestly discussed. Its walls had often shaken 

 with denunciations of the wicked policy pursued by the mother 

 country. Here the " sons of liberty,-' as the patriots were 

 called, smarting under the rod of the oppressor, " in clear bell- 

 tones of deepest meaning," branded every timid and vacillating 

 advocate and apologist of arbitrary power with the name of 

 tori/, a name full of reproach and infamy. For the glorious 

 associations which would have halloAved this simple building, 

 in which was taken the first step which ultimately led to the 

 independence of America, would it had been j^reserved from the 

 destroying elements, and the still more fatal hand of man. — 

 Between the royal Governor and the body now assembled here, 

 altercations were constantly occurring, and the session lasted 

 only ten days. Loyalty had so far lost its influence, and power 

 its terrors, that the House immediately proceeded in secret, by 

 a self constituted committee, to consider the crisis in which it 

 found the country, and to propose certain resolutions. Previ- 

 ously to disclosing these measures, the doors of the House were 

 locked and a vote passed that no one should be allowed to enter 

 or depart, until a final determination was had upon the import- 

 ant questions before them. Information, however, of these bold 

 proceedings was secretely conveyed to Governor Gage by one 

 of the members, who, under pretence of indisposition, obtained 

 leave to withdraw. The Governor forthwith dispatched his 

 Secretary, Thomas Flucker, to dissolve the court. When he 

 arrived at the house he found the doors barred, and admittance 

 refused him. He was consequently obliged to read the procla- 

 mation for their dissolution on the stairs outside the door. The 

 assembly, however, did not heed it, but continued its session in 

 defiance of the proclamation, until it had passed resolutions, de- 

 claring it expedient that the several colonies should choose 

 committees to meet in a General Congress at Philadelphia, in 

 September next, to deliberate upon the condition of the coun- 

 try, — appointed its own delegates for that purpose, and addres- 

 sed letters, signed by the Speaker, to the other colonies, re- 



