UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 371 



wise much discontent in America, as it was supposed, that this new 

 regulation would render the governor and judges wholly dependent 

 on the crown, and independent of the people. 



In order to induce the East India company to become instrumental 

 in enforcing the tea-duty in America, an act was passed, by which they 

 were enabled to export their teas, duty free, to all places whatsoever. 

 Several ships were accordingly freighted with teas for the different 

 colonies by the company, who also appointed agents there for the dis- 

 posal of that commodity. This was considered by the Americans, as 

 a scheme calculated merely to circumvent them into a compliance 

 with the revenue law, and thereby pave the way to an unlimited taxa- 

 tion. For it was easily comprehended, that if the tea was once land- 

 ed, and in the custody of the consignees, no associations, nor other 

 measures, would be sufficient to prevent its sale and consumption : 

 and it was not to be supposed, that when taxation was established in 

 one instance, it would restrain itself in others. These ideas being 

 generally prevalent in America, it was resolved by the colonists to 

 prevent the landing of the tea-cargoes amongst them, at whatever 

 hazard. Accordingly, three ships laden with tea having arrived in 

 the port of Boston in December, 1773, a number of armed men un- 

 der the disguise of Mohawk Indians, boarded these ships, and in a 

 few hours discharged their whole cargoes of tea into the sea, with- 

 out doing any other damage, or offering any injury to the captains 

 or crews. Some smaller quantities of tea met afterwards with a simi- 

 lar fate at Boston, and a few other places; but in general, the com- 

 missioners for the sale of that commodity were obliged to relinquish 

 their employments, and the masters of the tea-vessels, from an ap- 

 prehension of danger, returned again to England with their cargoes. 

 At New-York, indeed, the tea was landed under the cannon of a man 

 of war ; but the persons in the service of government there were 

 obliged to consent to its being locked up from use. In South Carolina 

 some was thrown into the river, as at Boston, and the rest put into 

 damp warehouses, where it perished. 



These proceedings in America excited so much indignation in the 

 government of England, that, on the 3 1st of March, 1774, an act 

 was passed for removing the custom-house officers from the town of 

 Boston, and shutting up the port. Another act was soon after passed 

 "for better regulating the government in the province of Massachu- 

 setts Bay." The design of this act was to alter the constitution of 

 that province as it stood by the charter of king William; to take the 

 whole executive power out of the hands of the people, and to vest the 

 nomination of the counsellors, judges, and magistrates of all kinds, 

 including sheriffs, in the crown, and in some cases in the king's go- 

 vernor, and all to be removeable at the pleasure of the crown. Ano- 

 ther act was also passed, which was considered as highly injurious, 

 cruel, and unconstitutional, empowering the governor of Massachu- 

 setts Bay, to send persons accused of crimes there, to be tried in Eng- 

 land for such offences. Some time after, an act was likewise passed 

 " for making more effe ctual provision for the government of the pro- 

 vince of Quebec," which excited a great alarm both in England and 

 America. By this act, a legislative council was to be established for 

 all the affairs of the province of Quebec, except taxation ; which 

 council was to be appointed by the crown, the office to be held dur- 

 ing pleasure; and his majesty's Canadian Roman Catholic subjects 



