A M E 
a non-importation agreement againd tea as well as all other 
commodities from Britain, it had neverthelefs found its 
way into America, though in fmaller quantities than be¬ 
fore. This was fenfibly felt by the Ead-India company, 
who had now agreed to pay a large fum annually to go¬ 
vernment; in recompence for which compliance, and to 
make up their Ioffes in other refpefts, they were empow¬ 
ered to export their tea free from any duty payable in 
Britain; and, in confequence of this permiflion, feveral 
fltips freighted with the commodity were fent to North 
America, and proper agents appointed for the difpofing'of 
it. The Americans, now r perceiving that the tax was thus 
likely to be enforced whether they would or not, determi¬ 
ned to take every poflible method to prevent the tea from 
being landed, as well knowing that it would be impofiible 
to hinder the falethould the commodity once be brought 
on fliore. . For this purpofe the people aflembled in great 
numbers, forcing thofe to whom the tea was configned to 
refign their offices, and to promife folemnly never to re- 
fnme them ; and committees were appointed to examine 
the accounts of merchants, and make public teds, decla¬ 
ring fuch as would not take them enemies to their coun¬ 
try. In the midfT of this confulion, three fhips laden with 
tea arrived at Bodon ; but fo much w r ere the captains 
alarmed at the difpofition which feemed to prevail among 
the people, that they offered, provided they could obtain 
the proper difcharges from the tea-conlignees, cuftom- 
houfe, and governor, to return to England without land¬ 
ing their cargoes. The parties concerned, however, tho’ 
they durd not order the tea to be landed, refufed to grant 
the difcharges required. The fhips, therefore, would 
have been obliged to remain in the harbour; but the 
people, apprehenfive that if they remained there the tea 
would be landed in fmall quantities, and difpofed of in 
fpite of every endeavour to prevent it, refolved to dedroy 
it at once. This refolution was executed with equal fpeed 
and fecrecy. The very evening after the above-mentioned 
difcharges had been refufed, a number of people, dreded 
like Mohawk Indians, boarded the fhips, and threw into 
the fea their whole cargoes, confiding of 342 cheds of tea ; 
after which, they retired without making any further dif- 
turbynce, or doing any more damage. No tea was de- 
ftroyed in other places, though the fame fpirit was every 
where manifeded. At Philadelphia the pilots were en¬ 
joined not to conduct the veffels up the river; and at 
New York, though the governor caufed fome tea to be 
landed under the protection of a man of war, he was 
obliged to deliver it up to the cuftody of the people, to 
prevent its being fold. 
The deftruftion of the tea at Bodon, which happened 
in November, 1773, was the immediate prelude to the 
difaders attending civil difcord. Government, finding 
themfelves every where infulted and defptfed, refolved to 
enforce their authority by ali poffible means ; and, as 
Bodon had been the principal fcene of the riots and out¬ 
rages, it was determined to punifh that city in-an exem¬ 
plary manner. Parliament was acquainted, by a meffage 
from his rnajedy, with the undutiful behaviour of the city 
of Bodon, as well as of all the colonies ; recommending, 
at the fame time, the mod vigorous and fpirited exertions 
to reduce them to obedience. The parliament in its ad- 
drefs promifed a ready compliance; and indeed the Ame¬ 
ricans, by their outrageous behaviour, had now loft many 
of their partifans. It was propofed to lay a fine on the 
town of Bodon, equal to the price of the tea which had 
been dedroyed, and to fiutt up its port by armed vedels, 
until the refractory fpirit of the inhabitants diould be fub- 
dued ; which it was thought mud quickly yield, as a to¬ 
tal dop would thus be put to their trade- The bill was 
drongly oppofed, on the fame grounds that the other had 
been; and it was predicted, that, indead of having any 
tendency to reconcile or. fubdue the Americans, it would 
infallibly exafperate them beyond any podibility of recon¬ 
ciliation. The petitions againd it, prefented by the colo¬ 
ny’s, agent, pointed out the lame confequence in the firong- 
R I C A. 4.39 
ed terms, and in the mod pofitive manner declared, that 
the Americans' never would fubmit to it: but fuch was 
the infatuation attending every rank and degree of men, 
that it never was imagined the Americans would dare to 
redd the parent date openly, but would in the end fubmit 
implicitly to her commands, fn this confidence a third 
bill was propofed, for the impartial adminidration of juf- 
tice on fuch perfons as might be employed in the fup- 
preflion of riots and tumults in the province of Maffachu-. 
fett’s Bay. By this aft it was provided, that diould any 
perfons afting in that capacity be indifted for murder, 
and not able to obtain a fair trial in that province, they 
might be fent by the governor to England, or to fome 
other colony, if necedary, to be tried for the fuppofed 
crime. Thefe three bills having paded, the minidry pro¬ 
pofed a fourth, relative to the government of Canada 
which, it was faid, had not yet been fettled on any pros ¬ 
per plan. By this bill the extent of that province was 
greatly enlarged ; its ad'airs were put under the direction 
of a council, in which Roman Catholics were to be ad¬ 
mitted ; the Roman Catholic clergy were fecured in their 
podcffions, and the ufual perquiiites from thofe of then- 
own profeffion. The council above-mentioned were to' 
be appointed by the crown, to be removable at its plea- 
fure ; and to be inveded with every legiflative power, ex¬ 
cepting that of taxation. 
No fooner were thefe laws made known in America,, 
than they cemented the union of the colonies almod be¬ 
yond any podibility of didbl-ving it. The adembly of 
Mafiachufett’s Bay had paded a vote againd the judges- 
accepting falaries from the crown, and put the quedion, 
Whether they would accept them as ufual from the ge¬ 
neral adembly ? Four anfwered in the affirmative ; but 
Peter Oliver, the chief-judice, refufed. A petition againd' 
him, and an aceufation, were brought before the gover¬ 
nor; but the latter refufed the aceufation, and declined 
to interfere in the matter; bur, as they dill infided for 
what they called judice againd Mr. Oliver, the gover¬ 
nor thought proper to put an end to the matter by dif- 
folving the adembly. 
In tliis dtuation of affairs, a new alarm was occaiioned 
by tire news of the port-bill. This had been totally un¬ 
expected, and was received with the mod extravagant ex- 
predions of difpleafure among the populace; and while 
thefe continued, the new governor, general Gage, arrived 
from England. He had been chofen to this office on ac¬ 
count of his being well acquainted in America, and ge¬ 
nerally agreeable to the people; but human wifdom could 
not now point out a method by which the flame could be 
allayed. The fird aft of his office, as governor, was to- 
remove the adembly to Salem, a town feventeen miles 
didant, in-confequence of the late aft. When this was 
intimated to the affembly, they replied' by requeding him 
to appoint a day of public humiliation for deprecating the 
wrath of heaven, but met with a refufal. When met at 
Salem, they paded a refolution, declaring-the necedity of 
a- general congrefs compofed of delegates from all the 
provinces, in order to take the affairs of the eolonies at 
large into confideration; and five gentlemen, remark ble 
for their oppofition to the Britifh- meafures, were chofen 
to reprefent that of Madachufett’s Bay. They then pro¬ 
ceeded with all expedition to draw up a declaration, con¬ 
taining- a detail of the grievances they laboured under, 
and the necelfity of exerting themfelves againd lawlefs 
power; they fet forth the disregard diewn to their peti¬ 
tions, and the attempts of Great Britain to dedroy their 
ancient conditution ; and concluded with ' exhorting the 
inhabitants of the colony to obdruft, by every method irk 
their power, fuch evil defigns ; recommending, at the fame 
time, a total renunciation of every thing imported from 
Great Britain, till a retirefs of grievances could be pro¬ 
cured-. Intelligence of this declaration was carried to the 
governor on the very day it was completed; on which he 
didolved the adembly. This was followed by an addrefs 
from the inhabitants of Salem, in favour of thofe of Sof¬ 
ten, 
