it was in parliament, letters from Britain infinuated into the minds of the colonists, that a plan was laid to bring them into a fnare; that a noble refiftance on this occafion would free them from the flavery intended for them; that if this opportunity was loft they would never have another; and that if they suffered the fhips to land the tea and the duty to be paid, they would rivet their own chains. The British merchants have been alarmed with the thought of the loffes, which muft neceffarily accrue to themselves from the exportations of the company, and from the fales going through the hands of confignees; and have contributed to the ftrengthening of that refiftance to which the people were already inclined, through their prevailing jealoufy at the reservation of the tea duty when the other duties were repealed. The united oppofition of the colonies was to be fecured; but the event was precarious. The Boftonians were much fufpected by the fons of liberty in the other provinces, on account of the many goods which were imported into the town during the general non-importation agreement, and afterward of the teas contrary to the agreement refpecting that article. New York and Philadelphia had kept to the agreement, teas that the market demanded: but there had been imported into Boston, from the beginning of 1768 to the end of last year, not less than 2714 chefts, by more than a hundred different perfons. Mr. Hutchinfon and his fons were confiderable importers. It was evident that the body of merchants could not be depended upon. Mr. Thomas Mifflin of Philadelphia being at Boston, puť it therefore to the fons of liberty, when the teas were and had run all the expected, Oct. 2. expected, "Will you engage that they fhall not be landed? If so I will anfwer for Philadelphia." They pledged their honor. The inhabitants of Philadelphia affembled and unanimously entered into various refolves, in which they cenfured the refolution of the Eaft India company to send out their tea to America, fubject to the payment of duties on its being landed, as an open attempt to enforce the ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of America; and declared it to be the duty of every American to oppose this attempt, and that whoever fhould directly or indirectly countenance it, was an enemy to his country. They then fixed upon a committee to wait on the gentlemen reported to be appointed to receive and fell the tea, and to requeft their refigning. Within three days the whole number refigned; Meffrs. Whartons and Brown without making the leaft difficulty; the other two not, till the treatment they met with (on appearing at the coffee-houfe) for the fhuffling anfwer they had given, convinced them that it was not fafe trifling with the public opinion. Since this meeting, the Boston fons of liberty have affured by letter the fons of liberty at Philadelphia, that no tea fhall be landed. At New York, when captain Sears and captain M'Dougall heard that the tea was to be fent, they concluded that an opposition to it was neceffary, and agreed upon contriving to unite the tea-fmugglers, the merchants, and the fons of liberty in that fervice; and that captain McDougall fhould write against the defign of introducing and vending the tea agreeable to the minifterial plan, but should remain concealed as the author. A few of each ! each clafs were called together, and the mode of oppo- taken 3. taken and thrown overboard into the harbour. Had the company's ship came to the wharf, she would probably have been burnt, for captain Sears and five others had determined upon it, and provided themselves with combuftibles for the purpose. At Philadelphia, printed papers were difperfed, warning the Delaware pilots not to conduct any of the tea fhips into harbour, as they were only fent for the purpofe of enflaving and poisoning all the Americans; and at the fame time plainly intimating, that it was expected they would apply their knowledge of the river, under the colour of their profeffion, so as effectually to fecure their country from fuch an imminent danger. In most places, the confignees were obliged to relinquifh their appointments, and to enter into engagements not to act in that capacity; and no other perfons daring to receive the cargoes configned to them, the captains of the New York and Philadelphia fhips, from these circumstances, and the knowledge of the rifk they ran from the determined refolution of the people, concluded upon returning directly to Great Britain, without entangling themfelves by any entry at the cuftom-houses. But it was otherwife in the Massachusetts. Methods were taken to fpirit up the people at large by fugitive pieces, hand bills, refolves of town meetings, the mutual intercourfe of committees and the Nov. like. At length, fome hundreds of the inhabitants of Bofton and the neighbouring towns, meet at Liberty-tree, agreeable to a notification iffued the day before, "for to hear the confignees refign and fwear that they will reship any teas, that may by the East-India company be affighed to them." The confignees are in general ob noxious noxious to the public by reafon of their near and intimate connections with the governor, on whofe fupport they depend. They are not terrified into an appear ance at the place propofed; but meet together by agreement at the ftore of Mr. Clark, who is one of them, in King-ftreet. A committee is appointed by the af fembly to wait upon them with a meffage, to which they pay no regard. The people, who attend the committee as fpectators, upon this force open the doors of the ware house, and enter with great violence; and then attempt getting up ftairs into the comptinghoufe, but are driven back. The fons of liberty not having fucceeded in this Nov. procedure, a town-meeting of the freeholders and other 5. inhabitants is called. A large number is collected; and it is agreed to adopt the refolves of the citizens of Philadelphia. A committee is chofen to wait upon the confignees, who decline complying with the request of the town by letters, which, though decent, are the next day voted daringly affronting, when the meeting is immediately diffolved. Some of the fons of liberty are fearful of pushing the matter too far, left the town, and then the colony, fhould be drawn into a quarrel with Great Britain. To fuch it is faid, " It must come to a quarrel with Great Britain and the colony, fooner or later; and if fo, what can be a better time than the prefent? Hundreds of years may pass away before the parliament will make fuch a number of acts in violation of the British conftitution as it has done of late years, and, by which it has excited fo formidable an oppofition to the measures of miniftry. Befide, the longer the conteft is delayed, the more adminiftration will be. ftrengthened. Do not you obferve, how the govern ment 1 |