nation of the merchants of Boston, made during the present session, by which they agreed to alter their non-importation agreement, and to adopt the plan which had been for some time followed in New York and in Philadelphia, of importing all the usual articles of trade, except tea, which it was unanimously agreed should not be brought into the country, unless it could be smuggled.
Lord North, recently appointed prime minister, on the very night of the Boston massacre, as it happened, brought forward a motion to repeal the whole of Townshend's act, except the duty on tea. This was retained in order to let it be seen that the right of taxation was never to be given up; and it was—not wisely—supposed, that as the Americans would in fact be the gainers by the arrangement, buying their tea nine pence per pound less than it was sold in England, they would be glad to yield, and thus the contest would be ended. Pownall, however, who knew his countrymen better, asserted that they would not be satisfied in such a way: even the repeal of all the obnoxious acts might not be sufficient to quiet them. "The Americans," he observed, "think that they have, in return to all their applications, experienced a temper and disposition that is unfriendly, and that the enjoyment and exercise of the common rights of freemen have been refused to them. Never, with these views, will they solicit the favor of this House, never more will they wish to bring before Parliament the grievances under which they conceive themselves to labor."
The year 1771 was not marked by events of special moment in the colonies. Hutchinson was appointed governor of Massachusetts, in the spring of this year; and when the Assembly met, in 1772, he informed them that thenceforth his salary would be paid by the crown, and so he should not need any appropriation from them. This, by stirring up the old controversy, roused their ire to a high pitch, and they signified to the governor that they considered this to be a violation of the charter. Hutchinson repudiated their views in an elaborate paper, which he sent to them; to which a reply was prepared, by appointment of a town meeting, held in October, after the adjournment of the Assembly. This reply to Hutchinson, at first drafted by Samuel Adams, embodied the usual popular arguments, and it is supposed was afterwards revised in committee by John Adams himself; in this way placed, by his skill as a jurist, upon legal and constitutional grounds, it forms one of the most celebrated state papers of revolutionary days. It was prefaced by an address, and sent to the various towns; and Franklin caused this address and the report of the committee to be republished in London, with a preface from his skilful hand.[1]
- ↑ Hutchinson, in his History, states that he was greatly alarmed with so sudden and unexpected a change in the slate of affairs; and he was greatly perplexed with doubts concerning his own conduct upon the occasion. He had avoided engaging in a dispute upon the authority of Parliament, having good reason to think, that the administration in England expected that the colonies would return to them former state of submission to this authority, by len-
