roposed....
General Gage arrives.... Troops stationed on Boston neck....
New counsellors and judges.... Obliged to resign.... Boston
neck fortified.... Military stores seized by general
Gage.... Preparations for defence.... King's speech....
Proceedings of Parliament.... Battle of Lexington....
Massachusetts raises men.... Meeting of Congress....
Proceedings of that body.... Transactions in Virginia....
Provincial congress of South Carolina.... Battle of Breed's
hill.

{1770}

[Sidenote: Insurrection in North Carolina.]

In the middle and southern colonies, the irritation against the mother
country appears to have gradually subsided and no disposition was
manifested to extend opposition farther than to the importation of
tea. Their attention was a good deal directed to an insurrection in
North Carolina, where a number of ignorant people, supposing
themselves to be aggrieved by the fee bill, rose in arms for the
purpose of shutting up the courts of justice, destroying all officers
of government, and all lawyers, and of prostrating government itself.
Governor Tryon marched against them, defeated them in a decisive
battle, quelled the insurrection, and restored order.

[Sidenote: Dissatisfaction of Massachusetts.]

In Massachusetts, where the doctrine that parliament could not
rightfully legislate for the colonies was maintained as a corollary
from the proposition that parliament could not tax them, a gloomy
discontent was manifested. That the spirit of opposition seemed to be
expiring, without securing the rights they claimed, excited
apprehensions of a much more serious nature in the bosoms of that
inflexible people, than the prospect of any conflict, however
terrible. This temper displayed itself in all their proceedings.

The legislature, which the governor continued to convene at Cambridge,
remonstrated against this removal as an intolerable grievance; and,
for two sessions, refused to proceed on business. In one of their
remonstrances, they asserted the right of the people to appeal to
heaven in disputes between them and persons in power, when power shall
be abused.

[Sidenote: Corresponding committees.]

From the commencement of the contest, Massachusetts had been
peculiarly solicitous to unite all the colonies in one system of
measures. In pursuance of this favourite idea, a committee of
correspondence was elected by the general court, to communicate with