d with the prospect of drinking tea at less
expense than ever. The only apparent discontent was among the importers
of tea, as well those who had been legal importers from England, as
others who had illegally imported from Holland; and the complaint was
against the East India Company for monopolizing a branch of commerce
which had been beneficial to a great number of individual merchants. And
the first suggestion of a design in the Ministry to enlarge the revenue,
and to habituate the colonies to parliamentary taxes, was made from
England; and opposition to the measure was recommended, with an
intimation that it was expected that the tea would not be suffered to be
landed."[322]

The Committees of Correspondence in the several colonies soon availed
themselves of so favourable an opportunity for promoting their great
purpose. It soon appeared to be their general determination, that at
all events the tea should be sent back to England in the same ships
which brought it. The first motions were at Philadelphia (Oct. 18th),
where, at a meeting of the people, every man who should be concerned in
unlading, receiving, or vending the tea, was pronounced an enemy to his
country. This was one of the eight resolves passed at the meeting. The
example was followed by Boston, November 3rd.[323]

Then follows Governor Hutchinson's account of the meetings and
gatherings in Boston: the messages and answers between their Committees
and the consignees, Custom-house officers, and the ultimate throwing of
the tea into the dock, substantially as narrated in the preceding pages,
together with his consultations with his Council, and his remarks upon
the motives and conduct of the parties opposed to him. He admits that
his Council was opposed to the measures which he proposed to suppress
the meetings of the people; he admits the universal hostility of the
people of Boston and of the neighbouring towns to the landing of the
tea; that "while the Governor and Council were sitting on the Monday, in
the Council Chamber, and known to be consulting upon means for
preserving the peace of the town, several thousands of inhabitants of
Boston and other towns were assembled in a public meeting-house at a
small distance, in direct opposition and defiance." He says he "sent the
Sheriff with a proclamation, to be read in the meeting, bearing
testimony against it as an unlawful assembly, and requiring the
Moderator and the people present forthwith to separate