atriot sons.

The spirit of the people rose with the emergency. Two more tea-ships
which arrived were directed to anchor by the side of the Dartmouth at
Griffin's wharf, that one guard might serve for all. The people of
Roxbury, on December 3d, voted that they were bound by duty to
themselves and posterity to join with Boston and other sister-towns to
preserve inviolate the liberties handed down by their ancestors. The
next day the men of Charlestown, as if foreseeing that their town was
destined to be a holocaust, declared themselves ready to risk their
lives and fortunes. On Sunday, the 5th, the committee of correspondence
wrote to Portsmouth in New Hampshire, to Providence, Bristol, and
Newport in Rhode Island, for advice and cooperation. On the 6th they
entreat New York, through MacDougall and Sears; Philadelphia, through
Mifflin and Clymer, to insure success by "a harmony of sentiment and
concurrence in action." As for Boston itself, the twenty days are fast
running out; the consignees conspire with the revenue officers to throw
on the owner and master of the Dartmouth the whole burden of landing the
tea, and will neither agree to receive it nor give up their bill of
lading nor pay freight. Every movement was duly reported, and "the town
became furious as in the time of the Stamp Act."

On the 9th there was a vast gathering at Newburyport of the inhabitants
of that and the neighboring towns, and, none dissenting, they agreed to
assist Boston, even at the hazard of their lives. "This is not a piece
of parade," they say, "but if an occasion should offer, a goodly number
from among us will hasten to join you."

On Saturday, the 11th, Rotch, the owner of the Dartmouth, is summoned
before the Boston committee with Samuel Adams in the chair, and asked
why he has not kept his engagement to take his vessel and the tea back
to London within twenty days of its arrival. He pleaded that it was out
of his power. "The ship must go," was the answer; "the people of Boston
and the neighboring towns absolutely require and expect it;" and they
bade him ask for a clearance and pass, with proper witnesses of his
demand. "Were it mine," said a leading merchant, "I would certainly send
it back." Hutchinson acquainted Admiral Montagu with what was passing;
on which the Active and the Kingfisher, though they had been laid up for
the winter, were sent to guard the passages out of the harbor. At the
same time orders were given by the Gover