utchinson began to clutch at victory; "for," said he, "it is notorious
the ship cannot pass the Castle without a permit from me, and that I
shall refuse." On that day the people of Fitchburg pledged their word
"never to be wanting according to their small ability"; for "they had
indeed an ambition to be known to the world and to posterity as friends
to liberty." The men of Gloucester also expressed their joy at Boston's
glorious opposition, cried with one voice that "no tea subject to a duty
should be landed" in their town, and held themselves ready for the last
appeal.

The morning of Thursday, December 16, 1773, dawned upon Boston, a day by
far the most momentous in its annals. Beware, little town; count the
cost, and know well, if you dare defy the wrath of Great Britain, and if
you love exile and poverty and death rather than submission. The town of
Portsmouth held its meeting on that morning, and, with six only
protesting, its people adopted the principles of Philadelphia, appointed
their committee of correspondence, and resolved to make common cause
with the colonies. At ten o'clock the people of Boston, with at least
two thousand men from the country, assembled in the Old South. A report
was made that Rotch had been refused a clearance from the collector.
"Then," said they to him, "protest immediately against the custom-house,
and apply to the Governor for his pass, so that your vessel may this
very day proceed on her voyage for London."

The Governor had stolen away to his country house at Milton. Bidding
Rotch make all haste, the meeting adjourned to three in the afternoon.
At that hour Rotch had not returned. It was incidentally voted, as other
towns had already done, to abstain totally from the use of tea; and
every town was advised to appoint its committee of inspection, to
prevent the detested tea from coming within any of them. Then, since the
Governor might refuse his pass, the momentous question recurred,
"Whether it be the sense and determination of this body to abide by
their former resolutions with respect to the not suffering the tea to be
landed." On this question Samuel Adams and Young addressed the meeting,
which was become far the most numerous ever held in Boston, embracing
seven thousand men. There was among them a patriot of fervid feeling,
passionately devoted to the liberty of his country, still young, his eye
bright, his cheek glowing with hectic fever. He knew that his strength
was ebbing