lowing
at ten o'clock. Accordingly, on the 13th, the bill was read a second
time, and postponed till the following Tuesday morning. On the 16th it
was recommitted. On the 19th of the same month a "Bill to prevent the
Importation of Negro slaves into this Province" was read a first time,
and ordered to a second reading "to-morrow at eleven o'clock." On the
following day it was read a second time, and made the special order
for three o'clock on the following Monday. On the 22d, Monday, it was
read a third time, and placed upon its passage and engrossed. On the
24th it passed the House. When it reached the Council James Otis
proposed an amendment, and a motion prevailed that the bill lie upon
the table. But it was taken from the table, and the amendment of Otis
was concurred in by the House. It passed the Council in the latter
part of April, but failed to receive the signature of the governor, on
the ground that he was "not authorized by Parliament."[386] The same
reason for refusing his signature was set up by Gen. Gage. Thus the
bill failed. Gov. Hutchinson gave his reasons to Lord Hillsborough,
secretary of state for the colonies. The governor thought himself
restrained by "instructions" to colonial governors "from assenting to
any laws of a new and unusual nature." In addition to the foregoing,
his Excellency doubted the lawfulness of the legislation to which the
"scruple upon the minds of the people in many parts of the province"
would lead them; and that he had suggested the propriety of
transmitting the bill to England to learn "his Majesty's pleasure"
thereabouts. Upon these reasons Dr. Moore comments as follows:--

"These are interesting and important suggestions. It is
apparent that at this time there was no special instruction
to the royal governor of Massachusetts, forbidding his
approval of acts against the slave-trade. Hutchinson
evidently doubted the genuineness of the 'chief motive'
which was alleged to be the inspiration of the bill, the
'meerly moral' scruple against slavery; but his reasonings
furnish a striking illustration of the changes which were
going on in public opinion, and the gradual softening of the
harsher features of slavery under their influence. The
non-importation agreement throughout the Colonies, by which
America was trying to thwart the commercial selfishness of
her rapacious Mother, had rendered the provincial viceroys