to represent, as he says,
"their opinion of the absolute necessity of the troops being at a
distance, that there might be no intercourse between the inhabitants and
them, in order to prevent a further effusion of blood." Such was the
logic of events which now forced the seventeen months' question of the
removal of the troops on the civil and military authorities with an
imperativeness that could not be resisted.

The question, however, came up now in a new shape. To put it in the
simplest way, and in the very words used on that day,--the people were
so excited by the shedding of blood on the preceding night, that they
were resolved no longer to acquiesce in the decision of the constituted
authorities as to the troops; but, failing in other means, they were
determined to effect their removal by force, let the act be deemed
rebellion or otherwise. Not that any conspiracy existed; not that any
plan had been matured to do this; but circumstances had transferred the
question from the domain of reason to that of physical force; and the
only point with the crown officials, during this whole day's
deliberations, was, whether they would be justified in what appeared to
them lowering the national standard at the demand of a power which they
habitually represented as "the faction," or whether they might venture
to take the responsibility of resisting the demand and of meeting the
consequences. Well might John Adams say, "This was a dangerous and
difficult crisis."

The Selectmen expressed to the Lieutenant-Governor the opinion, that
"the inhabitants would be under no restraint whilst the troops were in
town." "I let them know," Hutchinson says, "that I had no power to
remove the troops." They also informed him that they had been requested
to call a town-meeting, which was the special dread of Hutchinson. As
the settled determination of the people became revealed, the anxiety of
the Lieutenant-Governor naturally deepened as to what the day might
bring forth; and he sent for Colonels Dalrymple and Carr to be present
in Council and act as military advisers. But the discussions here were
interrupted by the entrance of a messenger from another assembly,
bearing the ominous summons for the immediate presence among them of the
Selectmen.

This summons invites attention to the movements of the people, who had
been constantly coming in from the neighboring towns, and had now
gathered in great numbers in and around Faneuil Hall, to use