ed from their prisons on condition of
enlisting in the army or navy.[145]

The regular press-gang was not confined to England, and it formed one of
the grievances of the American colonists. One of the most terrible riots
ever known in New England, was caused, in 1747, by this nefarious
practice, under the sanction of Admiral Knowles. An English vessel was
burnt, and English officers were seized and imprisoned by the crowd; the
governor was obliged to flee to the castle; the sub-sheriffs were
impounded in the stocks; the militia refused to act against the people;
and the admiral was compelled to release his captives. Resistance, in
America, was shown in many subsequent attempts to impress the people.

The king and his ministers felt it was necessary to sustain the acts of
parliament in the American war by having addresses sent to the king
upholding him in the course he was pursuing. Hence emissaries were sent
throughout the kingdom who cajoled the ignorant into signing such
papers. The general sentiment of the people cannot be estimated by the
number of addresses for they were obtained by the influence of the
ministers of state. Every magistrate depending upon the favor of the
crown could and would exert his influence as directed. Hence there were
numerous addresses sent to the king approving the course he was bent
upon. When it is considered that the government had the advantage of
more than fifty thousand places and pensions at its disposal, the
immense lever for securing addresses is readily seen. From no section of
the country, however, were these addresses so numerous as from Scotland.

It is one of the most singular things in history that the people of
Scotland should have been so hostile to the Americans, and so forward in
expressing their approbation of the attitude of George III. and his
ministers. The Americans had in no wise ever harmed them or crossed
their path. The emigrants from Scotland had been received with open arms
by the people. If any had been mistreated, it was by the appointees of
the crown. With scarcely an exception the whole political
representation in both Houses of Parliament supported lord North, and
were bitterly opposed to the Americans. Lecky has tried to soften the
matter by throwing the blame on the servile leaders who did not
represent the real sentiment of the people:

"Scotland, however, is one of the very few instances in history, of a
nation whose political representation