tly, a body of them
mounted their horses and went out to meet him, as he was on his way to
Hartford. Finding him on the road, they caused him to dismount and, in
the presence of the company, now swelled to several hundred, to read his
resignation as a royal appointee, and to shout for "liberty and
property," three times, as loud as he could.

The spirit of the people, now thoroughly aroused, was very accurately
expressed by Colonel Putnam, who, deputed by the Sons of Liberty to wait
on the Governor of his State and inform him of the public sentiment
respecting the Stamp Act, made him understand that there would be no
temporizing whatever in the matter.

"But what should I do," asked the perplexed Governor, "if the stamped
paper should be sent me by the King's command?"

"Lock it up until we shall visit you again," replied Putnam, boldly.

"And what will you do then?"

"We shall expect you to give us the key of the room in which it is
deposited, and if you think fit, in order to screen yourself, you may
forewarn us not to enter that room upon our peril."

"And then what will you do?"

"Send the paper safely back again."

"But if I should refuse you admission?"

"In that case, your house will be leveled to the ground in five
minutes!"

The Governor, who desired to be loyal, and was inclined to receive the
paper, was not called upon to act, the determined attitude of the Sons
of Liberty, preventing any from being sent into the State. Elected a
representative in 1766, Putnam was prepared to do all in his power to
frustrate the intent of the Act; but, in common with his fellow
citizens, was made happy by the news of its repeal. As this was then
the only bone of contention between the Colonials and the King, the
former hastened to send the latter a loyal address of thanks, assuring
him of their continued devotion, etc., etc.

It would seem that farming, in colonial days, was almost as hazardous an
employment as fighting in the wilds, for Putnam was the victim of two
different accidents, by one of which he lost the first joint of his
right thumb, and by the other he received a compound fracture of his
right thigh. The latter being imperfectly attended to, rendered that leg
an inch shorter than the other, "which occasioned him ever after to limp
in his walk." Notwithstanding these injuries, he faithfully attended to
his duties as representative at Hartford. In June, 1767, two years and
two months after the death o