sets, was instructed to
require the house of representatives to rescind the resolution which
gave birth to the letter, and to declare the king's disapprobation of
it. But instead of rescinding the resolution, it received the emphatic
confirmation of the assembly. This reply was sent to the governor:--"If
the votes of this house are to be controlled by the direction of a
minister, we have left us but a vain semblance of liberty. We have now
only to inform you that this house have voted not to rescind, and that,
on a division on the question, there were ninety-two nays, and seventeen
yeas."

The next day, Governor Bernard received positive instructions to
dissolve the assembly of Massachusets. But it was in vain that the arm
of power sought to quell the general disaffection: when employed it
had only the effect of making the colonists more resolute in their
opposition. Associations and committees were formed in most of the
provinces, and smuggling was carried on in the broad face of day. Some
months before, one Malcolm had fought with the custom-house officers,
and had landed sixty pipes of Madeira at Boston without paying duty.
In the month of June another cargo arrived at Boston, and when the
excise-officer stepped on board he was seized and confined below, while
the wine was sent on shore. The officer was afterwards liberated, and
on the following morning the skipper of the sloop entered four or five
pipes at the custom-house, declaring that this was the whole of his
cargo. Aware of the falsehood of this statement, the commissioners
ordered a comptroller to seize the sloop, and to fix the king's broad
arrow upon her. This was the signal for a riot. A mob, headed by
Malcolm, beat and nearly killed several of the revenue officers, and the
commissioners themselves were compelled to seek safety in flight. The
sloop was, however, seized; the excise being assisted by the captain of
the Romney man-of-war, then lying at anchor off Boston. This was on
a Friday, and the two following days were comparatively quiet, but on
Monday an immense mob gathered in the streets at Boston, and placards
were stuck up, calling upon the "sons of liberty" to meet on the
following morning. At this meeting a committee was appointed to wait
upon the governor, to inquire why the sloop had been seized? This
committee pretended that it was an affront offered to the town of Boston
to act thus arbitrarily, since the sloop might have been left in safety