at the wharf. The committee affected likewise to disapprove of the riot,
and some few of the ringleaders were sought for and found, under the
pretence of bringing them to condign punishment. But the whole was a
farce. Malcolm, the smuggler, and others of a similar stamp, sate upon
the grand jury, and quashed all prosecution.

It was these proceedings which seem to have persuaded the ministers at
home to revive the obsolete statute of Henry VIII. Before the news
of these Boston riots, however, had arrived in England, ministers had
resolved to employ force. In a secret and confidential letter, Lord
Hillsborough had told General Gage that it was his majesty's pleasure he
should send one regiment or more from Halifax to Boston, to be quartered
in that town, in order to assist the civil magistrates and the revenue
officers. This was on the 8th of June, and three days later Governor
Bernard was informed by his lordship that his majesty had directed
one regiment to be stationed at Boston, and had ordered a frigate, two
sloops, and two armed cutters to repair to and remain in the harbour of
that town for the above-mentioned purpose. It was not, however, till the
month of September that the people of Boston became fully aware of the
intention of government to send troops thither, and in the meantime they
had been busy in organizing resistance to the Mutiny Act. In the
month of August, the merchants and traders of Boston agreed upon a new
subscription paper, to this effect:--"We will not send for or import
from Great Britain, either upon our own account, or upon commission,
this fall, any other goods than what are already ordered for the fall
supply. We will not send for or import any kind of goods or merchandise
from Great Britain, &c, from the lat of January, 1769, to the 1st of
January, 1770; except salt, coals, fish-hooks and lines, hemp and duck,
bar-lead and shot, wool-cards and card wire. We will not purchase of
any factor or others any kind of goods imported from Great Britain, from
January, 1769, to January, 1770. We will not import on our own account,
or on commission, or purchase of any who shall import from any other
colony in America, from January, 1769, to January, 1770, any tea, paper,
glass, or any other goods commonly imported from Great Britain. We will
not, from and after the 1st of January, 1769, import into this province
any tea, paper, glass, or painters' colours, until the act imposing
duties on those artic