indignantly replied, "That the lives, liberty, and property of none but
avowed enemies could be endangered by the troops of Great Britain, who
had shown no disposition for hostilities, though they might be expected
to feel resentment at the exertions employed to deprive them even of the
necessaries of life." He also reminded this self-constituted provincial
congress that while they affected to complain of alterations made in
their charter by acts of parliament, their very meeting was in direct
violation of their own constitution; and, finally, he exhorted them to
desist from all illegal proceedings. The governor's exhortation was,
however, unheeded. On receiving his reply, they adjourned to Cambridge,
where they appointed a committee to draw up a plan for the military
defence of the province. They likewise settled all matters relating to
the militia; arranged means for the collection of arms; provided for
the receipt of taxes; appointed committees for these different purposes;
named Jedediah Pribble and Artemas Ward, who had seen some service in
the war with the French and Canadians, to be their generals; and even
deliberated upon the precise period for opposing or attacking the
king's troops. Emissaries were also sent by them to Rhode Island, New
Hampshire, and Connecticut, to request them to prepare their respective
quotas, so as to make up an army of 20,000 men, and a committee was
appointed to correspond with the Protestants of Canada, and especially
those of the Presbyterian persuasion. Finally, they addressed a circular
letter to all the dissenting ministers in New England, exhorting them
to assist in averting the slavery with which the country was threatened,
and appointed a day of public thanksgiving for the happy union which
existed throughout the colonies. Having done all this, early in December
the provincial congress of Massachusets prorogued themselves, appointing
a new meeting in the ensuing month of February.

This conduct naturally excited the indignation of the governor, and
he issued a proclamation forbidding the people to pay any obedience to
these seditious resolutions. But proclamations now sounded in the ears
of the people of Massachuset's Bay as idle words, and the resolutions
were strictly obeyed. The same disregard to the mandates of government
was also shown in other colonies. The king had issued a proclamation
strictly prohibiting the exportation of warlike stores to America; and
as soon as thi