I attended, I read a letter from President Quincy, at the
request of one of his family. That will fix the date.

_Mr. Lunt._ Did you speak at that meeting?

_Mr. Dana._ I object to these questions as matter of right. I am not
obliged to answer them. But, personally, I have no objection to
answering them.

_Mr. Lunt._ I think it would be a satisfaction to the community to know
from yourself how the matter stands as to these meetings.

_Mr. Dana._ On that ground, I have no objections to answering. I did not
speak at this meeting, for reasons of my own. For the same reasons I did
not attend the second meeting. I wrote a set of resolutions, which I
believe were adopted. These I am ready to stand or fall by.

_The Commissioner._ I read them. They were unexceptionable.

_Mr. Dana._ Unexceptionable in a legal view; but your Honor could not
agree to the opinions expressed. After the meeting had adjourned, as I
was informed, (and as it was stated in the papers,) a resolution was
put, and declared by the crowd to be passed, but it was irregular and
not noticed by the officers. That resolution was objectionable, in my
opinion. But in none of the meetings or consultations I have attended,
have any of the gentlemen recommended or suggested use of force against
the law. The private meetings have related to the use of legal defences
and modes of raising and presenting constitutional questions, and have
been composed of lawyers, almost, if not quite, exclusively. The
opinions of the defendant, so far as I know, are the same as mine. He
believes the act unconstitutional and unjust, and will give it no
voluntary aid, but will not recommend or join in forcible violations of
it. I am willing to say this, since we have got upon the subject,
although it is not testimony.

_Charles H. Brainard._ I have heard Mr. Byrnes' reputation for truth and
veracity spoken of, but not until these trials had commenced.

_Charles C. Conley._ Had heard Mr. Byrnes' truth, &c., spoken against
for some time back.

_Charles Mead_ examined on same point, but did not testify definitely.

_Mr. Dana to Mr. Lunt._ It was in the lobby that I saw Chief Justice
Shaw in relation to the habeas corpus. I came into the court room and
reported the result to the counsel. It was after the proceedings before
the Commissioner were over.

_To Mr. Davis._ My impression is that I saw some of the crowd enter the
door on the west side of the building after I heard the yel