[Footnote 196: Prior documents.]

[Footnote 197: In this letter the house of Burgesses express
their opinion of the mutiny act in the following terms: "The
act suspending the legislative power of New York, they
consider as still more alarming to the colonies, though it
has that single province in view. If parliament can compel
them to furnish a single article to the troops sent over,
they may, by the same rule, oblige them to furnish clothes,
arms, and every other necessary, even the pay of the
officers and soldiers; a doctrine replete with every
mischief, and utterly subversive of all that's dear and
valuable; for what advantage can the people of the colonies
derive from choosing their own representatives, if those
representatives, when chosen, be not permitted to exercise
their own judgments, be under a necessity (on pain of being
deprived of their legislative authority) of enforcing the
mandates of a British parliament."]

On the first intimation of the measures taken by Massachusetts, the
earl of Hillsborough, who had been appointed to the newly created
office of secretary of state for the department of the colonies,
addressed a circular to the several governors, to be laid before the
respective assemblies, in which he treated the circular letter of
Massachusetts, as being of the most dangerous tendency, calculated to
inflame the minds of his majesty's good subjects in the colonies, to
promote an unwarrantable combination, to excite an open opposition to
the authority of parliament, and to subvert the true principles of the
constitution.[198]

[Footnote 198: Prior documents.]

His first object was to prevail on the several assemblies openly to
censure the conduct of Massachusetts; his next, to prevent their
approving the proceedings of that colony. The letter, far from
producing the desired effect, rather served to strengthen the
determination of the colonies to unite in their endeavours to obtain a
repeal of laws universally detested. On manifesting this disposition,
the assemblies were generally dissolved;--probably in pursuance of
instructions from the crown.

When the general court of Massachusetts was again convened, governor
Bernard laid before the house of representatives, an extract of a
letter from the earl of Hillsborough, in which, after animadverting in
harsh terms on the circular letter to the colonies, he de