brought to resent an
exertion of the most undoubted constitutional right of petitioning the
Throne, or any endeavours to procure and preserve a union of the
colonies, as an unjustifiable attempt to revive those distractions which
it is said have operated so fatally to the prejudice of both the
colonies and the mother country. We have the warmest and most
affectionate attachment to our most gracious Sovereign, and shall ever
pay the readiest and most respectful regard to the just and
constitutional power of the British Parliament; but we shall not be
intimidated by a few sounding expressions from doing what we think is
right."[302]

Thus the unconstitutional assumptions and despotic instructions of Lord
Hillsborough to the Legislative Assemblies of the several colonies were
manfully and in a moderate and loyal spirit repelled by them, in the
clear knowledge of the constitutional rights of Englishmen, whether
resident in America or England. But while Lord Hillsborough foolishly
and vainly dictated to the several colonies to treat the colony of
Massachusetts with contempt, he advanced a step further in his would-be
domination over Massachusetts itself by directing Governor Barnard to
order the House of Representatives, under a threat of dissolution, to
rescind the resolution which they had adopted to send the circular to
the representative Assemblies of other colonies. Lord Hillsborough, in a
letter to the Governor of Massachusetts Bay, dated April 22nd, 1768,
said:

"It is the King's pleasure, that so soon as the General Court is again
assembled, at the time prescribed by the Charter, you should require of
the House of Representatives, in his Majesty's name, to rescind the
resolution which gave birth to the circular letter from the Speaker, and
to declare their disapprobation thereof, and dissent to that rash and
hasty proceeding." "But if, notwithstanding the apprehensions which may
justly be entertained of the ill-consequences of a continuance of this
factious spirit, which seems to have influenced the resolutions of the
Assembly at the conclusion of the last session, the new Assembly should
refuse to comply with his Majesty's reasonable expectation, it is the
King's pleasure that you should immediately dissolve them, and transmit
to me, to be laid before his Majesty, an account of their proceedings
thereupon, to the end that his Majesty may, if he thinks fit, lay the
whole matter before his Parliament, that such pro