f the troops to the
Castle. Hutchinson answered that he would withdraw one regiment, but had
not the power to remove both. Retiring at the head of his committee,
Adams passed through a lane of people on his way to the Old South. "Both
regiments or none!" he said right and left as he passed, and every one
took up the word. "Both regiments or none!" cried the meeting. Voting
his report unsatisfactory, it sent him back to the governor to repeat
his demand.

"Now for the picture," wrote John Adams many years after. "The theatre
and the scenery are the same with those at the discussion of the writs
of assistance. The same glorious portraits of King Charles the Second,
and King James the Second, to which might be added, and should be added,
little miserable likenesses of Governor Winthrop, Governor Bradstreet,
Governor Endicott, and Governor Belcher, hung up in obscure corners of
the room. Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson, commander-in-chief in the
absence of the governor, must be placed at the head of the
council-table. Lieutenant-Colonel Dalrymple, commander of his majesty's
military forces, taking rank of all his majesty's councillors, must be
seated by the side of the lieutenant-governor and commander-in-chief of
the Province. Eight-and-twenty councillors must be painted, all seated
at the council-board. Let me see,--what costume? What was the fashion of
that day in the month of March? Large white wigs, English scarlet-cloth
coats, some of them with gold-laced hats; not on their heads indeed in
so august a presence, but on the table before them or under the table
beneath them. Before these illustrious persons appeared SAMUEL ADAMS, a
member of the House of Representatives and their clerk, now at the head
of the committee of the great assembly at the Old South Church."[25]

[Illustration: 1722--SAMUEL ADAMS 1803 By John Singleton Copley]

It is this moment that Copley chose to represent Adams. Facing the
governor, the officers, and the councillors, Adams stood in his simple
"wine-colored suit," and appealed to the charter and the laws. "If you
have power to remove one regiment, you have power to remove both. It is
at your peril if you do not. The meeting is composed of three thousand
people. They are become very impatient. A thousand men are already
arrived from the neighborhood, and the country is in general motion.
Night is approaching; an immediate answer is expected."[26]

Hutchinson was a man learned in the history o