themselves of their favorite beverage, of
men tarring and feathering unpopular tradesmen, have survived the
hundred and thirty odd years which have passed since then; and the
impression is general that the colonists would not pay a tax which bore
heavy on them. But it will be noticed by those who have attentively read
this account that the colonists were refusing to pay less, in order that
they might have the satisfaction of paying more. They balked, not at the
amount of the tax, but at its principle.

In the case of the tea-ships the duty of action fell upon Boston.
Charleston and Philadelphia had taken a positive stand resolving not to
receive the tea; but the ships were due at Boston first. The eyes of
the continent were upon this one town. Boston made ready to act, yet of
the preparations we know nothing. While the story as it is told is
interesting enough, there is no record of the secret meetings in which
the events were prepared. Hints are dropped, and it is asserted that
within the Green Dragon tavern, a favorite meeting-place of the Whigs,
were finally decided the means by which the workmen of the town should
carry out the plans of the leaders. But of these meetings nothing is
positively known; all we can say with certainty is that the plans worked
perfectly, and that Sam Adams must have had a hand in their making.

The Sons of Liberty took the first step toward forcing the consignees of
the tea to resign. "Handbills are stuck up," writes John Andrews,
"calling upon Friends! Citizens! and Countrymen!" To Liberty Tree the
"freemen of Boston and the neighboring towns" were invited, by placard
and advertisement, "to hear the persons, to whom the tea shipped by the
East India Company is consigned, make a public resignation of their
office as consignees, upon oath."[30]

But the consignees did not come, though the freemen did. The
townspeople, forming themselves into a "meeting," sent a committee to
the consignees, demanding that they refuse to receive the tea. But the
consignees believed themselves safe. They were merchants of family and
property, the governor's sons were among them, and it was rumored that
Hutchinson had a pecuniary interest in the success of the venture. They
refused to give the pledge.

The official town meeting now took up the matter. Before the tea
arrived, and again after the appearance of the first ship, the town
called upon the consignees to resign. Each time the consignees refused.
The