l probably continue in it until the wisdom of
Parliament delivers us from it."

It would be difficult to say what power the people now assumed that
belonged only to established authority; they assumed only the right of
public meeting and of liberty of discussion, which are unquestionable in
every free country; but the ruling spirit of Hutchinson is seen in this
fine tribute to the instrumentality of the town-meeting, for he regarded
the American custom of corporate presentation of political matters as
illegal, and the power of Parliament as sufficient to meet it with pains
and penalties. As the committee already named sent forth the doings of
the town, they said, (October 23, 1769,) "The people will never think
their grievances redressed till every revenue act is repealed, the Board
of Commissioners dissolved, and the troops removed."

A few days after this the Lieutenant-Governor was obliged to deal with a
mob, which grew out of the meanness of importers, whose selfish course
proved to be a great strain on the forbearing policy of the popular
leaders. The merchants on the Tory side, among whom were two of
Hutchinson's sons, persisted in importing goods; and he writes, with a
good deal of pride, as though it were meritorious, that since the
agreement was formed these two sons had imported two hundred chests of
tea, which they had been so clever as to sell. But such was the public
indignation at this course, that they, too, were compelled to give in to
the non-importation agreement; and Hutchinson's letters are now severer
than ever on the Patriots. He characterizes "the confederacy of
merchants" as a very high offence, and the Sons of Liberty as the
greatest tyrants ever known. But as he continually predicted a crisis,
he said, "I can find nobody to join with me in an attempt to discourage
them." He adds, "If any tumults should happen, I shall be under less
difficulty than if my own children had been the pretended occasion of
them; and for this reason Dalrymple tells me he is very glad they have
done as they have." The immediate occasion of the mob was the dealing of
the people with an informer on the twenty-eighth of October. They got
track of him about noon, and, after a long search, found him towards
evening, when they immediately prepared to tar and feather him. It was
quite dark. A formidable procession carted the culprit from one quarter
of the town to another, and threatened to break the windows of all
houses wh