m to
have had its designed effect as yet, it is to be hoped, when the
_people's_ temper is become more cool, that the aforesaid piece, with
what has since, and may hereafter be published on this subject, may not
entirely fail of the design proposed.

Besides these paper skirmishes, we would inform you that we were told
that there were about two or three weeks since, several nightly
meetings, held in various parts of the town, of a large number of
persons, to consult and conclude on some method to prevent the execution
of the Company's plan, but what was fixed at these meetings we could not
learn. But we were not lost in this uncertainty long, for in the morning
of the 2^nd instant, about one o'clock, we were roused out of our sleep
by a violent knocking at the door of our house, and on looking out of
the window we saw (for the moon shone very bright) two men in the
courtyard. One of them said he had brought us a letter from the country.
A servant took the letter of him at the door, the contents of which were
as follows:

"Boston, 1st Nov., 1773.

Richard Clarke & Son:

The Freemen of this Province understand, from good authority, that there
is a quantity of tea consigned to your house by the East India Company,
which is destructive to the happiness of every well-wisher to his
country. It is therefore expected that you personally appear at Liberty
Tree, on Wednesday next, at twelve o'clock at noon day, to make a public
resignation of your commission, agreeable to a notification of this day
for that purpose.

Fail not upon your peril.

O.C."

Two letters of the same tenor were sent in the same manner to the other
factors. On going abroad we found a number of printed notifications
posted up in various parts of the town, of which the following is a
copy:

"_To the Freemen of this and the other Towns in the Province._

Gentlemen:

You are desired to meet at Liberty Tree, next Wednesday, at twelve
o'clock at noon day, then and there 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. And also swear
that they will reship any teas that may be consigned to them by the said
Company, by the first vessel sailing for London.

Boston, Nov^r. 1st, 1773.