ages, 173;
and effects upon England, 174;
comments on complete financial failure of Stamp Act and Customs Act, 176;
shown copies of Tory letters from Massachusetts, 177;
sends them to Boston under pledge of secrecy, 178;
publishes a letter taking upon himself
responsibility of their discovery, 182, 183;
presents petition of Massachusetts to Dartmouth, 183;
delicacy of his position, 184;
learns that Hutchinson and Oliver are to be represented by counsel, 185;
fearing trouble and foreseeing an attack, asks for time, 186;
threats and rumors, 187;
appears before a hostile privy council, 187, 188;
violently attacked as a thief by Wedderburn, 188, 189;
the "suit of Manchester velvet," 191;
begins and abandons a defense of himself, 192;
dismissed from office of postmaster, 192;
loses his standing in England, 192, 193;
resigns agency for Massachusetts, 193;
rebuked by Massachusetts for laxity, 194;
slandered by Arthur Lee, 194;
danger of charges of treason, 195;
interview with Lord Chatham, 196;
urges policy of colonial self-government, 197;
denies that independence is desired, 197;
wishes unity of the Empire, 198;
attacked by Lord Sandwich in House of Lords, 198;
defended by Chatham, 198, 199;
irritated at attacks on America in House of Commons, 199;
writes an angry letter to Dartmouth, 200;
demands reparation for injuries done America and rights denied, 200;
saved from presenting this by advice of Walpole, 201, 202;
rejects secret attempts by ministry to negotiate, 202;
again rejects bribes, 202;
last day in London with Priestley, 203;
emotion at situation, 203;
leaves for home, 203;
significance of his failure, 203.
_Member of Congress._ Revulsion of feeling on reaching America, 204;
anger against England, 205;
letters to Priestly and Strahan, 204, 205;
elected to Congress, 206;
active in committee work, 206;
willing to send the Olive Branch petition, 206;
hopes thus to put England in the wrong, 206;
suggests offer by colonies to pay annual sum
for privilege of Free Trade, 207;
repels humorously charge of colonial ingratitude, 207, 208;
formulates a plan of union, 208;
chairman of committee on postal service, 209;
postmaster-general, 209;
chairman of Committee of Safety, 209;
plans defenses for Philadelphia, 209;
prevented by necessary oath of allegiance from
sitting in Pennsylvania Assembly, 209;