eral combination
of measures, a unanimity of language, and a general persecution of all
those who were in favour of the British government. The movement, which
had hitherto been slow in its progress, now took rapid strides, the
celerity of which nothing could impede. The assembly of Boston, always
in the van, next got up a manifesto, which treated the authority of
the British parliament with contempt. This manifesto declared that the
British parliament had no right to legislate for the colonies in any
matter whatever; denounced the declaratory act recommended by Chatham,
and passed in 1768, as an unjust assumption of a legislative power,
without the consent of the colonists; and charged the British ministry
with a design to complete a system of slavery begun in the house of
commons. Copies of this manifesto were dispersed throughout the province
of Massachusets, urging the people not to dose any longer, or to sit
supinely, whilst the hand of oppression was plucking the choicest fruits
from the tree of liberty. The people, however, seem to have considered
it as too violent, for it was not responded to as the Bostonians
expected it would have been, and they were compelled somewhat to retrace
their steps, They apologized to the British government for having
gone thus far, throwing the whole blame on their new governor, Mr.
Hutchinson, who, they said, had provoked them to act thus by his
intemperate conduct. At the same time they stated that they were
faithful subjects of his majesty, and that they conceived themselves
happy in their connexion with Great Britain! At this critical moment,
however, when the minds of the people of New England wavered, and
when the southern and middle countries were comparatively peaceable,
communications were received from England, which set the whole country
in commotion.

During the course of the disputes, certain letters had been written by
Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Oliver, lieutenant-governor., and others, to the
home government, reflecting strongly on the character of the colonial
opposition, and recommending the adoption of coercive measures, and a
material change in the system of the government of the colonies. These
letters were strictly confidential, but they were purloined from
the office in which they were deposited by some person favourable to
American interests, and placed in the hands of Dr. Franklin, agent for
the province of Massachusets. Franklin thought proper to transmit these
le