Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/314

 retired, first on board the Romney man-of-war, and then to Castle William. A committee of the Council, in their report on this subject, say, that, although the extraordinary circumstances attending the seizure of the sloop, might, in some measure, extenuate the criminality of the riotous proceedings in consequence of it, yet, being of a very criminal nature, they declared their abhorrence of them, and requested that the governor would direct prosecutions against the offenders. This report was accepted by the Council, but in consequence of the dissolution of the Assembly, was not acted upon by the House. Such, however, was the state of public feeling, that no prosecutions could be successfully carried on.

The excitement at Boston was greatly increased about this time by the impressment of some seamen belonging to that town, by order of the officers of the Romney, in direct violation of an act of Parliament, (the 6th Anne,) which declared, that "no mariner, or other person, who shall serve on board, or be retained to serve on board any privateer, or trading ship, or vessel, that shall be employed in America, nor any mariner or person, being on shore in any part thereof, shall be liable to be impressed or taken away by any officer or officers of, or belonging to. her majesty's ships of war."

The inhabitants of Boston were assembled on this occasion, and their petition to the governor, praying his interference to prevent such outrages for the future, shows to what a condition of alarm, anxiety, and even despair, they were then reduced. They state that, while waiting for a gracious answer to their petitions to the king, they were invaded with an armed force, impressing and imprisoning the persons of their fellow-subjects, contrary to an express act of Parliament; that menaces had been thrown out fit only for barbarians, affecting them in the most sensible manner, and that, "on account of the obstruction of their navigation, the situation of the town was nearly such as if war had been formally declared against it. To contend," they said, "against our parent state, is, in our idea, the most shocking and dreadful extremity; but tamely to relinquish the only security we and our posterity retain for the enjoyment of our lives and properties without one struggle, is so humiliating and base, that we cannot support the reflection."

News having reached Boston that two regiments were on their way from Halifax for that city, and an officer having been sent by General Gage from New York to provide quarters for these troops, a town meeting was held, September 12th, and Governor Bernard was urgently asked to summon a new General Court. Acting under instructions, the governor refused. It was thereupon proposed to hold a convention in Boston " in consequence of prevailing apprehensions of a war with France"—so they phrased the reason of calling the convention, and the