Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/317

 most excessively unreasonable. Your Excellency must therefore excuse us in this express declaration, that, as we cannot consistently with our honor and interest, much less with the duty we owe to our constituents, so we never will make provision for the purposes in your several messages above mentioned." The governor thereupon prorogued the Court until the 10th of January, and early in August left for England. The administration of affairs for the time being, came into the hands of Lieutenant-governor Hutchinson. Bernard's unpopularity in Massachusetts did not prevent his being knighted at home, as a reward for his zeal and devotion to the views of the ministry.

It must not be supposed that Virginia and Massachusetts stood alone in their sturdy resistance to the course of the English ministry. On the contrary, there was a universal sentiment prevailing, that the colonies must defend their lights at all hazards. "Party lines, too, throughout the colonies began now to be strictly drawn. The partizans of the mother country were stigmatized as Tories, while the opponents of Parliamentary taxation took the name of Whigs—old names lately applied in England as designations for the king's friends and their opponents." In New York alone was a temporizing spirit at all manifested. For two years there had been no Assembly; and a great effort having been made by men disposed to more moderate measures, they obtained a majority in the newly elected Assembly, in September. Great offence was given to the more ardent patriots by the Assembly's yielding the point of dispute, and providing quarters for the troops. Alexander M'Dougall, one of the "Sons of Liberty," took the lead in denouncing this conduct, for which offensive action he was imprisoned by order of the Assembly. It must also be stated, to the honor of the women of those days, that they were not a whit behind the men in being willing to make sacrifices for the common cause.

It having become evident that great loss was the consequence of the attempted taxation, Lord Hillsborough addressed a circular to the colonial governors, announcing the intention of the ministry to repeal all the clauses of Townshend's act, which imposed duties on British goods, such duties being, it was said, "contrary to the true principles of commerce." But as the duty on tea, and the right of Parliamentary taxation were still maintained, the announcement produced no favorable effect. The repeal of only part of the act was unanimously resolved, by the merchants met together in Boston, to be a measure intended merely to quiet the manufacturers in Great Britain, and to prevent the setting up of manufactures in the colonies, and one that would by no means relieve trade from its difficulties. It was, therefore, farther resolved, to send for no more goods from Great Britain, a few specified articles excepted, unless the revenue acts should be repealed. A committee was appointed to procure a written pledge from the inhabitants of the town not to purchase any goods from persons who have imported them, or who shall