This last act demanded special punishment, and the Boston Port
Bill shut up the port of Boston, allowing no ship to go in or out. The
sympathetic people of Salem and Marblehead placed wharf and warehouse
at the disposal of Boston merchants, softening the blow as much as
possible. Relief to the suffering poor of Boston poured in from all
sides, and the British ministry saw that the whole people were making
common cause in resistance to oppression.
8. The next step is the vigorous use of the strong arm. Filial love
must be forced in by means of bayonets, and affection secured by
gunpowder and bullets. A strong force of soldiers under General Gage
took possession of Boston. The troops were quartered in the City Hall
and other buildings sacred in the eyes of the people to justice and
peace. The city government was superseded by the military. Sentinels
patrolled the streets. Arbitrary edicts took the place of law.
Citizens were interfered with while in the pursuit of private
business. For soldiers' insults there was no redress. The leading
patriots, John Adams, Joseph Warren, James Otis, John Hancock, and
Samuel Adams, were hunted, and a price was set on their heads. Boston
was in the strong hands of military power. Outwardly it was subdued,
but beneath was a seething fire, ready to burst into flame when the
moment for conflagration should arrive.
Pages:
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278