Chap. XLII.} 1769. Sept. |
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whose people enforced the agreement of not import-
ing, by publishing the names of the few enemies to America, who kept aloof from the Association.1
In Europe, France studied with care the news from the Colonies, and was convinced of ‘their intrepidity’2 and ‘their animated and persevering zeal;’3 while the British Ministry gave no steady attention to American affairs;4 and defeated the hope of conciliatory measures which all parties seemed to desire,5 by taking the advice of Bernard.6
The ferment in the Colonies went on increasing.
Copies having just then been received of the many letters from the public officers in Boston which had been laid before Parliament, Otis, who was become almost irresponsible from his nearness to frenzy,7 grew wild with rage at having been aspersed as a demagogue, and provoked8 an affray, in which he, being quite alone, was set upon by one of the Commissioners of the Customs, aided by bystanders, and received ‘much hurt’9 from a very severe blow on the head.10 This affair multiplied quarrels between the people and the King's officers, and mixed personal
1 Bull to Sec. of State, 25 Sept. 1769, and Hillsborough to Bull, 30 Nov. 1769.
2 Choiseul to Du Chatelet, Versailles, 8 Sept. 1769.
4 Hugh Hammersley to Sharpe, 14 Sept. 1769.
5 Hugh Hammersley to Sharpe, 30 Nov. 1769.
6 Frances to the Due de Choiseul, London, 8 Sept. 1769.
7 Compare John Adams's Diary, Works, II. 219, 220.
8 See the Boston Gazette of 4 September, 1769, for publications by Otis.
9 From a letter of Hutchinson. Compare the Diary of John Adams, which shows that Otis was not so much hurt but that he was abroad the next day.
10 For an account of the fray see Boston Gazette, 11 Sept. 1769. Compare Tudor's Life of Otis, 362; John Robinson in Boston Gazette, 11 Sept. 1769; Otis in Boston Gazette, 18 Sept.; John Gridley's Affidavit, 13 Sept. 1769.
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1859.
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