George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 6, 10th edition.

[134] on Liberty Tree; they were instantly taken

Chap. XXXII.} 1768. March

down by the friends of the people. The Governor endeavored to magnify ‘the atrociousness of the insult,’ and to express fears of violence; the Council justly insisted there was no danger of disturbance. The day was celebrated¹ by a temperate festival, at which toasts were drunk to the Freedom of the Press, to Paoli and the Corsicans, to the joint freedom of America and Ireland; to the immortal memory of Brutus, Cassius, Hampden and Sidney. Those who dined together broke up early. There was no bonfire lighted, and ‘in the evening,’ these are Hutchinson's² words, written within the week of the event, ‘we had only such a mob as we have long been used to on the Fifth of November, and other holidays.’ Gage³ too, who afterwards made careful inquiry in Boston, declared the disturbance to have been ‘trifling.’ But Bernard reported a ‘great disposition to the utmost disorder; hundreds parading the streets with yells and outcries that were quite terrible.’ As the mob passed his house, ‘there was so terrible a yell that it was apprehended they were breaking in. It was not so; however, it caused the same terror as if it had been so.’—‘The whole made it a very terrible night to those who thought themselves objects of the popular fury.’ And this was said of a mere usual gathering of men, women, and children at a time of rejoicing, when no harm was done or intended. ‘I can afford no protection ’