This was done, and many of the people ran at once from the
old meeting-house to Griffin's wharf, where they were met by a number
of men disguised as Mohawk Indians, and by a still greater number of
skippers, sailors, boatmen, and men of colour. In overwhelming force
these boarded the ships, split open the tea-chests, and having emptied
their contents into the sea, returned, without being discovered, to
their homes. The moment of excitement was followed by trembling anxiety.
The Bostonians now began to tremble for their charter, their property,
and their trade; and, as before, some attempted to throw all the blame
upon the conduct of their governor. As for the governor himself, he
represented to the ministry at home, that it was out of his power to
prevent the destruction of the tea, without yielding to unreasonable
demands, and thereby rendering the authority of government null and
void. It is to be regretted that the assembly took part with the mob,
and thereby accelerated the fearful consummation of their violent
proceedings. As if animated by the popular proceedings they renewed
their personal contests with the governor, and even proceeded so far as
to vote articles of impeachment against the chief justice, Peter
Oliver, for a design of introducing a partial, arbitrary, and corrupt
administration of the laws, he having declined to receive the annual
grant of the assembly, and accepted a stipend from his majesty. The
message conveying this resolution was indignantly rejected by the
governor, who disclaimed all power of determining on such cases, and as
the house persevered in attempting to force it on him under a different
form, he dissolved the assembly.
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