"It is from his excellency, the governor," said the sheriff, bowing to the moderator.
"We don"t want to hear it," shouted the people.
"We are a.s.sembled in orderly town meeting. I think we had better hear what the governor has to communicate," said Samuel Adams, and the great audience became silent. Tom"s blood began to boil as the sheriff read:--
"You are openly violating, defying, and setting at nought the good and wholesome laws of the Province under which you live. I warn you, exhort, and require each of you, thus unlawfully a.s.sembled, forthwith to disperse, and to surcease all further unlawful proceedings at your utmost peril."
Tom, and all around him hissed.
"We won"t disperse till we"ve done our business," shouted a man in the centre of the house.
"We will attend to our affairs, and Tommy Hutchinson may mind his own business," cried another.
"Let us hear from Mr. Rotch," the shout.
Mr. Rotch, a young merchant, wearing a broad-brimmed hat, and who owned the Dartmouth, rose.
"I am willing the tea should go back without being landed," he said.
The people clapped their hands.
"Hall! Hall! Let us hear from Captain Hall," they cried.
The captain of the Dartmouth, sunburned by exposure, said it made no difference to him. He would just as soon carry the tea back as anything else. Once more the people decided the tea should not be brought on sh.o.r.e. To prevent its being landed it was voted that the watch should be maintained; that if the attempt was made by day, the meetinghouse bells would ring, if by night, they were to toll.
A few days later, the Beaver, commanded by Captain Coffin, and the Elenor, commanded by Captain Bruce, arrived. Tom, once more looking down the harbor, saw the warship Kingfisher drop down below the Castle and anchor in the channel; also the Active. He understood the meaning of the movement--that the governor did not intend the ships should depart with the tea on board. He knew things would soon come to a head, for under the law, unless a vessel discharged its cargo within twenty days after arriving in port, the ship and cargo would be confiscated. Once more the people a.s.sembled, electing Thomas Savage moderator, and pa.s.sing a vote directing Mr. Rotch to ask the collector to clear the Dartmouth for London.
Rain was falling, and the wind east, rolling the waves into the harbor, on the morning of December 16. Unmindful of the storm, people from Boston and all the surrounding towns were gathering in the Old South Meetinghouse. Little did the farthest sighted among them comprehend that the fullness of time had come for the opening of a mighty drama; that the bell up in the tower was heralding the beginning of a new era in human government.
Tom and Abraham found seats in the gallery. After prayer, Samuel Adams said the committee appointed at a previous meeting had called upon the collector, with Mr. Rotch, asking him to clear the Dartmouth, but the request was not granted.
"We all know," he continued, "that the twenty days will expire at twelve o"clock to-night. After that hour the Dartmouth will be moored under the guns of Admiral Montague"s warships, and will be taken possession of by a party of marines. I therefore move that Mr. Rotch be directed to enter his protest at the Custom House, and that he be further directed by this meeting to apply to Governor Hutchinson for a permit that shall allow the Dartmouth to pa.s.s the Castle and sail for London."
"All in favor of that motion will say aye," said the moderator.
"Aye!" thundered the floor, galleries, aisles, and pulpit stairs.
"All opposed will say no."
The silence was so profound that Tom could hear his heart beat.
"This meeting stands adjourned to three o"clock," said the moderator, and the great crowd thereupon surged into the streets. Some went to the Cromwell"s Head; others to the Bunch of Grapes, White Lamb, Tun and Bacchus, drank mugs of flip, and warmed themselves by the bright wood-fires blazing on the hearths. The meeting had adjourned to give Mr. Rotch time to jump into his chaise and ride out to Milton to see Governor Hutchinson.
Tom and Abraham walked towards the Cromwell"s Head. They were surprised and delighted to meet Roger Stanley.
"I didn"t hear of the meeting till last evening," said Roger, "and I have come in to see what is going on."
The rain had drenched his clothes.
"See here, Roger, you are wet to the skin; you must have some toddy.
Come along, I"ll stand treat," said Tom.
They entered the Cromwell"s Head, and each took a gla.s.s of flip, then made their way to the Long Room in Queen Street. Climbing the stairs, Tom rapped on a door. A moment later a panel opened, and a nose, mouth, and eyes appeared. Tom gave another rap which the nose, mouth, and eyes seemed to understand, for the door opened, and they pa.s.sed in and it closed behind them.
Several of the Sons of Liberty were already there. Some were smoking pipes, others sipping mugs of hot punch. Edward Preston was sitting at a table writing.
"The sachem has just finished his proclamation, and is going to read it," said Henry Purkett.
The room became still, and Preston read what he had written.
ABRANT KAN-AK-AR-A-TOPH-QUA, CHIEF SACHEM OF THE MOHAWKS, KING OF THE SIX NATIONS AND LORD OF ALL THEIR CASTLES, ETC., ETC., TO ALL LIEGE SUBJECTS. HEALTH.
WHEREAS, tea is an Indian Plant and of right belongs to the Indians of every land and tribe; and whereas, our good allies, the English, have in lieu of it given us that pernicious liquor, Rum, which they have poured down our throats to steal away our brains; and whereas, the English have learned the most expeditious way or method of drawing an infusion of said _Tea_, without the expense of wood or trouble of fire, to the benefit and emolument of the East India trade, and, as vastly greater quant.i.ties may be used by that method than by that heretofore practiced in this country, and therefore help to support the East India Company under the present melancholy circ.u.mstances:
THEREFORE, we of our certain knowledge, special grace, and mere motion will permit or allow any of our liege subjects to barter, buy, or procure of any of our English allies, _Teas_ of any kind: _provided_ always each man can purchase not less than ten nor more than one hundred and fourteen boxes at a time and those the property of the East India Company; and _provided_ also that they pour the same into the lakes, rivers, and ponds, that, while our subjects in their hunting, instead of slaking their thirst with cold water, they may do it with tea.
Of all which our subjects will take notice and govern themselves accordingly. By command,
TO-NE-TER-A-QUE.
"Attention, braves," said the sachem. "Each subject will provide himself with a tomahawk and be at the wigwam one hour after candle-lighting to-night, prepared to carry out the proclamation. The tribe will remember that the Mohawks do not talk much, but do in silence what they have to do."
They heard the proclamation in silence, and one by one took their departure. Roger said he would be in the Old South Meetinghouse at three o"clock to hear the result of the visit of Mr. Rotch to Governor Hutchinson.
"I doubt if I shall be there; I may have an engagement early in the evening," said Tom.
Abraham Duncan said the same.
"I went down to the shipyard this morning and got two tomahawks. They are in my chamber, together with the feathers and war-paint and the other things. Come round early, Abe," said Tom as they parted.
Again at three o"clock a great crowd filled the meetinghouse. The clouds had rolled away, and the setting sun was throwing its beams upon the gilded weather-vane when Roger Stanley entered the building.
It was so full that he could only stand in one of the aisles. The moderator was reading letters from the selectmen of the surrounding towns, saying that they would stand by Boston in whatever might be done to prevent the landing of the tea.
"Their letters," said William Molineux, rising in one of the front pews, "are all very well; they show the determined spirit of our fellow-citizens; but we must have a committee whose duty it shall be to prevent the landing of the tea. I move the appointment of such a committee."
The meeting voted that a committee should be appointed.
The evening shades were falling and the housewives lighting their candles. In the Brandon house Tom and Abraham were putting on Indian uniforms which Mr. Brandon years before brought home from the tribes along the sh.o.r.es of the St. Lawrence--buckskin breeches and coats, fur caps trimmed with eagle"s feathers. Tom tripped upstairs to the garret, and returned with a bunch of garget berries, with which they stained their faces and hands.
"You look just like Indians," said Berinthia.
"Say nothing to n.o.body as to what you have seen, "Rinth," said Tom, as he closed the door and walked with Abraham rapidly along the street.
In the Old South Meetinghouse Josiah Quincy was speaking. The s.e.xton brought in two tallow candles and placed them on the table before the moderator. There was a stir at the door--a commotion--a turning of necks in the pews, as the young merchant, Mr. Rotch, entered the building. Many in the audience thought he had been lukewarm in his desire to have the tea sent back to London, and were ready to hiss at him.
"Let us be just," said Doctor Young. "Let no one utter a word against our fellow-citizen. He is doing all it is possible for him to do to have the detested tea sent back."