[Footnote 27: There were addresses presented to the new Governor, Gage,
on his arrival, which was noticed with much pomp. He landed at the end
of Long Wharf, and was escorted by the Council and Magistracy, the
troops, and the Cadets, to the State House, where a public dinner was
given to him.
But the addresses referred to here were made to the out-going Governor,
Hutchinson, who was about to embark on that expedition to the mother
country intended only as a visit, but which proved a final exile. One
hundred and twenty-three of the merchants and traders, twenty-four
members of the bar, and all of the Episcopal ministers and wardens in
Boston signed these papers. These lists embraced a considerable part of
the gentlemen of property and standing, who give the tone to society,
even when they fail to affect popular opinion.]
[Footnote 28: Richard King was a successful merchant at Scarborough,
with leaning towards the Government, to whom many people had become
indebted beyond their ability to pay. Taking advantage of the disorders
occasioned by the passage of the Stamp Act, a party, disguised as
Indians, on the night of the 16th of March, 1766, broke into his store
and his dwelling-house also, and destroyed all his books and papers
containing evidence of debts. Not content with this, they laid waste his
property and threatened his life if he should venture to seek any legal
mode of redress. Many of the perpetrators were, however, detected and
brought to justice. This suit seems to have been one of the
consequences.
The popular bitterness thus engendered had not, however, subsided, at
the date of this letter, and a slight incident occurred which soon
caused it once more to break out. A vessel of Mr. King's was found to
have delivered a load of lumber in Boston by special license, after the
port had been closed, and the materials had been purchased for the use
of the troops. On this occasion forty men from the neighboring town of
Gorham came over and compelled Mr. King in fear of his life to make a
disavowal of his opinions.
These repeated shocks seem to have been too much for Mr. King's
constitution. He became distempered in mind, and died in the following
March.]
[Footnote 29: Mr. Waldo had ceased to be Collector at the date of this
letter. But he adhered to the royal cause, and as a consequence became
an exile the next year. His estate was confiscated, and he died in
London in 1782.]
[Footnote 30: This judgment appears from subsequent events to have been
well founded. For Mr. Quincy when put to the test showed no confidence
in the correctness of his reasoning. He took office under the crown, and
in less than two years after the date of this letter left the country as
an exile. He died in the island of Antigua in 1789.]