On the 5th of March, 1770—the same day on which the tragical encounter of the king's troops with citizens of Boston occurred—Lord North introduced a motion in Parliament for the partial repeal of Townshend's revenue act; "not on the petitions of America, because they were marked by a denial of the right, but on one from merchants and traders of London. 'The subject,' said he, 'is of the highest importance. {3206} The combinations and associations of the Americans for the temporary interruption of trade have already been called unwarrantable in an address of this house; I will call them insolent and illegal. The duties upon paper, glass, and painters' colors bear upon the manufacturers of this country, and ought to be taken off. It was my intention to have extended the proposal to the removal of the other duties; but the Americans have not deserved indulgence. The preamble to the act and the duty on tea must be retained, as a mark of the supremacy of parliament and the efficient declaration of its right to govern the colonies.' … Thomas Pownall moved the repeal of the duty on tea. The house of commons, like Lord North in his heart, was disposed to do the work of conciliation thoroughly. … Had the king's friends remained neutral, the duty on tea would have been repealed; with all their exertions, in a full house, the majority for retaining it was but 62. Lord North seemed hardly satisfied with his success; and reserved to himself liberty to accede to the repeal, on some agreement with the East India Company. The decision came from the king." _G. Bancroft, History of the United States (Author's last revision), volume 3, pages 381-382._ ALSO IN: _Lord Mahon (Earl Stanhope), History of England, 1713-1783, chapter 48 (volume 5.)_ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A. D. 1771. Suppression of the Regulators of North Carolina. See NORTH CAROLINA: A. D. 1766-1771. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A. D. 1772. The Watauga Association. The founding of the State of Tennessee. See TENNESSEE: A. D. 1769-1772. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A. D. 1772. The burning of the Gaspe.