The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 12, No. 73, November, 1863: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and PoliticsVarious
History
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 12, No. 73, November, 1863: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
American periodicals
The remark of Dalrymple, as well as the decision of the Council, became
known to the people, and the word passed round, "that Colonel Dalrymple
had yielded, and that the Lieutenant-Governor only held out." This
circumstance was communicated to Hutchinson, and he says, "It now lay
upon me to choose that side which had the fewest and least difficulties;
and I weighed and compared them as well as the time I had for them would
permit. I knew it was most regular for me to leave this matter entire to
the commanding officer. I was sensible the troops were designed to be,
upon occasion, employed under the direction of the civil magistrate, and
that at the Castle they would be too remote, in most cases, to answer
that purpose. But then I considered they never had been used for that
purpose, and there was no probability they ever would be, because no
civil magistrate could be found under whose directions they might act;
and they could be considered only as having a tendency to keep the
inhabitants in some degree of awe, and even this was every day
lessening; and the affronts the troops received were such that there was
no avoiding quarrels and slaughter." Still he hesitated substantially to
retract his word; for now a request from him, he knew, was equivalent to
an order; and before he determined, he consulted three officers of the
crown, who, though not present in the Council, were in the building, and
the Secretary, Oliver. All agreed that he ought to comply with the
advice of the Council. He then formally recommended Colonel Dalrymple to
remove all the troops, who gave his word of honor that he would commence
preparations in the morning for a removal, and that there should be no
unnecessary delay in quartering both regiments at the Castle.
It was dark when the committee bore back to the meeting the great report
of their success. It was received with expressions of the highest
satisfaction. What a burden was lifted from the hearts of the Patriots!
They did not, however, regard their work as quite done. They voted that
a strong watch was necessary through the night, when the committee who
had waited on the Lieutenant-Governor tendered their services to make a
part of the watch, and the whole matter was placed in their hands as "a
committee of safety." They were authorized to accept the service of such
inhabitants as they might deem proper. The meeting, then dissolved. A
few days after, the two regiments were removed to the Castle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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