[May 28.] The general court met according to charter. The house of assembly chose Mr. _Otis_ speaker. Governor _Bernard_ negatived, instead of adopting the conciliating measure of accepting him. The acceptance might have softened and induced him to have dropped the plan of leaving out of the council, in the new election, the crown officers and justices of the superior court; but the refusal confirmed him in it, and by irritating the house, enabled him to execute it the more easily. The crown officers were, the lieutenant governor and secretary, Messrs. _Hutchinson_ and _Oliver_; the others held only provincial commissions. The opposition assigned as the reason for leaving them out, that they might redress a grievance long complained of by their constituents, a dangerous union of legislative and executive powers in the same persons. But the true ones probably were, the suspicions and dislike they entertained of and to their political sentiments, and Mr. _Otis_’s having been negatived. Mr. _Bernard_ retaliated, and excepted against the six counsellors chosen in the room of the others. Thus the animosity was increased. Had he negatived two or three only, there might have been an opening for healing the breach; but now it was otherwise. The liberty party gained strength, and it was ordered by the assembly [June 12.] “That the debates of this house be open, and that a gallery be erected for the accommodation of such as shall be inclined to attend them.” A gallery was prepared with the utmost expedition, and finished in a few days. It was viewed as a great acquisition to the common cause; and certainly served a double purpose. The admission of the people at large to hear the debates, and to watch the members, restrained some from speaking with their usual freedom in support of governmental measures; and encouraged others to indulge themselves in all that animated language, and those solemn protestations of disinterested zeal for the rights and privileges of their country, which are so taking with men of honest minds and plain understandings. But you are not to suppose that these protestations were always true on this side of the Atlantic any more than on yours. Many joined the banners of liberty, and violently opposed the governor and governmental measures, because of the restraints they were under from the laws of trade, the danger they were in of suffering by them, and his persisting to give these laws all the support in his power. The opposition had great advantage in the political contest, by branding all the supporters of government as friends to the stamp act, though they knew to the contrary. Both sides were sensible that the act was merely financial, without any regard to the political state of America, or any purpose to remove one of its difficulties.