The arrival of the tea ships first at Boston, the consignees refusing to resign, though they had the example of others to induce them, and the governor’s resolution to pay no regard to the voice of the public, brought on the destruction of the tea. The sons of liberty were sensible, that if it was landed and stored, it would some how or other obtain a sale; and that the virtue of the people, to decline buying and using a commodity to which they were so attached from love and habit, was too precarious a ground on which to risk the salvation of their country. They have been obliged, but with the utmost reluctance, to venture upon a desperate remedy. Many of their friends, who are not acquainted with circumstances, or do not attend to them, may be ready to censure them severely. But had the tea been landed, the union of the colonies in opposing the ministerial schemes would have been dissolved; and it would have been extremely difficult ever after to have restored it. The fulfilment of their solemn declaration, that the tea should not be landed, though in a way which would not have been chosen had any other effectual one offered, has secured them the good opinion and confidence of their co-patriots in other parts. The governor has that influence with the consignees, that he could undoubtedly have prevailed on them to resign; but he has encouraged them to the contrary; and therefore what he has written, “It has been absolutely out of my power to prevent the destruction of the tea, without conceding to the unreasonable demands of a lawless set of men, and thereby giving government up and rendering myself obnoxious to my sovereign,” will scarce be admitted as a sufficient justification. Sovereigns themselves, upon special emergencies, wisely give place to the opinions and wishes of their subjects; but are often disgraced and forced into difficulties, through the want of like wisdom in their representatives. Had the governor given a pass for the ship in the present instance, he would not have been viewed by considerate persons as breaking either the laws or his oath. Cases offer, when statute laws and oaths of office are required to give place to the supreme law of society, the safety of the community. Had he looked back to the time of the stamp act, he would probably have found many precedents of ships having permits from his predecessor in office, Sir Francis Bernard, to pass the castle without being duly qualified for want of stamps; and yet the granting them did not render Sir Francis obnoxious to his sovereign.—But the truth was, Mr. _Hutchinson_ had repeatedly urged government at home to be firm and persevering; this was a favorite topic on which he was often insisting; he himself therefore could not think of yielding; and then he would not believe that the people were determined at all adventures to perfect their engagements; but expected that when the critical moment came, they would desist.