[June 1.] Business was finished at the custom-house in Boston at twelve o’clock at noon, and the harbour shut up against all vessels bound thither; and after the fourteenth none were to be allowed to depart. The day was devoutly kept at Williamsburgh in Virginia, as a day of fasting and humiliation. There was a solemn pause in the business of Philadelphia. If we except the Quakers, near nine-tenths of the citizens shut up their houses; and the bells were rung, muffled, all the day. It was observed in other places as a day of mourning. [June 7.] The Massachusetts general court met at Salem according to adjournment, and a committee was appointed to consider and report the state of the province. Mr. _Samuel Adams_ observed, that some of the committee were for mild measures, which he judged no way suited to the present emergency. He conferred with Mr. _Warren_ of Plymouth upon the necessity of giving into spirited measures, and then said, “Do you keep the committee in play, and I will go and make a _caucus_[109] against the evening; and do you meet me.” Mr. Samuel Adams secured a meeting of about five principal members of the house, at the time specified; and repeated his endeavours against the next night; and so as to the third, when they were more than thirty: the friends of administration knew nothing of the matter. The popular leaders took the sense of the members in a private way, and found that they should be able to carry their scheme by a sufficient majority. They had their whole plan compleated, prepared their resolves, and then determined upon bringing the business forward. But before they went upon it, the door-keeper was ordered to let no one whatsoever in, and no one was to go out: however, when the business opened, a ministerial member pleaded a call of nature, which is always regarded, and was allowed to go out. He then ran to give information of what was doing, and a messenger was dispatched to general Gage, who lived at some distance. The secretary was sent off to dissolve the general court; found the door fastened; knocked for entrance, but was answered, that the house was upon very important business, which when they had finished they would let him in. As he could obtain no entrance, he read the proclamation upon the steps leading to the representatives’ chamber, in the hearing of several members and others on the out-side with him, and immediately after in the council, thus dissolving the general court. The house, while sitting with their doors shut, appointed _Thomas Cushing_, _Samuel Adams_, _Robert Treat Pain_, _James Bowdoin_ and _John Adams_, esqrs. as their committee to meet other committees, that might be convened the first of September at Philadelphia, voted them five hundred pounds lawful (seventy-five pounds sterling) each, and chose a treasurer. They recommended also to the several towns and districts, the raising the said sum, by equitable proportions, according to the last provincial tax—a recommendation which