In the Assembly he was uniformly chairman of the most important committees. He was also elected speaker but the Governor, jealous of his rising popularity and liberal principles, put his veto upon the election. He was a man of deep thought, general intelligence and strong mind. He had thoroughly investigated the laws of God, of nature and of man. He well understood that men are endowed by their Creator with certain inherent privileges--that they are born equal and of right are and should be free. He drank largely at the refreshing fountain of liberal principles and was among the first to expose the blind and cruel policy of the British ministers. He contributed largely in rousing his fellow sufferers to a sense of impending danger. Although deeply interested in commercial business and more exposed to the wrath of kingly power than any individual in the province--he boldly placed himself at the head of the association prohibiting the importation of goods from Great Britain. The other provinces caught the patriotic fire from these examples and became prepared to act their part in the tragic scenes that resulted in the emancipation of the pilgrim fathers from monarchical domination. As a mark of special attention to this uncompromising patriot, the first seizure that was made by the revenue officers under pretence of some trivial violation of the laws was one of his vessels. So great was the excitement produced by this impolitic transaction, that large numbers were speedily collected to rescue the property. It was placed under the guns of an armed ship ready to open a broadside upon any who should dare to reclaim the vessel. The populace rose like a thunder cloud--rushed to the onset--brought away the vessel--razed to the ground some of the buildings occupied by the custom house officers and committed to the flames the boat of the collector. For a time this fire was arrested by the strong arm of power but it was never extinguished--it was the fire of LIBERTY. It only required to be fanned by that ministerial oppression that ultimately blew it into curling flames.