of it."-"Yes and the selectmen have wisely ordered them to be put in irons immediately." His visitor at once hurried away in great anxiety to make further inquiries. A person with this disposition to sarcasm, must sometimes expose himself to retorts of the same description, as occasionally happened to him. Having paid his addresses unsuccessfully to a lady, who afterwards married a gentleman of the name of Quincy; the doctor on meeting her said, "so madam, it appears you prefer a Quincy to Byles” "Yes, for if there had been any thing worse than biles, God would have afflicted Job with them."

Dr. Byles was in person tall and well proportioned, and with a commanding appearance. His voice was strong and harmonious, and his delivery graceful. His political principles were odious to the great majority of his fellow citizens; and his sarcastic, pungent wit created many a laugh, and many an enemy. He lived in retirement the last twelve years of his life, and died July 5th, 1788, at the age of eight-two.

Chapter XX.

Question respecting the salary of the Attorney General-Edmund Trowbridge—he Acts of Trade-Instructions to the AgentOtis' Rights of the Colonies"-Choice of an Agent-Inactivity of Otis-Motives of his Conduct.

BESIDE the memorable dispute with the governor relative to expenditures, in which Mr. Otis took such a leading part; he was also chairman of a committee of the same house, on another topic connected with constitutional principles, and in which the house of representatives felt a strong interest. In 1762, Edmund Trowbridge,* the attorney general, pre

* Edmund Trowbridge was born at Newton, near Boston, in 1709, was graduated at Harvard College in 1728. He bore during a part of his life the name o Goffe, after an uncle, but afterwards resumed his paternal name. He was one of the most learned lawyers in Massaschusetts, and was first appointed attorney general by governor Shirley, in 1749, and was continued in that office till 1767, when he was promoted to the bench of the supreme court. He was the principal judge in the trial of captain Preston and the soldiers, for firing on the people on the 5th of March, 1770. His application to his professien had been originally very severe, and his knowledge of the law was profound. Hutchinson, while on the bench, visited him very frequently, and derived much assistance from his learning and readiness to impart it. But in the case of Judge Trowbridge, as in some others, the governor ceased to be grateful, when the individual refused compliance with any of his wishes. He urged Trowbridge to continue on the bench at a time, that the tenure of the office from ministerial innovations on the charter, was extremely unpopular with the country at large, and was disapproved of by Judge Trowbridge himself, and this for the purpose of nursing and supporting his brother, Forster Hutchinson, whose inexperience required some assistance. He refused very firmly to accept the appointment against his principles, and the governor then treated him with supercilious coldness and neglect. Judge Trowbridge leaned in his politics to the government side, without however becoming obnoxious to

sented a petition to be remunerated for his official services, which was referred to the next session. It was taken up in February, 1763, and negatived. Five days afterwards, Otis moved a reconsideration, and the subject was again committed to him and six others—a long report, drawn up by Otis, was made, in which the prayer of the petitioner was refused, because the house had no share in his appointment, and it had been repeatedly decided in former cases, that the house had a right to participate in the choice of this officer. The report contained an elaborate argument to shew that the attorney general was an officer to be appointed by the general court; and, of consequence, refused "to grant any salary or pay, to any person officiating in said office, whom they had no hand in choosing." The committee added," that they are satisfied that Mr. Trowbridge has behaved with fidelity, integrity and industry, in said office." The question relating to the compensation, was then referred to the next session of the legislature. In June, 1763, it was taken into consideration, and after some debate, 300l. were voted for his services. This transaction shews the watchfulness that prevailed on every subject, connected with the rights of the people. Otis, in this affair, contended strenuously for the principle that was involved; but at the same time was an advocate

his fellow citizens, by whom he was respected for his ability and uprightness. General Warren offered him a pass, or card of safety, in 1775, but be declined accepting it, saying he had nothing to fear from his countrymen, and he was never molested. He died at Cambridge, 1793, in his 84th year.

for granting to the officer, the remuneration that was honourably due to him.

On the accession of George the third to the throne of England, the inhabitants of the colonies generally, and of the northern ones especially, were never more cordially disposed to form part of the dominions of the English monarch, on terms of equality and common favour with the rest of his subjects. At the same time, perhaps, there was never a moment in the history of Massachusetts, a colony, remarkable for a jealous care of its rights, and very intractable under foreign controul, when every encroachment and every assumption of power, would have been so keenly and instantaneously resisted. The question about the Writs of Assistance, the opposition to a trifling expenditure in fitting out a guard vessel, on at least plausible pretences, had excited universal attention to financial questions. The objections to the incongruous employments, that were held by lieutentant governor Hutchinson, and the minor question about the appointment of the attorney general, produced a general discussion as to the constitutional tenure of office. The controversy in regard to episcopacy, had roused all the ardent feelings connected with religious or sectarian attachment. The impending restrictions on commerce, which would fall with ruinous weight both on the trade and fisheries of the province, kept the trading part of the community in constant anxiety. All these causes together, made the patriotic majority so numerous, that the legislature of the Province

would do nothing to aid the sinister designs of the ministry; and wherever the government attempted to lay its hand, a bristling impatience instantly an

nounced resistance.

In the latter part of 1763, the alarm became excessive, at the idea, that the navigation acts, and the acts of trade, were to be strictly enforced. The ministry began to put their intended system of taxation in operation, by a strict execution of these trade laws, which would give them external taxes, while the system could be matured for raising an internal revenue. The custom-house officers were ordered to enforce every regulation, and the officers of the navy were employed in the same service on the coast, so that their vessels were converted into custom-house tenders. "Orders for the strict execution of the molasses act were published, which are said to have caused a greater alarm in the country, than the taking of Fort William Henry did in the year 1757."* This comparison is not exaggerated, though the loss of Fort William Henry, which seemed to leave the northern colonies entirely at the mercy of the French and Indians, was one of the most disastrous events they had ever known. The vast importance that was attached to this homely commodity, molasses, could hardly be understood in England, or in the other colonies; and the clamour that was made, drew after it a degree of ridicule, by the supposition of its being a chief article of food, that is

*Minot's History.