It  was  now  very  evident,  that,  without  a  further
ctnftion  of  power  and  authority  from  the  kingdom,
acts  of  parbament  for  raising  money  by  taxes  from
tinr  inhabitants  of  the  colonies  could  never  be  carried
into  execution.  The  people  were  determined  to  resist
Aesau.  There  was  no  power,  legislatiTe  or  exe-
oiitive,  within  t^e  colonies,  which  would  eiert  itself
iA  checking  this  resistance.  A  military  force  was  of
fio  sort  of  use.  Without  the  direction  of  a  civil  ma*
gwdrate,^  it  remained  perfectly  inactive  in  all  times
of  tcrmnlt  and  riot  ^  and^  by  this  time,  it  was  per-
inctly  despised,,  seeing  that  nothing  short  of  actual
nbellion:  and  the  people's  taking  up  arms,  would
}«stify  the  military,  without  the  civil  power,  in  any
ofiensTve  acts.  In  such  a  case,  the  small  force  then
in.  Massachusetts  Bay  was  insignificant.  In  theory,
tbe  people  now  generally  thought  they  were  to  be
jost^Ked.    They  had,  for  three  or  four  years  past,

'  *  Tfie  attorney-general,  afterwards,  in  consequence  of  the  king's
order  to  the  lieutenant-governor,  entered,  in  behalf  of  the  crown,
a  nolle  ftffuquit  open  each  of  them.
