Other bills were passed by the British parliament, brought in by
lord North, all tending to punish the Americans, and the Bostoni-
ans in particular, for their refractory behaviour. Petitions we're
sent over from America, and several of the members of both houses
reprobated these sevece and dangerous proceedings ; but no regard
was paid either to the (letitions, or to the remonstrances t>f tiie mi-
nority in both houses. The then ministry, at the head of which
was lord North, were determined to accept from the Americsns of
nothiig short of absolute and implicit obedience to tlie laws of taxa-
tion. On the other hand, the people of Massachusetts Bay, sup-
ported and spurred on by the otlier colonies, were determined not
to submit, an^ prepared to repel force by force. They collected
all the arms they could, and spent much of their time in the exer-
cise of them.
These proceedingsof the people, and their manifest disposition
jto resistance^ alarmed the general, who th^ght it necessary, for
the safety of the troops, as well as to secure the important post of
Boston, to fortify the entrance at the neck, which afforded the only
communication, except by water, between the town and the conti-
ocnt.
In England, petitions were, presented from the merchants of
X.ondon, and almost all the trading towns in thekitigdom ; .^nd Mr.
Bollan, Dr. Franklin, and Mr. L.ee, also presented petitions from
the American congress ; but government treated them with indif«>
ference and contempt.
