On this day 250 years ago, a Town Meeting in Boston moderated by SamuelAdams resolved that “it is the opinion of this town, that if the other, Colonies come, into a joint resolution to stop all importation from Great Britain, and exportations to Great Britain, and every part of the West Indies, till the Act for blocking up this harbor be repealed, the same will prove the salvation of North America and her liberties.” The Town Meeting formed a Committee of Correspondence led by Sam Adams that included Dr. Joseph Warren, JosiahQuincy, WilliamMollineaux, Thomas Cushing, William Phillips and John Adams plus four others. Warren, Quincy and Mollineaux made significant contributions to the Patriot cause that will be discussed in coming posts but would all die in the next few months cutting short their service to the founding of our Nation. Cushing and Phillips served honorably in various capacities in government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts throughout the Revolution and John Adams of course would earn lasting fame as a Signer of the Declaration of Independence and President of the United States.
The Committee of Correspondence then approved a letter written by Sam Adams informing the other colonies of the impending shutdown of Boston Harbor ordered by the Boston Port Act and transmitting the Act. The letter warned the other colonies that the same thing could happen to them unless they surrendered their “sacred rights and liberties into the hands of” the British government. The letter also asked the other colonies to join Boston and Massachusetts in suspending trade with Britain, and to send a reply letter to let Massachusetts know how they stood.
Also on this same day, the ship carrying General Thomas Gage arrived in Boston Harbor. Gage was sent to Boston to replace Thomas Hutchinson as Governor of Massachusetts.
Sources: https://www.drjosephwarren.com/2013/04/the-port-bill-received-at-boston/
On This Day In The Revolution 