While the consolidated Opposition, in the City of New York, was thus actively employed in making preparations for a vigorous opposition to the latest measures of the Home Government and, in order to make that opposition more effective, in transferring the leadership of the confederated party of the Opposition from the few who had previously a.ssumed to lead the revolutionary portion of the unfranchised masses, in the violent proceedings in which, from time to time, the latter had been engaged, to the greater number, of higher social and pecuniary and political standing, who formed the large majority of the Committee of Correspondence which it was creating, as its leader, in its opposition to the Ministry, the Town of Boston, also, was anxiously and carefully preparing for the coming catastrophe.

On the evening of Tuesday, the tenth of May,' Captain Shayler arrived in the latter place, bringing intelligence of the passage of the Act of Parliament closing that Port. On the following day, Wednesday, the eleventh of May, the Committees of Correspondence from eight of the adjacent Towns were invited to meet the Boston Committee, for consultation;'^ and on Thursday, the twelfth of May, those Committees assembled at Faneuil Hall, with Samuel Adams in the Chair and Joseph Warren acting as the leader, on the floor, and determined to send " Circular Letters " to the several Committees of Correspondence, where such Committees existed, in the other Colonies, urging, as the only proposed remedy for the threatened grievances, a renewal of that Non-Importation Association which, during the excitement which had followed the passage of the Stamp-Act, had been productive of so much success.* On Friday, the thirteenth of May, a Meeting of the Freeholders and other inhabitants of the Town, legally qualified and duly warned, was holden in Faneuil Hall, Samuel Adams being in the Chair, at which it was voted, " that it is the opinion of this Town, that, if the other " Colonics come into a joint Resolution to stop all " Importation from Great Britain and Exportation to " Great Britain and every part of the West Indies, till