Not an exception was made, no matter what reason there might have been for such an exception ; and everything which had a gun-lock on it, whether useful or useless for military purposes -- whether a young man's fowling-piece, with which he was wont to have a few hours' sport, when sriuirrels and robins abounded, or to have more serious work, when foxes and more formidable marauders poached in the poultry-yards or in the sheep-i>astures ; or an old man's worn-out musket, a trusty friend in earlier AVars and, now, onlj' a remembrancer of other days and other hardships-- everything was doomed, by that uew-formed

^ Journal nf the VomtiiUlet oj SiJ'eli/, "Die .Sibbati, '.> ho., .\.JI., Septem- " her 16th, 1775."

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 1774-1783.

power, to seizure and, practically, to tbrleiture. There was grave reason for increased discontent and excitement. There was ample reason, under the circumstances which then existed, for obstructing the execution of tlic t^ommittee's Orders -- indeed, there was greater reason for concealing the objects whicli the military force was expected to seize and "impress," under the provisions of these Orders, than there had been for tlie concealment of the Bay Colony's military stores, at Concord, when Ijieutenant-colonel Smith and Major Pitcaini were sent to seize them, and for resisting the aggression of the {committee, tliaii there had been for the punishment of the invader, in that instance, after his work had been finished, on tlie highway, between Concord and Charlestown.'

It is said that, in (Queens-county, " the people "conceal all their Arms that are of any value; many "declare they know nothing about the Congress, " nor do they care anything Ibr the Orders of the " Congress, and say th.at they would sooner lose their " lives than give up their Arms ; and that they would "blow any man's brains out, who should attempt to " take them from them.