A tragical episode of another kind, the " battle of Golden Hill," New York City (January 19 and 20, 1770), resulting in the shedding of the hrst blood of the Revolution, is directly traceable to the grim policy of the New York provincial assembly in relation to money grants. The assembly had persistently refused to provide certain articles, such as beer and cider, for the use of the British garrison quartered in New York City, and this conduct had greatly incensed the soldiery, who had borne themselves toward the populace of the city with a particularly swaggering demeanor, besides committing overt acts of serious offensiveness. Hence arose extreme bad feeling, terminating in the Golden Hill affair. It was also as a consequence of the assembly's course iu the controversy about supplies for the troops that the extraordinary act of parliament suspending the business of the New York assembly on the ground of insubordination was passed (October, 1767). This act was " for restraining and prohibiting the governor, council, aud house of representatives of the Province of New York, until provision shall have been made for furnishing the king's troops with all the necessaries required by law, from passing or assenting to any act of assembly, vote, or resolution for any other purpose." Compared, however, with the general disposition of the masses of the people, the course of the assembly toward the crown ami its official representatives was eminently respectful and amiable. The provincial assembly of New York was always entirely loyal to the king in its professions, and also in its true spirit; and even to the last days of its last session, when the clouds of war were about to spread over the land, was averse from being otherwise regarded. It was a relatively small legislative body, never having more than thirty members; and it uniformly contained a large proportionate element of gentlemen of wealth, culture, and select social connections, who, while differing on public questions, and especially on the great question of colonial rights, had an abiding respect for the forms of attachment to the crown so long as those forms were not abrogated.