a condign punishment those worst of men by whom English liberties have
been destroyed." One point was delicate; for among the recent
Counsellors of the Governor had been considerable men, who, it was
hoped, would hereafter act with the people. It is thus disposed
of:--"All the Council were not engaged in these ill actions, but those
of them which were true lovers of their country were seldom admitted to,
and seldomer consulted at, the debates which produced these unrighteous
things. Care was taken to keep them under disadvantages, and the
Governor, with five or six more, did what they would." The Declaration
concludes as follows:--

"We do therefore seize upon the persons of those few ill men which have
been (next to our sins) the grand authors of our miseries; resolving to
secure them, for what justice, orders from his Highness, with the
English Parliament, shall direct, lest, ere we are aware, we find (what
we may fear, being on all sides in danger) ourselves to be by them given
away to a foreign power before such orders can reach unto us; for which
orders we now humbly wait. In the mean time, firmly believing that we
have endeavored nothing but what mere duty to God and our country calls
for at our hands, we commit our enterprise unto the blessing of Him who
hears the cry of the oppressed, and advise all our neighbors, for whom
we have thus ventured ourselves, to join with us in prayers and all just
actions for the defence of the land."

Andros sent the son of the Chief Justice with a message to the
ministers, and to two or three other considerable citizens, inviting
them to the Fort for a conference, which they declined. Meanwhile the
signal on Beacon Hill had done its office, and by two o'clock in the
afternoon, in addition to twenty companies in Boston under arms, several
hundred soldiers were seen on the Charlestown side, ready to cross over.