Having met on Thursday morning at ten o'clock, they sent for Mr. Rotch, and asked him if he had been to the collector, and demanded a clearance. He said he had; but the collector said that he could not, consistent with his duty, give him a clearance 'till all the dutiable articles were out of his ship. They then demanded of him whether he had protested against the collector; he said he had not. They ordered him, upon his peril, to give immediate orders to the captain, to get his ship ready for sea to-day, enter a protest immediately against the custom house, and then proceed directly to the Governor, (who was at his seat at Milton, 7 miles off,) and demand a pass for his ship to go by the castle. They then adjourned 'till three o'clock, p.m., to wait Mr. Rotch's return.
Having met according to adjournment, there was the fullest meeting ever known. (It was reckoned that there were 2000 men from the country.) They waited very patiently 'till 5 o'clock.
When they found Mr. Rotch did not return, they began to be very uneasy, called for a dissolution of the meeting, and finally obtained a vote for it. But the more moderate part of the meeting, fearing what would be the consequences, begged that they would reconsider their vote, and wait 'till Mr. Rotch's return, for this reason, that they ought to do everything in their power to send the tea back, according to their resolves.
They obtained a vote to remain together one hour longer. In about three-quarters of an hour Mr. Rotch returned, his answer from the Governor was, that he could not give a pass 'till the ship was cleared by the custom house. The people immediately, as with one voice, called for a dissolution, which having obtained, they repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the tea vessels lay, proceeded to fix tackles and hoist the tea upon deck, cut the chests to pieces, and threw the tea over the side. There were two ships and a brig, Capts. Hall, Bruce and Coffin, each vessel having 114 chests of tea on board. They began upon the two ships first, as they had nothing on board but the tea; then proceeded to the brig, which had hauled to the wharf but the day before, and had but a small part of her cargo out. The captain of the brig begged they would not begin with his vessel, as the tea was covered with goods belonging to different merchants in the town. They told him the tea they wanted, and the tea they would have; but if he would go into his cabin quietly, not one article of his goods should be hurt. They immediately proceeded to remove the goods, and then to dispose of the tea.
(See page [LVII].)
Mr. Pownall[55] presents his compliments to Mr. Wheler, and sends him, by Lord Dartmouth's directions, extract of a letter received yesterday from the Lieutenant-Governor of South Carolina. If the India Company have received any advices, Lord Dartmouth will be obliged to him for a communication thereof.
Whitehall, 29th Jan., 1774.