| Citation |
BG.766.012
10 Mar 1766:31 (571)
On February the 26th 1766, the Sons of Liberty got
intelligence of a Stamp Paper, they immediately went in
pursuit after it, and found in the hands of Mr. John
Boardman a stamp clearance from Halifax to the West Indies
for his schooner Defiance, with 70 000 boards, 50 000
shingles, and 10 horses in said clearance, which they
demanded of the said John; and after some debate with great
reluctance he delivered the said clearance, saying D--n it,
there is o 40 gone; they then carried the said John before a
justice, where he was sworn before some hundreds, that he
had no other stamp papers, no knew of any other in town, nor
would make use of any again until allow'd by the Province;
they then dismist him with three cheers. The next day his
effigie was hung on Liberty-Tree near the lower Long Wharf,
the detestable clearance was fix'd on a pole with a chain,
carried thro' the town with drums beating, and flag flying,
and other music; at 4 o'clock the effigie was let down, and
that, with the clearance was burnt, under the Tree of
Liberty, in the midst of the acclamations of a vast number
of spectators, who then gave three cheers, and with the
roughing of the drums dispers'd; the whole was conducted
with the utmost decency and order.
|