Bruising affrays between the soldiers and the people had
become common occurrences, and had stung the minds
of both to a pitch where a fatal collision could not much
longer be averted. Should it occur, upon whom should the
blame be placed? Each party cordially hated the other.
The presence of the soldiers caused the strife, and upon those
who had sent for them should rest the responsibility. If, in
the frequent fist and cudgel encounters in different parts of
the town, that party who controlled the murderous weapons
of death should slaughter the others, however much exasper-
ated, what other word but "massacre" could suit the case?
And this is especially so, if the most irrefragible evidence
exists that the military had repeatedly expressed their savage
wish for an opportunity to fire upon the people. The events
which occurred early in March, 1770, have been recounted
by more than one recent narrator as having been produced
by the assaults of the people upon the soldiers, who fired in
self-defence. The proofs to the contrary are voluminous.
That the soldiers, disgusted with their long inaction, and
maddened by their inability to interfere with the legal pro-
ceedings of the townspeople, were impatient to fire, there is
abundant evidence. The letters of General Gage, reporting
the language of Col. Dalrymple, those of Hutchinson, and
many affidavits, show the anxiety of the soldiery to be let
loose upon the citizens; and such desires were constantly
sharpened by the results of their broils with the working-
men, who were always eager to test the assumed physical
superiority of their antagonists, and were misled by impru-
dent and headstrong advisers, who knew how to inflame
the passions of their hearers, and who considered that
the cause would be assisted by precipitating a collision.
For such men prudence is stupid inaction; and the far-
seeing caution which waits calmly for events, the tameness
of submission. Knowing the rancor existing between the
people and the soldiers, the officers could have kept their
men within the barracks at proper hours. The shedding of

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