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xiv PREFACE TO VOLUME TEN

town, doubly anxious for the cause of humanity they
felt an earnest desire that justice should not fall a
sacrifice in her own temple. Of these John Adams
and Josiah Quincy, junior, deserve most honorable
mention. Sympathizing most deeply with the mass
of their fellow-citizens in their hatred of the instru-
ments of their oppressors, and in their detestation of
the principles they had been sent hither to maintain,
no men had more openly or pathetically appealed to
their fellow-citizens or had more studiously excited
their resentment both in the gazettes and in Faneuil
Hall against the troops and their employers. What,
then, must have been their surprise when Captain
Preston solicited their professional services in hig
own behalf and in that of the soldiers. To understand
the difficulty of their sitnation it is necessary to real-
ize the exasperated state of public feeling. The spirit
of revenge glowed with a fervor almost universal.
On the one hand were the obligations of humanity,
official duty and the strong desire that justice should
pe done; on the other the confidence of their political
friends, their popularity and that general affection
which their public course had attained for them in so
remarkable a degree among their fellow-citizens, were.
to be hazarded. After deliberation and consultation
with each other and their friends, both of these patri-
ots yielded all personal considerations to the higher
obligations of humanity and official duty. They
braved the fury of the moment and interposed their
learning, talents and well earned influence to that tor-
rent of passion which for a time threatened to bear
down the landmarks of justice,

In the midst of an excitement unparalleled in the
history of our country and in a community where they

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