It seems that
one Mr. Ingersoll was appointed stamp-master by the Crown, and, on being
requested to resign from such an obnoxious office by the Sons of
Liberty, he returned an evasive answer. Consequently, a body of them
mounted their horses and went out to meet him, as he was on his way to
Hartford. Finding him on the road, they caused him to dismount and, in
the presence of the company, now swelled to several hundred, to read his
resignation as a royal appointee, and to shout for "liberty and
property," three times, as loud as he could.
The spirit of the people, now thoroughly aroused, was very accurately
expressed by Colonel Putnam, who, deputed by the Sons of Liberty to wait
on the Governor of his State and inform him of the public sentiment
respecting the Stamp Act, made him understand that there would be no
temporizing whatever in the matter.
"But what should I do," asked the perplexed Governor, "if the stamped
paper should be sent me by the King's command?"
"Lock it up until we shall visit you again," replied Putnam, boldly.
"And what will you do then?"
"We shall expect you to give us the key of the room in which it is
deposited, and if you think fit, in order to screen yourself, you may
forewarn us not to enter that room upon our peril.
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