John Adams/Dec. of Ind./Historical question

OK, so the staff meeting I was just in lasted longer than the Cold War, but I was smart enough to grab a copy of the Declaration of Independence which I feigned to take notes on. Anyway, I came across this line listed within the list of grievances:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these states;

Anyway, it refers to “mock Trial” and not “Trials” so presumably it is referncing one trial, and one would assume from the general theme here that it is a reference to the trial following the Boston Massacre. Only, mitigating against that is the fact that one of the signers of the Dec is “John Adams” who, of course, was the defense attorney in that case. In fact, some brief wiki-ing, I found his journal entry:

“Before or after the Tryal, Preston sent me ten Guineas and at the Tryal of the Soldiers afterwards Eight Guineas more, which were. . .all the pecuniary Reward I ever had for fourteen or fifteen days labour, in the most exhausting and fatiguing Causes I ever tried: for hazarding a Popularity very general and very hardly earned: and for incurring a Clamour and popular Suspicions and prejudices, which are not yet worn out and never will be forgotten as long as History of this Period is read…It was immediately bruited abroad that I had engaged for Preston and the Soldiers, and occasioned a great clamour….

“The Part I took in Defence of Cptn. Preston and the Soldiers, procured me Anxiety, and Obloquy enough. It was, however, one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested Actions of my whole Life, and one of the best Pieces of Service I ever rendered my Country. Judgment of Death against those Soldiers would have been as foul a Stain upon this Country as the Executions of the Quakers or Witches, anciently. As the Evidence was, the Verdict of the Jury was exactly right.

“This however is no Reason why the Town should not call the Action of that Night a Massacre, nor is it any Argument in favour of the Governor or Minister, who caused them to be sent here. But it is the strongest Proofs of the Danger of Standing Armies.”

Anyway, is that what this reference is to? It seems a little odd that the defence attorney would sign a declaration proclaiming his own trial (that he essentially won) to be a farce. Anyone have any historical background, or something further I can read? Did he have any moral qualms about that section?

Also, I noted one of the signatories listed his name as:

Charles Carroll of Carrollton

From now on I would like to be referenced as TSO of TSOville.

(If not, my mouth will hang open a minute or two, as TSO down in TSOville will cry, “Boo Hoo.”)

Category: Politics