King George III's speech of March 7, 1774 charged the colonists with attempting to injure British commerce and subvert the constitution.

[4] Even some of the strongest allies of America in Parliament at first approved the act as moderate and reasonable and argued that the town could end the punishment at any time by paying for the merchandise destroyed in the riot and allowing law and order to have their course.

However, the Whig opposition soon collected itself, and the bill was fought in its various stages by Edmund Burke, Isaac Barré, Thomas Pownall and others.

[4] Colonists protested that the Port Act penalized thousands of residents and violated their rights as subjects of George III.

[4] June 1 was widely observed as a day of fasting and prayer, bells being tolled, flags placed at half-mast, and houses draped in mourning.