[William Tell]

Paine in the Neck said: "...this was the government attempting to seize private arms. "

For even more clarity I would have worded this: "... this was THEIR OWN government attempting to seize THEIR private arms."

The call to arms was not, "The British are coming", but "the Regulars are coming", meaning the regular army troops occupying Boston. It was their own army coming to disarm them.

[Paine in the Neck]

For even more clarity I would have worded this: "... this was THEIR OWN government attempting to seize THEIR private arms."

The call to arms was not, "The British are coming", but "the Regulars are coming", meaning the regular army troops occupying Boston. It was their own army coming to disarm them.

Quite so.