Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1774-10-31 00:00:00, page 5

Col. Orne, Capt. Gardner, Henry Gardner, Esq;
Mr. Devins, Mr. Gorham, Capt. Browne, Col.
Pomeroy, Hon. Col. Pre/cot, Col. 'i hayer, Mr.
Williams, Capt. Heath, Capt. Upham, Mr. Barns,
Capt. Doolittle, Mr. Lothrop, Major Thompson,
Mr. Palmer, Mr. Pickering and Capt. Thompson,
be a committee to wait on his Excellency with
the following message.
JOHN HANCOCK, President. •
lic fafei).
It is with the utmost concern we fee yoyr hos
tile preparations which have Spread such an alarm
throughout this province and the whole continent,
as threatens to involve us in all the confusion and
horrors of a civil war ; arid while we contemplate
an event so deeply to be regretted by ever y good man,
it must occHien thefurprize and aioniinment of all
mankind, that such measures are pursued against
a people whole love of order, attachment to Bri
tain, and loyalty to their Prince, have ever been
exemplary.
Your Excellency must be sensible that the sole
end of government is the protection and fecurit,
of the people, whenever therefore that power which
was originally instituted to effect these important
and valuable purposes, is employed to harrafs,
distress 01 enslave the people, in this case it be
comes a curse rather than a blessing. The most
painful apprehensions are excited in our minds by
the measures now pursuing, the vigorous execu
tion of the port bill with improved severity, mult
eventu^lL reduce the capital and its numerous de=
p ndencies to a state of poverty and ruin: The
acts for altering the charter and the administrati
on of juflice in the colony, are manifestly designed
to ab iJge this people of their rights, and to li
cence murders; and if carri d into execution,
will reduce them to a state of slavery : The num
ber of troops in the capital encreafing by daily ac
cedions drawn trom tne whole continent, toge
ther with the formidable and hostile preparations
which \ou are n>w making on Bolton neck, in
our opinion greatly endanger the lives, liberties
and properties, n 1 only of our brethrenin the
town of Bolton, but of this province in general.
Permit us to ask year Excellency! Whether an
inattentive and unconcerned acquiescence to such
alarming, such menacing measures, would not
evidence a state of insanity ; or whether the delay
ing to take every possible precaution for the secu
rity of the province, would not bethe most crimi
nal neglect in a people heretofore rigidly and just
ly tenacious of their constitutional rights.
Penetrated with the mod poignant concern, and
ardently solicitous to pel serve union and harmony be
tween Great-Britain and the colonies, so indifpenla
bly necessary to the well-being ofboth, we entreat
your Excellency to remove that brand of contention,
the Fortress at the entranceofßofton : We are much
concerned that you should have been induced to
conftru& it, and thereby caufelefly excite such a
spirit of resentment and indignation as now gene
rally prevails. We affine you, Sir, that the good
people of this colony never have had the least in
tention to do any injury to his Majesty's troops ;
but on the contrary most earnestly desire that every
obstacle to treating them as fellow-fubjeHs may
be immediately removed; and are constrained to
tell your Excellency, that the minds of the people
will never be relieved till those hostile works are
demolished: And we repueft you, as you tegnrd
his Majesty's honor and interest, the dignety and
bappinefs, of the empire, and the peace and wel
fare of this province, that you immediately desist
from the Fortress, now conftruding at the south
entrance into the town of Boston, and restore the
paG to its natural state.
In Provincial Congress at Concord, 03. 14,1774.
P ESOLEED. That the several Constables and
Collectors of taxes throughout the province,
who have or flhall have anv monies in their hands,
collected pn pievinee afieffmeßts, be advised not to
May it pleafc your Excellency.
F^^^HE Delegates from the several towns in
^ r M 'he province of the Massachusetts-Bay,
^ h having convened in General Congress,
k^ beg leave to address your Excellency :
The diftiefied and miserable state of the province,
occasioned by the intolerable grievances and op
preffrms to which this people are fubjeded, and
the danger and deftruHion to which they are ex
posed, of which your Excellency must be feniible,
and the want of a General Assembly have render
ed it indtlpenfably necessary to collect the wisdom
of the province by their Delegates in this Con
gress, to concert some adequate remedy for pre
venting impending ruin and providing tor the pub-
BOSTO N, Goober 17.
On TUESDAY the 11th inttant, the PRO
VINCIAL CONGRESS met at Cancel,
when the H >n. JOHN HANCOCK, Esq;
was chosen President, and BENJAMIN LIN
COLN, Esq; Secretary.
FRIDAY last the following message was present
ed to his Excellency the Governor, viz.
In Provincial Congress, Thursday, Oil. 17, 1774-
ORDERED, That Col. 'Lee, Hon. Col. Ward,
POSTSCRIPT to the Pemtf/foania Packet. No. 158.
pay the fame or any part thereof to the Hon. Har
rison Gray, Esq; but that such Constables and
Collectors, as allo such Constables and Collectors
as have or shall have any county monies in thir
hands, take and observe such orders and directi
ons touching the fame, as shall be given them by
the several towns and diftrids by whom they were
chosen. And that the Sheriffs and Deputy She
rifs of the several counties in the province, who
have in their hands any province monies, be also
advised not to pay the fame to the fair! Harrifrn
Gray, Esq; but that they retain the fame in their
hands respectively, until the further advice of a
provincial congress or order from a constitutional
Alicmbly of this province. And that the' present
Affeflors of the several towns and diftricls in the
province be adrffed to proceed to make assess
ments of the tax granted by the threat and general
court of this province at their last May session, and
that such assessments be duly paid by the persons
allefled, to such person or persons as shall be or
dered by the said towns and diftri&s refpedively.
And the Congress strongly recommend the pay
ment of the tax accordingly.
A true Extract from the Minutes.
Benjamin Lincoln, Sec'y.
[/% learn that there were about 260 Members pre
sent at the Provincial Congress when the above message
p a &d with only one difentient.
The Provincial Congress adjourned from Concord
last Friday to Cambridge, where the, are to meet this
day.]
Eriday the committee from the county of Worce
ster waited on his Excellency the Governor with
the foilo^ing address, viz.
To his Excellency THOMAS GAGE; Esq;
Governor of his Majesty's province of Maffa
chufett's-Bay, and Commander in Chiefof the
King's forces in North-America.
May it pleajc your Excellency.
THE people of the county of Worcester being
earnestly follicitous for the peace and wel
fare of the province in general, cannot view the
measures now pursuing by your Excellency, but
with encreafing jealous, as they apprehend there
has not, nor does at prefect exist, anyjuft occa
sion for the formidable hostile preparations mat
ing on the neck, leading to our distressed capital.
ft is a matter offuch notoriety that your Excel
lency must be sensible, there was not the least op
position made to obftrua the introduction of the
King's troops at their f ift landing, nor have the
people since that time difeovered any intention to
disturb them, till your Excellency was pleased to
order the seizure of the powder in the arsenal at
Charleftown, in a private manner, which occasi
oned a report that a skirmish had happened between
a party of the King's troops and the people at
Cambridge, in which several of the latter fell ;
this cause the people to arm and march from di
vers parts of the country; but no sooner was that
report proved falfe, than they returned peaceably
to their refpeaive homes.
The inhabitants of the province in general and
the town of Boston, have never given cause for
those cruel and arbitrary a&s, for blockading the : r
harbourand fubvertiog the charter by altering the
civil government of the province, which, however,
this people are determined by divine favour, never
to submit to but with their lives, norwithftanding
they are aggrieved at the King's dilpleafuie against
them, through the instigation of artful and design
ing men.
This county finds it difficult to comprehend the
motives for the present hostile parade, unJefs it be'in
consequence of some preconcerted plan to fpbjed the
already greatly distressed town of Boston to mean com
pliances or military contributions.—They are equally
at a loss to account for your Excellency's conduct to
wards the county of Suffolk, as in your answer to their
address, remonstrating against fortifying the o^lv ave
nue to the town, which, by that means, may in future
time, be improved to cut off the communication be
tween town and country, and thereby reduce the mi
serable inhabitants to the greatest ftrajts. Your Ex- 0
cellency is pleased in answer to observe, that you had
not made it eaGer to eflea this, than what nature has
made it; if so, the country cannot conceive, why this
expence and damage of the town to no purpose: Your
Excellency is likewise pleased to take notice of the ge
neral good behaviour of the soldiers, but at the fame
time pass over that part, complaining of the detention
of private property, and proceed to answer, by way of
quere, to which you would not permit a reply. This
county are retrained to observe, they apprehend the
people justifiable in providing for their own defence,
while they understood there was no passing the neck
without examination, the cannon at the North Battery
spiked up, and many places searched, where arms and
ammunition were fufpeaed t'o be ; and if found, 'L 'eJ;
yet as the people bare never afled offensively, nor d^co
rered any disposition so to do, till as above related,
the county apprehend this can never juftify the seizure
of private property.
It is with great anxiety this county observes the
wanton exercise of power in the officers of the cuffoms
at Salem, and on board the King's drips, refpe&ing
the article of fuel, defined for the use of the inhabi-
tants of Boston, who are obliged to ha"e it with the
additional charge of landing and re-landing at Salem,
before it can proceed: when your Excellency must be
sensible the act, which is the profeffed rule of condu&,
cxprcfsly excepts fuel and victuals, which may be
brought to Boston by taking on board one or more
officers (without the afotefaid charge) while that def
ined for the troops proceeds dire&, free from the fame.
There are many other things which bear extremely
hard on the inhabitants, while they are prohibited frora
transporting the smallest articles from one part of the
town to another, water-borne, without danger of a
seizure, or to get hay, cattle, &c. from any of the
islands, notwithstanding theie is no other way of trans
portation.
Your Excellency, we apprehend, must have been
greatly mifinformed of the character of this people, to
suppose such severities tend either to a submission to
the ads, or reconciliation with the troops ; and the
county are sorry to find the execution of the acts at
tempted with an higher hand than was intended, uplefs
the aZls tbemfelves should be thought too lenient.
Bringing into the town a number of cannon from
Castle-William, fending for a further reinforcement
of troops, with other concurring circumstances, strongly
indicating some dangerous design, has juflly excited in
the minds of the people arprehenfions of the must
alarming nature, and the authors must be held account
able for all the blood and carnage made in consequence
thereof. Therefore this county, in duty to God, their
country, themselves and posterity, do remonstrate to,
and earnefJy desire your Excellency, as you regard
the service of the King, and the peace and welfare of
the province, to desist from any further hostile prepa
rations, and give the people arfuiances thereof, by le
velling the intrenchments and dismantling the fortifi
cations, which will have a tendency to fatisfy their
doubts, and remote that confidence so eflential to their
quiet and bis Majesty's service.
By order of the Convention of Committees for tbe
county of iCore.fter.
_ His E X C E L I. ENC Y's Answer.
Gentlemen,
f HAKE repeatedly given the frongef afarances that
l intended noting hofiile against the town or country,
and therefore defreyou to case the minds of the people
againfi any reports that may have been indaftriouflyfpread
amongfl them to the centrar, ; % wijh is toprefervepeace
and 'tranquility.
With reJpe't to th? execution of the Port Bill, it is a mat
ter belonging to other departments , and if any thing is
done nos warranted by said a:?, the law is open for re
dress. THOM4S GAGE.
Upwards of five months have expired since his de
voted town has experienced all the horrors of the Pott
Bill, and as if thefe.were not fufficient to fatii te the
malice of our enemies, severities which that a&, venge
ful as it is, did not know of, have been grafted upon
it. Many instances might be mentioned ; fuffice it to
fay, that a scow with boards and old iron has been
seized in a Mill Pond, and libelled in an Admiralty
Court; a boat owned by one Stewart, with sand for
our floors, has been taken in the harbour and the sand
thrown into the sea without the form of a trial; as was
a lighter load of hay costing up from Braintree: The
produce ofiflands near the town have not been filtered
to be taken off; and a float carrying sheep to feed on
one of those inlands has been obliged to carry them
back again : Bread, meal, and other provisions were
not fuffered to pass a little ferry to Charleftown, and
their ferry-boats have been taken and detained for
daring to attempt a passage after § o'clock at night: Our
numerous poor are fuffering by the rife of wood, but
ter, cneefe, and other provisions, not permitted to be
brought up as usual from the little rivers and bays in
our harbour, and when our tyrants have been expof
tuHted with for these illegal proceedings, they have
infultjngly replied, that, agreeable to the a& of Par
liament, it was to diftfefs us ; and this their invention
has been so effectually accomphlhed, that it may be
affirmed, without exaggeration, the loss this town has
sustained within only one month of our blockade, ex
ceeds the whole amount of those generous donations
received from our fympatbizing friends through the
continent. Added to all this, our town is furroimJei
with (hips of war ; and, it is said, the fleet at New
foundland are to winter in this harbour ; formidable
fortifications are erected and others erecting at the only
avenue to the town; Chains and Chereaux de Frife
already provided to flop up the entrance at pLafirre:
Four regiments encamped upon the Common, with a
large train of artillery and matroffes; one regiment on
Fort-Hill, one on the new fortifications on the nck,
and another regiment at Cattle William ; three c>m
parisjuft arrived in the rose man of war from New
foundland, transports dispatched some line part to
New-York for two regiments fromthence and the jer
fies, and to Quebec for two regiments from that quar
ter ; military ito es and implements of all kinds are
collecting in this town, which has now the appearance
of a garrison. Reports are propagated 1 ere, and thr
English papers announce that fix mare reg men s pre
coming from Europe. What may be theintentin! f all
this, and what ought to be ihe conduct o' this and th?
pther provinces upon so alarming an occafon, we shall
not pretend today. This capital is a fpeCUcle to them
and to the whole World, a (hiking example of what is
to be expected from the uncontroulab'e power clamd
by a British Parliament over thee colonies that have
not a fugle Representative in it; but tinde r all these
bufferings and terrors Boston has not as yet renounced
the great and common cause for which it fuffers.—