The New-England chronicle — Boston [Mass.], 1776-06-20 00:00:00, page 1

To the PEOPLE of the Massachusetts-Pay.
Friends and Countrymen,
TH E fubjeft of the firft letter was, the de
fence of the colony, as what called for an
immediate attention —of this second, the fettling
of the constitution, as next in consideration, and
what, should go hand in hand, with the former.
We are but dupes to the weakness and wicked
ness of human nature, if, while we fight and
defend ourselves against a foreign slavery, we
fuffer a domestic one to spring up in our own
country, though it may not be matured till suc
ceeding generations. It will be a poor conso
lation to posterity, that we prevented their be
ng under the tyranny of Great-Britain, unless
we secure them, as far as is in the power of mor
als, from every other tyranny. Our efforts
should be levelled against tyranny itfelf, though
dire&ed in the firft place against British tyranny.
Never had a people a fairer opportunity of efta
bliihing freedom upon the broadest and firmeft
bottom, do we not lose the golden opportunity,
by neglecting, to defend the colony, or to im
prove the principles of our avowed constitution,
or to support government established agreeable
o such principles. Our avowed constitution
3, that all power rests in the people at large,
but that for the benefit of society, the fame must
be delegated to a feled number of individuals,
freely and fairly chosen by the majority of the
whole, to whom they are answerable for the due
discharge of the trusts committed to them, and
by whom they must be supported in such dis
charge to prevent the anarchy that would other
wise ensue. The foundation principle on which
this constitution rests, is, that grand bulwark
of liberty, an E^JAL REPRESENTATION.
But though an equal representation has been
much talked of by the friends of liberty, it has
only existed in theory. This colony has been
^s fairly represented as, if not more than, any
other part of the world : but it did not enjoy
the chance of an equal representation, till the
late assembly nobly provided for it, by the a&
allowing our towns to increase the number of
theirßepre fentatives, according to a certain pro
portion of electors. The country should ever
give the assembly credit for that a&, which, tho'
not perfe&, may lead on to one that is so. Be
it far from an individual to dictate to the pub
lick, but I would submit it to the serious consi
deration of all, whether the following plan, if
adopted, would not bring us to, and lecure us
in the enjoyment of an E^UAL REPRESENTA
TION. Let the General Court confider and
fix the number of Representatives proper to form
a future House, provided only that it shall not
be less than the last : Let the inhabitants of the
colony having a right to vote according to the
present qualification (including as nigh as pos
sible the absentees, with the army or upon other
bufiriefs) be divided by the number of Repre
sentatives, that it may be from thence seen what
should be the number of electors for eachßepre
fentative ; but as many individuals having a
right to vote in elections will always be absent,
and there will be odd numbers in towns, let the
number of electors be fixed proportion ably low
er, that so the House may be fufficiently large.
Should it happen, that two or more neighbour
ing towns or diftri&s should not have singly a
proper number of voters, let them join till they
have fufficient, and while they continue in that
ftate,let the Representative be chosen 'alternately
out of the several towns or diftrifts according to
a rotation that shall be agreed upon,if each town
or diftri&fupplies an equal number of electors,
or firft from the town or diftrift having the
greatest number, then from that having the next
greater, and so on. Where a town or diftrift.
has not the requisite number of Representatives,
nor butts upon one or more in the like circum
stances, by joining with which it shall obtain a
representation, let it have the right of voting
with an adjoining town, and of having the Re-
BOSTON : Printed by POWARS and WILLIS, at their Office opposite the new Court-House, Queen-Street
TUE]
NEW-ENGLAND CHRONICLE
(VOL. VIII. )
LETTER IL
THURSDAY, june 20, 1776.
PHILADELPHIA, June 5 .
Since our lafl, arrived here, the Schooner ,
Captain Farrey, from St. Euflatia : By him
•we have been favoured with a St. Kitt's paper,
from which we have the following Address, viz.
St. JAM ES's, March 22, 1776.
This day the Right Hon the Lord Mayor,
several Aldermen, the Sheriff, and some of the
Common Council of the City of London, waited
upon his Majesty (being introduced by the Earl
of Hertford, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's
houfhold) with the following Address and Peti
tion, which was read by the Recorder.
To the King's mod excellent Majefly.
The humble Address and Petition of the Lord
Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City
of London, in Common Council assembled.
Most gracious Sovereign,
WE, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and
Common Council of the city of London,
in Common Council assembled, beg leave to ap
proach your throne, and to entreat your Majes
ty's royal attention, whilst, with the humility of
dutiful fubje&s, we lay before your Majefly
what at present most immediately affects us in
the spirit and tendency of the public measures
now depending; and the anxiety we feel at the
naked and exposed state in which this country
will be left, by draining it of the national troops,
as well as the danger and disgrace attending the,
late treaties for foreign mercenaries, whose la
titude is such, as to provide the means of intro
ducing a foreign army, even into this natiop. .
We cannot, Sir, without horror, look for
ward to that dismemberment of the empire, that
increase of the national debt, andof burdensome
taxes ; that loss of our most valuable resources ;
those distresses of our merchants arid manufac
turers ; those deficiencies of the revenue ; that
effufion of the blood of our countrymen, and
brethren.; that failure of public credit, arid
those dreadful calamities and convulsions,which
rauft follow a civil war, so begun and pursued,
whose extent no wisdom can forefee.
We humbly conceive that ho people can be
bound to surrender their rights and liberties,
as a return for protection.
The Colonies have fought our battles with ns,
and in the last war they so far exceeded their
abilities, that this nation thought it just and ne
cessary, to make them an annual compensation;
and even now, driven to open hostilities in their
own defence, they are willing (their charters
being inviolably secured) to continue to us all
prefentative chose out of it, once in a course of
years, answering to the proportion of its voters.
Let it be further fettled that every full number
of voters shall have a right of fending a Represen
tative, by which means the House of Assembly
will increase in proportion with the increase of
inhabitants. An equal representation as far as
attainable being in this way secured through
the colony, let the Representatives be no longer
paid by their refpe&ive towns, but by the colo
ny, which will obviate tlie objections made by
towns at times against fending Representatives,
from incapacity through extraordinary expences
and the like. That the colony may have tlie
publick business difpatcht, let the Members be
paid at a certain rate per annum, giving them
the present allowance for a reasonable number
of days ; this regulation will prevent our hav
ing long sessions and little done: many when
they find that they shall lose by protracting, will
forward the Service of the publick. And that
Members may not be paid without attending,
let there be a deduction of more than the pre
sent allowance per day, for every day they arc
absent without the leave of the House, or thro'
sickness : this will oblige men to decline the
honour when they mean not, or are too much
engaged, to do the business of Representatives.
That I may not be tedious, I shall break off for
the present, still continuing your's,
June \2, iqq6. A WATCHMAN.
We humbly and earnestly beseech your Ma^
jefty, that the most folemp, clear, diftin& and
unambiguous fpecification of those just and ho--
nourable terms, which your Majesty. with botli
Houses of Parliament, mean to grant to the
colonies, may precede the dreadful operations
of your armament. Every colour and suspici
on of injustice and oppression will then,be. re
moved from the proceedings of the mother
country ; and, if tfefe just and honorable terms
are not submitted to, your Maiefty will un
doubtedly be enabled to meet what will then be
rebellion, with the zealous hearts and hands of
a determined, loyal and united people
To which his Majesty Wats pleased to return the
following Answer:
I deplore with the greatest concern, the miseries
which a great part of my fubjefls in North- Ame
rica have brought upon themselves by an unjufti
fible refinance to the constitutional authority of
this kingdom ; and I /ball be ready and happy to
alleviate those miseries by acts of mercy and cle
mency, whenever that authority is eftabUfoed,
and the now exifling rebellion is at an end. To
obtain thefefalutary purposes. I will invariably
pursue the most proper and effectual means.
those advantages ofa regular and exclusive com
merce, to which we have long owed our opu
lence and prosperity. And we have every as
surance which men in their situation can fafely
give, that if afleed as freemen, they are willing
to go further, and to aford the exhausted state
of the revenue of this country, such reasonable
voluntary aid as their abilities will permit, pro
vided that their contributions are unalienably
applied to relief that dftrefs which is the onl,
fair and politic foundation of requiring them and
that neither their aids.nor our own finking funds
shall be any longer perverted from a public be
nefit, and misapplied to the purpose of corrup
tion, instead of redeeming the debts of the na
tion, according to the firft wife and just institution.
Indulge but, most gracious Sovereign, the
humanity and dignity of your own royal dispo
sition, and our prayers will be granted. We
implore the extension of your Majesty's justice
and mercy towards that continent, which when
arbiter of the terms of peace, it was your Ma
jesty's own determination to prefer to every
other compensation, for all the expences of the
last war..
WILLIAMS BURG H, (Virginia) May 17.
We have the pleasure to acquaint the publick,
from good information, that the militia almost
through the whole colony, particularly of the
upper counties are now well provided with
arms and ammunition, and ready, at a call, to
march to the relief of any part of that county
which is invaded or to assist their brethren in
the neighdouring provinces.
We hear from North-Carolina, that General
Clinton has landed 2000 men at Cape-Fear, and
that General Lee has marched with four batta
lions from Virginia, to the assistance of that
province.
PHIL ADELPHI A, May 27.
Laid Saturday a number of tories arrived in
this city from North-Carolina, who were taken
prisoners at the battle near Moore's creek bridge,
and, after being examined before the Committee
of Safety, were sent to jail. Their names are
as follow, —Brigadier General Donald M'Do
nald ; Alien M'Donald, of Kinibrough; Major
Alexander M'Donald, of Coudrafts ; Captains
Alexander M'Donald (son of Kinibrough) Jam s
M'Donald, John M'Donald, Angus M'Donald,
Alexander M'Kay, Alexander M'Cleod Alex
ander Morrison, Alexander M'Cleod, Murdock
M'Aflzell, Neill M'Authur, John M'Leod,
Thomas Weir, and John M'Kenzie. Lieute#
John Murchinfon ; Kennith M'Donald, &J^
Camp ; Murdock M'Leod, Surgeon ; John
Smith, .Adjutant-General ; Donald M'Leod,
Quarter-Mailer ; John Bethune, Chaplain ;
Forguard Campbell; Colonel Ihomas Ruther
ford, and Michael Hall.
(Numb. 409.)