The New-England chronicle — Boston [Mass.], 1776-05-30 00:00:00, page 1

AMERICAN UNITED COLONIES.
In CONGRESS, MAY 15, 1776.
WHEREAS his Britannic Ma
jesty, in conjunction with the
Lords and Commons of Great-
Britain, has, by a late aft of par
liament, excluded the inhabitants
of these united colonies from the proteaion of
his crown—And whereas- no answer whatever,
to the humble petition of the colonies for redress
of grievances and reconciliation 'with Great-Bri
tain, has been, or is likely to be given, but the
whole force of that kingdom, aided by foreign mer
cenaries, is to be exerted for the deftru&ion of the
good people of these colonies.- And where
as it appears absolutely irreconcilable to reason
and good conscience, for the people of these co
lonies now to take the oaths and affirmations ne
oeffary for the support of any government under
the crown of Great-Britain ; and it is necessary
that the exercise of every kind of authority un
der the said crown should be totally suppressed,
and all the powers of government exerted under
the authority of the people of the colonies for the
preservation of internal peace, virtue, and good
order, as well as for the defence of our lives, li
berties, and properties, against the hostile inva
sions, and cruel depredations of our enemies.
Therefore, Resolved, That it be recommend
ed to the refpe&ive assemblies and conventions
of the united colonies, where no government fuf
ficient to the exigences of their affairs has been
hitherto established, to adopt such government as
Shall in the opinion of the representatives of the
people, belt conduce to the happiness and fafety of
their constituents in particular, and America in
general. By order of the Congress,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
We beg leave humbly to represent to your Ma
jesty, the sense we entertain of the danger and dis
grace attending this inconsiderate measure, when
it has been judged necessary in the firft exertions
of Great Britain to subjugate her Colonies, to
hire an army of foreign mercenaries, acknowlege
ing to all Europe, that these kingdoms are unable,
either from want of men, or difinolination to this
service, to furnifh a competent number of natu
ral-born fubje^s to make the firft compaign :
And it is a melancholly consideration, that the
drawing off the national troops (though feeble,
for the unhappy purpose on which they are em
ployed) will yet leave these kingdoms naked, and
exposed to the assault and invasion of powerful
neighbouring and foreign nations.
We further b^g leave humbly to fubmitto your
Majesty, that if the justice and equity of this un
natural war was not questioned by so large a part
of your Majesty's subjects, yet a reconciliation
with the Colonies, though attended with some
concessions, would be more agreeable to found
policy, than to intruft the prosecution of hofti
iities to foreigners, in whom we cannot confide,
and who, when they are at so great a distance from
their own country, and fuffering under the dis
tresses of a war, wherein they have.no interest or
concern, with so many temptations to exchange
vassalage for freedom, will be more likely to mu-
LONDO N.
HOUSE OF LORDS.
Die Martis, , Martij, 1776.
THE order of the day was read for the Lords
to be fummqned.;
It was moved, That the following Address be
presented to his Majesty, viz.
Moji gracious Sovereign,
WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal
fubjefts, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in
Parliament assembled, humbl,beg leave to repre
sent to your Majesty, that it is with the utmost
concern we have seen the treaties which your
Majesty, by the advice of your Ministers, has
been pleased to enter into with their Serene Uigh
neffes the Duke of Brunswick, the Landgrave of
Hesse Caflel, and the Count ofHanau,and which
your Majesty has been graciously pleased to com
municate to this House.
BOSTON: Printed by SAMUEL HALL, at his Office next to the Oliver Cromwell Tavern, in School-Street.
, rci,^ THE
NEW-ENGLAND CHRONICLE.
(Vol. VIII.)
THURSDAY, Ma, 30, 1776.
tiny or desert, than to unite faithfully and co-ope
rate with your Majesty's natural born fubjeds.
We ought net to conceal from your Majesty
the anxiety we feel on the latitude of the articles
in the several treaties, which stipulate the power
in your Majesty of employing these troops in any
part of Europe. , Means are hereby provided for
introducing a foreign army even into this realm ;
and we cannot so far confide in your Majesty's
Ministers, as to suppose they would be very fcrur
pulous in advising such a measure, since they
have already introduced foreign troops into two
of our strongest fortrefles,' and have offered to
bring four thousand more foreigners into the
kingdom of Ireland, without the content of a
British Parliament. j f ,
1 hat we have moreover just reason to appre
hend, that when the Colonies come to understand,
that Great-Britain is forming alliances, and hir
ing , foreign troops for their deftru&ion, they may
think they are well juflified by the example, in en
deavouring to avail them felvesofthe like assistance ;
and that France, Spain, Prussia, or other powers
of Europe, may conceive they have as good a right
as Hesse, Brunswick, and Hanau, to interfere in
our domeftis quarrels. And if the flames of a
war from these proceedings ffiould be kindled in
Europe, which we fear is too probable, werefleet
with horror upon the condition of this country,
under circumstances wherein ffie may be called
upon to resist the formidable attack of powerful
enemies, which may require the exertion of our •
whole force, at a, time when the Strength and
flower of the nation is employed in fruitlefs ex
peditions on the other fide of the, world..
That the treaty, by Stipulating not only to give
the Landgrave of Hesse Caflel, in case of attack
or disturbance in the pofleffion of his territories,
all the fuccour which Shall be in your Majesty's
power to give, but likewif: to continue such fac
cour until the Landgrave Shall have obtained en
tire Security, and a juft,indemnification, lays this
kingdom under the necessity of taking part in every
quarrel upon the continent, in which his Serene
Highness may happen to be engaged, and that
without any equivalent consideration to make the
contrast reciprocal ; as This island can expert no
assistance from an inconsiderable Sovereignty jn
the heart of Germany, from which more troops
are already drawn than She is able to replace for
her own defence, and whose rev enues are not Ef
ficient to maintain even those she has lent, without
the aid of subsidy. We conceive, therefore, that
this engagement of Great-Britain to defend and
indemnify, must be considered as part of the price"
she is to pa, for the hire of those troops. If this
article of charge (which cannot be estimated) be
added to the enormous expences of levy money,
charges of making good the lofles of the several
corps, ordinary and extraordinary subsidies, and
their continuation after the troops are returned to
their refpe&ive countries, and can be of no use to
Great-Britain, we may fay with truth that Great-
Britain never before entered into a treaty so ex
pensive, so unequal, so difhonourable, and so
dangerous in its consequences.
We therefore humbly implore you Majesty to
give immediate orders for flopping th, march of
the Hessian, Brunswick, and Hanau troops, and
for a suspension of hostilities in America, in order
to lay the foundation of a speedy and permanent
reconciliation between the great contending parts
of this diffracted empire.
It was moved to agree with the said motion.
Which being objected to,
After long debate,
The question was put thereupon. It was re
felved in the negative.
Contents —.—
Proxies „ 3 2
Non Contents - -
Proxies 4— | 100
Diffutinent.
Abingdon. Ponsonby. King.
Fitzwilliam, Archer. Portland.
Effingham. Abergavenny. Cambden.
Richmond,
" '"T' ° a hiind who loves to contemplate the
glorious spirit of freedom, no fpeaacle
can be more affecting than the action at Bunker^
Hill. To fee an irregular peasantry, command
ed by a physician, inferior in number, opposed by
every circumstance of cannot and bombs that
could terrify timid minds, calmly waiting the at
tack of the gallant Howe, leading on 'the best
troops in the world, with an excellent train of
artillery, and twice repulsing those very troops
who had often chafed the chosen battalions of
F rance, and at last retreating for want of ammuni
tion, but ire so respectable "a manner, that they
were not even pursued. Vho can reflect on
such feenes, and not adore the constitution of
government which could breed such men ! Who
will not pause and examine, before he deftroy^
institutions that have reared fach elevated spirits !
Who is there that can dismiss all doubts on the
justice of a cause which can infpiie such consci
ous rectitude ? The conduct of the people of
New-England for wifdotn, courage, temperance,
fortitude, and all those qualities that can com
mand the admiration of noble minds, is n& fur
pafftd in th@ history of any nation under the fun."
NFh^-ro R K, @7/ 4.
The following odd affair happened at Stratford
on the loth of March last : A child of Mr.
Edwards, of that place, was baptized by the Rev!
Mr. - =, of Norwalk, and named Thomas
Gage : This alarmed the neighbourhood ; and
on the 13th, 170 young ladies formed themselves
into a battalion, and with solemn ceremony ap
pointed a general and the other officers, to lead
them oh; then the petticoat army marched in
the greateftgood order to pay their compliments to
Thomas Cage, and present his mother (the
nymphs ought to have deferred this part of the
business a few days, fays our correspondent) with
a suit of tar and feathers ; but Thomas's fire
having intelligence of their expedition, vi et armis,
kept them from entering his house, so that the
female soldiers returned to head-quarters with
out effeding what they intended, and disbanded
themselves.
As the public were a few days since inform
ed of the honour done General Gage, by
naming a child after him, it may not be amiss to
let it be known, that Lord Dunmore also comes
in for his share in the fame way.
On Monday the eighth instant, a jufly, likely
Negro Wench was delivered of a male child,
who, in memory of a certain notable Negro
Chief, is named DUNMORE.
Hail ! Doughty Ethiopian Chief !
Thou ignominious Negro,Thief!
This Black fall prop thy finking name.
And damn thee to perpetual Fame.
U^ery, Is not this, though an a& of justice
to Dunmore, cruelty to the,innocent Neural
NEW-L O ND O N,. % 10.
By Capt. Stephen Tinker, arrived here in 12
days from Newbern, in North-Carolina, we learn,
that the people of that province and of South-
Carolina are very generally for the independence
of the colonies ; and that they would scarcely be
willing to continue the war with the Court of
Great-Britain on any other principles.
Capt. Tinker informs, that a large schooner
from Bermuda arrived at Newbern just before he
failed, and brought in between 20 and 30 gums,
from four to nine pounders, a number of small
arms, and a quantity of ffiot, which were taken
from a fort at Bermuda, in order to fell for pro
yifions (which at that island had become exceed
ing scarce). They took on board 43 guns, some
of which they mounted in the veflel, with a view
of securing themselves against the King's cutters
on this coast, but being chafed by a frigate near
th^land, they were obliged to throw over the
guns they had mounted (in order to lighten their
vessel so as to run over a bar) after being chafed
twelve hours,
, From the Parliamentary Regifar, No. XIV.
Part of Governor JOHNSTONE's Speech
in Parliament.
(NuMB. 406.)