The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1774-12-05 00:00:00, page 1

MONDAY, December s, 1774. THE [NUMBER 519. ]
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
11 ^'T*>v wSw^^ssSSrall W
A N d HARTFORD
WEEKLY Ww INTELLIGENCER.
- — -
Containing, the Freshest ADVICES, both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC.
“ a T twelve o’clock about forty freeholders were
assembled, who had paid each one fniiling for
admittance. They now began to come in falter,
and several gentlemen refufed to pay the admittance
money. At this instant the two fheriffs arrived, and a
contest arose about paying theprevious Ihilling,which
at length subsided on the Sheriffs agreeing to give
ten guineas for the use of the room, and those gen
tlemen who had paid received their money again,
and the door was thrown open. About one o’clock
the Sheriffs took the chair, and Mr. Sheriff Sayre
having apologized for the obftru&ion that had hap
pened^ which arose from a misunderstanding be
tween the Under Iheriff and the mailer of the house,
the business began.
Mr. Sayre, in a very handsome speech, reminded
the freeholders of the important occasion of their be
ing- assembled ; he expatiated on the rights and pri
vileges of Englishmen, and hoped they would,while
they are yet at liberty to assemble, nominate such
men for their representatives in Parliament as would
be zealous to transmit their rights to the latest
posterity.
Mr. Sheriff Lee then desired leave to read a let
ter, which intimated the wilh of several gentlemen,
to know whether persons possessed of freeholds in
London had a right to vote as freeholders of Mid
dlesex, and requesting that the question might be a
gitated at the Mile-End meeting ; but no person in
company avowing the letter, the matter subsided.
A freeholder now moved, that the gentlemen to
be returned as proper persons to represent the coun
ty in Parliament Ihould sign a declaration to the fol
lowing effect : That they would endeavour to ob
tain afts for shortening the duration of parliament;
for Emitting the number of placemen and pension
ers, &c. and to procure the repeal of the Quebec
aft, the Bolton port bill, the bill for the adminrilra
tion of justice in the province of the Massachusetts,
and the bill to fubjeft persons offending in America
to be brought to Englandfor trial. Mr. Sawbridge
proposed, in addition hereto, that the candidates
Ihould also sign a general declaration of their
principles, as being founded on those of the revolu
tion. After some debate, the Jail article was put
separately, and when it had appeared that it was
the general feme of the freeholdei s that this article
Ihould make part of the declaration to be signed by
the candidates,a gentlemen objected to the proceed
ings as irregular, infilling that the other part of the
declaration Ihould have been firft proposed. This
occasioned some hesitation, till Mr. Sawbridge let
the company right, by informing them, that it was
2 rule in the House of Commons, when any questi
on was proposed, and an amendment was afterwards
offered, to submit the amendment firft,and then the
whole question as amended. The whole conditi
ons were therefore now submitted to the opinion of
the freeholders, which with only seven dissenting
hands, were, that the candidates ihould sign a de
claration to the purport abovementioned. Mr.
Wilkes declared his perfect readiness to sign the pa
per, and said that Mr. Glynn had seen all of it but
the proposed amendments, which he was likewise
ready to sign. There seemed to be no doubt of
Mr. Glynn’s equal readiness to sign the declaration
refpe&ing the revolution principles : and it was pro
posed, firft the name of each candidate separately, &
then both together, “ that John Wilkes and John
Glynn, Esq rs. be proper persons to represent this
county in Parliament, on the condition of their sign
ing the above-mentioned obligation to which all
hands, except about five, readily assented, with the
loudest plaudits. Mr. Wilkes informed the free
holders that Mr. Glynn wrnuld have paid his refpefts
to them, bathe was indisposed with the gout.
Account of the tranfa^lims yeflerday at the Meeting at
Mile-End, of the Freeholders of the county of
Middlesex.
L O N D O N, September 29.
Open to all PARTIES not under the influence of ANY.
There was a considerable (hare of diversion during
the business of the day. One gentleman was vio
lent against the candidates figmhg any paper that
may influence them to procure a repeal of the Boston
Port-Bill; infilling that the Americans,who receive
the protection of this country, Ihould pay a part of
the public expence, though some people said he,
“ fay that the Parliament has no right to tax the A
mericans “ Nor have they,” was issued from
twenty mouths. This last gentleman was very an
gry because some goods he had lent to Boston were
returned on his hands.
Mr. Mafcall was very warm. He conjured his
countrymen, by all that was dear and sacred, to
preserve their rights and liberties. Speaking of the
Quebec bill, he recognized the old prollitute, the
whore of Babylon, and mentioning the Premier, cal
led him “ the butcher of a Minister.” “ Aye,
(cried he) he is religionis et libertatit Anglia carn sex,
and that's his true character.”
The Lord Mayor moved for the thanks of the free
holders to the Sheriffs for their candid conduct,which
were put by Mr. Aiderman Sawbridge, and voted
unanimously ; and thus ended the tranfaftions of
the day ;---a large company being present consider
ing the unfavourablenefs of the weather.
Mr. Wai son,
Please to give thefoll&wing a PL <ce in your next.
the sjth of instant Nov* 'idw, upwards ofan
X.X hundred targe fat Weathers being" oblerved in
the Cullody of Mr. John Porter, Innholder in Far
mington ; lome Gentlemen were curious enough to
enquire so far as to learn they were the property of
one Scepnen Brigham, of Mansfield, and that he
had purchased tnem in Part of the Rev’d Mr. Abel
Newel of Gofhen, and rhe Remainder of Messieurs
Solomon and Ebenezer Marlh, of Litchfield, for the
Market in Boston, for the expiefs Purpose of
Provisions.
Apprehending such a Proceedure to be a Violation
©f the Association entered into by the Continental
Congreis---they notified the Inhabitants thereof;
whereupon the Evening following, a large Number
of respectable Freeholders being convened, they en
tered into a free Converfaticn with Mr. Brigham
upon the Subjeft, and found that they were designed
for the Market at Boston, as was reported, and that
they were ail, as Mr. Brigham supposed, between
three and five Years old; and thciefore might be
profitable to the Country for a Number of Years.
Upon the whole it was unanimously Reiolved,
That Mr. Brigham’s Design in purchasing, was con
trary to the Letter and Spirit of the seventh Article
of said Association. And farther, as it was extreme
ly probable the Gentlemen who fold said Sheep to
Mr. Brigham, were conscious of his Design, it Was
in like manner Resolved, That if possible they Ihould
be returned to the original Owners.
Accordingly, it was recommended to the Com
mittee of Cor efpondence for the Town, to write to
the Committees of Correspondence for Litchfield
and Goflien, desiring them to confer with the Gen
tlemen upon the Subject, and pursue such Measures
as they Ihould think convenient, to convince them
of the Propriety of their receiving again the Sheep
they had disposed of : which was accordingly done,
and the Letters were forwarded by Express, who
soon returned with Letters from said Committees,
of very different import, which were read to the
people, convened again for that Purpose, and were
for Subftanceas follows: That from the Committee
of Gofhen gave the ftrongeil Assurance, that Mr.
Newel had no Design of counterafting the Resolu
tions of the Congrcfs; and advised, that Mr. Brig
ham be permitted to dispose of his Sheep for Store
Sheep—-That if he ihould not be allowed to do this,
it was their Opinion they ought to be returned—
That Mr. Newel was ready to receive them, though
much to his Damage, rather than be thought to do
any Thing detrimental to the Cause of Liberty.
That from theCommittec of Litchfield, held forth,
That Mefli’rs. Solomon and Ebenezer Marsh, con
ceive they have not violated the seventh Reiolve of
the Association, either in Letter or Spirit—That
thiy were willing to submit the Matter to the Judg
ment of Neighbouis, in concert with the Commit
tee—That accordingly some Gentlemen being cal
led in, and having with the Committee, attentively
considered what was offered by said Marshes, in their
Defence, were of Opinion they had not violated laid
Resolve; as the Sheep were past their Prime (as they
said) for Wool, and not such as any Man who want
ed to hire, would be willing to lake, as they could
expeti no Increase from them-—That if the Farmers
are nofcfuffered to fell those Sheep, which they can
neither keep themselves, nor let out to others, it will
greatly tend to difeourage the railing of them, in
stead ofincreafing their Number.
Thus unexpectedly deprived of the Power of put
ting their firft Plan in Execution, in such a Manner
as to answer any good Purpoie; the People unani
mously Resolved, said Brigham ihould become ob
ligated by Bond, to such Persons as they Ihould ap
point, conditioned to deliver the Sheep in contest,
to the Committee of Correspondence for the Town
of Mansfield, and to procure of them an Assurance,
directed to the person to whom it should be execut
ed, that laid Sheep Ihould not be disposed of in Mar
ket, for Provisions, or otherwise, contrary to the
Sense of the Congress—-the Avails, if forfeited, to
be appropriated to the Ule of such of the Poor of the
Towns of Boston and Charleftown, as are immediate
Sufferers by Means of the Boston Port-Bill. Which
being executed accordingly, said Brigham was per
mitted to proceed on his Journey with his drove,
without further interruption.
Should any Apology to the Public be thought ne
ceflary, forgiving fofull Account of this traniaftion,
a better cannot be offefed, than that which was the
principal Reason of its Publication.—That as there
was a diversity of Opinion between two Committees
and perhaps it might with equal Propriety be said
between the two Towns, refpefting this Matter • it
was hoped an Occasion might be thus offered to
feme Person equal to the Talk, to give such an Ex
planation of the true meaning and extent of the con
telled Article, as w'ould reduce Unanimity amongst
the People, neceffarj at all Times, but indi(penfibly
so at the present Day, and particularly in a Matter
of such interesting importance of the Continental
Congress.
My Lord,
gINCE the date of No. 41, the chief business of the
house and of the counc,l has been to bring about
by some means or other, the removal of the chief
justice, and for this purpose they have turned and
tortured the charter to such a degree as to frame a
conilitution quite different from what was ever in
tended. The articles of impeachment will leave a
lasting stain upon the charafter of the government.
Finding that every attempt to compel me to a com
pliance with, or connivance at their unwarrantable
measures was ineffeftual, and having some inclinati
ons that the indecency with which both the king
and the parliament had been treated by them,would
oblige me to put an end to their fitting ; the council
and the house each prepared a long mefiage, both
of them rude and abusive to me,the former explain
ing the conftituticn of the governor and council in
so strange a manner, and by such futile arguments
and inciufive reasoning, that they have greatly dif
honoured themselves with all the judicious and can
did part of the world under whose observation they
may fall, and the latter coming but little fliort of it.
There will not be time to copy them before the poll
goes out. I will have the whole proceedings re
ipefting the chief justice copied, and fend them by
the next opportunity under the province seal. After
persisting in a meafurc so affrontivc to his Majesty, I
Copy of a Le ter from Co cernurnor Hu .chinmn, to the
Earl of Dartmouth, dated Boston, March ath,
»774-