The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1774-10-17 00:00:00, page 2

upon said meeting w?.s diflblved by vote.-—-Which
committee the next day went to the said Mr. Smal
ly’s jaarilh in order to execute the trust reposed in
them by said meeting- 7 —when said Mr. Smaliy was
absent as it was said, and not to be found, and the
witnefles being all present, after being cautioned to
fay the truth and nothing but the truth, they seve
rally fubferibed the testimonies hereafter inserted,
with their proper hands, in the presence of the com
mittee and between twenty and thirty other people,
inhabitants of Mr. Smally’s parish Which com
mittee accordingly warned a new meeting, when it
was voted, and ordered, that the evidence collected
thould be sworn before some proper authority, and
then published, but the Justice applied to for that
purpose thought notproperto administer the oath to
tiie witnelies, altho’ they flood ready to depose upon
oath what they before had fubferibed. Wherefore,
the following evidence, and the antecedent historical
account, is chearfully submitted to the consideration
of the candid public.
The Rev’d. Mr. Samuel Newell, heretofore had
dropped the following expressions, as said by Mr.
Smaliy, and being now called upon to teflify what
Mr. Smaliy had said, not from any prejudice to Mr.
Smaliy, but, from a hearty concern for the general
cause of American Liberties, he was induced to give
the above relation, as Mr. Newell poflitiveiy afierted.
Farmington, October 8th,'1774.
I Did hear the Rev’d Mr. John Smaliy of New-
Britain fay, That those representatives of the
Maflachufetts-Bay, who refufed to refeind the cir
cular letter, &c. according as required from Great-
Britain, were guilty of right down rebellion againfl
Majefly icfelf. As witness my hand,
Samuel Newell.
That on the sabbath the Boston alarm happened,
Mr. John Smalley was faying to some people that
flood by him, that the news of Boston’s being beset
was not certain enough for the people to make such
a Ilir upon the sabbath, when I, Moses Andrufs flood
by and observed to Mr. Smalley, that if Boflon is
beset, as the information is, no one can conceive
what distress Boston is in. Whereupon Mr.Smalley
turned to me and said, What ! will, you fight against
your King ? Witness my hand, this Sth or Oft. 1774.
Moses Andru.ss.
Mr. Lemuel Hotchkiss fays, that Mr. Smalley blam
ed Capt. Stanley much for muttering the people on
. Sunday, and Col. Lee for speaking between public
service and sacrament, to warn the people to meet
at Mr. Stephen. Hollifler's, to prepare for their march
to Boflon, &c. and laid there was not (he thought)
fufficient evidence to make such a flir on the sab
bath, and that he thought it almofl a breach of sab
bath, if not quite. Mr. Smalley further said, he
thought it very strange the people should think of
fighting in this cause, for that he thought they had
not a call or right to do it---that they could not go
by any authority, but must be considered as a mob,
which Mr. Smalley repeated several times and
that in difeourfe with some gentlemen on the sab
bath, in the time of the Boston alarm, some were
for taking arms, which Mr. Smalley opposed with
spirit, and said, What! will you fight against your
King ? Witness my hand, this Bth day of Oft. 1774.
Lemuel Hotchkiss.
Capt. Lad wick Hotchkifs fays, that in the morn
ing the Boston alarm happened, Mr. John Smalley
came to him, and feem’d to be difeompofed, and
said, he wondered whether the people thought they
had a right to fight in any case—-this he left unex
plained-—and that in the course of his sermons on
the late public faft, that the harrangues in the papers
were not to be depended on. As witnels my hand,
this Bth day of Oftobcr, 1774.
Ladwick Hotchkiss,
MeiT. Elihu Andrufs and David Lu/k fay, that Mr.
Smalley said on faft day, that perhaps the reports
reipefting the present administration are not true ;
if they be true, we ought not to oppose them, but
be full and calm—-and that mobing is a deftruftive
thing, and perhaps by that means, club laws will
rule the whole, and that we ought not to oppose
our rulers, or speak against them. Witness our
hands. Elihu Andruss,
David Lusk,
Mr. Giles Hooker, jun. agrees with the above,
and adds, that Mr. Smalley said, we being at so
great a distance from Great-Briiain, have not fuffici
ent evidence that the afts of parliament to enforce
duties, &c. are true, and that we have not fuflicient
evidence or reason to oppose administration, and
that the harrangues in the papers were Spirited and
inflammatory, and not to be depended on. Witness
my hand, this Bth day of Oftober, 1774.
Giles Hooker, jun.
Mr. Stephen Lee fays, that in the time of die
flamp-aft Mr. John Smalley said that the aft will be
but a trifling thing ; that a man poflefled of an es
tate to the amount of a hundred pounds on the
liit, will pay but about eight {hillings per annum
and that sum may be easily saved by extraordinary
prudence—and that Mr. Smalley said in his ser
mon on faft day, that England is so far remote, we
cannot determine whether the Britiih parliament do
light or wrong, and that we have no right to speak
against our rulers—-and that on the sabbath the
Boston alarm happened, Col. Lee, between the pub
lic service and the sacrament, gave public notice
that he had agreed to meet the Kensington people
at Mr. Stephen Hollifler’s, after the evening service
—and that after Mr. Smalley had adminillered the
sacrament, and had left the meeting-house, said, if
he thought after the evening service, as he then
thought, he fiiould forbid the people’s meeting at
Hollister’s. As witness my hand, this Sth day of
Oftober, 1774. Stephan Lee.
N. B. If it was Eerily knozun that all the people that
signed Mr. Smalley’s declaration, were present, f heard
the fer mans therein ref err'd to, the public could better
judge whether their thus fgning, adds any weight to the
declaration itfelf.
Since our last we have received copies of the following
extraordinary. Letters.—-The vHi any of the author-—
the base proflitution of the sacred ch ar after he bears,and
the gross violation of all truth if decency in thefc epifola
ry performances, are too well known to need any com
ment.
Copy of a letter from the Rev'd Samuel Peters of He
bron, to his Mother.
Dear Mother,
I AM well, and doing business for my intended
rout: I hear a mob was gathered for me the day
I left Hebron ; what they have done I cannot yet find
out. As Jonathan will be obliged to attend at New-
Haven, when the assembly fits,l desire him to tell Mr.
Jarvis, Andrews, Hubbard, &c. to colled all fafts
touching mobsand inful ts offered the clergy of our
churches or her members ; Likewise to fend'me a
copy of the clergy’s petition to Governor Trumbull,
and what he does in answer. If Jonathan is hurt,
or my house hurt or damaged,let that be tranfmited
to me within fourteen days, or after that fend ac
counts to the care of Mr. Rice Williams, a wollen
draper in London. lam in high spirits ; I fliould
be happy if my friends and relations at Hebron were
provided for, at these bad times, when thing? are
growing worse. Six regiments are coming now from
England and sundry men of war: so soon as they
come hanging work will go on; and deftruftion will
attend firft thefca port towns ; the lintel sprinkled
on the fide polls will preserve the faithful. I wifli
Hannah to take some papers that she and I laid a
away, and bring them to me ; she knows where they
be ; or burn them if this letter appears to be open’d
before ’tis open’d by you.
Mr. Beebe and Mr. Daniel Jones, Mr. Warner
and Mr. Griffin of Millington, must draught a nar
rative of their fufterings, and such words as Col.
Spencer, &c. have spoke by way of encouragement
to mobs, and let Dost. Beebe fend the fame to me
to the care of Mr, Thomas Brown, merchant in Bos
ton. I am, &c.
SAMUEL PETERS.
Copy of a Letter from the Rev’d Samuel Peters, to the
Rev’d Dost. Achmuty of New-Tork.
Rev’d Sir, Boflon, Ofto. 1, 1774.
'pHE riots and mobs that have attended me & my
house, set on by the Governor of Connefticut,
have compelled me to take up my abode here : And
the clergy of Connefticut mull fall a facrifice, with
the several churches, very soon, to the rage of the
puritan mobility, if the old serpent, that dragon is
riot bound. Yesterday I waited on his excellency
the admiral, &c. Dost. Cannor, Mr. Troutbeck,
Dost. Byles, &c.—l am soon to fail for England ;
I shall stand in great need of your letters & the letters
of the clergy of New-York—Direst to Mr. Rice
Williams woollen draper in London, where I shall
put up. Judge Achmuty, &c. &c. will do all
things reasonable for their neighbouring charter-—
Necessity calls for such friendihip, as the head is
sick, and the heart faint, and spiritual iniquity rides
in high places with halberts, piflols, and {'words.—
See the proclamation I fentyou by my Nephew, and
their pious sabbath day the 4th of Jail month, when
the preachers and magistrates left the pulpits, &c.
for the gun and drum, and set off' for Boflon, curs
ing Lord North, Gen Gage, the bifho} s and their
cursed curates, and the church of England. —-And
for my telling the church-people not to take up arms,
&c. it being high treason, &c. the sons of liberty
have almolt killed one of my church, tarr’d and
feathered others; and on the 6th day deflroyed my
windows, and rent my clothes, even my gown, &c.
&c.----their rebellion is obvious, treason is com
mon, and robbery is their daily diversion-the
Lord deliver us from anarchy. The bounds of
New-York may direftly extend to Connefticut-ri
ver, Boston meet them, and New-Hampshire take
the province of Main, Rhodc-Ifland be fwal lowed
up as Dathan,-- --Pray lose no time, nor fear worse
times than attend, Rev. Sir,
Your very humble Servant Saml. Peters.
N. B. I wrote to the clergy of Connefticut; the
letters may be intercepted—pray acquaint Mr.
Dibble, &c.
[A Number of other Letters from the fame infamous
Author, crowded with Vengeance againfl the good
People of this Colony, were intercepted with the above,
Copies of which we have not yet been able to obtain.\
3dly. That as the pretended cause of h:s Excel
lency’s Proclamation for difeharging the Members
elefted by the Province in pursuance of his Writs,
has for a considerable time exifled, his Excellency’s
conduft in choosing to iflue said Proclamation (had
it been in other reipefts unexceptionable) but a few
days before the Court was to have been vouvened, Set
thereby unavoidably putting to unnecessary expence
and trouble, a great majority of Members from the
extremities of the Province, is a measure by no
means confiilent with the dignity of the Province,
and therefore it ought to be considered as a difre
fpeftfui treatment of the Province, and as an op
position to that reconciliation between Great Britain
and the Colonies so ardently wiihed for by all the
friends of both.
Province of MASSACHUSETTS BAY, In the
Court-House at Salem ; Oftober 7, 1774.
■yy Hereas Ills Excellency Thomas Gage Esq ; did
, Writs, bearing date the firft of Septem
ber last; for the Eleftion of Members to serve as
Representatives in a Great and General Courts
which ne din “ think fit to appoint” to be convened
andholden, the sth day of Oftober instant, at the
Com t Houle in this place; andj whereas a majority
of Members duly elefted in consequence of said
NV Hts, did ctteiid at laid Court-House the time ap
pointed, there to be qualified according to the
Charter for taking feats and sifting as Representa
tives in said Great and General Court; but were
not met by the Governor, and other constitutional
Officer or Officers by him appointed for administer
ing the usual oaths, and qualifying them thereto.
And whereas, a Proclamation bearing date the 28th
of September last, and publilhed in sundry News
lapeis, with the signature .of his Excellency, con
tains many refleftions on this Province, as being in
a tumultuous and disorderly slate; and appears to
be considered by his Excellency as a constitutional
d;(charge ot all such persons as have been elefted
in consequence of his Excellency’s said Writ. The
Members aforefaid so attending, having considered
the measure which his Excellency has been pleased
to.take by his said Proclamation, and finding them
to be unconstitutional, unjust, and difrefpeftful to
the Province, think it their duty to pass the follow
ing Resolves.
Therefore resolved, as the opinion of said Mem
bers,
1. S' HAT by the Royal Charter of the Pro-
A vince, the Governor for the time being,
is expressly obliged to convene “ upon everv last
Wednesday in the Month of May, every Yea'r for
ever, and at such other Times as he Shall thinkft and
appoint, a Great and General Court.” And there
fote that, as his Excellency had thought fit, and by
his Writ appointed a Great and General Court to be
convened on the 5 th Day of Oftober instant, his con
duct in preventing the fame, is against the express
words, as well as the true sense and meaning of the
Charter, and unconstitutional; more sfpecially as
by Charter his Excellency’s power to adjourn,
prorogue and diflblve all Great and General Courts,”
doth not take place till after said Courts shall be ap
pointed, until they have firft “ met and convened.”
2d. 1 hat the Constitutional Government of the
Inhabitants of this Province being by a cofiderable
Military force at this time attempted to be fuper
ceded and annulled, and the People under the
moil alarming and just appreher.fions of slavery,
having in their laudable endeavours to preserve
themielves therefrom, difeovered upon all occasions
the gieateflaverfion todiforder and tumult ; it must
be evident to all attending to his Excellency’s said
Proclamation, that, his represen tation of the Pro
vince, as being in a tumultuous and disordered Slate,
are refleftions the inhabitants by no means merited ;
and therefore, that they are highly injur^us and
unkind.
4thly, That some cf the caufcs afllgned as afore
faid, for this unconstitutional and wanton pre
vention of the General Court, have in all good
governments been considered among the greatest
reasons for convening a Parliament or assembly, and
therefore the Proclamation is considered as a further
proof not only of his Excellency’s difaflefticn to
wards the Province, but of the ncceffity-of its moll
vigorous and immediate exertions for pre'erving the
freedom and constitution thereof.
Upon a motion made and seconded, voted, Th. t
the Members aforefaid, do now rcfolve themfehxs
into a Provincial Congress, to be joined by such o
ther persons as have been or ihall be chosen for
that purpose, to take into consideration the danger-
R O S T O A’, (Monday) OH. io. ’
■yyEDNESDAY last the Members chosen in con
sequence of Governor Gage’s Writ for calling
a General Assembly, met at the Court-House in
Salem purluant to the Precepts; and after waiting
a day without being admitted tb tire usual oath
which fhon’d have K been adminiflred by the Gover^
nor, or other constitutional officers; and having
cholen the Honourable John .Hancock, Esq; to be
their Chairman, and Benjamin Lincoln, Esq; Clerks
they proceeded to business, and paflhd the following
l<e.olves. 6