The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1774-09-12 00:00:00, page 2

BOSTON, Sept. 2, 1774.
T THINK it but Judice to myfelf to give an Ac
? count of my Conduct, for which lam blamed ;
and to obviate some Mistakes which are believed.
Mis Excellency Governor Gage wrote to me in
the Words following: “ Sir, as lam informed there
are fever al Military flares in your Charge, at Cambridge ;
I beg the Favour of you to fend me a Hut urn of them, as
fen as convenient, Jpecifying the different Sorts of each.
T. < j age. i 0 Major General Brat tied ’ —Which Or
der 1 obeyed ; the like 1 did to Governors Pownal,
Bernard and Hutchinson : In doing of which, every
Soldier will fay, I did butmyDuty. But it is affirm
ed, I advised the Governor to remove the Powder ;
this I positively deny, because it is absolutely falfe.
-—lt never so much as entered into my Mind or
Thought. After I had made my Return, I never
heard one Word about the Affair .till the Night be
fore last, when Sheriff Phipps came to my House,
with the Governor’s Order to deliver him the Pow
der and Guns ; the Keys of the Powder-House I
then delivered him and wrote to Mr. Mason, who
had the Care of the Guns under me, to deliver
them, which I suppose he did ; both I imagine were
taken, but where transported I know not, I wrote
to the Governor what is contained in the Hand-Bill
lately printed ? I did not write the Governor the
Grounds and Reasons of the Quere therein contain
ed ; but I will now mention them .- They proceed
ed from a real Regard both to the Commission Offi
cers and to the Province : First to the Commission
Officers I thought & (till think it was best for them ;
many of whom I thought would be unwilling to is
sue their Warrants, and if they did not, I appre
tended *hcy might meet with-some Difficulty ; and
from such attempts in time to come ; if we allow
the trade to be lawiul, necessity willjuftify them in
most of their cruelty. But when, we plainly fee and
feel that thole things cannot be right, which do con-
Itantly attend this trade, and which the trade in a
great ccieafure necessitates, what clearer arguments
can we want to convince us that the trade is unla-iv^
and if so, cannot without fin be encouraged.
But some perhaps will be yet disposed to fay, all
thio artfes from the trades not being well regulated.
But what do they mean ? If they mean to regulate
it according to justice, honesty and humanity, the
trade is at once annihilated. Let them buy none
for (laves, but what are jujily enslaved in Africa—
and where will they hnd their cargoes ? Let them
treat them on board as becomes human creatures,
and where is their gain ? Leave out the gain and who
would engage in the trade ?—Nothing is more e
vider.t than that if the trade was regulated by the
principles of justice and benevolence ; there would not
be gain fufficient to induce persons to carry it on.
Thus-1 have proved, I trust, that there are such con
comitants and consequences attending this trade,
which are necessarily connefted with the trade, and
without which the trade mult cease, as are plainly
criminal and wicked ; which, as I (hewed in the in
trodu&ion, clearly argues the trade to be criminal
and wicked :—and therefore can’t be encouraged by
buying the (laves of the hands of such traders, with
out being (harers in their guilt.
ANTIDOULIOS.
[To be continued^
BOSTON.
The following is a Copy of a Letter said to be
wrote by Gen. Brattle of Cambridge, to Gov. Gage
(it came to the Printer with this Indorfement,
“ The infamous Col. Brattle’s Information to Gov.
Gage, to seize our Province Powder.”
Cambridge, August 29, 1774.
MR. Brattle pre fen ts his Duty to his Excellency
Gov. Gage, he apprehends it his Duty to
acquaint his Excellency from Time to Time with
every Thing he hears and knows to be true and is
of Importance in these troublesome Times, which
is the Apology Mr. Brattle makes for troubling the
General with this Letter. Capt. Minot of Con
cord, a very worthy Man, this Minute informed
Mr. Brattle that there had been repeatedly made
prefiing applications to him to warn his Company
to meet at one Minute’s Warning,equipt with Arms
and Am unition, according to Law, he had conftant
iy denied them, adding, if he did not gratify them
he (hould be constrained to quit his Farms & To m ;
Mr. Brattle told him be had better do that than lose
his Life and be hanged for a Rebel, he observed that
many Captains had. done it, though not in theßegi
ment ts which he belonged, which was and is under
Col. Elifna Jones, but in a neighbouring Regi
ment.
This Morning the Seleft-Men of Medford, came
and received their Town Stock of Powder, which
was in the Arsenal on Quarry-Hill, so that there is
now therein, the King’s Powder only, which (hall
remain there as a (acredDepofitum till ordered out by
the Capt. General.
To bis Excellency General Gage, &c. &c. &c.
To the P U B L I C.
Mr. Brattle begs Leave humbly to quere, Whe
ther it would not be best that there (hould not be
cne Commission Officer of the Militia in the Pro
vince.
On perceiving- the concourse on Friday morning,
theCommittee of Cambridge sent express toCharlei
town, who communicated the intelligence toßofton,
and their respective Committees proceeded to Cam’
bridge without delay. When the firft of the Bos
ton committee came up, they found some thousands
of people assembled before the Court-House, and
judge Danforth Handing on the steps ipeakm to the
body, declaring in substance, that having now ar
-1-’. ^.d at a very advanced age, and spent the greater
thole that did, I wis not convinced fd great Co Hi
would result therefrom as if another Method wa
taken : Secondly, I thought, and ftiil think, it
would be much better for the Province ; for sup
posing there was notone Commission Offi er for the
present in it, what Damage could the Province sus
tain r It may be answered,- Commission Officers are
supposed to be the most understanding in Military
Affairs; I grant it: Butfuppofing their Commissi
ons were vacated, supposing the refpeftive Compa
nies in the Province were disposed and determined
to do any one Matter or Thing, which they imagin
ed to be for its Safety ; and proper Persons were to
be employed to lead them, &c. doth their not hav
ing Commissions in the least unfit them from being
employed in the particular Services they may be
chosen to execute ; and in this Way cannot any
One conceive that some bad Consequences might
be possibly prevented. 1$ it not easy to conceive,
that the Commission Officers, leading their respec
tive Companies, might in the Eyes of the Judici
ous be looked upon more blameable in doing any
fuchThings; than they would be if they were no.c
Military Officers, and did not aft under Commissi
on ? Might not the Difference with refpeft to the
Province be looked upon very great both at home
and here. It was suggested that General Gage de
manded the Towns Stocks of Powder ; this certain
ly he did not, the above Order f } eaks for itfelf. As
I would not have delivered the Provincial Powder to
any one but tohis Excellency or Order, so theTowns
Stocks I would have delivered to none but to the
Seleftmen or their Order. Upon the whole, the
Threatenings I have met with, my Banifnment from
my own Home-, the Place of my Nativity, myHoufe
being searched, though I am informed it was with
out Damage, and the Sense of the People, touching
my Conduct, &c. cannot but be grievous, yet this
Grief is much leflened by the Pleasure arising in my
Mind, from a Consciousness that I am a Friend to
my Country; and, in the above Instances, that I
really afted according to my best Judgment for its
true Interest. lam extremely sorry for what has
taken Place ; I hope I may be forgiven, and desire
it of all that are offended, since I afted from an ho
nest, friendly Principle, though it might be a mu
taken one. " W. BRATTLE
BOSTON, Sept. 8.
On Wednesday last, the new divan (consisting of
the wretched fugitives with whom the just indica
tion of their refpeftive townfmen,by a well-observed
expulsion, have filled this capital) usurped the feats
round the council board inßofton. Their delibera
tions have not hitherto tra^.fpired ; and with equal
secrecy, on thuriday morning at half after four, a
bout 260 troops embarked on boaid 13 boats at rhe
Long-Wharf and proceeded up Medford river, to
Temple’s farm, where they landed, and went to the
powder-house on Qarry-hill,in Charleftown bounds,
whence they have taken 250 half baircls of powder,
the (lore there, and carried it to the Castle.
A detachment from the corps went toCambridge,
and bro’t off two field-pieces, which had lately
been sent there for Col. Brattle’s regiment. The
preparation for this expedition caused much specu
lation, as some who were near the Governor gave
out that he had sworn the committee of Salem
(houlft recognize or be imprisoned, nay, some said
they would be put on board the Scarborough and
sent to England forthwith. The committee of
Boston fentoff an express after ten on wednefday e
vening to advise their brethren of Salem of what
they apprehended was comming against them, who
received their message with great politenefs,and re
turned an answer purporting their readiness to re
ceive anyattack they might be exposed to for aft ng
in pursuance to the laws and interest of their coun
try as became men and chriftians.
From these several hoftileappearances the county
of Middlesex took the alarm, and on thurfday even
ing began to colleft in large bodies with their arms
provision and ammunition, determining by some
means to give a check co a power which so openly
threatned their deftruftion,and in Rich aclandeftme
manner robb’d them of the means of their defence,
and on Friday morning some thousands of them had
advanced to Cambridge, armed only with (licks, as
they had left their fire arms, &c. at some diftanCe
behind. Some indeed had collefted on thurfday e
veningand surrounded the attorney-general’s iioufe,
who is also a judge of admiralty on the ne w plan
for Nova Scotia, and being provoked by the firing
of a pistol from a window, they broke some glaft,
but did little other mifehief The company how e
ver, concerned in this, were mostly boys & negroes,
who soon dispersed.
part in the (ervice of rite public, it was a great mor
tification to him to find a itep lately takeu by him
so difagreeab'e tohis country, inwhich hec • iGien
tioufiy had meant to serve them ; but fi idiim their
general sense against his holding a feat at the
council board on the new eftabliffimeat ke af
furedthem that he Had resigned said Office, and.
would never henceforth accept cr aft. in any Office
inconsistent with the charter rights of his country ;
and in conformation of said declaration,he delivered
the following certificate, viz.
Altho' 1 have this day mnae ah open dcclaralien to a
great concourse of people veho assembled at Cambridge, that
1 had resign dmy Seat at the Council Board, yet hr ih'e
further JalisfaCiion of alii Ido hereby deciare unoer n;y
hand, thatjuch refignatiou has actually been made, and
that it is my full purpose net to be any veay concerned at a »
Member of the Council at any time hereafter.
September 2, 1774, . S. DANFORTH.
Judge Lee was aho cn.the court-house heps, and
delivered his mind to the body in terms fimdar to
those used by Judge Danforth, and delivered the
following declaration, viz.
Cambridge, 2d Sept. 2774.
AS great numbers cf the inhabitants of tbmccimtrj are
came into this toun, since my Jatisfying those ache voei e
met, not only by declaration, but by reading to them vobat
I vorote to the go uerncr at my rejgnaticn, and be try desir
ous to give the vohok county and province full J. iyaMon
in this matter, I hereby declare my resignation of a feat in
the nevi conjlitutia council, and my ~ act er mi-nut ion to give
no further attendance. JOS. LEE.
Upon this a vote was called for to (ee if the body
was iatisfied with the declarations and .resignations
abevefaid, and it palled in the affirmative, num con.
- It was chen moved to know whether that whole .
body would lignify their abhorrence of. mobs, riots
and defti action of private property, and palled in
the aitnmadve, nem. cop.
Col. Phipps, the h.gh iheriff of the .county, then
came before the com mate of the body and .complain
ed that he had been hardly fpukvn of for the p r he
acted in delivering thepowder inCharleftown maga
zine to the foldieiy ; which, the commntec candidly
coaiidcred, and reported, to th-, body,- tnat'it v as
their opinion the high iheriff was excufablc, as he
had abtea in conformity to his order from the com
mander in chief. Col. Phips allb delivered the fol-
Jowing declaration by Km iubferibed, vizi
THAT I will not execute any Precept thatfiiall
be sent me under the new Ads of Parliament for al
tering the Conltitution of the Province of the Mft
fachtdctts-Bay, and that I will recall the Venires
that I have sent out under the new Eftabliffimem.
Cambridge, Sept. 2, 1774. DAVID PHIPS.
Which was accepted as fa-tisfaftory.
About 3 o’clock his Honor Lieut. Governor O
liver set off fromC.ambridge to Boston, and inform’d
Gov. Gage of the true (late of matters, and the bu
siness of the people ; which, as his Honor told the
Admiral, were not a mad mob, but the Freeholders
of the County, promising to return in two hours and
confer further with them on his own circumflances
asprefident of the Council. On Mr. Oliver’s re
turn he came to the committee and fignified what
he had delivered to the body in the morning, viz,
that as the commissions of Lieut. Governor und Fre
fident of the Council seemed tack’d tc-pethcr, he
(hould undoubtedly incur his Majesty’s dfipleafure
if he resigned the latter and pretended to hold the
(ermer ; and nobody appeared to have any objection
to his enjoying the place he held conilituticnal’y,
he begged he might not be pressed to incur the dm.
pleasure at the instance of a single County, w!il,c
any other Counfellor held on the new efiabliihment.
A hi ring them however, that in case the mind of t;ie
whole Province collefted in congress or otherwise,
appeared for his resignation, he would by no means
act in opposition to it. This seemed fatisfaCtory to
the Committee, and they were preparing to deliver
it to the body, when Commissioner Hallowell came
through the town on his way to Boston. The fi^ht
of that obnoxious person so inflamed the people,
that in a few minutes above iso hoi fem-n were
drawn up and proceeded in pursuit of him on full
gallop.-- Caj t. Gardner of Cambridge, firft bec-an
a parley with one of the foremoll, which caused him
to halt till he delivered his mind very fully in dis
suasion of the pursuit, and was (econded by Mr.
Deavens of Charieftown, and Dr. Young of Boston.
They generally observed, that the objeft of the bo
dy’s attention that day .seemed to be the refiznution
of unconstitutional Counfellors, and chat it might
introduce coufufion into the proceedings of the day
if any thing else was brought on the carret till chat
important business-was finiihc-1; and in a little time
the gentlemen dismounted their hodes and return
ed to the body. Bat Mr. Hallowell did not entire
ly escape, as one gentleman of a small stature puffied
on before the general body and followed him, who
made the best of his vzay till he got inn Roxbury,
where Mr. overtook and ftopt him in his chaiffi.
Mr. Hallowell Inap’d his pistol at him, but could
notdifengage himlelf till he quitted the chaile and
mounted his fe; vant’s horse, on which, he drove m
to Boston with all the (peed he could, till the hoJe