The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1774-07-12 00:00:00, page 2

war in your reign, what have we got ? whole is the
conquests ? to whom are the lands given? andwhofe
is the tra. e, &c. &c. but we have not complained of
this. We have had continual wars to maintain
with the savages of the wilderness : We have la
bor'd and toil'd hard to fubduea hard and rugged
country, and all the favihgs of our labour and toil
has been laid out in and remitted to Great-Bri
tain, to vast increase of their wealth and power.
Your crown, Sir, has received almost tenfold luftie
^nd dignity,from the weight and importance of your
extended colonies. But you have conceived Sir,
mbit ungrounded prejudices against your faithful
Americans ; you have been made to believe, they
are stubborn, factious, rebellious and are aiming at
total independance, &c. than which nothing can be
more falfe. We loved and revered your ancestors
almost to idolatry : We did at firft and were difpof
cd to love and honour you as much ; we delight in
a constitutional dependance on our King and Parent
State, and we dread nothing,but Slavery,more than
a Separation from them : yet you have believed
lies concerning us, forced by our enemies, and those
whom you will sooner or later believe to be alio
your's. Your beloved Governor in a northern colo
ny, has misrepresented and betrayed his country,
and be assured Sir,as thy foul liveth, he would upon
the fame principles betray his King and his God.
They have alienated your affections from us, and
ours are almost totally alienated from you. All that
is true concerning us, which can difaffed your
m---ty, is, that we are all most zealously and unal
terably attached for our constitutional Rights and
Liberties to which we were born, and in possession
of which we are resolved to die ; and if your majes
ty is pleased willingly to indulge us in the enjoy
ment of them, and govern us according to constitu
tion, original compact and ancient usage, we are
yours forever, & you are & may be the greateftPrince
on earth, and your posterity renowned to the late#
period of time. But alas---. We will close she
feene, and may it never be drawn from the life.
And now, great Sir, be intreated,be befeeched by
all that is good, just and sacred, by all that is dear
to yourfelf, to the many ten millions of your sub
jects, born and to be born, not to be offended at, nor
think this to be the language of treason or difaffedi
on, but the words of truth and soberness, the calm
and serious expostulation of the most faithful fub
jedsin your dominions. And O that wisdom and
moderation might guide your council before it be
quite too late to regain the affections of this country,
that you and your posterity may long be great and
happy in our duty and zeal, and we in your and
their fatherly care and proteainn. It is the ardent
with of A ME RICA.
BOS T O N.
By the Captains Tittle and Merrick from Falmouth, and
the Captains Gordon, Brown and Loring, from Lon
don, arrived at Marblehead and Salem, we have the
following
FRESH INTELLIGENCE.
LONDO N.
In the Honfe of Commons, April 25,
THE order of the day for the second reading of
the bill for the more impartial administrati
on of justice in the province of the Massachusetts-
Bay, in New-England, being read, Mr. Dowdefwell
rose, and condemned the bill in the strongest and
most spirited terms. He said, it was amode of pro
ceedure unknown to the constitution or annals of
this country, to drip any body of men of their Char
ter rights without trial or indeed without examina
tion ; it was in fact punishing unheard, upon evi
dence exparte, and by an ex pof faflo law. He inc,
lifted, that before they were dripped of a single
franchife, much more of their corporate or political
capacity, their delinquency, should be proved, er
the offences which were supposed to imply it confef
fed, or the principles which led to it publicly a
vowed and asserted ; that the present bill was no
less than punifhinga supposed crime, without evi
dence on one fide, or confeffing on the other ; and,
that for his part, upon any principle of justice or
precedent, he could not possible fee in what manner
the House could proceed to pass judgment, without
firft hearing the party in their own defence.
Mr. Dyfon denied that Parliament was confined
by the rules laid down by the Honourable Gentle
man who spoke before him. He contended that
there was nothing new in the present mode of pro
ceeding ; and, that if precedents were to direct us
on the present occasion, the history of Parliament
was full of them.
Mr. Sawbridge said, he should continue to thelaft
to set his face against the bill ; that was one of the
most tyrannic measures that could possibly be de
vised ; that it was difficult to decide which of the
three bills was the word; but the present seemed
rather to deserve the firftplace ; that the title of the
bill was the very reverse of what it pretended ; for
instead of the word impartial, it should be partial;
& that the only consolation he had was, that the per
nicious and detbudtive designs of the prefenr Minis
try would most assuredly be counteracted by their
folly.
better regulating the government of the Massachu
setts-Bay being read, Mr. Dowdefwell offered to
present a petition from William Bollan, Esq; agent
for the council of the said province. A very warm
and well fupporfed debate ensued. Amotion being
made, that laid Bollan's petition, presented to the
Houle the 14th of March laft,might be read accord
ingly ; and another motion being made, that the
present petition be brought up, the question was
put, and the House divided, ayes 32, noes 95. ---A
motion was then made, that the report be received
on this day four months. The combatants returned
again to the fame ground, and the question being
put at 8 o'clock, it passed in the negative without a
division.
Aprilzg. At four o'clock the house went into a
committee on the bill for the impartial administrati
on of Justice in the province of the Massachusetts-
Bay, in New-England. Several clauses were offer
ed by Mr. Wallace, which were received, and seve
ral amendments were made to the bill, and agreed
to. Ordered to be reported on Monday.
It is said, the parliament will not rife till Thurs
day the 17th of June, at soonest.
We hear from Chippenham,that the woollen trade
there, in the Devizes, and all the neighbourhood, is
very dead ; that the journeymen clothiers and their
families are running about the country in a most
miserable condition to seek bread,which is owing to
the merchants in Bristol not making the usual pro
vision for furnishing America.
Extract of a letter from Norwich, April 23.
" It touches my heart to fee the misery of our
poor weavers. There used to be orders from the
American merchants ; but those being flopped,
prevent our manufacturers from being able to employ
the poor workmen."
May 6. The kill for the better providing suitable
quarters for Officers and Soldiers in his Majesty's
service in North-America reported, with amend
ments, and ordered to be engrossed.
A scheme is in agitation for establishing a mint
for silver coinage at New-York, for the better regu
lation of American currency.
Ma) g. The bill for procuring quarters for
troops in North-America will likewise pass the low
er house this day.
„ The order of the day for the third reading of the
bill for the impartial administration ofjuftice, &c.
in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, being called
for, the bill was read, and a very warm debate en
sued. At 6 o'clock a motion was made that the
bill do pass ; the question being put, the house di
vided, Ayes 127, Noes 24.
May 10. Yefterdaj the bill for the impartial ad
tniniftration of justice in the province of Massachu
setts-Bay ; the bill for providing quarters for the
troops in North-America ; the Hull Harbour bill,
and the bill for repairing Ayr road were presented
to the upper house.
Members have been sent for from all parts of the
kingdom both for and against the oppofition,fo that
warm work is expended this week at Westminster.
Something is now brewing by Col. B , Sir
G S , and two or three equally great men,
which lord N greatly apprehends will turn out
very bitter.
, May 12. Yeflerday a petition from several na
tives of America, was presented to the upper assem
bly, praying leave to be heard against the bill for
regulating the future government of Massachusetts-
Bay, and likewise against the bill for the impartial
administration ofjuftice in the above province; the
£ me was accordingly read, and ordered to lie on the
table.
Another petition was afterwards presented from
Mr. Bollan, agent for the council of Massachusetts-
Bay, praying that he might be heard against the re
gulating bill, A debate then arose whether Mr.
Bollan should be called to the bar. At last the
question being put, the contents were 21, not con
tents 57.
The order of the day was then read for the bill to
regulate the future government, &c. to be read a
third time; which being done, and the question put
April zy. At four o'clock the House went into a
Committee on the Bill for regulating the Govern
ment of Massachusetts-Bay in North-America. The
bill underwent a great number of alterations in the
Committee, several amendments being made, and
clauses proposed, some of which are to be offered a
gaih on the third reading. At fix o'clock the house
thinned greatly, so that from thence to the time the
Committee broke up, there were hardly members
fufficient to make a house.
April 28. The order of the day for receiving the
report from the committee to whom the bill for the
Colonel Barre said a few words, and was as usual,
extremely pointed, severe, rational and convincing;
but the question being repeatedly called for, though
the debate did not continue above three qurters of an
hour, the bill was committed for Friday without a
division.
May 14. The King and Queen's going down
to Portsmouth is not as yet finally fixed on ; it de
pends partly upon the motions of parliament,which
are not as yet regulated, and partly 011 the French
King's death. If the latter should take place, the
mock review may be changed into an actual one,
and Admiral Pye be succeeded by Admiral Saun
ders.
It is whispered in many places, that the death cf
the King of France will be the cause of many great
men losing their heads in that kingdom. TheLuke
de Choifeul has ventured to Paris, and is very busy;
the Duke de Auguillion and Madame Barre begin
to find their friends falling off amazingly. In short
Paris and Versailles are in some mcafure,all in con
fuhon. The people de not hesitate to Ipeak their
minds, and it mult be a miracle that prevents a ci
vil war. This is expected, and if they go on as
they have begun, it is thought arbitrary power will
be very short lived there.
The produce of North-America which used to be
sent yearly to Great -Britain, is reckoned at about
four millions sterling; the manufactures of Britain,
and other commodities returned from hence, at
nearly the fame sum ; the debt due from the peo
ple in America to the British merchants here, at a
bout fix millions or a year and a half of that com
merce, taking the time past by that to come ; sup
posing, therefore the Americans to aft out of re
sentment in their present contest, as they did in that
ofthe damp-aft, we shall then have yearly, until
the final settlement of this affair, manufactures to
the value of four millions fterl ng left, and heaped
on the hands of our merchants and matter manufac
turers, or we shall have workmen and poor people
put out of employ, and turned adrift in that pro
portion. ---These are some of the difficulties and
distresses which we are, for the fake of a trial offeill
with our colonies, to bring on ourselves, and which
must be perpetually magnifying and increasing, as
long as the unnatural contest shall continue,
The present critical situation of France occupies
all conversation at the weft end of the town. Every
runner of Buckingham House eagerly fays, before
fore he is asked the question, The King cf France i^
,ot dead. He fays so, because his employers wish
it. The Life of the French King was an insurance
office for Peace to Great-Britain. And those be
wildered miici eants; who have been imposing the
falfe gla e of peace, by submitting to repeated in
sults ; and cf plenty, by listening to Scottish pro
jefts, n w swallow and echo the last lie of the hour,
viz, by faying the King of France is alive; It is
acuftom in France whenever the King is so ex
tremely ill as to be past all hope of recovery; then to
bring the crown and place it, for a few moments,
upon his bed. This ceremony has been performed.
Ihe House of Bourbon never had so favourable
an opportunity for commencing a war with Great-
Britain. 'I he colonies dismembered, Scotland in
solvent, Ireland depopulated,and England infulted c
Can it. be imagined,that Broglio and Choifeul have
not full and authentic intelligence of all the mad
ness and folly ofour Court?
Another correspondent sent us information this
morning, that it may be depended upon, the King
of France is dead. This event, the most knowing of
the ministry fay, will produce a war.
By letters received from Ameriea we are informed
that Adams, Hancock, Rowe and Mackintosh, the
four Leaders of the Bostonians, have notice of the
designs formed by administration to seize their per
lons, and have taken effectual methods to evade the
Orders sent over for them.
Extras of a Letter from the Hague, Ma,
" It was reported lad week, but very much con
firmed by the last mails, that a French camp of
40,000 men is ordered to be ereded at Mentz, and
two others of 20,000 men each near Valenciennes,
" We are likewise informed, that a French ar
my of 15,000 men have been just polled upon the
coasts near Dunkirk.
~’'""' Ma J S' "is Mast Christian Majesty's in
difyofition is drawing to a crisis ; the symptoms are
at present much lets favourable than they were tW
zdinftant.
whether the bill should pad another ftremg debate
arose : the Duke of Richmohd spoke firft, and was
^nfwered by Lord Sandwich, Lord Dartmouth,
Lord Camden, Lord Mansfield, and the Marquis of
Rockingham, which elofeti the debate.
The question was then put arid the house divided
upon the question, that the bill do pass ; contents
with the proxies, 92, not contents, with the prexies,
20. #
Strong has been the reports all this day that the
great warrior and philofopherof the north has un
expectedly ended his days."
Even wagers are how laying in the city that the
King of Prussia is dead.
The politics of Europe are expected to take &
most sudden change : every thing now bears the
profpeftof war, from the confufion into which the
different interests will be thrown. In apprehension
of this, docks are expected to have a fuden down
fall.