The New-Hampshire gazette and historical chronicle — Portsmouth, N.H., 1773-06-25 00:00:00, page 1

BOSTON, June 21.
The following RESOLVES, pffrd the Honora
ble House of Representatives last Wednesday,
which zuerc carried by a great Majority, viz.
70 E SOLVE D, That the Letters signed Tho. Hutch
^^ i-sot md thole fr;-fN Arn^irOtira w^frertnc ^erir
fideration of this Houfe,appear to be the genuine Letters of the
present Governor .and Lieutenant Governor of this Province,
whose Hand-Writing and Signatures are well known to many
of the Members of this House : And, that they contain agra
vated Accounts of Falls and Misrepresentations ; and that one
manifeft Design of them was to represent the Matters they treat
of in a Light highly injurious to this Province, and the Persons
against whom they were wrote,
Resolved. That though the Letters aforefaid, signed Thu.
Hutchinson, are said by the Governor in his Message to this
House of June 9th, to be "private Letters wrote to a Gentle
man in London, fierce deceased," and "that all except 'the last,
were wrote, many Months before he came to the Chair," yet
they were wrote by the present Governor, when he was Lieute
nant Governor, and chief Justice of this Province ; who has
been represented abroad, as eminent for his Abilities as for his
exalted Station ; and was under no official Obligation to trans
mit Intelligence of such Matters as are contained in said Let
ters : And they therefore must be considered by the person to
whom they were sent, as Documentsaof solid Intelligence : And
that this Gentleman in London to whom they, were wrote, was
then a Member of the British Parliament, and one who was
very a&ive in American Affairs ; and therefore that these Let
ters, however secretly wrote, must naturally be supposed to have,
and really had a public Operation.
Resolved, That these "private Letters," being wrote
"with express Confidence of Secrecy," was only to prevent the
Contents cf them being known here, As appears by said Letters ;
and this rendered them the more injurious in their Tendency,
and really infirluous.
Resolved, That the Letters signed Tho, Hutchinson, coh
fidering the Person by whom they were wrote, the Matters they
expressly contain, the express Referrence ih some of them for
"full Itelligence" to'Mr. Hollowell, a Person deeply interested
in the Measures so much complained of, and recommendatory
notices of divers other Persons whose Emoluments atiting from
out public BarthensTnight excite them roonfavourable Repre
sentations of us, the Measures they suggest, the Temper in
which they were wrote, the Manner in which they were sent,
and the Person to whom they were addrefs'd ; had natural and
eC atious Tendency to interrupt and alienate the Affections of
our most gracious Sovereign King George the Third, from this
his loyal and affectionate Province : To destroy that Harmony
and good Will between Great-Britain and this Colony, which
every Friend to either would wlh to eflablifh ;to excite the
Resentment of the Brittilh Administration against this Prb
,ince ; to defeat the Endeavours of our Agents and Friends to
serve us by a fair Reprefeutation of our State of Grievances ;
to present our humble and repeated Petitions from reaching
the Royal Ear of our common Sovereign ; and to produce the
severe and deftrultive Measures which have been taken against
this Province, and others (till more so which have been threat
ened.
Resolved, That the Letters signed And'w Oliver, consi
dering the Person by whom they were wrote,,the Matters they
expressly contain, the Measures they suggest, the Temper in
which they were wrote, the Manner in which they were sent,
and the Person to whom they were addressed; had a natural and
efficacious Tendency to interrupt and alienate the Affections of
our most gracious Sovereign King George the Third, from
this his loyal and affeffionateProvince; to destroy that harmony
and good will between Great-Britain and this Colony, which
every Friend to either would with .to establish ; to excite the
Resentment of the British Administration against this Province ;
to defeat the Endeavours of our Agents and Friends to serve us
by a fair Representation of our State of Grievances ; to prevent
our humble and repeated Petitions from having the desired Ef
fe& ; and to produce the severe and deftrultive Measures which
have been taken against this Province, and others still more so
Which have been threatened.
Resolved, As the Opinion of this House, That it clearly
appears from the Letters aforefaid. signed Tho. Hutchinson and
And'w Oliver, that it was the Desire and Endeavour of the
Writers of them, that certain Alls of the British Parliament
for railing a Revenue in America, might be carried into Effect
by Military Force ; and by introducing a Fleet and Army into
this his Majesty's loyal Province, to intimidate the Minds cf
his Subjects here, and prevent every con ftitutio'nal Meafrtre to
obtain the Repeal of those Alb so justly esteemed a Grievance
to us, and to suppress the very Spirit of Freedom.
Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this House, that as
the Salaries lately appointed for the Governor, Lieutenant Go
vernor, and Judges of this Province, direlWy repugnant to the
Charter, and subversive of Justice, are funded on this Revenue ;
• and as thefa Letters were wrote with a Design, and had a Ten
dency to promote and support that Revenue, therefore there is
great Reason to suppose the Writers of those Letters were well
knowing to, suggested and promoted the enabling said Revenue
Alts, and the Eftaidifhment funded on the fame.
Resolved, That while the Writer of these Letters signed
Tho, Hutchinson, has been thus exerting himfelf by his "secret,
confidential Correspondence," to introduce Measures deftrufiive
of our conftit^tronai Liberty ; he has been praftifing every Me
thod among the People of this Province, to fix in their. Minds
an exalted Opinion of his warmest Affection for them, and
his unremitted Endeavours to promote their best Intertft at the
Court of Great-Britai%
w^f THE V^XVIL
NEWHAMPSHIRE GAZETTE,
AND
HISTORICAL : CHRONICLE,
C ^^^ F^eft ADVICES F ORTiTT^ DOMESTIC
^== 0.1
Friday June 25, 1773 te NO@fylj™;^l
Whereas certain Letters signed by two private Persons, viz,
Thomas Moffat and George Rime,hate been laid before the House,
which Letters contain mams matter higlf i*,Meus „ Givc-r
ment, and to the National Peace:
Resolved, That it has been the Misfortune cf this Go
vernment from the earliest Period of it, from Time to Time, to
be secretly traduced and maliciously represented to the British
Ministry, by Persons who were neither friendly to this Colony,
nor to the English Constitution.
Resolved, That this House have just Reason to complain
of it as a very great Grievance, that the humble Petitions and
Remonstrances of the Commons of this Province are not allow
ed to reach the Hand of our most Gracious Sovereign, merely
because they are represented by an Agent to whofeAppointment
the Governor, with whom our chief Dispute may subsist, doth
not confers ; while the partial and inflarhatory Letters of indi
viduals, who are greatly interested in the Revenue Alls anathe
Measures taken to carry them into Execution, have been laid
before Administration, attended to and determined upon, not
only to the Injury of the Reputation of the People, but to the
depriving them of their invaluable Rights and Liberties.
Whereas this House are humbly of Opinion, that bis Ma[efy
will judge it to be incompatible with the IntereJFof bis Crown and
the Peace and fafety of the good People of this bis loyal Province,
that Persons jhould be continued in Places of high Trust arid Autho
rity in it, tube are known to have, with great Industry, though
secretly, endeavoured to undermine, alter and overthrow the Con
ft'ttution of the Province : Therefore,
Resolved, That this House is bound in Duty to the King
and their Constituents, humbly to remunerate to h ; s Majesty,
the Conduit of his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esq; Go
vernor, and the Honorable Andrew Oliver, Esq; Lieutenant Go
vernor of this Province ; and to pray that his Majesty would be
pleased to remove them for ever from the Government thereof.
000000009^0990
Immediately after the foregoing Resolves were patted, the
House appointed a Committee of Five, viz. Mr, Speaker, Mr.
Adams, Col. Hancock. Major Hawley, and Col. Leonard, to
prepare a humble Petitioned His Maj^sty, remonstrating
against the Conduit of his Excellency Tuomas Hutchinson
Esq; Governor, and the Hon. Andrew Oliver; Esq; Lieut.
Governor of this Province ; and to pray that His Majesty would
be pleased to remove them forever from theGovernment thereof.
^Proceedings of x bis Majesty's Council, &P. See lafl page]
Latent, June 22.
A most distressing and melancholy Affair.
Last Thursday, towards Evening, (the preceeding Part of the
Day having been very warm) the Horizon, Weftv/ard & North
ward, was rendered very dark and gloomy by the extensive Ap
pearance of many black Clouds, presaging a Thunder Storm ;
it however consisted chiefly in heavy Gusts of Wind. At this
Time four or five Boats were employed in bringing paving stones
from the Islands below ; after much Concern with Regard to
their Safety, they all happily returned the next Day. Two or
three Boats were also out at the fame Time, from this Place,
on Parties of Pleasure ; but all returned fafe ; excepting one,
the Fate of which was perhaps one of the most melancholy and
distressing Events that ever happened in or near this Place j an
Account of which is as follows :
Resolved, as the Opinion of thia House, that by.com
paring these Letters with those fitted And'w Oliver, Cha.
Paxton and Nath. Rogers, and confer e-ieg what has 'fince in
Fall taken Place conformable thermo, that it is manifeft there
have been for many Years past Me lores contemplated, and a
Plan formed by a set of Men, born educated among us, to
.©L !hI: own fortunes, aud or L.^ (htmfAvcc to Posts of
Honor and Profit, not only to the Deftrudion of the Charter
and Constitution of this Province, but at the Expence of the
Rights and Liberties of the American Colonies. And it is
further the Opinion of this House, that the said Persons have
been some of the chief Instruments in the Introduction of aMi--
litary force into the Province to carry their Plans into Execu
tion ; and therefore they have been not only greatly instrumen
tal of disturbing the Peace and Harmony of the Government,
and causing and promoting great Difeord and Animosities, but
are justly chargeable with the great Corruption of Morals, and
all that Confufion, Misery and Bloodshed, which have been the
natural Effects of the Introduction of Troops.
Whereas for many Years past, Measures have been taken by the
British Administration, very grievous to the good People of this
Province ; which this House have now reason tofuppof, were pro
moted, if not origira/ly suggested by the Writers of these Letters ;
arid many Efforts have been made by the People to obtain the Re
dress of their Grievances :
Resolved, That it appears to this House, that the Writers
of these Letters have availed themfclves of Disorders th^t natu
rally arise in a free Government under such Oppressions, as Ar
guments to prove, that it was originally necessary futh Measures
should have been taken, and that they should now be continued
and encreafed.
Whereas in the Letter Sighed Cha. Paxton, dated Boflon Har
bour, 'June 20: 1768, it is exprbfly declared, that "unless we
have immediately Two or Three Regiments, it is the Opinion of all
the Friends of Government, that BoJion will be in open Rebellion.''
Resolved, That this is a most wicked and injurious Re
presentation, designed to inflame the Minds of his Majesty's
Ministers and the Nation, and to excite in the Breast of our So
vereign a Jealousy of his loyal Subjects of said Town, without
the least Grounds therefor, as enemies of his Majesty's Person
and Government.
A large two-mast Boat, belonging to the Ceflom-Houfe, 0
29 Feet-Keel, with a Deck extending about half way from
Head to Stern, forming a considerable Cabbin, with about seven
Tons of Ballast, failed from Capt. Derby's Wharf about 10 or
1 I o'clock in the Forenoon, with four Men, seven Women, &
a Lad aboirt 15 Years old, all belonging to this Town. They
p>o«e-:eil to Baker's- lIL^, where they v^nt ^4.,-, A-.., yj
dined. In the Afternoon they went bn Board the Roat, and
flood to the Eastward of the Iliana, for the Purpose of Fishing;
then, about the Middle of the Afternoon, returned and anchored
between Baker's Island and the Misery (Island), where tkey
drank Tea. After they came to S6il again, the Clouds were
seen rising ; and the Weather appeared dark and threatening;
they determined to try for Marblehead Harbour. As the Wind
arose, they furl'd the Jibb, and took a double Reef in their
Mainsail. Mr. William Ward was the Commander of the
Boat ; and as the Wind increased, he was ^efired of the other
Men, who apprehended Danger, to lower the Sails; but he de
clined, faying the Boat would hand it ; and the others, trusting
his Judgment, thought proper to submit. The seven Women
were all confined ih the Cabbin. About 7 o'Clock, Ward be
ing at Helm, a sudden, smart Gust of Wind canted the Boat
over bn one Side ; Mr. John Becket,who flood near the Cabbin,
opened the Door, but had only Time to tell the Women the,
were all going to theßottom ; he heard their Shrieks, immedi
ately jumped upon Deck, and the Boat instantly funk. Out of
12 Persons on board, 10 were drowned, whose Names hre a^
follow, viz. ,
Mrs. Rebecca Giles, Widow of the late Mr. Eleazer Giles,
and Daughter of Capt. John White. Mr, Paul Kimball, Coop
er, and Mrs. Lydia Kimball, his Wife, Daughter of Dr. Fair
field. Mrs. Desire Holman,Wife of Mr. John Holman, Mari
ner now at Sea. Mr. William Ward, Boatmah ; and Mrs.
Mary Ward, his'Wife, Daughter of Mr, John Mafury. Miss
Esther Mafury, Sifter to the above Mrs Ward. Mr. Nathaniel
Diggadon, Tidewaiter ; and Mrs. Dtggadbn, his Wife. Mrs.
Sarah Becket, Wife of Mr. John Becket, jun. Boat-Builder,
and Daughter of Mr. William Brown, deceased,
Mr. John Becket, Husband to the above Mrs. Becket, and
his Apprentice, named Philip Becket, were the only two who
were saved., .
Mr. Becket found that Messrs. Kimball, Ward and Digga
don, had got into a small Skiff, which floated off the Beat as
fh p funk) and the Led had held rs 2 Pt~ r —' Pt-nk, a^eu, J
Feet long. Mr, Becket swam for the Skiff, which b fore he
could reach, overfet, when Kimball and Diggadon funic ; Ward
got hold of Mr. Becket, but in a Minute or two was disengaged
and funk also. There were how hone left but Mr Becket and
the Lad, the former held to the Skiff, and the latter to the Piece
of Plank.---As this Disaster happened within about one Mile
of Marblehead, it was seen by some People there, who, by their
timely and vigorous Efforts, got off a small Schooner, which
the Tide had left a Ground near a Foot, and took up Mr. Beck
et and the Lad, after they had been in the Water about half an
Hoilr.
1 The next Day, Friday, a great Number of People, from this
Town and Marblehead, in two Sloops and a Number of Boats,
went off to endeavour to weigh the sunken Boat, (one of the
Masts of which could just be seen at low Water) and also to
recover the Bodies. They succeeded in getting up the Boat;
and after towimg her up to a Wharf, which they reached be
tween 8 and § o'clock in the Evening, searched the Cabbin for
the Bodies of the unfortunate Women, when those cf Mrsf
Giles, Mrs. Becket, Mrs, Kimball, Mrs. Ward, Mrs. Holman;
and Mrs. Mafury, were found, all of which were landed on the
fame Wharf from which with so much Cheerfulhefs and Gaie
ty they departed the Day before.
The Bodies of the three Men are not yet found : And that
of Mrs. Diggadon, which was thought to be in the Cabbin, is
miffing. The fix that were found were all interred last Satur
day, Mrs. Ward and her Sifter in one Grave, and the others fe
pirate. The Solemnity of the Several Processions drew together
a vast Number of People, and the Funerals were attended by
People of all Ranks.
This Event is rendered still more affecting by the Situation
of the five married Women, who, it is said, were all pregnant,
and two or three of them far advanced.
DIED.] At Boston, Hugh Hall, Esq; ZE. Bd<
---At Charleftown Neck, Mr. John Beacham.
Captain David Ropes, who failed fiom this Place on. the yft
of May last, in the Sloop Two Friends, Pound to Cape-Nichola
Mole, came to Town the beginning of last Week, and,informs,
that 16 Days after he went out, in Lat. 31 and half, Long. 66
and half, his Feffel fprunga Leak ; and the Water came in so
fad, that he and his Meh, four in Number, had but jufltime to
gbt out their Boat, with some Provisions and &c. before the Ves
sel filled and overfet. They remained in the Boat 12 Days, du
ring which Time they saw five Sail, the last of which, Captain
Giles Muffon, took them up in Lat. 35. Long. 70, and carried
them to Virginia, from whence they arrived at Newbury-Port,
last Sunday fe'nnight in Capt. Stanwood.
BOSTON, Thursday, June if.
Anjel Nickerfon, a Priforer in this Town, cn Suspicion of his
being the Perpetrator of the Murder and Piracy committed on
board a Vessel bound from hence to Chatham last November was
las Week again examined : A Quantity of Money has been found,
and some other Circumfiances difeovered against the Priferer.
Monday last arrived here the armed Schooner St, Lawrence,
Capt Dundas; stem the Bahama Islands.
, Friday last the Powder was began to be. removed from the old
Powder- House to the new, the old one we hear is to be demolished
It is reported that feme Men, high in Authority among us, wi'l
fbortly embark for England.
Yeferdry failed Capt' Me, F^rtad, in a Schooner for London