The New-Hampshire gazette and historical chronicle — Portsmouth, N.H., 1773-07-09 00:00:00, page 1

? BOSTON, July 1, 177,.
Further Proceedings of the Council, &c. in
the Massachusetts.
In COUNCIL, June 24, 177,
Message from the Council to the Governor, June 24.
May it please your Excellency,
THE Board have copfidered your Excellency's Message
received this Day. They art humbly of Opinion,
that the Reftridtions to their Committee implied no
difrefyerft to your Excellency, nor were they intended
as such ; and if they were unusual arid unprecedented, it was be
cause the occasion upon, which that Committee was appointed,
wasoriginal and unprecedented likewise. The Board think it
not onlya fufficient Excuse, but a full Justification of them, in
laying such Refyidibns on their Committee, that they could
upon no other Terms obtain the Letters, to be laid before your
Excellency, agreeable to your Proposal in your Message of the
17th Inflant ; and are at a Loss to conceive, how such Reftric
(ion coul^carry with it the least Suspicion of Unfairnefs on the
Part of the Board ; which was very far from their Intention.
The End which the Board had in View in laying these Let
ters before your Excellency was no. so much to obtain Satisfac
tion for themfelve3 as to their Genuineness, as to give your Ex
cellency an Opportunity to lay any Thing you might think pro
per to lay before the Board, when those Letters should come un
der their Confederation.
The Board will give all Attention to your Excellency's Re.
commendation to them, to give Dispatch to the Business of the
6 eneral Court lying before them.
Report ofthe Committee on the Governor and Lieutenant-Gover
nor's Letters, with the Revives about the genuineness offaid
Letters, 'June 24, 177,
THE Committee having made Report to this Board on the
fix Letters of Governor Hutchinson, dated J^ne 18. Au
gust --- 4th Odober, loth Dec, 1768, 20th January and 20th
O&o# 1769, and written while he was Lieutenant-Governor of
this Province, and on the four letters of Lieutenant-Governor
Oliver, dated 7th May 1767, 11th May 1768, 13th Feb. and
12th August 1769, and written when he was Secretary of the
Province. All which Letters were referred to said Committee
the 220 Infant .•
Unanimously RESOLVED, that the said fix Letters clearly
appear to this Board, both from the Letters themselves and from
the declaration in the Governor's Message received this Day, to
be truly genuine Letters of his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson,
Esq; and as such are to be considered.
Also unanimously RESOLVED, that the said four Letters
clearly appear to this Board from the Letters themselves to be
truly genuine Letters of the Hon# Andrew Oliver, Esq; and as
such are to be considered.
June 25, 1773, Tb e Report of the Committee aforefaid was ac
cepted, and is as follows.
IN considering the Letters referred by the Honorable Board to
their Committee-—the Committee thought it proper to fele&
from them force of the Paragraphs, that Appeared the most ex
ceptionable, an'd to make on,(hem such Observations as natural
ly & most obviously arise from the Subje& : and from the whole
to form a Refult,that the Paragraphs & Observations would juf
tify. These Observations are made with the utmost Regret,
not only on account of the distinguished Stations of the Hono
rable Letter-Writers, but also on account of the Opinion, which
has been entertained of their good Disposition to promote the In
terefis and Welfare of the Province.
The Letters we shall firfl Notice are the Six with the Signa
ture of his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esq; Governor of
this Province. They were all written while he was Lieutenant
Governor, and except the last in the Administration of Gover
nor Bernard.
His Excellency's Letter dated Boston the 18th June, 1768,
gives an Account of the withdraw of the Commissioners cf the
, Customs from the Town, reprefenfed to be in consequence of a
Mob railed by the Seizure of a Sloop feme days before : and he
is pleased to obfeive that "no Notice was taken of their Extra
vagance in the time of it, nor any Endeavours by any Authority
except the Governor the next day, to difeover and puniffi the
Offenders." "The Governor pressed the Council to assist him
with their Advice, but they declined and evaded, calling it a
BruSh or small Disturbance by Boys arid Negroes, not considering
how much it muff be resented in England that the Officers of the
Crown Should think themselves obliged to quit the Place of their
Residence, and go on board a King's Ship for Safety, and all the
internal Authority of the Province take no Notice of it." -,
This Representation remarkably corresponds with Governor
Bernard's, We Shall here only remark, that no Notice could
be taken cf the Mob's "Extravagance in the time of it," as it
happened in the Evening, was sudden, and of Short continuance :
That the next day being Saturday, hot only the Governor but
the Council with him, agreed that an Examination Should be
made into the Affair, in order to the discovery and Punishment
cf the Offenders ; for which Purpose the Governor appointed
the next Monday Morning. But forßeafons known to h mfelf,
he then put off the Examination, and never after renewed the
Appointment for it. The Council therefore did not need the
Governor to press them to aflift him with their Advice, nor did
they decline or evade.it ; all which is manifeft from their De
fence of themselves in their Proceedings on the 29th of July
1768, and in their Letter to Lord Hillfborotigh of the 15th of
April 1769 : Which Shew, not only that Governor Bernard'#
Representation cf the Conduct of the Cnuncitin this Affair,
but allo that Governor Hutchinson's fimiliar Representation of
it, is unkind, injurious and unjust. And this Unkindness, In
jury and Injustice were increased by his referring Mr. Whately
(or whoever this Correfpondeat was) to the Letter-Bearer " for
^4^ far-. T H E XVII.
NEWHAMPSHIRE GAZETTE,
H 1 STO^ICAL
Containing the P'reffieft ADVICES
.Friday July 9, 1773. ~rtstr no.B73^,^^^.
pears by the Council Minutes, and never after resumed it : this
seemed f range in the time of it, but the Reason appears more
clearly fence our feeing the printed Votes of the House of Com
mons, wherein among the Papers on American Affairs, laid be
fore that House, there are mentioned Defections relative to the
said Riot ; enclosed to your Lordfeip in Governor Bernard's Let
ter, dated June 14,1768, and mentioned in the said Votes.
New my Lord, is it any way uncharitable to feppofe the Governor
peppered the Enquiry with the said Jufices, in order that there
might be no Contradiction between the Defections that might
have been thus jointly taken, and such as be bad enclosed to your
Lord Ship f Was it not more likely my Lord, that a true State
of Fads might have been broughtforth by such a joint Enquiry,
thanby a Operate one. On the one Hand, it might be said, the
Jufices, without the Governor, would be mod inquiftive after
Falls and Circumfarces, that would place the Delinquents in the
most favourable light ; and on the other Hand, that the Gover
nor might run into the contrary Extreeme, which would place
them in the motft Light; and if this fhculd be thought probable
on both Hands, from both of them conjunepty, the exakk State of
Falls might have been expelled. It is therefore to be regretted,
ard argues a Difpoftiom and Def.gn in the Governor to represent
Things in the worst Light, that be pefponed, and never after
resumed the Enquiry ; and the Reprefehtations contained in
authenticated Copies cf for Letters transmitted to us, are a De
menftration of such a Difpoftim ; and of a Difroftion, under
Pretence of magnifying the King's Power, to make hit own ar
bitrary and uaGonuolabli,
a more full Account." and by so doing giving the Weight of his
Authority to every Thing which might be represented by one,
who went to England as a Complainant, and with a high Spirit
of Resentment against the People here.
To elucidate more fully the Injustice of his Excellency's Re
presentation, we beg Leave to annex hereto feme Extracts froln
the Council's Letter to Lord Hillifborowh abovementioned.*
His Excellency's next Letter dated August 1768, attempts to
juftify the Conduct of the Commissioners of the Culloms, that
is, "four of them," particularly in their withdraw from the
Town: and seems in some parts of it calculated to invalidate
what the Council had said concerning them in their answer to
Governor Bernard on the 29th of July 1768, wherein the Board
declares, "that the Commissioners were not obliged to quit the
Town,that there never had been any insult offered to them, and
that their quitting the Town was a voluntary a& of their own."
His Excellency fays concerning them, " It is now pretended
they need ndt to have withdrawn ; and that Mr. Williams had
flood his ground without any injury, altho' the Mob beset his
house. But there never was that spirit railed against the under
Officers as against the Commissioners, I mean four of them."--
There appeared a much higher spirit against Mr. Williams than
against the Commissioners before they absconded; & as he flood
his ground without any injury, altho' the Mob beset his house, so
it may be justly inferred, that they also might have flood their
ground at least 'till their houses had been beset, which never had
happened.---"! do not believe (continues his Excellency) if the
mob had seized them, there was any authority able and willing
to have refeued them." There was no just occasion for this de
claration, as the Commiflioners had not been seized, nor the
least attempt, made for that purpose. If "after they had with
drawn, the Town fignified th the Governor by a message that it
was expected or desired they should not return :" And if "it
was then the general voice, that it would not be fafe for
c^#ofc#c^^#c^^
* " The Governor [ Bernard J has found great Fault with the
Conduit of the Council towards the Commissioners, " The
Virulence with which they have been treated, seems, be fays, to
be too violent to be the Effect of public Zeal only, without the
Interference of private Anim&fty, The Council, my Lord,
even if they had been influenced by nicer Motifs of Resentment,
could juftify all they have either said oY done with Regard to the
Commissioners, who in divers oftheir Letters to the Governor,
which be laid before the Council, have treated tie Council in a
very unbecoming Manner ; one of which Letters, in the time of
it, the Council would have animadverted on, but to prevent
their doing themselves 'Juftice, the Governor withdrew it. They
Lave not however been actuated by Resentment or private Ani
mofty,but by a Regard for the Town and Ptevince ; both which
the Commissioners, whatever they may have done by their Let
ters and Memorials to Administration, have greatly abused by
,their retiring ( under the Pretence of Safety ) on Board one of
his Majefy s Ships, and afterwards to the Cafle ' .intending
hereby that their Memorials should have the fronger Effect.
But, my Lord, their retiring was voluntary---- they were not
compelled to it they bad never been attacked, and 'tis highly
probable never would have been, unify they themselves badfrft
concerted the Plan of the Attack ; and that they bad concerted
such a Plan seems probable, from their ordering the Seizure of
the Sloop Liberty on the loth of June, with such circumflan
ces of Violence, and at such a time of Day, as indicated a Defgn
to create a Diflurbar.ee,which accordingly happened; & which,
tbd trifling in comparison with what it has been represented,
they improved as a plauJiFle Rtafon, on which to juftify their
voluntary Fliglt." — " Now we have bad Occafon to mention
the Riot of the loth of June, we cannot refrain mentioning one
circumfance concerning it, which is, that the Mot ring after it
happened being Saturday, the Governor, with the Advice of the
Council, appointed (^Committee of fuels Members of the Board
as were qualified to all as Jufices of the Peacejn the County of
Suffolk, to make Enquiry into the particular Falls as soon as may
be, and report to the Governor in Council, that so they might
take proper Measures on so interesting an Occafon ; and the Go
vernor defred the Committee to meet him on Monday Morning,
in order with him to proceed on the Enquiry : but on that Morn
ing, irfead of proceeding on the Enquiry, be pofponed it, as ap-
In such a State of Things was it not to be expelled that the
People would be uneasy ; and that they would manifeft their
Uneasiness by Disorders and Irregularity ? But notwithflanding
the variety of Causes operating to produce Disorder, it was ooc
carried to rhe Heigth represented in the above-mehtionedLetter :
the Tendency and Design of which could not be to allay the Re
sentment, which formerßeprefentations had occasioned.
The fame Letter further represents, that ''While we were in
this State, News came of two Regiments being ordered from
Halifax, and soon after two more fl cm Ireland. The Minds of
People were more and more agitated ; Broad Hints were given
that the Troops should never land. A Barrel of Tar was pla
ced upon the Beacon, in the Night to be fired to bring in the
Country when the Troops appeared ; and all the Authority of
the Government was not strong enough to remove it." .It jg
very true that on the News of those Regiments being ordered
hither, the Minds of People were in great Agitation : and at
that Time the Barrel was placed on the Beacon, where it con
tinued several Days, during theViolence of the Agitation. But
when it had somewhat abated, the Sheriff with one or two Af
fiflants went to the Beacon, and the latter, in the Presence of a
Number of People, took down the Barrel ; which instead of a
Barrel of Tar proved to be an empty Nail-Barrel, put there as
a Scarecrow, or more probably put there by some wanton Lads
to make for themselves Diversion : But however it got there,
and-whatever might be the Purposes to be answered by it, it was
rll-fuited for a Signal to be fired in the Night to bring in the
Country when the Troops appeared ; and there was no Founda
tion for faying, that all the Authority cf the Government Was
not strong enough to remove it."
His Excellency mentioning the Arrival of the Troops from
Halifax fays "Two Regiments are landed, but a new Grievance
is now railed : the Troops are by Adi of Parliament to be quar
tered no where else but in theßarracks until they are full, There
are Barracks enough at the Castle to hold both Regiments. It
is therefore against the A 6 t to bring any of them into Town.
This was Parted by the Council in their Answer to the Gover
nor, which to make themselves popular, they in an unprecedented
way published, and have alarmed all the Province : For altho"
none but the most contrasted Minds could put such a Construc
tion upon the A€l, yet after this Declaration of the Council
nine Tenths of the People suppose it jud." We have examined
the Aft of Parliament referred to, and the then Council's Con
ftrudion of it, and we are clearly of opinion that their Conftruc
• tion of it is just ; altho' by thus giving our Opinion we involve
ourselves in the Censure cast upon that Council. With refpeft
to their publishing their Answer in an unprecedented Way, to
make themselves popula&they have wholly vindicated them
selves against this Charge f which with great Virulence was
urged against them by Governor Bernard, and which his Excel
lency Governor Hutchinson thought proper to adopt He is
pleased to add, "I wifli the Aft had been better expressed, but
it is absurd to fupppofe the Parliament intended to take fromt
cfoo^cfocfrfo***
f See the Council's printed Letter to the Earl of Hillsborough
dated April 15, 1769,
[ See more in the bf, Page, ]
By the said Letter his Excellency appears to have encouraged
the carrying into effect a measure which the Commissioners and
Governor Bernard had been earnestly pursuing, namely, the pro
curing regiments to be sent hither : for he is pleased to fay in
that letter, that "with all the aid you can give to the officers cf
" (he Crown, they will have enough to do to maintain the au
" thority of government and to carry the laws into execution
!' If they are discountenanced, negle&ed or fail of support from
" you, they must submit to every thing the present oppofers of
" government think fit to require of them." So far as his Ex
cellency has been incremental in procuring regiments to be sent
hither, he has been inftrumehtal in effecting a measure which
has been productive of great confufion and bloodshed.
In the letter of the 4th of O&ober 1768, his Excellency men
tions that "many of the common People have been in a Phrenzy,
and talk'd of dying in Defence of their Liberties" ; that "too
many of Rank above the vulgar, and feme in public Etofts have
countenanced and encouraged them until theylncreafed so much
in their Numbers, and in their Opinion of their Importance as
to submit to Government no further than they thought
proper. The legislative Powers have been influenced by them,
and the executive Powers intirely loft their Force#" That "there
has been continual Danger of Mobs and Infurreaions"---That
for 4 or 5 Weeks past the Distemper has been growing, and I
confefs I have not been without fomeApprehenfions for myfelf."
On the Representation here given we would observe, that
altho' the State of Things at this Time was greatly disordered,
the Greatness of the Disorder more immediately arose from these
Causes, viz. from the Conduct of the Commissioners about and
in Consequence of the Seizure on the roth of June; from the
ministerial Order that the House of Representatives should re
feind certain Resolves of the former House ; from the Dissolu
tion of the General Court for the Refufal to refeind ; from the
Rumours that Regiments were sent for ; from the certain In
formation of their being ordered hither ; from Gov. Bernard's
repeated Refufal to call an Assembly in which the People in
these distressed Circumstances could place their Confidence ; and
from the Apprehension among them, whether well grounded
or not is immaterial, that, they were to be fubjedted to the Will
ofthe faidGovernor, who, if he ever had any, had loft all Regard
for them ; and was then manifeftly undermining their Liber
ties and Privileges.
them to return," which is affirmed by his Excellency, it would
not from thence follow, that "after all this the sons of liberty"
were mistaken in faying "they deserted or abdicated 1" for all
this might be, and undoubtedly was, occasioned by their impru
dent withdraw.