The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-05-12 00:00:00, page 2

ana la,
nights, in
tained them
That on Thurfa#,
day of March, wh
husband Was murderer
one widow Walker's, in Vv orcefter who
although she was a Granger to the hou.
(he tarried with them the greater part<
that and the two following days was oftei
alone with them treated them very fami
liarly, and fuffered them to use great fa
miliarities. to the aftoniihment of Walker's
faraily, whoknew her rank in life. On
Saturday, when she went away from
Walker's some words passed between her
and Buhannon, at parting, which leaves
no doubt of their having agreed to meet
at Brookfield, the next day to effect the
death of Mr. Spooner.-
While she was absent on Saturday, Ross
fame to tlie house, end concealed himfelf
till the evening, when he looked through
a window and spoke to one widow Strata
ten, who was ironing in the kitchen and
told her that he was exceeding cold, but
could not co,me in because Jie wanted to
co rial himfelf from Mr. Spooner whose
horse had borrowed to go to Ipswich
to fee his father .and which he had abused.
This woman concealed him in the buttery
until Mrs. Spooner came nome who was
.received pleasantly by her husband. She
concealed Ross all the next day, being the
sabbath on the evening whereof the decea
sed went out and spent an hour or two
with one of his neighbours, as he ofually
did ; while he Was gone, Buhannon and
Brooks came to his house, and after a
great deal of conversation on the killing
Mr. Spooner. Die stipulated them to the
murder, sometimes by promiies of reward,
and at others by upbraidings of cowar
dice, untjl it was agreed that the three
men should stand centry by turns, to witch
his returning to his own house. About
nine o'clock he left his company, in a
chearful humour, and great calmness of
mind without the least suspicion of the
villainy. As became near to his own
door, Brooks met him and knocked him'
down ; he allied what was the matter, and
cried murder (as appears by the examin
ation of Brooks before the Justices) but
they all three fell upon, and presently
dispatched him, with repeated blows, and
unparalleled cruelty, and then threw him
into the well. After this they came into
the house to Mrs. Spooner, with the
cloaths of Brooks wet with the blood of
her innocenr husband. She went up to
his bed-chamber to get his money to pay
Brooks according to her promise and to
distribute his wealth amongst his murder
ers; but while she was there she told, he
widow Stratton, who was in the kitchen
when the murder was done (arid whose
conscience must witriefs whether she was,
before privy to this hellish design against
the life of a man who found her bread)
that she hoped Mr. Spooner was in hea
ven, and seemed much affected. She,
however, came down .brought the money,
and distributed it ' amongst the ruffians:
She then lent a Scotch servant. whom she
Bad ofen invited to. kill her husband. to
the well, to get water to waih the bloody^
cioaths ; he knowing of the murder, Was
afraid to go alone and Stratten went
with him : but when he put. the bucket
down in the well, he felt his matter,
dropped the pole, and they both ran into
the house, where Stratten took the bible,
went to reading,- and cried. They then
agreed to burn the bloody cloaths ; Ross
gave Brooks his breeches, and put on
Spooner's. She gave Brooks 200 dollars,
the watch and buckles ; and the three mur
derers fa offin the dead of the flight for
Worcester. with Mr. Spooler's horse and
goods: They were there over taken on
Monday, and apprehended. The next
morning after the murder, Mrs. Spooner
,gd the Scotch femut Went to the well,
„,il body of her frifhahd there
_r some propofols of finking it, she
.servant on horseback to enquire
him, that flie might not be suspected,
when the neighbours werdcolletitd they
difeovered the itrongeif marks of guilt in
i,e \vhole family. @
She appeared to be but little -affected ei
er on trial or when sentence of death was
,fed upon her ; and it is,o be wished;
a diere maybe in the other contig s
.iiore signs of repentance before their exe
cution; than has yet been observed in her:
In CONGRESS April 22, 1778.
ri^HE Committee to whom was refer
red the Genet's letter of theikih,
containing a certain printed paper lent
from Philadelphia, purporting to be tne
draught of a bill for declaring the inten
tions of the Parliament of Great- Britain,
as to the exercise of what they are pleas
ed to term their right of imposing faxes
within these United States ; and also the
draught of a bill to enable the King of
Great Britain to appoint Commiihoners,
with powers to treat, consult and agtee up
on. the means of quie ing certain disorders
within the faidStates, beg leave to obferye,
That th^ said paper being induitoouty
circulated by emhihries of the enemy in a
partial and secret manner, the lame ought
to be forthwith printed for the public in
formation.
The Committee cannot ascertain whe
ther the contents of the said paper have
been framed in Philadelphia or in Great-
Britain much left whether the fame are
really and truly intended to be brought in
to the Parliament of that kingdom, or whe
ther the said Parliament wjll confer thereon
the usual folemnitiet.of their laws. But
are inclined to believe this will happen,
for the following reasons.
ift. Because their General hath made
divers feeble efforts to set on foot some kind
of treaty during .the last winter, through
either a mistaken idea of his own dignity
and importance, the want of information,
or some other ca use, he hath not made ap
plication to those who are inverted with a
proper authority.
2d|y, Because they suppose that the fal
lacious idea of a cessation of hostilities will
render these States remiss in their prepara
tions for war.
gdly. Because believeing the Americans
Wearied with war, they suppose we will
accede to their terms for the fake of peace. ,
4thly. Because -they suppose that our
negotiations may be fubjeA to a like corrupt
influence with their debues.
ythly. Because they expert from this
step the fame effects they did from what
one of their ministers thought proper to call
his conciliatory motion, viz, that it
will prevent foreign powers from giving
aid to these States, that it will lead their,
own sub efts to continue a little longer the
present war; and that it will detach some
weak men in America from the cause of
freedom and virtue,
6thly. Because their King, from his
own shewing hath r^afon to apprehend
that his fleets and armies instead of being
employed against the territories of these
States will be necessary. for the defence of
his own dominions. And
ythly. Because the impracticability of
subjugating this-country being every day,
more and more manifeft; it is their interest
to extricate themselves from the war upon
any terms.
The Committe beg leave further to ob
serve, That, upon a fuppofitiOn the mat
ters contained in the said paper will really
go into the British Statute Book, they
serve to snow in a clear pointefview, the
weakness and wickedness of the enemy.
ThRIRWEAKNESS,
ift. Because they formerly declared not
only that they had a right to bind the in
habitants of these States in all cases what.
fo<yer, but also that the said inhabitants
ftould AI^LUTELY &nd UX©ONDCT%
nal.lv submit to the exercise ofthatiight.
And this fubmifiion they have endeavour
edto axa& by the fworq. Receding from
this claim; therefore, tinder the present
circumstances, thews their inability to en
force it. ' - '-'
zdlyi Because their Prince hath hereto
fore leafed the humblest petitions of the
Representatives of America praying to he
considered as sub efts, and protected in
tlteeircyments of peace liberty and fafety ;
and hath waged a moftcruel war agaiull
them, and employed the ravages to butcher
innocent women and children. But new
the fame Prince pretends totreat with those
very Representatives; and grant to the
arms of America what he refuted to her
Phaser's. -
3dly. Because they have uniformly
laboured to conquer this continent, reel
ing every idea of accommodation piopo
fed to them, from a confidence in their own
ftrengm. Wherefore it is evident from
thechange in their mode of attack, that
they have loft this 'confidence And
z,hly. Because the conftanf language,
spoken not only by their minifters,.tut by
tee nieft public and authentic a&s of. the
nation, hath been, that it is incompatible
with their'diguity to treat with the Ame
ricans while they have arms in their hands.
Nbtwithftanding 'which, an offer is now
about to be made for treaty. ',
The WICKEDNESS AND tNSINCRITY
of tlie enemy appear from the following
considerations.
fit wither the Bills now to be passed
contain a direst or indirect cession of a part
of their former claims, or they do not. If
they do, then it is acknowledged that they
have facrif^eJ many brave men in an un
juh quarrel. If they do not.then they are
calculated t© deceive America into terms,
to which neither argument before the War,
nor force since could procure her assent.
idly. The firft or these Bills appears,
from the title, to be a declarati^i of the
intentions of the British Parliament con
cerning the exercise of the right of im
poslng taxes with hrthefe States. Where
fore should these States treat under the
said bill they would indirectly acknow
,ledge that right, to obtain Which ac
kh< wiedgemen: the present war hath been
avowedly undertaken and prosecuted on
the part of Grea^Britain.
gdly. Shotted such pretended right be
so acquiefeed in then of eonfequwce, the
fame might be exercised whenever the
Britifl; Parliament Ihonld find themselves in
a different temper and disposition;.
finceii must depend upon those and such.
like <ontingenuies how far men will afU
according to their former intentions.
qthly. The said hrft Bill in the body
thereof containeth no new matter ;but is
precisely the fame with the motion before--
mentioned, and liable to all the ob e&ions
which lay against the said motion, except
ing the following particular, viz. that BY'
the motion a&ual taxation was to be fuf
periled io long as America ihould give'
as much as the said Parliament might think
proper: Whereas bytheproposedßill,
it is 'to be suspended, as long as future
Parliaments continue of the fame miiT
with the present.
flhly. From the second Bill it appears,
that the British King may, if be pleases,
appoint Commissioners to treat and a
g^ef with those whom they please, about
a variety of things therein mentioned. But
such treaties and agreements are to be of no
validity without the concurrence of the
said Parliament, except so far as they relate
to the suspension of hostilities. and of
certain of their a&s, the granting of par
dons, and the appointing of Governors to
these sovereign freeand independent States,.
Wherefore, the said Parliament have re,
fervedto themfeives, in express - woed^
the power of setting aside any such treaty,
and taking the advantage of any ci^cum