The New-Hampshire gazette and historical chronicle (Portsmouth, N.H.), 1775-06-02 00:00:00

MAY 19 1775
On Saturday last arrived here from Virginia, General CHARLES LEE, a Gentleman whose steady Attachment to the Rights of Human Nature, and to the Principles of the British Constitution in particular hath endeared him to all the American Colonies.
It is impossible to describe the Military Ardor which now prevails in this City. A considerable Number of the FRIENDS have join'd in the Military Association.— There is one Company composed entirely of Gentlemen belonging to that religious Denomination of People.
NEW-YORK, May 18.
The Inhabitants of Ulster County sent to this City last Week, for the Use of the Poor of Boston, 70 Barrels of good Flour, & a Quantity of Indian Corn, and other Grain.
The late Seizure of the Powder at the Magazine at Williamsburgh, has incensed the Inhabitants of that Province to such a Degree against his Excellency Lord Dunmore, their Governor, that the Virginia Gazette, or Norfolk Intelligencer, of the 4th Inst. says, "His Excellency the Governor, we hear, with his Family, have retired on board His Majesty's Ship the Fowey, now lying at York, in consequence of the Disturbances occasioned by the Removal of the Powder from the public Magazine at Williamsburgh."
We hear from Newark, New-Jersey, that on Monday last, the Boston, Connecticut and New-York Delegates, were received at the Ferry by a Number of Gentlemen from that Town, Capt. Allen, at the Head of his Troop of Horse, and Capt. Rutgers, at the Head of his Company of Grenadiers (which were allowed by the Gentlemen present, to be as complete Companies as they had seen) The whole proceeded to Newark, where an Entertainment was provided, and a Number of patriotic Toasts were drank. After Dinner they were escorted to Elizabeth Town, and on their Way were met by the Gentlemen and Militia of that Place.
A Sub-Committee from this City waited on his Honor the Lieut. Governor last Saturday at Jamaica, with an Address requesting his Interposition with his Majesty and Gen. Gage, in Behalf of America: His Honor in giving his Answer was so affected that he shed many Tears.
The Martial Spirit diffused through this Province at this Juncture is almost beyond Conception; many new Companies have been already raised in this City, and several more are in Contemplation; most of them are in neat Uniforms; much of their Time is spent in perfecting themselves in the Manual Exercise, & several of them are already to compleat as to vie with the best Veterans.
We hear from Williamsburg, the Locks were taken off from the Magazine,—that the Magdalen Schooner is in York River, under the Protection of the Fowey Man of War,—that Lord Dunmore had fortified himself in the Palace, and his Lady and Family gone on board the Fowey for Safety.
We hear that Capt. Murray in a Sloop from the Coast of Africa, was bro't to, yesterday, in our Harbour, by Capt. Montague of the King Fisher Sloop of War, who ROBBED him of 6 Swivels, a Number of Cohorns, and 120lb. of Gun-Powder, &c. [Quere, Is not this invading private Property?]
Extract of a Letter from Quebec April 27, 1775.
"The Governor's Commission from the King was read here on Monday the 24th Inst. he has very ample Powers; he chuses all the Members of the Council himself; & can discharge them at Pleasure; can oblige what Number of his Majesty's Subjects in Canada he pleases to march against an Enemy or a supposed Enemy when he shall think fit; can build Forts or do any Thing else with the People's Money and demolish them at Pleasure. In short he is possessed of absolute and despotic Power only with this Difference (if it is any) that the Majority of the Council (who hold their Seats as before mentioned) must approve of his Measures. The Council consists of 23 Persons, 7 of them Roman Catholicks."
NEW-HAVEN, May 3.
On Sunday last died in a Fit, PETER HARRISON, Esq; collector of his Majesty's Customs for this Port.
He was born in the City of York, in Old-England, and in point of Family second perhaps to very few in America.
Last Saturday Night Mr. Jacob Goodfellow of East-Haven, was burnt to Death, in a brush Hut, (which is supposed to have taken Fire while he was asleep) where he had sheltered himself, in order to watch the Wind, intending to have sailed for Connecticut River, in a small Boat, as soon as the Wind served.
NEW-POR T, May 15.
The whole Regiment of light Dragoons to a Man, has refused to come over to fight against this Country; this we have from a Gentleman who left Liverpool the 30th of March.
The 19th and 20th of March, the Sailors belonging to the Ships lying at Shields & Sunderland, in England, stop'd all the Coal-Ships, bound to London, and unrigged them.
By a Gentleman from New-York we are assured, that the Inhabitants there, have declared, absolutely, that the Moment they hear of any Provisions being suffered to go from this Place, to supply our Enemies at the Eastward, they are determined to stop all Kinds of Provisions from being shipped from New-York to this Town.
Last Friday a Brig arrived here from Salem, on Pretence, as we are told, to procure a Load of Provisions for Fishermen at Gaspee, but 'tis suspected for a very different Use.
Yesterday a Sloop arrived here, from Boston, with about 80 of the Inhabitants of that barbarously distressed Town.
CAMBRIDGE, May 25.
The following Letter contains an Account of the Transactions of the Military at the Fire in Boston, which raged with great Fury all Night; and will give the Public some Idea of the present wretched Police of that once well govern'd Town.
Extract of a Letter from Boston.
I propose to give you a circumstantial Account of the late Fire, previous to which please to observe, that for ten Days past, a Report has been propagated, that the Liberty Party intended to set Fire to the Town in different Places as soon as the greater Part of them had got out. The General took the Alarm, and took the Engines under Guard, and appointed new Captains; the late Engine Men took Umbrage at it; but to the Point. I being informed the Barrack was on Fire, ran through the Street crying Fire, (as no Bells rang) but was stopped by a Man who told me it was the Officer's Order not to cry Fire, one having threatened to beat the Man's Brains out that did. The Drums all this Time beating to Arms. When I came to the Fire I found no Engine there. Applying to one of the late Engine Men to know the Reason, was informed that he had applied for the Engine, but the Bayonet was pointed at him, and he was told that he must apply to some Officer for an Order before he could have it. After this fatal Delay the Engines appeared with the new appointed Captains & military Firewards, and a miserable Figure they cut, the former not knowing how to obey if the latter had known how to command.— Upon the whole, it appears to me as plain as the meridian Sun, had the Engines been on the old Footing, the Fire would have been put out, and * twenty Thousand Pounds Sterling Loss prevented. Let that be as it may, I will venture to say, had the Fire broke out in the Center of the Town it would have laid it in Ashes, in the Direction it took to the Water. May God preserve this second Sodom from the Fate of the first."
* The whole Loss is thought to be £. 40,000 Sterling.
An Account of the Ammunition &c. taken at Ticonderoga, viz. Between 112 and 120 Iron Cannon, from 6 to 24 Pounders; 50 Swivels of different Sizes; 2 ten Inch Mortars; one Howet; 1 Coborn; 10 Tons of Musket Balls; 3 Cart Load of Flints; 30 new Carriages; a considerable Quantity of Shells; a Warehouse full of Materials to carry on Boat building; 100 Stand of small Arms; 10 Casks of poor Powder; 2 Brass Cannon; 30 Barrels of Flour; 18 Barrels of Pork; some Beans, and some Peas; and 42 Prisoners, besides Women and Children.
An Act for laying an Embargo on all Kinds of Provisions has been passed by the General Assembly of Rhode Island.
Province of New-Hampshire.
THESE are to notify all Persons concerned at His Majesty's Superior Court of Judicature, by Law to be held at Haverhill, in and for the County of Grafton, on the second Tuesday in June next, that said Court will then (by Reason of the Session of the General-Assembly at that Time) be adjourned to some future Day, of which Day timely Notice will be given in the New-Hampshire Gazette.
THEODORE ATKINSON. LEVERETT HUBBARD. WILLIAM PARKER.
Portsmouth May 15th 1775.
A WOMAN with a good Breast of Milk is wanted in a Family. Enquire at the Printer.
Neal M'Intyer,
HAS removed from the Store he formerly kept on Spring Hill, Portsmouth, to the House opposite;—where he has for Sale, a Quantity of choice TOBACCO of every Sort, by wholesale or retail; likewise a large Assortment of Earthen and China WARE, among which is a compleat Set of CHINA, which will be sold for sterling Cost and Charges; also Rum, Sugar, Molasses, Coffee, Indigo, Pepper, Spices, Snuff- & all Kinds of Groceries;—Orange, Clove, Annised, Snake Root, and Dr. Stevens's WATER, by the Cask, cheap for Cash or short Credit.
Nath l Sparhawk
Informs the Public, that he has just opened a Variety of English and India Goods, at his Store near the Post-Office; which he determines to sell exceeding cheap for Cash.—
N. B. Constant Attendance will be given at said Store
Thomas Martin,
EMBARKED for England, desires those who are indebted to him, either on Book, Note, or otherwise, to call as soon as may be and pay their respective Balances, either to Messrs. JOHN PEIRCE, or JOSEPH PEIRCE, his Attorneys, or at his Store, where constant Attendance is given—and where is to be sold at the lowest Cash Prices as usual,—Sundry English GOODS, Painters Colours, Clothiers Materials, and Hardware, amongst which are still remaining a few Swords, Hangers, and Pistols.
A few Hundred of good Ship-Bread for Cash or Jamaica Fish in the Fall.
Those who have paid no Regard to his repeated Solicitations, must expect to find their Debts put in Suit, unless speedily prevented by Payment.
Portsmouth, March 15th, 1775.
Nath l S. Griffith,
CLOCK & WATCH-MAKER in Portsmouth, At the Sign of the Clock opposite Dr. Cutter, WILL speedily and properly repair and rectify any Clocks & Watches, which are out of Order, in the best and cheapest Manner. Any Watches sent said Griffith will be speedily resitted, and expeditiously returned; and if they don't answer the first Mending, they may be sent back again, and rectify'd without Cost.
N. B. Said Griffith has an Assortment of plated BUCKLES at the cheapest Rate, and will give new Buckles or Money for any old Gold and Silver.
He has also for Sale new Watches as low as ten Dollars, and a Number of others at different Prices; also Keys and Chains.
West-India and English Goods, Sold by Henry Sherburne.
Likewise, Parkhurst's Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament;—to which is prefixed, a plain and easy English Grammar 4to, printed in 1769; Ladies Travels through Spain; Arabian Nights; Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, &c. &c.
Swift's Works, 22 Volumes, to be sold or let. Stolen from the Subscriber, about 5 Yards of superfine Linnen. Whoever returns it, or discovers the Thief, shall receive two Dollars Reward. Henry Sherburne.
TAKEN up at Kittery the 15th Instant, a small red Horse, with a Star in his Forhead, about 13 Years old; whoever claims said Horse, and will make out that he is the Owner, and pay all Charges, may have him again, by enquiring of Samuel Menon jun. of Kittery, within a Mile of Spruce-Creek Meeting House.
Wanted a Man Servant.
A MAN SERVANT who can be well recommended; that can tend Horses, and do all Sorts of House-Work, may hear of a Place by enquiring of the Printer.
Rags of all Kinds to make Paper,
Taken in by Mr. George Marshall, Sailmaker, and Capt. Robert Furness—Fine Rags at two Coppers and half per Pound, and coarse ditto as customary.
Warrantes and Quitclaim Deeds, Justice Writs, Shipping Papers, Bail Bonds, &c Sold at the Printing Office.

PHILADELPHIA, May 13: AFFIDAVITS and Depositions relative to the Commencement of the late Hostilities in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, together with an Address from the Provincial Con- vention of the said Province, to the Inhabi- tants of Great Britain, transmitted to the CONGRESS now sitting in this City, and published by their Order.
Charles Thompson, Sec.
W E Solomon Brown, Jonathan Loring, and Elijah Sander- son; all of lawful Age, and of Lexington in the County of Middlesex and Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-En- gland, do testify and declare, that on the Evening of the 18th of April Inst. being on the Road between Concord and Lexington, & all of us mounted on Horses: We were about ten of the Clock, suddenly surprised by nine Serjeants, whom we took to be regular Officers, who rode up to us mounted and armed, each having a Pistol in his Hand, and after putting Pistols to our Breasts; and seizing the Bridles of our Horses, they swore that if we stirred another Step, we should be all dead Men, upon which we surren- dered ourselves: They detained us until two o'clock the next Morning, in which Time they searched and greatly abused us, ha- ving first enquired about the Magazine at Concord, whether any Guards were posted there, and whether the Bridges were up, and said four or five Regiments of Regulars, would be in Possession of the Stores soon. They then brought us back to Lexington, cut the Horses Bridles and Girts, turned them loose, and then left us.
Solomon Brown, Jonathan Loring, Elijah Sander-son.
Lexington, April 25, 1775.
I Elijah Sanderson above named, do further Testify and declare, that I was in Lexington Common, the Morning of the Nine- teenth of April aforesaid, having been dismissed by the Officers a- bove mentioned, and saw a large Body of Regular Troops advan- cing toward Lexington Company, many of whom were then dis- persing. I heard one of the Regulars, whom I took to be an Of- ficer, say, damn them we will have them, and immediately the Regulars shouted aloud, run and fired on the Lexington Company, which did not fire a Gun before the Regulars discharged on them. Eight of the Lexington Company were killed, while they were dispersing, and at a considerable Distance from each other, and many wounded, and although a Spectator, I narrowly escaped with my Life.
Lexington April 25, 1775.
Elijah Sanderson.
Lexington. April 23, 1775.
I Thomas Price Willard, of lawful Age, do testify and declare, that being in the House of Daniel Harrington, of said Lexing- ton, on the 19th Inst. in the Morning, about Half an Hour before Sunrise, looked out at the Window of said House and saw (as I suppose) about Four Hundred of Regulars, in one Body, com- ing up the Road, and marched towards the North Part of the Common, back of the Meeting-House of said Lexington, on the nineteenth Inst. in the Morning, about Half an Hour before Sun- rise, looked out of the Window of said House, and saw (as I sup- pose) about four Hundred of Regulars, in one Body, coming up the Road, and marched towards the North Part of the Common, back of the Meeting House of said Lexington, and as soon as the said Regulars were against the East End of the Meeting-House, the com- manding Officer said something, what I know not, but upon that the Regulars ran till they came within about eight or nine Rods of about an Hundred of the Militia of said Lexington, who were col- lected on said Common, at which Time the Militia of said Lexing- ton, who were collected on said Common, at which Time the Mi- litia of Lexington dispersed, then the Officers made a Huzza, and the private Soldiers succeeded them: Directly after this an Officer rode before the Regulars, to the other Side of the Body, and hal- lowed after the Militia of said Lexington and said, "lay down your Arms, damn you, why don't you lay down your Arms." And that there was not a Gun fired till the Militia of said Lexington were dispersed; and further saith not.
Thomas Price Willard.
LEXINGTON, APRIL 25, 1775.
S imon Winship of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Province of Massachusetts-Bay, New England; being of lawful Age, testifieth and saith, that on the 19th of April Inst. about 4 o'Clock in the Morning, as he was passing the publick Road in said Lexington, peaceably and unarmed, about two Miles and an half distant from the Meeting-House in said Lexington, he was met by a Body of the King's Regular Troops, and being stop't by some Officers of the said Regular Troops, was commanded to dismount; upon asking why he must dismount, he was obliged by Force to quit his Horse, and ordered to march in the midst of the Body, and being ask'd whether he had been warning the Mi- nute Men, he answered no, but had been out, and was then re- turning to his Father's. Said Winship further testifies, that he marched with said Troops until he came within about half quar- ter of a Mile of said Meeting-House, where an Officer commanded the Troops to halt, and then to prime and load; this being done, the said Troops marched on till they came within a few Rods of Capt. Parker's Company, who were partly collected on the place of Parade; when said Winship observed an Officer at the head of said Troops flourishing his Sword and with a loud Voice giving the word fire, fire, which was instantly followed by a discharge of Arms from said Regular Troops; and said Winship is positive and in the most solemn Manner declares, that there was no discharge of Arms on either Side till the word fire was given by said Offi- cers as above.
Simon Winship.
LEXINGTON, APRIL 25, 1775.
I John Parker of lawful Age, and Commander of the Militia in Lexington, do testify and declare, that on the 19th Inst. in the Morning, about One of the Clock, being informed that there were a Number of Regular Officers riding up and down the Road, stopping and insulting the People as they passed the Road; and also was informed, that a Number of Regular Troops were on their March from Boston in order to take the Province Stores at Concord; ordered our Militia to meet on the Common in said Lexington, to consult what to do, and concluded not to be disco- vered, nor meddle or make with said Regular Troops (if they should approach) unless they should insult or molest us, and upon their sudden approach I immediately ordered our Militia to dis- perse and not to fire; immediately said Troops made their ap- pearance and rushed furiously, fired upon and killed Eight of our Party, without receiving any Provocation therefor from us.
John Parker.
LEXINGTON, APRIL 24, 1775.
I John Robins, being of lawful Age, do testify and say, that on the 19th Inst. the Company under the Command of Capt. John Parker, being drawn up (sometime before Sunrise) on the Green or Common, and I being in the Front Rank, there sud- denly appeared a Number of the King's Troops, about a Thou- sand, as I thought, at the distance of about 60 or 70 Yards from us, buzzing, and on a quick Pace towards us, with three Officers in their Front on Horseback, and on full Gallop towards us, the foremost of which cried, "throw down your Arms you Villains, you Rebels," upon which said Company dispersed. The foremost of the three Officers ordered their Men saying, "Fire, by God fire" at which Moment we received a very heavy and close Fire from them, at which Instant being wounded, I fell, and several of our Men were, shot dead by me; Capt. Parker's Men, I believe, had not then fired a Gun: And further this Deponent saith not.
John Robins.
W E Benjamin Tidd of Lexington, and Joseph Abbot of Lin- coln, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of Massa- chusetts Bay in New England, of lawful Age, do testify and declare, that on the Morning of the 19th of April Inst., a- bout 5 o'Clock, being on Lexington Common, and mounted on Horse, we saw a Body of Regular Troops marching up to the Lexington Company, which was then dispersing, soon after the Regulars fired first a few Guns, which we took to be Pistols from some of the Regulars who were mounted on Horse, and then the
said Regulars fired a Volley or two, before any Guns were fired by the Lexington Company, our Horses immediately started and we rode off, and further say not.
Benjamin Tidd, Joseph Abbot.
LEXINGTON, APRIL 19, 1775.
W E Nathaniel Mullettan, Phillip Russell, Moses Harring- ton, junr. Thomas and Daniel Harrington, William Grimes, William Tidd, Isaac Hastings, Jonas Stone, junr. James Wyman, Thaddeus Harrington, John Chamber, Joshua Reed, junr. Joseph Simonds, Phineas Smith, John Chandler, jr. Reuben Lock, Joel Viles, Nathan Reed, Samuel Tidd, Benjamin Lock, Thomas Winship, Simeon Snow, John Smith, Moses Harrington, the 3d, Joshua Reed, Ebenezer Parker, John Harring- ton, Enoch Willington, John Horner, Isaac Green, Phineas Stearns, Isaac Durant, and Thomas Headley, junr. all of lawful Age, and Inhabitants of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England; do tes- tify and declare, that on the 19th of April Inst., about one or two o'Clock in the Morning, being informed that several Officers of the Regulars, had the Evening before been riding up and down the Road, and had detained and insulted the Inhabitants passing the same; and also understanding that a Body of Regulars were marching from Boston towards Concord, with Intent (as it was supposed) to take the Stores belonging to the Colony in that Town we were alarmed, have met at the Place of our Company's Pa- rade were dismissed by our Capt. John Parker, for the present, with Orders to be ready to attend at the Beat of the Drum-----we further testify and declare that about five o'Clock in the Morning, hearing our Drum beat, we proceeded towards the Parade, and soon found that a large Body of Troops were marching towards us; some of our Company were coming up to the Parade, and others had reached it; at which Time the Company began to disperse, whilst our Backs were turned on the Troops, we were fired on by them and a Number of our Men were instantly killed & wound- ed-----not a Gun was fired by any Person in our Company on the Regulars, to our Knowledge, before they fired on us, and they con- tinued firing until we had all made our Escape.
Signed by each of the above Depofers.
W E Nathaniel Carkness, Jonas Parker, John Munro, jr., John Winship, Solomon Peirce, John Murray, Abner Meeds, John Bridge, jr. Ebenezer Bowman, William Munro, 3d, Micah Hager, Samuel Sanderson, Samuel Hastings, and James Brown, of Lexington, in the County of Mid- dlesex, and Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New-England; and all of lawful Age, do testify and say, that on the Morning of the 19th of April Inst., about one or two o'Clock, being informed that a Number of Regular Officers had been riding up and down the Road the Evening and Night preceding, and that some of the Inhabitants as they were passing had been insulted by the Officers and stopped by them; and being also informed that the regular Troops were on their March from Boston, in Order (as it was said) to take the Colony Stores, then deposited at Concord; We met on the Parade of our Company in this Town; after the Company had collected, we were ordered by Capt. John Parker (who com- manded us) to disperse for the Present, and be ready to attend the Beat of the Drum; and accordingly the Company went into Hou- ses near the Place of Parade. We further testify and say, that a- bout Five o'clock in the Morning we attended the Beat of our Drum, and were formed on the Parade---we were faced towards the Regulars then marching up to us, and some of our Company were coming to the Parade with their Backs towards the Troops; and others on the Parade began to disperse when the Regulars fired on the Company, before a Gun was fired by any of our Company, on them; they killed eight of our Company, and wounded several, and continued their Fire until we had all made our Escape.
Lexington April 25, 1775. Signed by each of the above Depofers.
I Timothy Smith, of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of Massachusetts-Bay in New-England; being of lawful Age, do testify and declare, that on the Morning of the Nineteenth of April Inst. being at Lexington Common as a Spec- tator, I saw a large Body of Regular Troops marching up towards the Lexington Company then dispersing, and likewise saw the Re- gular Troops fire on the Lexington Company, before the latter fired a Gun; I immediately ran, and a Volley was discharged at me, which put me in imminent Danger of losing my Life: I soon re- turned to the Common, and saw Eight of the Lexington Men who were killed, and lay bleeding at a considerable Distance from each other; and several were wounded, and further saith not.
Lexington, April 25, 1775.
Timothy Smith.
The following is a Copy of a Paper found among those of the late JOSIAH QUINCY, Esq; delivered him, signed by an intimate Acquaintance of mine, an eminent Mer- chant in London. WILLIAM GORDON.
Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, May 6, 1775.
T HE Quebec Bill recalls to my Mind some Considerations, which lead me to think that it is fraught with infinitely more Mi- chief to Britain and America, than most of its Opposers are aware of, and that the Plan- ners and Promoters of this Bill will in the End be found to have advanced the Interest of France, to the Destruction of that of Britain, in a much more eminent Degree than has hitherto been done by the very worst Min- ister that ever lived.
The late THOMAS HOLLIS, Esq; (well known in America, on Account of his many liberal Benefactions) gave the following Ac- count himself to a Gentleman from whom I had it, viz. that the said Thomas Hollis hav- ing always the worst Opinion of Lord Bute's Principles, and believing him to have no At- tachment either to George the Third or his Family, did, when the last Peace (that of ne- gotiating, at his own Expence, sent abroad a Gentleman, whose sole Business it was to watch every Motion, and discover every Se- cret, relating to this Peace. The Gentleman thus sent by Mr. Hollis so far succeeded, as to discover that there were four secret Articles, and Mr. Hollis enumerated the four following Articles to my Friend, and he to me, very soon after the Peace, and long before any one of them was ever talked of being carried into Execution. The secret Articles were these:
I. That a Popish Bishop was to be fixed by the King in Canada. II. That the Popish Religion was to be es- tablished there. III. That the Bounds of Canada were to be fix'd IV. That Canada, when thus fixed, was to be given back to the French.
Now, Sir, when this Account was first re- lated to me, as it was long before any Thing of this Kind was agitated, I own I did not be- lieve it possible, that Bute could be bold enough to make such an infamous Treaty, and there-
fore was at a Loss how to controvert an Au- thority so good, or dispute an Evidence which was so circumstantial; but I own, as I have now lived to see three of these secret Articles executed, I firmly believe that the 4th will be as strictly observed, & that Canada restored to the French, thus fixed and improved, will enable France to distress our Colonies, and in the End give a mortal Stab to the Trade, the Li- ty and Glory of Britain. When I see either King, Ministers or People, plan, execute, or ac- quiesce in Measure evidently ruinous to their own true Interest, I am at a Loss to discover what are the leading Principles on which such Infatuation is founded. No Sagacity can suggest any adequate Motives.
N. B. When Lord Bute was at Venice, he attended Mass constantly in a public Manner. We mentioned in one of our late Papers that a Number of Governor Hutchinson's Letters were providentially in the Hands of the Peo- ple: The following is said to be a Copy of one of them, dat. at Boston, July 20, 1773. wrote to General Gage, then at New York.
I t appears to me to be Matter of Great Importance to his Majesty's general Ser- vice, and to the real Interest of the Colonies, that the Discord beginning between New- York and us should be encouraged: I wrote some Time ago to Mr. Colden upon this Subject, but he rather declined, concerning himself in it; he certainly has a strange A- version which nothing but the Confederacy against Great Britain could have conquered; this has too much the Appearance of Ma- chiavilian Policy, but it is justifiable as it has the most obvious Tendency to save the Co- lonies ruining themselves, as well as pre- venting their Distressing the Mother-Coun- try. If Pennsylvania could be brought to take part with New York, I think the Busi- ness would be done. I must beg the Favour of you not to suffer this Letter to come un- der any other than your own Observation."
By the Copies of Letters (lately laid be- fore the Parliament, and printed in London) from the Governors of the several British Colonies, relative to the late unconstitutional and tyrannical Acts of Parliament, it appears that Governor Eden, of Maryland, was the only one who honestly and ingeniously re- presented the Case, with his Opinion there- on, to the Ministry; which Conduct and Opinion will do him lasting Honour. In general, the Governors and other ministerial People outstrip their Instructions, and anti- cipate the Wishes of their Patrons, even in their most blameable Designs. Had it not been owing to the Encouragement, & even Temptation thus given to the Ministry, in their last treasonable and most horrible De- sign of destroying the English Constitution and enslaving the Colonies, it is more than probable they would have desisted from the black Attempt.
T HE whole Country of the seven united Pro- vinces is not as large as one Half of Penn- sylvania; and when they began their Contest with Philip the second for their Liberty, contained about as many Inhabitants as are now in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay. Philip's Empire then com- prehended in Europe, all Spain and Portugal, the two Sicilies, and such Provinces of the low Coun- ties as adhered to him,—many Islands of Impor- tance in the Mediterranean—the Milanese and many other valuable Territories in Italy and else- where.—In Africa and Asia, all the Dominions belonging to Spain and Portugal—In America the immense Countries, subject to those two Kingdoms, with all their Treasures & yet unexhausted Mines, and the Spanish West-Indies. His Armies were numerous and veteran, excellently officer'd, and commanded by the most renowned Generals. So great was their Force, that during the Wars in the low Countries, his Commander in chief the Prince of Parma, marched twice into France, & obliged that great General and glorious King Henry the fourth, to raise at one Time the Siege of Paris and at another that of Roan. So considerable was the Naval Power of Philip, that in the Midst of the same Wars, he fitted out his dreadful Armada to invade England. Yet seven little Provinces or Counties, as we should call them, inspired by one generous Resolution---"to die free, rather than to live Slaves," not only baffled, but brought down into the Dust that enormous Power, that had con- tended for universal Empire, and for half a Cen- tury, was the Terror of the World. Such an ama- zing Change indeed took Place, that those Provin- ces afterwards actually protected Spain against the Power of France,