The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-08-29
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fcene OF blood, began TO move. As to lie
traniaciions of this county, We hrd them OK
prcning ihemfelvcs thus in paper read at
one of the public courts Of the county. Al
ter fpcaking Of officers carrying on unjcit OPP
breGions, sc. - As there are many evils OF
this nature complained Of in this county OF
Orange in private among1he Inhabitants,
therefore LET US remove ibeml: Or if there IS
no caulc, let US remove the jsaouGes out OF
cur minds. Honef rulers in power viii be
olad TO fee us examine this mater freely"
Their propofcd procedure for enquiry is,
a. Let each ncighbourhood throughout the
county meet together, and appoint one or
more men to meet together at fuItabie place
where there is no irong liquor, at which
meeting let it be judiciouAy erquIred into
whether the free men Of this county labour
under any abules Of poweror not, and let the
fame be notified in writing" In ccniequence
of this notification at joint meeting of depu-
ties from feveral neighbourhoods, they liiued
the following. AT general meeting, &c.
AuguR 70, 1866, TO examine if the free
men of this county labour under any abufes
of power, and to examine into the public
fax, by what laws, and for what ule they
are laid and in order 10 remove jealouhes
out of our minds, the Representatives., Veitry-
men, and other officers, arc requehed TO
give the members of faid meeting what IN
formation they can, 70 far as they value the
good will of every lreeholder, ard the exeou-
ton Of public Office plealant and delightful"
They met again for this purpole, but were
not favoured with the company OF any ore
officer. On this they drew up a paper, pro-
poEng yearly conference of the freehoders
from the different parts OF this extenilve coun-
~, to coniider the matters aforeiaid, and a
gree in the choice of representatives. In this
paper we find the following paragraph refer
ING to the officers, Lawyers, &c. " If they
hereafter are inclirable TO aHfwer our requeft
(of general conference ard enquiry we
will attend them at iome other time and
place on their giving Us proper notice." April
d, 1868, they fay, +" We will attend our
meeting of conference as often as is neCef-
fairy and convenient, to coniult our Repre-
fentatives on the amendment Of fuch laws as
fball be found giievous ; to choofe more luit-
able men than we have heretofore forBurgei-
fes and VeRry-men End to petition the
Roufe of Ahembly, Governor and Council,
King and Parliament, for the redrefs OF grew
ances and to inform Gre another, learn,
know and enjoy all the privileges, sc. that
were letted on us by our worthy anceisors,
the founders of our pTeient coitltution, to pre-
ferve it on its ancien; foundation"
AT length, it appears, thele unhappy diff
trcned men were AatteIed with profpeG Of
conference between their oppreiiors and
fome of their own body, chofen to manage
the affair in thei. behalf. They were noti-
fed that the officers had fixed on May nth
TO meet them for that purpois in consequence
oflhe following paper, 6 April 4th, at a ge-
neral meeting of theRegulatJrs, it was agreed
to iend P. c. and ]. l.. to requeit the two
late lherifFs and ourVeRpmen to meet twelve
men that we [nould chnfe OH Tueiday after
next court, TO produce 70 them copy Of he
lit CT taxables, and of fbs names Of i@eiUnfS
ysfayned, sc. and to requeit our RepTeient-
s,ives TO confer with them in our behalf, and
thew Us law for the cuitomary fees that had
been taken, Be" Before lhele men had time
to perform this meilage, the Ulcers, by way
Of diRrefs, took mare, fadd'c and bride,
for enc leyie, viz. feven ihiugs at the rate
Of eight Fittings to a dollar. / he mare was
retcued and a few guns fFed at the roof Of
Col. Fanning's hOuie, TO fgnify they blamed
him for his ahue, However pleaGng their