The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-08-29

bly, i, was tclolysd that IS. PET taxable Of
the pubic tex was wong, IS il had been
levied by the CAicsis. At the next Courts
hcwegcr, no troops being RATED by govern
ment, and all The OAiceIs continuing TO take
the fame exlortiouaFy fees as before, exccpc
flaming, the people hGcked in 10 make in
formation and Notwithstanding the difficulty
Of attending Courts 90 mics from home. and
the threats ofthc Officers to fue for malicious
projections, &c. and though the attorney did
not attend the two or three firlt days, 60 that
many were discouraged, and went home,
yet fome trials were brought or, and the
Officers convicted in every cafe but one, in
which he Immediately fued the com panany.
Being thus Narrated, and discouraged even
by their fucceis atlaw, their only hopes wele
from the adembly, but the hou!e was d.doi-
we'd before they could compieat much buf-
nefs of conieqrcnce end things were Jeff in
confuiion and dllorder. Had the Goycinoe
given his aGcnt to bill, the houGc had pre-
par.j for Jingle juficc of the peace to try
s.. c-uGes, and for laying gfea;cf penalties
on Iawysss, &c. for extortion .(ineead os
leaving it in the bieaR Of court to fine only
one penny for reiterated ex;ort;uns) and for
explaining the fee bill, &c. it migas have
iet aide the pea thole unhappy people now
avail themlelyes of.
From the foregoing, which is the fu5-
hance of their publications, fome idea may
be formed of The Etua,ion, temper, and ~
tentions Of ,hoie people. They muh appear
TO have been an ilIiterate, injured multitude,
fruggling againf all the weight, ipAuence,
and articles of their oppreiiors without any
one advantage, except wha. they derive from
the juitneis of their cauie. Their iituation,
at diRance from the feat Of government
and juRice the juiildi6ion Of the County
Courts being, beyond any precedenr, very
limited appeals to the Superior Courts T..
Gmall crimes encouraged law preceding
iniupporable, becauie of undue practices, and
heavy extortion Juries chofen By the court;
Grand Jury competed Of FIVE old Sheriff., he
ref except three being, as they fay, limbs ii
the law, againf whom their complains isy
Governor who had deried them any hopes
Of future clemency; and their Taft relourcs,
the Anemby hahily difIolved; 3o,oool, raifed
by taxes mere than ProPofed by law, while
6o,oool was lfill current among them, ard
yet to be funk i fay luch Etuation is truly
melancholy, and muf jufify every legal and
rational mode Of profecuting an enquiry and
redres. Whether they were happy inthe ex-
pedient they uled ;whether they could bav:
been expected to do better; whether they
were not Objects offender compa1ion, rather
than of unrelenting vengeance, mutt be de.
termined by every man for himlelf. Blood
| has now been flied on both iides. Govern
ment ever has it in its power to give plauf-
bic pretences, land cloaIh impohtions and cru
elites under the mantle of law and clemenev:
ReaGon and law are inclined TO fupport the
RrcngeR party. Thefe people may alto be
unfair in their approximation, md unreafon-
able in their complaints but it muf be re-
membered they knew they were contending
againlt the halter, forfei;ures, and every thing
that man can dread. What is here offered
mufl be fubmitted. II was thought hard
that the government accounts only fhould be
in the view Of an impartial public, which has
been anxious TO hear what have beenthe COM
plants and ccndue ofthis unhappy people.
Ifthere are any untTuths or Interpretations
the leaf misfortune arihng from it is TO US
they have deceived themlelves TO their own
ruin. However like many other cauies which
cannot be decided by venal and corrupt ad-
minifration oflaw, or the fulGome adulation