The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-04-03

ture to affirm, that no undated man livlng'
who confdered the affidavit itfelf, the fecret
manner in which IT was made, the paiticu-
lar crifis in when it was made, and the puf-
pofes it ferved, could heiitate a moment IN
declaring the motive of the fwearer to DC
wicked And in my judgment, my Lord,
fwearing to what is not true, with wicked
motive, contributes perjury IN its mott helm
GUS acceptation.
My Lord, the council themielves have
been as fevere in their comment on this pro
ceeding, of MIR. Oliver as | can be | will
therefore give you their own words. " 1t
has been, they fay, for fome time, ju'tly
complained of, that depoiitions, memorials,
and every fpecies of Information, has been
taken and fent to England, in a jftra man
ner, and there made uGs of TO reprelent ms
Majelfy's iubjeGts here in an odious light :
which has occaiioned troops and naval ar
maments to be TENT hi,her, TO the great and
1njuR annoyance and diitTefs of his Majelty's
Eubje6fs of this province. 1t was therefore
the more extraordinary that the Secretary,
ia the affairs of the depOfition, fhould act in
the fame iecret manner, Especially as i, re-
fpe6ed what had been faid in council, about
which he could eafiy have informed himfef
from the members of it, who at the fame
time had right TO know what he had re-
prefentsd concerning them. Whatever
NAV have been deiigned, with regard 10 the
opelatips of this depoiiticn, the manifeit
tendenty of it is, to give report unfavoura-
bic, and at the fame timo meR HygR idea
of the people here, and of the council in
particular.
GA. the faid depoftion reprefents the
council in an i'll light, it could be no difa-
greeabe prefent to GsVrn'r Bernard, to
SObam Il was fent by the Lieutenant Govern
OF, as be informed the board-it has been
publilhed in LondoS annexed with other de-
petitions to printed pamphlet, entitled, II
fair account eftbt late HaD<opy Gfarbanecs at
! Bsaon in Netv England, iHwhich pamphlet
and depoGtions are given very unfair, and,
in all material circumstances, very faJs ac-
count Of what is there called the lAI- unhap-
py diturbance. The mott material thing
aimed at in the faid pamphlet, is to obtrude
as truth upon the public this faLlbOOd, viz.
that plan was here laid for the expulfon of
the troops, pfior to their firing upon and kill
ling a number Of the inhabitants of the town:
and heprincipal, il notthe only depoGticn,
that in any meafure tends to fnpport fuch a
charge is, the Ss0ftary's GbsVs mentioned"
The council then unanimously vote him,
Gully Of a breach Of hgf.
Ifthen, my Lord, the man whom a full
council have proved and recorded to have
fecretly made and fworn to falfe reprefent-
alton Of what pafed in the council, tending
manifelfIy, and actually, operating highly
to the injury and difcredit, ofthole to whom
it related, cannot truly and without malice
be called perjured and if the fervant, who
is declared guilty of a breach Of truf may not
juftly be called a traitor then mutt con.
fefs that Junius Americans was wrong in
Altering, that MIR. Oliver food recorded as
ptyJwedt vaitOr. But, my Lord, if fwear-
ing faAely, with bad intention be perjury,
and he who is guilty of breach of truff be
atrailor, then have iaId no more than what
in its meaning the council books will ftriet-
Iy juaify.
IfMr. Oliver lhould receive any confola.
ton from my acknowledging that the J7mt
sOsyds which | have uied, though their mean
ing does not differ, are not upon any record,
| will not refufeit to him. You, my Lord,
will be able to inform him, that fuch evafioas
will not quiet or compOle that worm which
never dieth. He is totally unknown to me
nor is it my with to urge the fate of
wreichedmeu, more than truth and jutfice
absolutely require. Whatever may be the
character of this unhappy man flor fuch |
deem every'viola,or of truth and right it did
not with.holdthe Council, conlitting of men
long and intimately acquainted with him,
from expofng his conduct to the ieverrfi CEN