The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-02-04
For the MAssAcHvsErTs S p Z.
Mr. THOMAS,

the 2Sth ult. dat-d frnm G'ocef-r,
figned +" n Friend 10 Bis Csxntyy," where
in the writer fays, = notorious deceiver
lately came there, who teemed TO have the
gift of the tongue, and impofed on fsveta al
gentlemen in faid town, and aGsrted that
the Ipiwich people had deprived them from
digging CLAIMS IN faid Ipfwich, and that
Mr.. D. &c, one of the principal actors in
that mat er, was about 20 deprive them O.
the 6ih which they had in great plenty, and
had laid plan wholly to Rop up the 6Eh-
ways; and that thi' gentleman, who the
writer is plealed to Allie seto,iSHs deceiver,
had peution to Prefent to he General
Court, fzned by great numbeT OF pcrfons
to prevent faid paG lse beino topped Nov,
by the wAv, would juR obfstve, not
withRand ng what the writer fays alter
wards, that he acknowledges he liked the
fcheme OF q pstition very well and iigned
it, and thought it bis dsiy 70 to do. he
de'cribes the gentleman who had the prti-
ton at GIoceRer, as peffon about s feet
Q inches high, dark complexion and dark
hair, and iays he wore furtout and large
bra(s buckles in his lhoes and further az
lerted, that he belongs to Mlddletown,
and had eauied great unesfinefs betweeu
the mihi&er and people in Middletown---
that he was endeayouring to diRurb the
peace OF the towns of lplwich, ropsheld,
&c. and that he was the WORT man that
ever was In Middletown. Now Sir, |
think in juttice to this gentleman's charac-
ter, (wh0 really think bears very good
one) notwithstanding this pretended
-" FSiHd TO bis country" has given him fuch
ii(honourAble additions, that fomcthing
flould be faid TO vudicate him from the
vie afper6ors of the pen of lander, as he
now is, and has before been employed by
the town of Miidletown in this affair,
which in my humble opinion is no iign Of
Ais- being = SSfwioSJ decsiver, or certainly
the town az Middetown would not have
Itmpl0yed km fecond time. In the fla
/ place, from my knowledge in the whole
txRzir, ara peFfuad,d the gentleman who
had the petition at Glocefer fpoke nothing
but the truth; how far MIR. D--ge was
concerned with regard to hindering US
from digging clans is not for me to deter
nine; that the gentleman before mention
ed, had petition to prelsnt to the Gene
raj Ansmbiy is acknowledged, and that il
was juR one numbers can teftlfy. IL il
not rious tnat Mr.. D-.ge, w. s. and
lome Others have done oil in their power
to deprive the people of Ipfwich, Top(-
! fed, Bedford, Wenham, Reading, Be-
verify and MiddIetown, and all the towns
upon the fea COAT in the county OF Elk,
from Cod and Haddock, which have been
very plenty for three years paR. The
writer was greatly mifaken in his defcrip.
ton Of the perion who had the petition,
for he wore grey wig. and not black hair,
and great coat and not furtout, and
wore boots and not fhoes and brafs buckles.
Now concerning this gentleman's conduct
who wears furtout and 6rafs buckles, as
there is fuch perfon, but the author was
mftaken in laying he had the petition at
GloceRer, for ne was az Ip(@ich and other
towns, with PETITION of the like purport
with that which the gentleman had who
| wore grey wig, &c. as before mention
cd, | do not in the leaf doubt but that
his condua will bear examining, and his
dEefs be need not be afhamed of; as to
hh cordua, with regard to the miai6sr
and people at Middletown, his behaviour
in that matter may be eaiily known by en-
quiEing Of the juJes Of the Superior Court,
OF looking into the records of faid court |;
however, Of this / an feniible, that no
people like their miniRer better than the
people of Middleton do, except it be one
7. Feet. The writer Jays he had an
opportunity Of feeling DR.. HE of Box
ford, who wss ope of the committee, &c.
and that he sold him thar the agreement
was mutual, Sc. do not in the leaf
doubt Dr. H-Ie's @aacity and believe him
to be gentleman who bears good cha
rzefsV but | do not think that ever he
tod the zfoFeiaId writer what be aG:rts he