The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-01-28

q. u ny of Rhode Inland, and Pro-
NNk a Ss whence plantations, at EaR-
VJxhm4s%aD Greenwich, on the zSh OF
T4G NX%3 Odober. A. d. 1869, i was
&WDJWa@ voted and reiolved, I" That
al triaIs tor t,eslon, mprilon of treslon, or for
any felony or crime Whatsoever, committed and
done in this colony, BY any peIfon or perfons
reidiDg therein, ought Of right to be held, and
conducted in and before his Msj.ity's courts,
held within faid colony, according to the fixed
and known cosre of proceeding; and that the
feizing any perion or perIoBs reidiDg IN this CO.
lony, iufpeefed of any crime Whatsoever, COM
mitted therein, and tending fuch perfon or per-
ions to plsces beyond the zen to be tried is high.
ly derogstory Of the rights of Britih fubjeets, as
thereby the inehimsble privilege of being tried
by jury from the vicinage, as well as the IL
berry of iummoning and producing witneiies on
fuch trial, will be taken away from the party
accufed."
When the above rsfclve psasd the Houle OF
Ahsmby, IL was time Of coolnefs and much
deliSerstion, sAd none had the mott diaant
thcusht that this colony wonld be the 6rf at
saeked 10 70 tender part Perhaps it may be
rather unfortunate for American liberty, that
the frnall colony Of Rhode .lfland mould be fin
,sled out, by muiRerial mandates, 20 take the
Il a doie Of chat ceIebvzted antidOte againR trea-
lon; bu. we can allure our hretkren of the other
colonies that we will, in no initance, give up
ths leaa ti:tIe of our JUL and dear boughs rights
TO ary power on earth.
| hall give fhort hittorv of the behaviour Of
the Gs(cee lchooner, from her hrt arrival in
this colony till her deffruttion on the 10th of
June Taft. as Introductory to the prsient alarm.
ing measures.
About the midcIe of March laf an armed
fchooaer appeared in our Bay, that boarded.
learched, and msluested every veilel ihe cane
up With, not ihewing any commiGiOn or autho
Tity for 70 doing This matter was Represented
10 his honour the Governor of the colony, who
fent the hirh fherif of the county of Newport
on board the lchooner, to fee who and what ihe
was. Lieutensnt DuddingRon whe command
ed her, did not think proper to wait on the Co
vernon with his pspersas he was required, and IS
il was his Indispensable duty to have done hut
TENT the mater of the schooner, with iome ps-
pers from the commificners of the cuttoms at
Bottom. Empowering them to make lsizufes OF
any veiIcls that fhould be found fmugsing &c.
Several mefTage. pafed between the Governor
and Lieutenant Duddingfon. in which the i'm
propriety of Mr.. Duddipglons conduct was
pointed out; and he was even told, by one of
his {, lends, Whist mutt be the conlequence of
fuch behaviour But he bluReIed much, and
fvore he whole colony could not get on board
his vefIel.
Aamiral Mortsgu was made acquainted with
the oifpue, which he foon took very improper
part in. and trented the Governor with great IN
d,gsity: After M DuddingRon bad JSked the
Aamira in his csule, his behaviour became more
naughty, infoent and intoIerable, peiionally i'll
tiearine every matter and merchant of the vei-
Eel. he boarded, Besliog fheep, hogs, poultry,
&c. from the farmers round the Bay, and cutting
down their fsuit swl other trees for FIRE
sosd--In a word, mis- behaviour was 70 pira-
teal and provoking that Engliihmen could not
pa,iebtly bear it. This gave rife 70 the unhappy
Icheme cf dsEroying the Gsfeee, which though
il has been repreiented, by the Kings officers, as
an affair preconcsrted By tie inhaS ant: round the
Narrsgarlet Bay, aud that almoftths whole town
of Providence were concerned in IT, FAY this sc-
sioH was done by about forty people, in i've or
FIX lcne bosts, as the Gsfpee's people declared on
oath the osy aftef Inc WAS oen'OJeu'
terprize was hsf.ily CONCLUDED on, and very ie-
trety cxscu.cI % that the authority OF the town
Of Providence had oct the lssif knowledge OF
il. The q. 4 effeausl neps were immediate
" taken BY the suthoriivia this colony, to DIFF
cover the perpetrators of this ro.ous affair. A
urociamat.oa was ilnsd. ciFeing large reward
10 snv that wogi'd give info matiou. 70 that the
cF.ndsrs mishs be orcssh, to juaics but 10
udsusl Of yaiii:y sPFcaIins, the brave Captain