The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-08-25
From the CoTEfcTfcuT GAzrrTr.
TO tbs FARMERS ef tie CSsry Of CONNECTICUT.
GrNTLEMrN.

To The FARMERS IF tie cosy IF CONNECTICUT.
GINTLEMrS.
A S one OF your order / take the liber-
"A ty to addrefs you upon fubjeef of
the lait importance to you, and your poiteri-
ty; the queftion is no leis than this, whether
you will quietly fubmitto the yoke of mer-
cilefs tyranny and ufurpation-ieta wretch
cd miniifer Of fate lay tax of dollar
head on each of your polls, and tax your
cattle and lands at fuch an exhorbitant
rate that you cannot pay, then take your
land for the rates, and make you and your
children ilaves to him and his,-or whether
you will nobly and refolutely refufe com
pliance, and honeltly and chearfully make
willing iaeri6ee of fomc little part Of your
property now, in defence of your and your
chiidrens hberty.-Life and death, in
political fenle, are now fet before you, and
you certainly have your choice; | am a
farmer, having property of more than
tfoufand acres of good land, and more than
two hundred head of horned cattle in this
colony, but what will all this avail me if
another may demand it from me whenever
he pleafes, without giving any account
I'll tell you what | am determined to do,
and what you mutt join with me in,o you
are all dead men, or what is worle, you are
laves. without foot of land or penny
of money you can call your own.
In the frit place, ] am determined to
treat all Balia-7sa as ;Jet6aa did the accurfsd
thing at leaf expel it from my houfe, and
neither nv wife nor children ihall taite any,
till the act for taking money out. of my
pocket without my content, to pay duty
on tea, is repealed, and the declaratory act
of parliament claiming right to tax the
colonies in all cafes whatfoever, isrepealed.
In the next place, | am determined to fup-
port, to the utmoft of my property, the
honeft merchant who will punetually and
religiouAy obiervc fuch non-importation
and non-exportation agreement as may be
come into by congrefs from the colonies
to meet at Philadelphia the firit Of Septem-
Der next And on the other hand, am
determined to withdraw my trade, and all
profits and advantages ariling from it,
from the merchant or merchants who
either directly or indirectly goes counter to
1fuch agreement and will command my
children for ever to look on them as enemies
20 their liberty, and treat them accordingly.
In the third place, as look on the inhabl-
tants Of the town Of Bottom, now fufering,
not for themfelves alone, but under the mn
mediate hand of a revengeful miniiter of
fate, for being in the Forefront Of the hot
teH battle, and there fighting manfully in
the glorious caule Of liberty, tours as well
as theirs) tits therefore my duty and the
duty Of every man to lend them all the aid
in our power that they may fill be encou-
ragged to Aand their ground and play the
man for the cities of our God, and truh
that God who has been with them and
their fathers all their days, will not leave
them now. / have large yoke of cattle
fatting for preient to the poor OF that
town. I underitand that Windham, and
fome towns upon or near the river, have
done very generouiy for Bottom, and l
hope every town in the colony will follow
their laudable example.
think the farmers can do more to-
wards regaining and Importing the Liberties
of this country than any other iet OF men
whatever, as they are the prefent Lords and
proprietors of the lands and produce thereof,
we mutt therefore Unfit upon and reiolute-
" urge non-importation and non -ex
portaficn agreement to England, and the
Wei-Indies But methinks l hear iome
mercenary merchants fay, that won't DO
for either of us, we mutt have Our naviga-
ton 90 on, we mutt export lumber, horfes,
Co eIln vrhaf will vot do with -,our pro-