Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-05-16

ca ~ TIC acts OF our own government, i'm,
posing the embarg0, the scat Of the provin.
cial government was removed from Boston
to Salem. SymRatbiziog with the suffer
ers of Boston, the inhabitants Of Salem II
think 10 full town meeting) voted an ad.
dress 10 the new governor, general Gage !;
the great object OF which was, so far as an
expression of their sentiments would go,
to procure relief for their bre,hren ia Bos.
ton. That address was written By me. Its
conclusion DR.. Ramsay has thought worth
transcrlb'og on the page of history. II
here follows, with his introductory obser-.
Walton.
The inhabitants of Salem, 10 an al.
dress TO governor Gage concluded with
these remarkable words !" BY shutting az
the port OF Boston, some imagine that the.
coerse OF trade might be .urned hither,
and to or bene6t: but nature, in the for
nation OF our harbor, forbid our becom.
log rivals 10 commerce with that convent
ent mart; and were it otherwise, we must
Be dead to every idea OF justice, lost TO
ali feelings of humanity, could We indulge
one thought to seize On wealth, and raise
our fortunes on the ruins Of our suffering
peighbors."
Anoher incident i, may not be impro.
per 70 mention. While the seat Of govern.
raens remained al Salem, received note
from the secretary Of the province, inform
ing me that the governor wished TO see me
at the secreta.y's house. I~eot, ADD was
Introduced 10 general Gage. Taking me
iato another soem, he eu,ered 1910 CONVEX.
sation ou The then state Of things, she SD.
lemn league and covenans, and the moo.
importation agreements. 10 the cooela-
sion The gsssrsI said, wv I'll, :hsre are
merchants who, notwithstanding all your
agreements, will import British goods" |
suswered, ''They may import them, bat
the people will use their liberty 20 boy c: to
let shem e!apc."
These lncldeu's are mentioned, got for
any intrinsic. Importance attached to them /;
but as evidcoccs ct the confidence [ had
acquired among my fellow eisizens, fron
an ssrIy PERIOD of our political dspaies
with Great Britain.
On the 18Th of april, 1775, was the
ba,dc OF Lexington. This Is the era to
which Slandc, seldom fails 20 rreur, when,
J5r parfy purposes, ny characser is to be
held 40 % rept opch. w,ll state the facts,
with all the accuracy 10 my power, after a
lapse If three aud ,k.rty years.
About oine o dock in ;he morning, be
ipg n my office Che registry OF d1eds for
the county Of ksseS} captain Of militia
from The adjacent town OF Dsavefs, came
10 and informed me-, thar .naa had ridtivn
into tina, town, aud reported that The E:l
tIsh troops had marched from hos,on 10
Lexington, and attacked The EaliNa. This
officer, whose company belonged 20 my re
gimeot, asked for orders, ant gave hn
verbal answer, thar tbc D4aee,s conpa.
nies should march without wa!!ingf ot chose
OF Salem.
Immediately Iwens so the ceaue Of the
town, and met few 1T he principal inhs.
bi.suts. A short consui,a.ion snsuea.
Those who knew the distance Of l.exing-
tor from Salem, ADD IL relative SITUATION
TO Bos,on Got which had no personal
knowledge, and bat al lod,siioct idea) %.
served thu inc British troops would Ger
salriy have reluraed to Bosom long before
he Sale m a,iiiria could reach ne scene OF
the reported action; and that our a.arch
icg would therefore be useless.
Nevertheless, we concluded TO assemble
the militia, add commence our march. and
for this sale reason, that it zvoula be an svi
dsnce 10 our brethren in the country, 81 our
disposition to cooperate IN ever1 measure
zohich tie common safety required This
idea, however, OF the troI,lesness OF our
march, vas SO predomiusns, that We halted
short tiGe, when about two miles from
town. expecting every moment Intelligence
that the British hoods had reiuyneG But