The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-11
PATRIOTS OF FALMOUTH IN I775.
A Noble Letter From New Casco Parish to
the Committee of Boston.


One of the early acts in subiug auing
the colonies in the rebellion preceding
the Revolutionary war, was thes closing
of the port of Boston by what was called
the "Port BILL" 1t went into effect
when the Custom House was closed
against any vessel that wished to enter,
and the fourteenth permission was re-
fused to vessels to depart who entered be-
fore. The port was to be closed and no
goods were to be allowed to be shipped or
landed until the citizens should express q
due sense of their error ana make full
compensation to the East India Com
pany for the loss of their tea The Grown
said they would return the privilege
when it should see sufficient reason.
Lord North justified the measure by
asserting that 'tRoston had ever been the
centre of tumult whence all disorder IN
ring leader in every riot and SET always
the example which others only followed :"
After the port was closed the utter
prostration of all business soon followed,
which produced great distress in the city.
This act inflamed the colonies and awak-
ened their sympathy for Boston, the
martyr city," The town of Marblehead
offeredsthe people of Boston the use OF
their wharves and warehouses free of ex-
pense. Falmouth was as sympathetic as
other towns, and on the day the port was
closed the First Parish bell was muffied
and tolled all day. The people chad q
Fast relative to the sad state of our
public affairs" and addressed a sympa-
thetic letter to the inhabitants of Boston.
During the winter of 1774 g. the poor
of Boston suffered for the necessities of
life, and the towns were appealed TO for
help. The patriots of Falmouth were
poor themselves but they gave freely of
what they could spare, frewood, much
needed necessity. They sent in January
and March over eighty cords, North Var
mouth sent in December forty three
cords, Cape Elizabeth sent in January
forty cords, and Gorham about nine,
cords, Scarborough septsin February IL
pounds, 4 shillingS and pence in money.
The Inhabitants Of that part of Old Fail
mouth called New Casco ? arish, now the
town of Falmouth, sent March eleventh,
seventeen cords of wood and with it sent
the following patriotic letter addressed
to the Committee of the Poor of Boston,
which shows the spirit Of the men who at
that time were willing and ready to sac
Iifice their all for the cause of liberty:
Gentlemen We herewith transmit to
you by Capt. Wormwell and Capt. Look
some wood which we cheerfully give to
our suffering brethren that are now
standing in the gap between US and
slavery. We are but few in numbers and
of small ability; and as we earn our
bread by the sweat OF our brow. shall
ever hold in utter detestation both men
and measures that would rob us of the
fruits of our tolls, and are ready with our
labor, with our lives, and with our es-
tates, to stand or fall in the common
cause of liberty. And if we fall, we shall
die like men and like Christians, and en-
JOY the glorious privileges of the sons of
God.
"This from your humble servants in
behalf of said parish.
SAMUEL COBB,
NATHANIEL CARL,
JAMES MERRILL,
Committees
"To Samuel Adams ESQ. Chairman of
the worthy Committee of the Poor of
Boston,"
No town sent nobler letter to that
committee aud their reply was scarcely
less touching. from which the following
extracts are taken:
"Our grateful Acknowledgements are
first due to God, sexJly to you, our W orthy
friends and oounfrymen, for SO generous
and seasonable supplies under our dis
tressing circumstances. But blessed be
to God, we faint not, nor shall we, while
He is pleased to favor. support and COM
fort US.
"Your letter though short is very re-
freshing. Though the lines are few the
matter is very comprehensive What could
you have said more? The committee are
greatly obliged and not a little strength
ened. You will please accept their
sincere thanks for that cordial affection
expressed in yot1r letter and manifested
in way most convincing. May the LORD
bless you and sreward you thousand
fold!
''We do not. we never did expect to
please the enemies of America. However,
we are lot, nor have we been without
some rays OF light amidst cur darkness.
We are therefore to pray and hope and
wait for the salvation Of God.
I'D. JEFFRIES,
"Per order of the Committee.
Such were our forefathers of Old FaI-
mouth, men who stood up and were
counted when their souls were tried. and
whose names should be honored by a
grateful republic founded on the prinoi-
pies for which they commended.
N. g.