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ot for tk prtfcrentfo® of rifo feaety, befomg*
o rtr rto*;y€fit li to believ*. that a mi litaev power. r *
fbi.dmg*nny. proceed and ftatioaed
rations of the doty and loyalty *f bfe Majefty’i * *>• piwioce,
wad soddenly gyrtmedmetonly contrary ***
very principle of reafiao. juftice,.afidequity, drat accompanied with every
®afk of contempt, reproach, andfofelt, to as brive and loyal a people as
ever served a Prince, can t>e encositroelabfc by the fapmam ewcotivt
of the piwvince; which, within the limit* of the fame, is the joft and fail
reprefentttive ofthe fnpiene execative of the whole empire.
It is well known, that it is no ancoamon thing for disturbances to hp
---n in populous dries; and foeh as have nnfortonately taken place in
this prtwioce, have been greatly misrepresented : We have not only been
told ofTbut all parts of -the empire have beenalaraed with appreheafions
of dancer to his Majesty’s government in North America in general, and
(hi, province in particular, by rtafon of the oof exaggerated accounts of
certain disturbances; which, however, have .o every instance been far, very
far from being carried to that attrociou, and alarming length to which
nany have been in Britain, ac the very gate* ofthe palace, and even us the
**lt ifmoftwtaia, that every fubjea has a right to have the rales of hi,
duty, obedience, and allegiance, clearly defined sod determined : Hence
k may be inferred, that very miserable is the4ervitudc of those, who koow
not whether they are fabjeA to an abtolute power, civil or military,
•r both, is may mod cfe£sally piwfper the machinations, and fulfil the
purposes of despotism. - * ....
It kit he obvious to all jilrifts, and to every man endowed with an ordi
nary nnderlandiag, that the doArine your Excellency has been pleased to
mfvmu fe your anfwer*to the meflagt of the House, involves us in that
Aate which is called by the learned, mporinm in imperio j or at lead eda
tslifhea amilitarg power here, oncontroulod by any dvil authority in the
piwvisce.
r It has been poblkkly/aid, that the military power is become neceflary
m this colony, to aid and support civil government; far which we have
no lef, authority than the resolutions of the two Houses of Parliament, and
•be declaration of one of his Majesty’s principal Secretarial of State: The
nfe of the military power to enforccthe execution of the laws, is, in the
opinion of this House, inconfident with ihefpiritofa free con dilution, and
; she very nature of goverument.—Nor can there be any necessity for it } for
the body of the people, the pefft enmitmtas, will always aid the magistrate
in the execution of fuck laws as ought to be executed. The very fuppo
fitieu of an unwillingness in the people in general, chat a law fliould be
executed, carries with it thedronged preemption that it is an unjudlaw;
at leaf thit it is uaftlutsry.—lt cannot be their law ( for by the nature of a
free couditution, the people mud consent to laws before theg can be o .
bilged in confidence to obey then.—ln troth, no law, however grievous,
hap been opposed in the execution of jt in this province; and yet a mili *
tery power is lent here purpoftly to aid ia the execution of the laws: And
what adds to the injustice of those who procured this armament is, that it
waa procured at the very time when the peoplo were dutifbliy fupplieating
the throne for the redress of grievance, occaficned by aAa of Parliament
for the purpefe of rating a revenue in America.—We think ate can infor
from your Excellency's declaration, that, this military force is uacoa
troulable by any authority ia the proviace: It is then a power without any
check here, and therefore it is so far abfolote.—An absolute power, which
tax the fwordcomlantly in its hand, may exurcifta rigorous fcverity when,
ever it pleafcs.—What privUcgt, what feenrity is then left to this Honft,
whole very evidence to any nurpofe depends upon its privilege and feci
rity I—Nothing remains in inch a date, if no redress can be had from the
Jtiog's Lieutenant in the province, but that the opprefied people unite
kl laying their fervent nod humble petition before their gracious sovereign.
On Wedndday morning his Excellency the Governor font the follow,
lag Medage to the Houft by the Secretary j but the House having adjourn
ud Serins morning, the Scctetfiry then delivered the fame, via.
, Gentlemen ts lb* Hnnje ts Reprefemativetf §
NOTWITHSTANDING the double and dimeulties which yon have
sjpudM to me in your message of yesterday, it is certain, that I have no
eurimrity to give orders for the removal of the King's ihips out of the har
boar, or his troops oat of the town : Whoever is acquainted with the ar
raagement of the commaods in America, which are all derived from the
lame King, knows that it is so.
I am lorry that this qoqftion (hould cause the noa-aAivity of the Aftcm
bly for aa patire fortnight j the expence of which has already coil the pro
viaeenpwards of five hundred pounds Useful; and is, for what 1 cam fee.
SJI (aerating t befidcs the inconvenience accruing to perfoas attending
e General Court for bufineft, which falls harder .upon them as indivi
duals, than expences generally dispersed among the people.
1 cannot fit foil and fee such a wade of time and treafnre to no purpoft.
If therefore you Bill continue of the opinion, 44 That the keeping an
armed force ia the town, and within its harbour, is a breach of privilege,
pnd inconsistent with that freedom with which you have a right to deli*
berate, coafult, and determine,"* I Inuft apply such remedy as in my
power to remove this difficulty t and the only means I have, are to re
move the General Court to a place where it cannot operate.
. It ia aa indifferent thing to me where the General Court ia hfild : I
know not that it is neceffitrily confined to any town ; that town seems to
buihe moft proper for it, where the bufineft can be moftjy conve
niently, etfily, and readily done: And as it is -apparent, from your own
lefoletsous, and a fortnight's experience, that you do not think that this
is. at this time, a proper town for the General Court to fit ia, I dull re
-1 move it to Cambridge, against which‘place no objeAion that I know of
can be formed. FRA. BERNARD.
Provinte-Hanfi, June 14, 1769.
The Secretary then, by order of the Governor, adjourned the Court to
Harvard-College in Cambridge, to Friday the i6(b indent, at ten o'clock
**Tw , 9 > . LR Friday morftlag the Rev. Mr. Thomas Poxcroft, senior
Pa4or of the firft Church in this town, was feddeole frixed with fin apo
pledick fit, and expired yesterday noon, in the 7id year of his ageu
r Extrmd ts a letter from April 5,
• I returned from France a few days ago j my tour though,fliort was
agreeable. Mr. Dickeufoa's letters are now translated into French; the
wmafletnr is a man of the firft rank for virtue and learning at Faria. In
the prefke to the translation he hue bestowed n number of high encomiums
upon Mr. Dkkenfon, and fays, (hat, in hia-opinion, the Reman Orotar
mmt ty tlafmmt thorn the Pemtfjhaxim Former , They fell very rapidly ia
•-• V ‘
ttaodated them, in which brtells me, that, <ldf N nr/way ms t am, hg
we wU mrmgfi sy aw to Jmerito , in order t* poy kit homage in prrjan to Dithn/,„
Oth , and mil the tdujtrhm odvtemttt for American liberty. Who can fail 0 f
being charmed with such sentiments in a Frenchman t Here (to borrow
an allusion from the Farmer's letters) we behold the fire of liberty (HU
glowing in a country, after the altar upon whkh it was kindled is burr.:
10 the ground. • 1 ‘ w
*• Great difiatisfaAion prevails ia this kingdom on account of Wilkes’s
expulfien and the reftrmints on the American trade. If your merchants
and htoufekeepers generally epfce with the other colonies, ia not import,
ing more goods, depend on it yoe will be soon emancipated from the p r l
liamentary yoke, and no future Mieifier will venture to tax America a.
gain.
. *• Lord H h begins to squeak j he hat lately declared, that the
resolves and the address to the K— were mnch against his judgment; that
they were foiced on him by his B-df-rd friends; and he has told the K—
he cannot serve him effeAually in his depanment whilst others direct its
operations. ,
44 It is the general sentiment of the ablest connoifleors, that the difeon.
.tent and ill temper which reign in England, joined with the ftcady conduA
of the Americans, will produce a change in the Admioiftration. and that
at least the B-df rd part of it will give way, when the Rockingham friends
, will ft*pply their places, which would be a happy circumstance both for
Great-Britain and her colonies.”
Jmm x 6. The reports of a French fleet of tea fail of the liau befog feoa
off Louilbourgh, and sundry other extraordinary reports relating to them
and Halifax, we can find no foundation for
Thursday last Ca.pt. Stevens arrived from famaiefi. On the xoth of May
he saw a large (hip full of soldiers, and the day following off Gape Coti
entaa he fell in with four more large (hips full of soldiers, and one capful
(hip, and pafied them within piiiol foot, hailed them thfee times, hot
could obtain no answer; these latter were Handing through the Gulp!) of
Mexico, and supposed to be bound to the Miffifippi. The former, on
Capt. Stevens's hoisting English colours, likewise hoi fled Spanilh, but
immediately took them down again.
Since our last the detachment of the royal train of artillery, with their
cannon and other (lores, were embarked on board one of the cutters, and
failed for Halifax, ‘ >
On Wednesday the 65th regiment began to embark from Caftle-Iland
on board the Rippon and Rose men of war,” and on Satarday they also
failed for the fame place.. The 29th is to be rfmoved to the barracks at
the Caftlr,
Lnlt Friday Brigadier-General Pomeroy set out for New.York, from
whence it is (aid he is soon to embark for England.
Jum *9. On Tuesday evening died the Rev. Dr. Scwall, D, D. senior
Paitor of the South Church in this town, in the Sift year of his age.
Jufy 3. A letter from Halifax mentions, thaf the island of St. John's
is made a fe par ate government, and that Lieutenant Governor Franklin (
es Nova Scotia is appointed Governor.
Toefiday last arrived here from New Providence, hie Excellency Wil.
listn Shirley, Esq formerly Governor of this province, and late Governor
of the Bahama Islands, tod a Lieutenant General in his Majesty's army.
His Excellency was fainted as he parted Caftie ‘William, and many prin*
cipal Gentlemen of the town have waited on him with their compliments.
Friday last arrived his Majesty's (hig Romney, and on Saturday theSe-*
negal, both from Halifax.—We bear that the 64th regiment it to emba. k
■ext Wednesday on board these (hips for Halifax.’
Nnm ferk , June aa. Some advices from Albany allure us the difpntet
with at Detroit were amicably adjusted, and peace again
fettled. They fay the pretences of the quarrel were, that the Indiaashad
never been paid for the Imids on which the French inhabitants had fettled
near Detroit, and for which they have now had fetisfaAion. Sir William
johnfon was aifb returned home again.
Tucfdty failed for Loudon, the (hip Dntchefs of Gordon, Capt. Winn,
in whom went partengers, her Grace the Dntchefs of Gordon, the Lady
of his Excellency Sir Henry Moore, Col. Stoats Morris, Matter Billy
Gage, foa of his Excellency the General, Miss Ritchie Franks, Mils
Burgefi, Mils Conor, Capt. Davis, Capt. Stanton, and about 20 other*.
A letter from Lilbon mentions that a rep ‘it prevails there that the Go*
vendor of Gibraltar had received orders to aA with vigilance against the
Moora. * ‘
t *
June 26. Yesterday Major Rogers arrived in town from Montreal.
Extras from General Qrderi , May 8, *769.
44 The Court is of opinion that Major Robert Rogers is not guilty of
any one of the articles laid to his charge, and therefore doth acquit him
of the fame.
44 HU Majesty is pleased to approve the opinion of the Court, so ac
quitting the fatd Robert Roger* of each of the said articles of charge, and
to order that he be released from his confinement.
44 At the fame time it appears to his Majesty, that there was great rea
lm! to fufpeA.that the laid Major Robert Rogers entertained an improper
and dangerous correfpondeuce, which suspicion the account afterwards
given of hit meditating an cfcape tended to confirm. <
Ricmaro Maitlawu, D. A. G.”
Capt. Hamilton, in seven weeks from Cadis, informs us, that a few
days before he failed from thence, advice was received'there, that tne
French had aAually taken two English veflels hound from London sos
Corsica, with neceftarics for the brave Paoli, and feat them as prises into
fome French port in the Streights.
Annapelit , in Maryland , June 20. On Monday afternoon arrived here
in good health. in the (hip Baltimore, Capt. Mitcbel, bis Eacellency
Robert Eden, Esq. our Governor, wjth his lady and family.
Philadelphia, June* 22. Capt. Birgley from Lilbon informs, that a
few days before ne’failed, an express arrived there from Gibraltar, with aa
account that the Emperor of Morocco had declared war against the Eaglilh.
ExtroS ts m Utter from o gentleman in Edentan . North- Carolina , to bit friiad in
Philadelphia , dated the 26/A of May, 1769.
44 Our Assembly isdiflolved, new writs are issued, and theeleAion will
be on the 18th of. July.—Don’t you think the Virginians have behaved
like mer f I fancy Lord B——t is greatly mistaken, and
time know, that titles, Burgnndy, and a giit uoacb, will not be fufficimt
inducements to bribe men oat of their liberties. A man 0/ war was d*f
patched last Sunday with the agreeable news to the Ministry, who, by the
by, seem to have their hands Jail.”
Cbarlifannn, Jxly 20. A letter from Rhode-Ifland, dated 6th fotaar,