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other rifings in the colony as obliged more of the new council to refign or to flee to Boston; whither, by the close of the month, the commiffioners, the custom-house officers, and all who have made themselves particularly obnoxious, by taking an active and decided part against the country, repaired for protection. Thus is the feat of government at Salem abandoned, and the apparatus of a custom-house removed to a place, which an act of parliament has profcribed from all trade.

About this time the governor's company of cadets, consisting of Boston gentlemen, difbanded themselves, and returned him the standard he prefented to them upon his arrival. This flight was owing to his taking away the commiffion from Mr. Hancock, who was colonel of the corps. But Mr. John Murray, a colonel of the militia, having accepted a feat in the new council, twentyfour officers of his regiment refigned their commiffions in one day. Such is the prevailing fpirit, that all perfons accepting offices under the new laws, or preparing to act in conformity to them, are declared enemies to their country, and threatened accordingly.

The feizing of the powder, and the withholding from the legal proprietors what is lodged in the magazine of Boston, and the design carrying into execution, of repairing and manning the fortification at the entrance of the town, have occafioned the holding an affembly of delegates from the feveral towns and diftricts in the county of Suffolk, of which Boston is the county town. After a moft fpirited preamble, they refolved among 9. other things, "That no obedience is due from this province to either or any part of the late acts, but that they be rejected as the attempts of a wicked ade miniftration

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ministration to enflave America:-That fo long as the justices are appointed or hold their places, by any other tenure than that which the charter and the laws of the province direct, they must be confidered as unconftitutional officers, and as fuch no regard ought to be paid to them by the people of this country:-That if the juftices fhall fit and act during their prefent difqualified ftate, this county will bear harmless all fheriffs, jurors and other officers, who fhall refufe to carry into execution the orders of faid courts:-That it be recommended to the collectors of taxes and all other officers, who have public monies in their hands, to retain the fame and not to make any payment thereof to the provincial county treafurer, until the civil government of the province is placed upon a conftitutional foundation, or it fhall be otherwife ordered by the proposed provincial congrefs-That the perfons, who have accepted feats at the council board, by virtue of a mandamus from the king, have acted in a direct violation of the duty they owe to their country; this county do recommend it to all, who have fo highly offended, and have not already refigned, to make public refignation on or before the 20th of this inftant September; all, refufing fo to de, fhall after faid day, be confidered by this county as obftinate and incorrigible enemies to this country :— That the fortifications begun and now carrying on upon Bofton neck, gives us reafon to apprehend fome hostile intention against that town:-That the late act establishing the Roman Catholic religion in Quebec, is dangerous in an extreme degree to the Proteftant religion, and to the civil rights and liberties of all America:-That whereas our enemies have flattered themselves, that they fhall

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make an easy prey of this numerous brave people, from an apprehension that they are unacquainted with military difcipline; we therefore, for the honor and fecurity of this county and province advise, that such persons be elected in each town as officers in the militia, as shall be judged of fufficient capacity, and who have evidenced themselves the inflexible friends to the rights of the people, and that the inhabitants do use their utmost diligence to acquaint themselves with the art of war, and do for that purpose appear under arms at least once every week:-That during the present hostile appearances on the part of Britain, we are determined to act merely upon the defenfive fo long as fuch conduct may be vindicated by reason and the principles of self-preservation, but no longer:-That as we understand it has been in contemplation to apprehend fundry perfons of this county, we do recommend, fhould fuch measure be put in practice, to feize and keep every fervant of the present government throughout the province, until the perfons fo apprehended be reftored uninjured :-That we recommend to all perfons, not to engage in any routes, riots, or licentious attacks upon the properties of any perfon whatsoever, as being fubverfive of all order and government; but by a steady, manly, uniform, and perfevering oppofition, to convince our enemies, that in a conteft fo important, in a cause so folemn, our conduct fhall be fuch as to merit the approbation of the wife, and the admiration of the brave and free of every age and of every country." They then drew up an address to the governor, and voted that Dr. Jofeph Warren (a physician, an amiable gentleman, who wishes for a reconciliation between the colonies and the parent ftate,

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upon a redress of grievances, and aims not at independency) with others, be a committee to wait on his excellency, to inform him how the county is alarmed, and to remonstrate against the fortifications making on the neck, and the repeated infults offered by the foldiery, to perfons paffing and repaffing into Boston, and to confer with him on thofe fubjects. The governor was waited upon to know if he would receive the committee with the addrefs; but defiring a private copy of it, that when he received them, he might be ready with a prepared anfwer, he was furnished with it, and afterward fixed on Monday the 12th for receiving the committée. The doings of the county delegates, and a copy of the address to the governor have been sent off by exprefs to the general congress now met at Philadelphia. On the Monday, when the committee had delivered the address of the county, he answered to it, "I have no intention to prevent the free egrefs and regrefs of any perfon to and from the town of Bofton. I fhall fuffer none under my command to injure the perfon or property of any of his majesty's fubjects; but it is my duty to preferve the peace, and to prevent furprise; and no ufe will be made of the cannon, unless the hoftile proceedings of the people shall render it neceffary." The patriots are waiting earnestly for the opinion of congrefs on the Suffolk refolves, in hopes that they will be approved of; and if fo, they will go on with greater refolution and courage; for they will confider fuch approbation as a declaration, that the colony will be fupported by congress, in case hostilities are neceffary for the preservation of its liberties, and is alfo juftifiable in arming and training the militia.

Mr.

Mr. Quincy is upon the point of failing for Britain, at the request of several co-patriots. Be fo obliging as to pay a proper attention to him: you will be pleased at finding him for intelligent a gentleman, and may rely upon his information. Shall keep the letter open, that if the fenfe of congrefs is received time enough, it may be forwarded.

P. S. The fons of liberty are in high fpirits. The Suffolk refolves were before congrefs on Saturday morning, the 17th, and were confidered; after which it was refolved unanimously, "That this affembly deeply feels the fuffering of their countrymen in the Maffachusettsbay, under the operation of the late unjust, cruel, and oppreffive acts of the British parliament:-That they moft thoroughly approve the wisdom and fortitude with which oppofition to thefe wicked minifterial measures has hitherto been conducted, and they earnestly recommend to their brethren, a perfeverance in the fame firm and temperate conduct as expreffed in the refolutions determined upon, at a meeting of the delegates for the county of Suffolk, on Tuesday the 6th inftant, (that was the day of their first meeting, but they did not finish till the 9th) trufting that the effect of the united efforts of North America in their behalf, will carry fuch conviction to the British nation, of the unwife, unjuft, and ruinous policy of the prefent adminiftration, as quickly to introduce better men and wifer meafures: Refolved unanimously, That contributions from all the colonies for fupplying the neceffities, and alleviating the diftreffes of our brethren at Boston, ought to be continued, in fuch manner, and fo long as their occafions may require." Mr. Quincy fails to-day.

LET

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