is relished. Take care of yourselves: we have more than men enough to block up the enemy at Bofton; and if we are likely to fall by treachery, by heaven we will not fall unrevenged on the traitors; but if balls or fwords will reach them, they hall fall with us. It is no time now to dally or be merely neutral: he that is not for us is against us, and ought to feel the first of our refentment. You must now declare most explicitly one way or the other, that we may know whether we are to go to Boiton, or New-York. If you defert, our men will as chearfully attack New-York as Bofton, for we can but perifh, and that we are determined upon, or be free."

Whatever effect may be afcribed to the above letter, it does not appear to have had any fhare in influencing the conduct of the leading men in the province of New-York. Their remonftrance to parliament is an irrefragable proof of their determined refolution to maintain the liberties of their country; and the fmall majority that was obtained in a thin houfe of affembly, to pass a vote difclaiming the authority of the General Congrefs, was a feeble effort of the Lieut. Governor, to eftablish a suggestion of his own, that the province over which he prefided was ready to accept of any conditions, provided they were permitted to raife the revenue required of them in their own way; than which nothing could be more opposite to the intentions of the people. It is moreover reported, that Governor Tryon, who was the darling as well as the Governor of the province, and who arrived from England during the violence of the commotion, had been peremptorily forhidden to come on fhore, as no Royal Government any longer fubfifted in that part of the country; the garrifon and fortifications of the town, the arms and ammunition belonging to the King's troops, the arfenal, with all the stores, being now in the poffeffion of the leaders of the oppofition, and every perfon difmiffed who held any commiffion from the crown, civil or military. In the harbour there were two hips, with flores for Gen. Gage, which they feized and unloaded,

At a meeting of the delegates for the Counties and corporations in the colony of Virginia, the Hon. Peyton Randolph, Efq; prefident, it has been unanimously refolved, that a well regulated militia, compofed of gentlemen and eomen, is the natural firength and only fecurity of a free government; that the establishment of fuch a militia is, at this time, peculiarly Beceffary; and that a plan for embodying,

Jaly, 1775.

arming, and difciplining fuch a number of men as may be fufficient for that purpofe, fhould be immediately carried into execution. At the fame time

Refolved, that, on account of the unhappy difputes between Great Britain and the colonies, and the unfettled ftate of the colony of Virginia, the lawyers, fuitors, and witneffes, ought not to attend the profecution or defence of civil fuits at the next general court, but that, during the fufpenfion of the adminiftration of juftice, the people fhould obferve an orderly behaviour; that ail debtors should be as indulgent to their creditors as may be, and all debtors to pay as far as they are able; and where differences may arife, which cannot be adjusted between the parties, that they should refer the decifion thereof to judicious neighbours, and abide by their determination.

Refolved alfo, that, in order to make an ample provifion of ammunition, it be re.ommended to the committees of the feveral counties, that they collect, from their conftituents, fo much money as will be fufficient to purchase half a pound of gunpowder, one pound of lead, necellary Hints, and cartridge-paper, for every tithable perfon in their county; the fame to be difpofed of, when purchased, in fuch places of fafety as may be judged moft tenable. At this provincial congrefs a committee was appointed to prepare a plan for the encouragement of arts and manufactures, who unanimously refolved, that the making of gun powder, and the manufacturing of iron into nails and wire, and the making of fleel, ought to be largely encouraged, as there will be a great demand for these articles.

By thefe regulations the colonifts feem determined to render the proclamation, forbiding the exportation of gun powder and fire arms to America, ineffectual.

The friends of government have given out, that the military preparations in the colonies have been recommended and taught chiefly by Gen. Lee, late a half pay colonel in the British frvice; but nothing can be father from the truth. The Americans were determined to feal

their love of liberty with their blood long before they heard of the name of Gon. Lee: the people of Mallachulletts were armed and difciplined before Gen. Lee vifited them; and the congrefs agreed to recommend the fudy of the military exercifes to the colonies, without hearing a word upon the fubject from that Gencral, whofe reafons for joining the Ame ricans may be gathered from his letter to Iii

Lord

"Were your Lordship only a common Colonel of a regiment, I certainly fhould not have given myfelf the trouble of writing, nor you the trouble of reading, this letter; but, as you hold fo high a rank, and will one day hold a ttill higher, I conceive it will not be improper to addrefs you, and in fome measure to apologize for my feeming want of respect. As I have not waited on the General (for reafons which he cannot, I think, difapprove) I was not certain whether you might, in your military capacity, confi der my vifit as proper. But, as you are not merely a foldier, but a citizen of the first clafs and importance, from your illuftrious family and fashion, your vaft property, and being deftined in birth to be a counsellor of the nation, I think fome explanation of my conduct not only proper, but neceffary; and I flatter myfelf, that, fome time or other, your Lordfhip will not fimply approve my conduct, but become a friend to the fame caufe. My Lord, I will venture to say, that it is the caufe of Great Britain, as well as of America; it is the cause of mankind. Were the principle of taxing America without their confent admitted, GreatBritain would that inftant be ruined; the pecuniary influence of the crown, and the army of placemen and penfioners, would be fo increased, that all oppofition to the most iniquitous measures of the moft iniquitous miuitters would be for ever borne down.

"Your lordship, I am fure, must be fenfible, that this pecuniary influence is already enormoufly too great, and that a very wicked ufe is made of it. On thefe principles every good Englishman (abstracted from any particular regard for America) muft fuppofe her being taxed by the parliament of Great-Britain, or more pro perly by the First Lord of the Treafury; for, in fact, the parliament and treafury have, of late years, been one and the fame thing. But, my Lord, I have, befides, a particular regard for America: I was long among them, and I know them to be the most loyal, affectionate, zealous fubjects of the whole empire. General Gage himself must acknowledge the truth of what I advance. He was witnefs, through the courfe of the latt war, of their zeal, their ardour, their enthusiasm for whatever concerned the welfare, the intereft, and the honour of the mother-country. When I fee, therethe extreme of calamities attempt

ed to be brought down upon fuch a people, by the intrigues of fuch a couple offs as Bernard and Hutchinfon; when I fee a minifter violent and tyrannical like N, mowing down whole communities, merely to indulge his hereditary hatred of liberty, and those who are attached to her; I think it the duty of every honest man, and friend to hnmanity, to exert his utmost to defeat the diabolical purpose. That these people have been totally unrepresented at home; that they have been most unjustly and cruelly treated; your Lordship will, I make no doubt, be fooner or later convinced. But as, from your present fituation, and many circumftances, you will not probably fall into the way of truth fo foon as I could wish, I beg leave to recommend to your perufal a fort of pamphlet lately fent from England; it is entitled, "A True State of the Proceedings in the Parliament of GreatBritain, and in the Province of Maffachuffetts-Bay." Mr. will furnish your Lordfhip with it, if you will make ufe of my name. It is a fair and candid relation of the whole procefs from the beginning to the end. When your Lordfhip has read it, you will be ftruck with compaffion and horror, and I have great hopes will become not a lefs warm (but more powerful) friend to this much injured country than myself. I take the liberty of recommending this method to your Lordfhip, as it is impoffible you fhould gather any thing but misinformation from the men who, I find, furround the head-quarters. The Sewels and Paxtons are not only interested to misreprefent and calumniate, but to exterminate their country; there is no medium; their country muft perish, or they meet the defert of impious parricides. It was the misfortune of General Gage from the beginning to fall into fuch hands as these. Had he not been deluded by men of this ftamp, we fhould never have seen him acting in a capacity fo incompatible with the excellence of his natural difpofition. I muft now, my Lord, entreat, that, as fools and knaves will, from misunderstanding and malice, probably disfigure my conduct, you will not suffer them to make any wrong impreflions; that you will be perfuaded, that I act not from any pique and difappointment (which I conclude will be infinuated) but from principle. I think, my Lord, an English foldier owes a very great degree of reverence to the King, as firft magiftrate, and third branch of the legiflature, called to this mighty ftation by the voice of the peo

plea

pe; but I think he owes a ftill greater degree of reverence to the rights and liberties of his country. I think his country is every part of the empire; that, in whatever part of the empire a flagitious minifter manifeftly invades those rights and liberties, whether in Great Britain, Ireland, or America, every Englithman (foldier or not foldier) ought to confider their caufe as his own: and that the rights and liberties of this country are invaded, every man mutt fee who has eyes, and is not determined to keep them thut. Thefe, my Lord, are my principles; from thefe, I fwear, by all that is facred and tremendous, I purely and folely act; thefe, I hope, will rather ferve than prejudice me in your Lordship's opinion. I flatter myself fill farther: I flatter myfelf, that you, my Lord, before it is long, will adopt them; that you will, at least, in your letters to your father (whom I have always been taught to efteem as an honelt man, and friend to humanity) endeavour to undeceive the people at home. If the delusion is too ftrong, I can venture to athrm, that you will feel fome confolation, amidst the calamities ready to fall upon your country, in the reflection that you had attempted to avert

them."

What effect this letter may have cannot be known; nor is it yet clear whether a Commander in Chief has or has not been appointed to head the American army, among others Gen Lee, Colonel Putnam, and Gen. Washington, have been named; but in the verbal account given by Captain Darby, who brought the firit news of the action at Concord, the names of Ward, Pribble, Heath, Prefcot, and Thomas, are mentioned as Generals of the army that then furrounded Botton, the right wing of which extended from Cambridge to Roxbury, the left from Cambridge to Myftic, a tract of thirty miles, through which centinels are pofted all the way, to preferve a communication, and to cut off all intercourfe with the town; by which means the foldiers are reduced to the neceffity of living on falt provifions, and it is even affirmed that pork and pease are eaten at the General's own table.

In the midst of all this confufion and diftrefs, Governor Franklin, of New Jerfey, has flued a proclamation for calling the general affembly of that province together, in order to lay before the members Lord North's propofitions for reconciling the colonies; but letters of good authority affert, that no terms of reconciliation will be received while the

colonies are threatened with hoftilities.

A very fenfible letter from Bolton, after giving a clear and very impartial account of the late action at Concord, concludes with this farther information;

"Thus ended this dreadful day, which has fully proved to all that hear it, that thofe rafcals who deceived General Gage, by declaring we fhould not fight, are, as they always were, liars. Was the diftress to end here, I could rejoice; but, alas! 'tis but the beginning of troubles, for our people have affembled about 16,000 men within a few miles of this capital. They have taken poffeffion of an advantageous poft that commands the ftrong works on the Neck, and are determined to force them: and, as their numbers are momentarily increafing, I make not the leaft doubt by this day week (the letter is dated April 22) they will have 80 or 100,oco men, and, in my opinion, will be in the heart of this town within ten days. We are in the utmoft ditrefs, all communication fhut up; the Governor won't fulfer a single man, woman, or child, to depart. The town has been in treaty with him this day; and to-morrow, although the Sabbath, we have a town meeting; a thing never known here before, that I have heard of. Could I have got my wife and children safe, I fhould certainly have embarked in this veffel.

I cannot, however, omit a small anecdote, which I had from a gentleman of veracity, who was prefent the day of the engagement: two waggons with provifions and ammunition for the regulars, guarded by an officer and thirteen men, were going to the army, when, at about four miles from hence, twelve of our mes jumped from behind a ftone wall, and fired upon them, and killed two men, and wounded the officer; upon which the guard retreated, and ran into the woods, and our people took the waggon and flores."

Another letter, that feems equally authentic, confirms the account of the revolt at New-York: "The news of the attack at Bofton reached New-York on Sunday the 23d, and that very day the populace feized the city arms, and unloaded two provifion-veffels bound for the troops at Boston. In the course of the week they formed themselves into companies under officers of their own chuting-diftributed the arms-called a Provincial congrefs-demanded the keys, of the Cuftom-house, and fhut up the port-trained their men publicly-convened the citizens by beat of drum-drew

the

the cannon into the interior country and formed an affociation of defence in perfect league with the reft of the continent, which is figning by all ranks, profeffions, and orders. The expectations of government of a defection in that colony, were without foundation, and must be now totally extinguished. Every preparation is making in that, and all the provinces, to repel force wherefoever it may be exerted."

Gen. Gage has given pofitive orders that no perfon fhall go out of Boston. Colonel Pribble has flued as pofitive orders that no perfon fhall go into Bof

ton.

All the colleges in New-England, having been voluntarily refigned by the ftudents, are turned into barracks for the Provincial troops.

It should feem that fome disturbances have happened in North Carolina, of which the public have yet received no particular account, as a commiffion has lately paffed the Great Seal, empowering his Majefty's Governor of that province (after reciting, that Herman Hufbands and divers others had raised a rebellion in that province, which hath been fuppreffed) to pardon all treafons, &c. by them or any of them committed, except the faid Herman Hufbands.

On the first of May the General Affembly of the Province of Pennfylvania met at Philadelphia, when the following meffage from the Governor was laid before the Houfe for their confideration: "GENTLEMEN,

"I have ordered the fecretary to lay before you a refolution entered into by the British Houfe of Commons the 20th of February laft, relative to the unhapPy differences fubfifting between our mother country and her American colonies, You will perceive, by this refolve, not only a ftrong difpofition manifefied by that auguft body to remove the caufes which have given rife to the difcontents and complaints of his Majesty's fubjects in the colonies, and the dreadful impending evils likely to enfue from them; but that they have pointed out the terms on which they think it just and reafonal le a final accommodation should be grounded.

"Let me earneftly entreat you, Gentlemen, to weigh and confider this plan of reconciliation held forth and offered by the parent to her children, with that temper, calmnefs, and deliberation, that the importance of the fubje&t, and the prefent critical fituation of affairs, demand. Give me leave to obferve, that the co

lonies, amidst all thofe complaints which a jealoufy of their liberties has occafioned, have never denied the juftice or equity of their contributing towards the burthens of the mother country, to whose protection and care they owe, not only their prefent opulence, but even their very exilience; on the contrary, every ftate and reprefentation of their fuppofed grievances, that I have feen, avows the propriety of fuch a measure, and their willingness to comply with it.

"The difpute then appears to me to be brought to this point-Whether the redrefs. of any grievances the colonists have reafon to complain of fhall precede or be postponed to the fettlement of that juft proportion which America fhould bear towards the common fupport and defence of the whole British empire.

"You have, in the refolution of the Houfe of Commons, which, I have authority to tell you, is entirely approved by his Majefty, a folemn declaration,. that an exemption from any duty, tax, or affeffment, prefent or future, except fuch duties as may be expedient for the regulation of commerce, fhall be the immediate confequence of propofals on the part of any of the colony-legiflatures, accepted by his Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament, to make provifion, according to their refpective circumstances for contributing their proportion to the common defence, and the fupport of the civil government of each colony.

"I will not do you fo much injustice, Gentlemen, as to fuppofe you can defire a better fecurity for the inviolable performance of this engagement, than the refolve itfelf, and his Majesty's approbation of it, gives you.

"As you are the firft Affembly on the continent to whom this refolution has been communicated, much depends on the moderation and wifdom of your councils, and you will be deservedly revered to the lateft pofterity, if, by any poffible means, you can be inflrumental in restoring the public tranquility, and refcuing both countries from the dreadful calamities of a civil war."

May 2, 1775. JOHN PENN." Rejolation of the House of Commons. Luna, 20 die Feb. 1775. "The Houfe in a committee on the American papers. Motion made, and quetion propofed,

"That it is the opinion of this committce, that, when the General Council and Aembly, or General Court, of any of his Majefty's provinces or colonies in America, thall propofe to make provifion,

according