condition both armies are looking at each other. In this interval, alfo, the army has been thrown into three grand divifions, Gen. Ward commands the right wing at Roxbury, Gen. Lee the left at Profpect Hill, and the centre, in which is included a corps de referve, is commanded by Gen. Washington. The men are healthy and in good spirits, fo that we have nothing to fear but a furprize, which is guarded against by the utmost vigilance. The enemy, on the other hand, are fickly, totally deftitute of fresh provifions and vegetables; the fcurvy, fevers, and fluxes, carry off numbers every day, and most of their wounded die from their bad habit of body. Four deferters have come out within these 24 hours, all of whom agree in the account of their fick Befs and mortality." "Cambridge, July 28, 1775. "Within a day or two we have had five deferters from the advanced pofts of the enemy; two of them are fenfible, honeft-looking fellows, one that came in this morning particularly fo. They have brought a return of the enemy's killed and wounded, amounting to 1052; most of the wounded are dead; or in a dangerous way. They have had no freth provifions fince the affair of Noddle Ifland, and are not like to have any without fighting for it. One of the deferters went off last night, with leave, for Philadelphia; he is a grenadier of the Royal Irish. The deferters fay, that yesterday morning Gen. Gage furrendered, in the orders of the day, his command to Gen. Howe, and now acts as Civil Governor; that one officer is much cenfured for his mode of attack on our lines last month; that their artillery was wretchedly ferved; and, what is more strange, that all the spare cartridges which they brought out were twelve pounders, and they took out only nine pound cannon; fo that, when our people were obliged to quit their lines, the enemy had not one round of artillery cartridge left: that young Richardson was the first perfon who mounted our parapets: you know him well, he is of the 18th, or Royal Irish; he is dangeroufly wounded: that their number of effective men is 4000 in Boston, and 2200 on Bunker's Hill; that they despair of forcing our lines; but talk of getting round us if they can; that they have erected a large bomb battery on Bunker's Hill, and have, amongst others, two 18 inch mortars: that our morning gun yefterday threw an 18 pound fhot into their encampment on the top of Bunker's Hill: that the grenadiers of the Royal Welsh Fufileers, amounting to 40 at the attack last month, are now reduced to eight men; that the 52d regiment had 22 grenadiers killed out of 39; that the inhabitants of Boston are ill-ufed and miferably fed; that the army begin to clamour for their pay, there is no cash, and bills will not fell under 50 per cent. difcount. The refolution of the Congress against Government bills was wife, and has diitreffed the enemy exceedingly. The Reading company of rificmen came in on Tuesday, the reft are hourly expected, and much wanted. We have fre quently thrown into their lines, on the wings of the wind, at night, hand bills, and propofe to fend in a few this night. Thefe bills are blown into their camp, and get into the hands of the foldiers, without the officers being able to prevent it. Major Bruce complained at an interview the other day of fuch ufage: we retorted his decoying our centries from the post, two rascals having left us a day or two before by his or fome other officer's means. We expect they will begin to bombard us in a day or two; they cannot hurt but benefit us; they will, by fuch means, harden our men and dif courage their own; this we have experienced by the bombarding of Roxbury. One of the deferters has brought us a compleat plan of all the enemy's works, you fhall have a copy foon." It should feem that the inhabitants of Maffachusetts-bay endeavour ftill to preserve the form of a conftitution; for, it is faid, that their General Assembly met on the zift of July, at the Meeting-house at Watertown, and chofe the Hon. James Warren for their Speaker; but by what authority they met does not appear. A few days after, they proceeded to the choice of counfellors for the feveral Colonies of Maffachusetts-bay, Plymouth, Province of Maine and Sagadahock. The Provincial Congrefs of Georgia have approved the proceedings of the Continental Congrefs, and have ceafed the importation of British goods from July the 7th. The petition to the king, mentioned in our laft (page 549) was in the following words, as published in London, Sept. 14. To the King's Moft Excellent Majefty. Moft gracious Sovereign, WE your Majesty's faithful fubjects of the Colonies of New-Hampshire, MaffachusettsBay, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jerfey, Pennfylvania, the Countries of New-Caflle, Kent, and Suffex in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South-Carolina, in behalf of curfelves and the inhabitants of thefe Colonies, who have deputed us to reprefent them in General Congrefs, entreat your Majesty's gracious attention to this our humble Petition. The union between our Mother country and thefe Colonies, and the energy of mild and juft government, produced benefits fo remarkably important, and afforded fuch affurance of their permanency and increafe, that the wonder and envy of other nations were excited, while they beheld Great-Britain rising to a power the most extraordinary the world had ever known. Her rivals obferving that there was no probability of this happy connexion being broken by civil diffentions, and apprehending its future effects, if left any longer undisturbed, refolved to prevent her receiving fo continual and formidable an acceffion of wealth and ftrength, by checking the growth of thefe fettlements, from which they were to be derived. In the profecution of this attempt, events fo unfavourable to the defign took place, that Kkkk 2 every every friend to the intereft of Great-Britain and thefe Colonies, entertained pleafing and reafonable expectations of feeing an additional force and extenfion immediately given to the operations of the union hitherto experienced, by an enlargement of the dominions of the Crown, and the removal of antient and warlike enemies to a greater diftance. At the conclufion, therefore, of the late war, the most glorious and advantageous that ever had been carried on by British arms, your loyal Colonies, having contributed to its fuccefs by fuch repeated and ftrenuous exertions as frequently procured them the diftinguished approbation of your Majefty, of the late King, and of Parliament, doubted not but that they should be permitted, with the reft of the empire, to fhare in the bleffings of peace, and the emoluments of victory and conqueft.-While thefe recent and honourable acknowledgments of their merits remained on record in the Journals and Acts of that auguft Legislature, the Parliament, undefaced by the imputation, or even the fufpicion of any offence, they were alarmed by a new fyftem of ftatutes, and regulations, adopted for the adminiftration of the Colonies, that filled their minds with the most painful fears and jealoufies; and, to their inexpreffible aftonishment, perceived the dangers of a foreign quarrel quickly fucceeded by domeftic dangers, in their judgment of a more dreadful kind. Nor were their anxieties alleviated by any tendency in this fyltem to promote the welfare of the Mother country: for though its effects were more immediately felt by them, yet its influence appeared to be injurious to the commerce and profperity of Great-Britain. We fhall decline the ungrateful task of defcribing the irksome variety of artifices practifed by many of your Majefty's Minifters, the delufive pretences, fruitlefs terrors and unavailing feverities, which have from time to time been dealt out by them in their attempts to execute this impolitic plan, or of tracing through a series of years paft the progrefs of the unhappy differences between Great-Britain and thele Colonies, which have flowed from this fatal fource. Your Majefty's Minifters perfevering in their measures, and proceeding to open hoftilities for enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our own defence, and have engaged us in a controverfy fo peculiarly abhorrent from the affections of your ftill faithful Colonists, that when we confider whom we muft oppofe in this conteft, and if it continues, what may be the confequences; our own particular mifortunes are accounted by us only as parts of our diftrefs. Knowing to what violent refentment and in curable animofities civil difcords are apt to exalperate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourfelves required by indiipenfable obligations to Almighty God, to your Majefty, to our fellow fubjects, and ourselves, immediately to use all means in our power, not incompatible with our fafety, for stopping the further effufion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British Empire. Thus called upon to addrefs your Majesty on affairs of fuch moment to America, and probably to all your dominions, we are earnestly defirous of performing this office with the utmost deference to your Majefty; and we therefore pray that your royal magnanimity and benevolence may make the most favourable conftructions of our expreffions on fo uncommon an occafion. 1 Could we reprefent, in their full force, the fentiments which agitate the minds of us, your dutiful fubjects, we are perfuaded your Majesty would afcribe any feeming deviation from reverence, in our language, and even in our conduct, not to any reprehenfible intention, but to the impoffibility of reconciling the ufual ap pearances of respect with a juft attention to enemies, who abule your royal confidence and our prefervation against thofe artful and cruel authority for the purpose of effecting our deftruction. Attached to your Majefty's perfon, family, and government, with all the devotion that principle and affection can infpire, connected with Great Britain by the strongest ties that can unite focieties, and deploring every event that tends in any degree to weaken them, we folemnly affure your Majefty that we not only molt ardently defire the former harmony between her and thefe Colonies may be restored, but upon fo firm a bafis as to perpetuate its blefthat a concord may be established between them fings uninterrupted by any future diffenfions to fucceeding generations in both countries; and to tranfmit your Majefty's name to pofterity, adorned with that fignal and lafting glory that has attended the memory of those illuftrious perfonages, whofe virtues and abilities have extricated ftates from dangerous convulsions, and by fecuring happiness to others, have erected the most noble and durable monuments to their own fame. We beg leave further to affure your Majesty, that notwithstanding the fufferings of your loyal Colonies, during the courfe of the prefent controverfy, our breafts retain too tender a regard for the kingdom from which we derive our origin, to requeft fuch a reconciliation, as might in any manner be inconfiftent with ber dignity or her welfare. Thefe, related as inclination, induce us to fupport and advance; we are to her, honour and duty, as well as and the apprehenfions that now opprefs our moved, your Majefty will find your faithful hearts with unfpeakable grief being once refubjects, on this continent, ready and willing, at all times, as they have ever been, with their rights and interefts of your Majefty and of our lives and fortunes, to affert and maintain the Mother-Country. your royal authority and influence may be We therefore befeech your Majesty, that. graciously interpofed, to procure us relief from by the fyftem before mentioned, and to fettle our afflicting fears and jealoufies, occafioned peace through every part of your dominions: with all humility fubmitting to your Majefty's wife confideration, whether it may not be expe dient, for facilitating these important purposes, that your Majefty be pleased to direct fome mode by which the united applications of your faith ful Colonifts to the Throne, in pursuance of their common councils, may be improved into a hapPy and permanent reconciliation; and that in the mean time measures be taken for preventing the further deftruction of the lives of your Majesty's fubjects, and that fuch statutes as more immediately diftrefs any of your Majefty's Colonies be repealed. For by fuch arrangements, as your Majefty's wildom can form, for collecting the united lenfe of your American people, we are convinced your Majesty would receive fuch fatisfactory proofs of the difpofition of the Colonies towards their Sovereign and the parent state, that the wished-for opportunity would foon be reftored to them, of evincing the fincerity of their profeffions, by every teftimony of devotion becoming the most dutiful Subjects, and the most affectionate Colonists.. That your Majefty may enjoy a long and profperous reign, and that your defcendants may govern the dominions, with honour to themselves and happiness to their fubjects, is our fincere and fervent prayer. JOHN HANCOCK, &c. To the People of Ireland. From the Delegates appointed by the United Colonies of NewHampshire, Maffachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in General Congress at Philadelphia. Friends and Fellow Subjects, Minifters, with whom antient English honesty and benevolence difdained to dwell. From that period, jealoufy, difcontent, oppreffion, and difcord, have raged among all his Majelly's fubjects, and filled every part of his dominions with diftrefs and complaint. Not content with our purchafing of Britain at her own price, cloathing, and a thousand other articles used by near three millions of people on this vaft continent; not fatisfied with the amazing profits arifing from the monopoly of our trade, without giving us either time to breathe, after a long, though glorious war, or the leaft credit for the blood and treafure we have expended in it; notwithstanding the zeal we had manifefted for the fervice of our Sovereign, and the warmest attachment to the constitution of Britain, and the people of England; a black and horrid defign was formed, to convert us from freemen into flaves, from fubjects into vaffals, and from friends into enemies. Taxes, for the first time fince we landed on the American fhores, were, without our confent, impofed upon us; an unconstitutional edict to compel us to furnish neceffaries for a standing army, that we wished to fee difbanded, fufpended for refufing to comply with it.-Our was iffued; and the legislature of New-York antient and ineftimable right of trial by Jury was, in many inftances, abolished; and the common law of the land made to give place dered, by the tenure of their commiffions, to Admiralty jurifdictions. Judges were renentirely dependent on the will of a Minifter. New crimes were arbitrarily created; and new courts, unknown to the conftitution, inftituted. -Wicked and infidious Governors have been fet over us; and dutiful petitions for the removal of even the notoriously infamous Governor H-n, were branded with the opprobrious appellation of fcandalous and defamatory. Hardy attempts have been made, under colour of parliamentary authority, to feize Americans, and to carry them to Great-Britain to be tried, for offences committed in the Colonies.—Antient charters have no longer remained facred; that of the Mallachufetts-Bay was violated, and their form of government effentially mutilated and transformed. On pretence of punishHowever incredible it may appear, that, ating a violation of fome private property, comthis enlightened period, the leaders of a nation, mitted by a few difguiled ndividuals, the which in every age has facrificed hecatombs of pulous and flourishing town of Boston was fur-. her braveft patriots on the altar of Liberty, fhould rounded by fleets and armies; its trade destroyprefume gravely to aflert, and by force of arms. ed, its port blocked up; and thirty thousand attempt to establish an arbitrary fway over. citizens fubjected to all the miferies attending the lives, liberties, and property of their fel- fo fudden a convulfion in their commercial melow fubje&s in America; it is nevertheless a tropolis; and to remove every obstacle to the moft deplorable and indifputable truth. rigorous execution of this fyftem of oppreffion, an Act of Parliament was paffed, evidently. calculated to indemnify thofe who might, in the profccution of it, even embrue their hands in the blood of the inhabitants. AS the important conteft into which we have been driven, is now become interesting to every European ftate, and particularly affects the members of the British empire, we think it our duty to addrefs you on the fubject. We are defirous, as is natural to injured innocence, of poffeffing the good opinion of the virtuous and humane.-We are peculiarly defirous of furnishing you with a true ftate of our motives and objects, the better to enable you to judge of our own conduct with accuracy, and deter-. mine the merits of the controverly with impar, tiality and precision. Thele Colonies have, from the time of their first fettlement, for near two centuries, peaceably enjoyed thofe very rights of which the Miniftry have, for ten years pait, endea-, voured by fraud and by violence to deprive them. At the conclufion of the last war, the Genius of England and the Spirit of Wifdom, as if offended at the ungrateful treatment of their fons, withdrew from the British counile, and left that nation a prey to a race of unde ferved injuries, America ftill rememberThough preffed by fuch an accumulation of ed her duty to her Sovereign. A Congrels, confifting of Deputies from Twelve United Colonies, affembled. They in the most refpectful terms laid their grievances at the foot of the the throne, and implored his Majefty's interpofition in their behalf. They alto agreed to Sufpend all trade with Great-Britain, Ireland, and the West-Indies, hoping, by this peaceable mode of oppofition, to obtain that juftice from the British Miniftry which had been fo long folicited in vain. And here permit us to affure you, that it was with the utmost reluctance we could prevail upon ourselves to cease our commercial connection with your island. Your Parliament had done us no wrong. You had ever been friendly to the rights of mankind; and we acknowledge with pleasure, and with gratitude, that your nation has produced patriots, who have nobly distinguished themfelves in the caufe of humanity and America. On the other hand, we were not ignorant, that the labour and manufactures of Ireland, like thofe of the filkworm, were of little moment to herself, but ferved only to give luxury to those who neither toil nor fpin. We perceived, that if we continued our commerce with you, our agreement not to import from Britain would be fruitless; and were therefore compelied to adopt a meafure, to which nothing but abfolute neceffity could have reconciled us. It gave us, however, fome confolation to reflect, that should it occaLion much diftrefs, the fertile regions of Amerca would afford you a safe asylum from po verty, and in time from oppreffion also an alylum, in which many thoufands of your countrymen have found hofpitality, peace, and affluence, and become united to us by all the ties of confanguinity, mutual intereft, and affection. Nor did the congrefs ftop here. Flatsered by a pleasing expectation, that the juftice and humanity which had fo long characterifed the English nation, would, on proper ap plication, afford us relief; they reprefented their grievances in an affectionate addrefs to their brethren in Britain, and intreated their aid and interpofition in behalf of thefe Colo nies. The more fully to evince their refpect for their Savereign, the unhappy people of Boston were requested by the Congrets to fubmit with patience to their fate; and all America united in a refolution to abstain from every species of violence. During this period, that devoted town fuffered unspeakably. Its inhabitants were infulted, and their property violated. Still relying on the clemency and jultice of his Majetty and the nation, they permitted a few regiments to take poffeffion of their town, to furround it with fortifications, and to cut off all intercourse between them and their friends in the country. With anxious expectation did all America wait the event of their petition.--All America laments its fate. Their Prince was deaf to their complaints; and vain were all attempts to impress him with a fenfe of the fufferings of his American subjects; of the cruelty of their Tafk Mafters, and of the many plagues which impended over his dominions. Inftead of directions for a candid enquiry into our grievances, infult was added to oppreffion, and our long forbearance rewarded with the imputation of cowardice. Our trade with foreign ftates was prohibited, and an A&t of Parliament paffed to prevent our even fifhing upon our own coats.Our peaceable affemblies, for the pur. pofe of confulting the common fafety, were declared feditious; and our afferting the very rights which placed the Crown of Great-Britain on the heads of the three fucceffive Princes of the House of Hanover, stiled rebellion. Orders were given to reinforce the troops in America. The wild and barbarous favages of the wildernefs have been folicited by gifts to take up the hatchet against us; and inftigated to deluge our fettlements with the blood of innocent and defenceless women and children.-The whole country was morever alarmed with the expected horrors of domestic infurrections.-Refinements in parental cruelty, at which the Genius of Britain must blush! Refinements which admit not of being even recited without horror, or practifed without infatny! We fhould be happy, were thefe dark machinations the mere fuggeftions of fufpicion. We are forry to declare, that we are possessed of the most authen tic and indubitable evidence of their reality. The Miniftry, bent on pulling down the pillars of the conftitution, endeavoured to erect the ftandard of defpotifm in America; and if fuccefsful, Britain and Ireland may shudder at the confequences! Three of their most experienced Generals are fent to wage war with their fellow fubjects, and America is amazed to find the name of Howe in the catalogue of her enemies-She loved his brother. Delpairing of driving the Colonies to refiftance by any other means than actual hoftility, a detachment of the army at Boston marched into the country in all the array of war; and unprovoked fired upon and killed several of the inhabitants. The neighbouring farmers fuddenly affembled, and repelled the attack.-From this, all communication between the town and country was intercopted.-The citizens petitioned the General for permiffion to leave the town, and he promised, on furrendering their arms, to permit them to depart with their other effects.-They accordingly furrendered their arms, and the General violated his faith. Under various pretences, passports were delayed and denied, and many thoufands of the inhabitants are at this day confined in the town in the utmost wretchedness and want.-The lame, the blind, and the fick, have indeed been turned out into the neighbouring fields; and fome eluding the vigilance of the centuries have efcaped from the town, by fwimming to the adjacent fhores. The war having thus began on the part of General Gage's troops, the country armed and embodied. The reinforcements from Ireland foon after arrived; a vigorous attack was then made upon the Provincials. In their march, the troops furrounded the town of Charles-town, confifting of about four hundred houses, then recently abandoned to escape the fury of a re lentless foldiery.-Having plundered the houles, they fet fire to the town, and reduced it to afhes. To this wanton waite of property, unknown to civilized nations, they were prompted, the better better to conceal their approach under cover of the fmoak. A fhocking mixture of cowardice and cruelty, which then first tarnished the luftre of the British arms, when aimed at a brother's breaft! But bleffed be God, they were restrained from committing farther ravages, by the lofs of a very confiderable part of their army, including many of their most experienced officers. The lofs of the inhabitants was inconfider able. Compelled therefore to behold thousands of our countrymen imprisoned, men, women, and children involved in promifcuous and unmerited mifery; when we find all faith at an end, and facred treaties turned into tricks of state; when we perceive our friends and kinsmen maffacred, our inhabitants plundered, our houfes in flames, and their once happy inhabitants fed only by the hands of charity-who can blame us for endeavouring to reftrain the progrefs of defolation? Who can cenfure our repelling the attacks of fuch a barbarous band? Who, in fuch circumftances, would not obey the great, the univerfal, the divine laws of felf-preservation? Though vilified as wanting fpirit, we are determined to behave like men. Though infulted and abufed, we wish for reconciliation. Though defamed as feditious, we are ready to obey the laws. And though charged with rebellion, will chearfully bleed in defence of our Sovereign in a righteous caufe. What more can we fay, what more can we offer! But we forbear to trouble you with a tedious detail of the various and fruitlefs offers and applications we have repeatedly made, not for penfions, for wealth, or for honours, but for the humble boon of being permitted to poffefs the fruits of honeft industry, and to enjoy that degree of liberty to which God and the conftitution have given us an undoubted right. Blessed with an indiffoluble union, with a variety of internal resources, and with a firm reliance on the justice of the Supreme Difpofer of all human events, we have no doubt of rifing fuperior to all the machinations of evil and abandoned Minifters. We already anticipate the golden period, when Liberty, with all the gentle aits of peace and humanity, fhall eftabith her mild dominion in this western world, and erect eternal monuments to the memory of thofe virtuous patriots and martyrs, who shall have fought, bled, and fuffered in her cause. Accept our most grateful acknowledgments for the friendly difpofition you have always fhewn towards us-We know that you are not without your grievances We fympathize with you in your diftrefs, and are pleafed to find that the defign of fubjugating us, has perfuaded Adminiftration to difpenfe to Ireland fome vagrant rays of minifterial funshine. Even the tender mercies of Government have long been cruel towards you-In the rich pastures of Ireland, many hungry parricides have fed and grown ftrong to labour in its deftruction. We hope the patient abiding of the meek may not always be forgotten; and God grant that the iniquitous fchemes of extirpating liberty from the British empire may be foon defeated! -But we should be wanting to ourselves--we fhould be perfidious to pofterity-we should be By Order of the Congress. Philadelphia, July 13, 1775The feveral affemblies of New-Jersey, Pennfylvania and Virginia, having referred to the Congrefs a refolution of the House of Com→ mons of Great Britain, which refolution is in these words: Lune, 20 Die Feb. 1775. The House in a Committee on the American papers. Motion made, and queftion propofed, "That it is the opinion of this Committee, that when the General Council and Affembly, or General Court of any of his Majesty's provinces or colonies in America, fhall propose to make provifion, according to the condition, circumftance, or fituation of fuch province or colony, for contributing their proportion to the common defence (fuch proportion to be raised under the authority of the General Court, or General Assembly of such province or colony, and disposable by Parliament), and shall engage to make provision alfo for the fupport of the civil government, and the adminiftration of justice in fuch province or colony; it will be proper, if fuch propofal fhall be approved by his Ma jesty and the two Houses of Parliament, and for fo long as fuch provifion fhall be made accordingly, to forbear, in respect to fuch province or colony, to lay any duty, tax, or affeffment, or to impofe any further duty, tax, or alleflment, except only fuch duties as it may be expedient to continue to levy or impose for the regulation of commerce; the net produce of the duties laft mentioned to be carried to the account of fuch province or colony refpectively." The Congrefs took the faid refolution into confideration, and are thereupon of opinion, THAT the colonies of America are enti tled to the fole and exclufive privilege of giving and granting their own money: That this involves a right of deliberating whether they will make any gift, for what purpofe it fhall be made, and what fhall be its amount; and that it is a high breach of this privilege for any body of men extraneous to their conftitu |