the above mentioned town meeting as the faction chose to publish, and a Protest of a number of gentlemen of the County of Worcester, against all riotous disorders, and seditious practices.

Your Lordship will perceive, that the Proclamation is not published with the advice of Council. There was no time to lose; I had a right to Issue if without their consent, as I was confident I could not obtain it. I gave notice afterwards for a Council to assemble, intending to lay the letter and covenant before them; but, on the day appointed for the meeting, one who had been summoned did not appear, so that there was not enough to make up a quorum; some of those who attended gave me to understand that they should desire a General Council to be called before they entered upon such business.

I have done all in my power to spirit up every friend to Government, and the measures taken by Administration encourage many to speak and act publickly, in a manner they have not dared to do for a very long time past. Your Lordship will observe, that there is now an open opposition to the faction, carried on with a warmth and spirit unknown before, which it is highly proper and necessary to cherish and support by every means; and I hope it will not be very long before it produces very salutary effects. Your Lordship is acquainted with the usurpation and tyranny established here by edicts of town meetings, enforced by mobs, by assuming the sole use and power of the press, and influencing the pulpits; by nominating and intimidating of juries, and, in some instances, threatening the judges; and this usurpation has, by time, acquired a firmness that, I fear, is not to be annihilated at once, or by ordinary methods. A free and impartial course of justice, whereby delinquents can be brought to punishment, I apprehend to be the chief thing wanting; the terrour of mobs is over, and the press is becoming free.

Although I do not credit many reports and opinions sent me, yet I do not hold it prudent totally to disregard them; and, on that account, I have ordered the transports which brought the fourth regiment here, to proceed to the port of New-York, and wait their for further orders. I intend, if I see occasion for it, to bring a regiment here from thence; and the transports of the forty-third are kept in readiness to sail for Halifax on the same errand; these motions, I hear, give spirit to one side and have thrown a damp on the other.

I heard yesterday, that all the transports from Ireland had come in, except one of the fifth regiment, with Lord Percy an board, and she was seen a day or two past, so that hope to find her in the harbour to-morrow, on my getting to Boston, where I propose to pass some days, finding that my presence there will be necessary.

I have, &c.

THOMAS GAGE.

POSTSCRIPT.—Boston, 6th July.—I have the pleasure to acquaint your Lordship, that the last transport with Lord Percy on board, is arrived; as, also, the store-ship, with many officers belonging to the regiments in America.

T. G.

ADDRESS OF THE JUSTICES OF THE COUNTY OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, TO COVEKNOUR GAGE, PRESENTED JULY 6, 1774.

To his Excellency the Honourable Thomas Gage, Captain-General and Commander-in-chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England; Vice Admiral of the same, and Licutenant-General of his Majesty's Forces in North America:

May it please your Excellency to accept the cordial congratulations of the Justices of the Courts of the General Sessions of the Peace, and Inferiour Court of Common Pleas, for the County of Plymouth, on your appointment to die high office of First Magistrate of this Province, and upon your safe arrival. And permit us to acknowledge our gratitude to our most gracious Sovereign, that he has been pleased to place at the head of our affairs a person in whom are centered all the qualifications necessary for the discharge of that important trust.

We are sensible that the unwearied endeavours of your immediate predecessor to support the dignity of Government, and to maintain peace and good order, were not attended with the desired success; and we fear that the various arts and stratagems of some designing persons (who persevere in their plan of subverting the Constitution) will, in some degree, perplex your Excellency's Administration. But we console ourselves with the consideration that your Excellency has not only inclination but also authority to check the clamours of the seditious, and to secure to us all our constitutional privileges.

Of late we have seen with serious concern the inhabitants of some of our towns,—influenced by certain persons calling themselves Committees of Correspondence, and we are sorry to say, encouraged by some whose business it is to preach the Gospel of Christ, and to inculcate principles of loyalty and obedience to the laws,) entering into a league which seems to us calculated to increase the displeasure of our Sovereign, to exasperate our parent country, and to interrupt and destroy the harmony of society. Against this league and covenant, and all such illegal combinations, their aiders and abettors, we do bear our testimony, and we assure your Excellency that we will endeavour, by every means in our power, to discountenance such proceedings; and we will exert ourselves that justice be duly administered, the laws kept inviolate, and good order maintained in this country

THE GOVERNOR'S ANSWER.

GENTLEMEN: This very loyal and affectionate Address claims my best thanks, and my warmest acknowledgments. I cannot but lament that so many people, by nature well inclined, should be so far led astray by the stratagems and artifices of designing persons, as to forget the duty and obedience they owe their King and country, and become blind to their interest and happiness; but when men, from whose mouths we ought to expect the doctrines of sound religion, peace, virtue, and morality, so shamefully pervert the duties of their sacred Junctions, as to employ themselves to ensnare the weak, and captivate the unweary to the commission of actions unworthy of faithful patriots and honest citizens, it is no wonder that ignorant people should be prevailed upon to do things which, if not deceived, they would detest and abhor.

That such an usurpation and almost total subversion of all legal Government should make confusion in the Provinces not surprising; but you will be satisfied, that you have a gracious Monarch, who sees your distress, and who holds forth his hand to protect and defend his loyal subjects, and that I will take every step in my power to secure to you the peaceable enjoyment of all your constitutional privileges, and to give that free course to the laws, on which every state depends for its support, and without which no Government can subsist.

GOVERNOUR WENTWORTH TO THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH.

New-Hampshire, July 6, 1774.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP: Upon hearing the Committee of Correspondence, chosen by the late Assembly of this Province, had issued letters to those members to meet this day in the Representatives' Chamber, in Portsmouth, there to deliberate and act, particularly to choose Delegates for a general American Congress, and that some of the said persons were convened, I have considered it to be my duty to his Majesty to use my endeavours to disperse and separate so illegal and unwarrantable an attempt. I have, therefore, convened his Majesty's Council, ordered the Sheriff to attend me, and requiring their attendance on me, I went into the room, and immediately read the enclosed Speech to them; afterwards I directed the Sheriff to make open proclamation, for all persons to disperse and keep the King's peace, which was done before they had entered on any business, and I expect will be obeyed. As this letter must be forwarded by express sixty-six miles to Boston, and reach there to-night, in hopes to have conveyance by Admiral Montagu, what further may occur I shall take due care to transmit to your Lordship as soon as possible. All which is most humbly submitted, dutifully hoping your Lordship's favourable representation of my best zeal, unremitted diligence and fidelity, in discharge of my duty, may happily be honoured with his Majesty's approbation. I have Die honour to be, with the most perfect respect, &c.,

J. WENTWORTH.