them. The Merchants, convinced they had tyrants to deal with, even sold their Goods in the mode the Committee in their wisdom and justice had seen meet to order and direct, and none attempted to bid on them; but as soon as ever the Goods, belonging to individuals on the Committee were sold, and the favourites were released from their clutches, out pops a handbill by order of the Committee, signed by the Secretary, requesting the Shopkeepers and others to attend and purchase. At the call of the Committee, a number of their adherents appeared, and bought the Goods, by some of which they got five per cent, to carry on the rebellion at Boston. None but saints were to be 'spared";—if any of these had Goods none dared to bid—indeed none but the saints did bid, and they took care not to bid on one another.

I shall collect every thing in the political way, and take notice of every remarkable occurrence; and when I return shall lay before the publick every well attested circum stance.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM PHILADELPHIA TO A GENTLEMAN IN NEW-YORK, DATED FEBRUARY 20, 1775.

We are astonished that your Sons of Liberty, and Committee suffer that base fellow Rivington to continue publishing his vile calumnies on every Province in America: I am sure was he in this place he would have been called on long ago to give up the authors of so much falsehood as is contained weekly in his Paper. We had an attempt of the same kind by a Printer in this place, who has just set up a Paper, and last week published an extract of a letter, said to be "from Kent County, on Delaware, reflecting highly on the present measures adopted by the Congress, and asserting that nine-tenths of that County were opposed to them. Our Committee sent an express to the Committee of that County immediately, and requested them to let us know their true state;—they, in answer, have given us the strongest assurances that the letter is a base calumny, and that the County are universally well affected to the American cause;—they further request we would call on the Printer, and demand the author of him; this we have done; the Printer has given us the name of the person who handed him the extract, and this evening; we meet to call said person before us. The Tories among us are all confounded at our proceeding, and it is thought it will be found at last that the letter was fabricated by a junto in this Town. This is strongly suspected to be the case of many publications in Rivington's Paper, said to be extracts of letters from Maryland, Philadelphia, &c.—Such villains deserve not to live among us; and perhaps it will become necessary to make examples of some of them to deter others from the, like practices.

London, February. 13, 1775.

At a Court of Common Council, held at Guildhall, the Town Clerk acquainted the Court that he had waited on Lord Chatham at Hayes, agreeable to their order on Friday last, with the following Resolution:

"Resolved, That the Thanks of this Court be given to the right Honourable the Earl of Chatham, for having offered to the House of Lords a plan for conciliating the differences which unfortunately subsist between the mother country and the Colonies, also to all those Noblemen who supported the same."

His Lordship was pleased to return the following Answer, which was ordered to be entered on the City Book:

"Lord Chatham desires the favour of Mr. Town Clerk, to offer to my Lord Major, the Aldermen, and Commons, in Common Council, assembled, his most respectful and grateful acknowledgments for the signal honour they have been pleased to confer on the mere discharge "of his duty, in a moment of impending calamity. Under deep impressions of former marks of favourable construction of his conduct, during the evil hour of a dangerous foreign war, he now deems himself too fortunate, to find his efforts for preventing the ruin and honour of a civil war approved, honoured and strengthened by the great corporate body of the Kingdom."

At this Court the following Resolutions were adopted:

Resolved, That the present situation of our publick affairs, in consequence of the severe proceedings against the American Colonies, is so exceedingly alarming, that it is the duty of this Court to use every possible endeavour to prevent all further oppression, and to obtain relief to so numerous and valuable a part of our fellow-subjects.

Resolved, That as a Bill is proposed to be brought into Parliament to prohibit the New England Fishery, which, if complied with, may materially injure the commercial interests of this City, and of the Kingdom in general, the Lord Mayor be requested by this Court to convene the same to consider whether it may not be the duty of this Court to petition Parliament against the said proposed Bill, the principles of which, so far as they have hitherto been declared, appearing to be repugnant both to justice and the true interest of the British Empire.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM LONDON, DATED FEBRUARY 13, 1775.

The determination of the ensuing Congress will be final and decisive. They cannot have too many lights, nor too mature deliberation to guide them. The united wisdom of our country will best judge whether any relaxation can be made in their Petition of Rights; and whether they can afford to purchase such a confirmation as my Lord Chatham's Bill proposes, by a perpetual Revenue of three hundred thousand Pounds sterling, per annum; such is the sum which he expects. I am of opinion that nothing will move the King and his Ministers but absolute submission or a successful resistance. But an offer from you of such a contribution to the relief of this country from its debt, would disarm them of their only popular argument, and therefore arrest the fatal measures by which they mean to establish arbitrary Government over us. If it will be practicable, I think it would be eligible. Our forefathers purchased their undoubted rights in Magna Charta, by the gift of a sum of money to the King; and I think we need not blush to follow so great an example.

I do believe the Ministry do not wish any such proposition, because they do not desire an accommodation; but if we must draw the sword, let us do it with as much apparent reluctance and justice on our side as possible. This will be hanging 'a millstone around the enemy's neck, which must sooner or later draw them down to destruction.

It is not expected that you will resist, at least the Ministry affect to believe so, and they assure themselves of the defection of New-York. I think it my duty to inform you that there is a report here, and it comes through Ministerial channels, that Mr. Galloway is in correspondence with the Ministry; from this they pretend to derive information of what you have not thought proper to publish. Among other things, Lord Sandwich asserted in the House of Lords, that the Congress came to a Resolution to consider of a plan of submission and conciliation, and next day ordered the Resolution to be expunged. From this he argued your intention to throw off all dependency on this country; and that when your present demands were gratified you would frame others, till you had annihilated the authority of Parliament. You will use this information touching Mr. Galloway with that delicacy which the suspicion of so dishonourable and wicked a conduct requires, at the same time guarding against the dangerous consequences of it to the publick cause, should it be true. If I can get any further intelligence concerning him you shall have it.

Whatever measures you resolve upon, will, I am satisfied, be well weighed, and measured by your ability to execute them; for iris on a belief that you cannot hold out under your Non-Import and Non-Export Agreement, and a total stop put to your commerce by the British Navy, that our enemies build all their hopes of reducing you to a speedy and entire submission. I am fully satisfied that one year's faithful observation of your Agreements, and sacrifice of your trade, will compel the justice you demand, and establish your rights forever. It is impossible for me to believe that resources can be wanting, or spirit to search for them, when the prize is so great and important.

War is determined on; you should be prepared to meet it with success, or submit at once and be slaves.

Elizabeth town, New-Jersey, February 13, 1775.

Whereas, the inhabitants of Staten Island have manifested an unfriendly disposition towards the liberties of