The firm resolution expressed in his Majesty's Speech, to maintain the authority of the Supreme Legislature over all parts of the Empire, and the assurances given by the new Parliament to support his Majesty's measures, in which the demagogues here flattered themselves to find abetters and defenders of their conduct, has cast a damp upon the faction; but they still entertain hopes that the Resolves of their Continental Congress will work in their favour.

Your Lordship will be told of the late instance of loyalty in the New-York Assembly, which has had very good effects, and we are told that they are changing their sentiments at Philadelphia. The fury into which people were thrown, and which spread like an infection from Town to Town, and from Province to Province, is hardly to be parallelled, where no oppression was actually felt; but they were stirred up by every means that art could invent. They were made to believe that their religion was in danger; their lands to be taxed: and that the Troops were sent to enforce the measures, and wantonly to massacre the inhabitants. People well disposed caught the popular fever, and when it raged at the highest, the Delegates were chosen, for the Continental Congress; so that, as we are told, the greatest incendiaries in most Provinces were elected. It required temperate management and much pains to undeceive the people, who are more moderate in general, though numbers still hold their first prejudices.

If this Provincial Congress is not to be deemed a rebellious meeting, surely some of their Resolves are rebellious, though they affect not to order, but only to recommend measures to the people, which measures, I have learnt from the emissaries I have sent through the country, have not been regarded as to the raising of money, though they have been training men in several Townships, as they could get them in the humour to assemble. This new elected Congress met on the first instant, and I transmit your Lordship some of their Resolves. I am just informed that they have adjourned themselves.

Nothing can be attempted here till the reception that the Proceedings of their great Congress meets with in England, is known. The sending a detachment to Marshfield has had a good effect in that quarter of the country, and I hope will encourage other places where oppression is felt, to make applications of the same nature.

PLYMOUTH (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) TOWN MEETING.

At a Meeting of the Freeholders of the Town of Plymouth, in said County, on Friday, the 7th day of February, 1775:

Voted Mr. JOHN WILLOUGHBY, Moderator.

Voted, That the Honourable John Fenton, Esquire, represent this Town in General Assembly.

Voted, That the following Instructions be given to the Honourable John Fenton, Esquire, as our Representative, and that a copy of the same be forwarded by the Town Clerk to the Printer of the New-Hampshire Gazette, to be published.

To the Honourable JOHN FENTON, Esquire, Representative for the Town of PLYMOUTH, in the County of GRAFTON:

SIR: We the Freeholders of the Town of Plymouth, being highly impressed with the most favourable sentiments of you, from the many eminent services conferred on this County, and the Town of Plymouth in particular, since your first acquaintance with us, should think it needless, at any other time than this, to give you instructions respecting your conduct as our Representative in General Assembly. But when we reflect on the momentous affairs that are now pending between Great Britain and her Colonies, and the imminent danger that threatens them, (for we look upon the interest to be mutual,) we trust that you will not construe our instructing you to arise from any distrust or want of confidence, but from an anxious wish and hearty desire to see the strictest harmony once more established between our parent state and her Colonies, according to their Charter and other rights, as they have been practised from the first accession of the august House of Hanover, to the time of the Stamp Act. We therefore think it our duty to instruct you as our Representative,

First, That you will do every thing in your power to preserve the laws of the land inviolate, and by every legal means prevent a diminution of them in every respect whatever; for should the people either throw them aside, or in any manner disregard them, we apprehend that anarchy and confusion must quickly ensue.

Secondly, We recommend to you in the strongest terms, to discountenance every act of oppression, either as to the persons or properties of individuals, as we look upon such proceedings to be highly prejudicial to the common cause, and directly tending to fill the minds of the people with jealousies and distrusts, the bad effects of which must appear obvious to every man of common understanding.

Thirdly, We desire you will not on any account give up, or in any manner suffer a diminution of the rights and privileges we now enjoy, as we live under good and whole some laws; and,

Fourthly, That you will do the utmost in your power to keep harmony in the House, that the publick affairs of the Province may be discussed with coolness and impartiality; much depending on such conduct at this time of our difficulties; also, that you will endeavour to have the House open, that those out of doors may be acquainted with the debates of their Members, the practice of secrecy heretofore used, tending much to the disquiet of numbers of their constituents.

Portsmouth, New-Hampshire, February 17, 1775.

When the political body is thrown into such violent convulsions as threaten its dissolution, then should the advice and skill of the best state physicians be called in and exerted for its recovery, and the most lenient medicines applied to correct the corroding humours and remove every obstruction. But to write less metaphorically, it is too obvious to be denied that every Government in America is in a most disordered state, the cause of which is as obvious. I shall not, for that reason, take up time to explain it, but make such observations on such particular matters as regard the Province of New-Hampshire, of which I am an inhabitant.

Several occurrences have lately taken place, that will most assuredly render us obnoxious to his Majesty, who, with the present disposition of Parliament, may severely punish our precipitate measures; and although the actors therein were hurried into them through reports truly alarming, yet, as we find Administration is not disposed to examine the facts, but to involve the innocent and guilty in one general ruin, the most coercive measures will be used to call us back to our duty, and punish our indiscretion. By what ways and means we are to be censured, I am not able readily to suggest, but there is no doubt we shall soon know. I presume our trade will be distressed, and Troops quartered upon us to support the Civil Magistrate in the execution of such duties as he may be called upon to discharge. What will be the consequence of these means? It is not difficult to foresee anarchy and confusion must follow. How must the many industrious poor be supported, and from whence can supplies of provisions be procured? Our brethren in the country will withhold every necessary to induce us to leave the Town, the better, thereby to show a resentment to the quartering of such Troops, by which the morals of our young men, already too much depraved, will be finally ruined, and the modesty of our women prostituted to the most indignant scenes of debauchery and lewdness. I could easily paint in lively colours the dreadful consequences of quartering Troops among us, but I shall forbear, from principles of good policy. It is enough to leave the judicious to think for themselves. The united wisdom of the Province was never wanted so much as at this day of American adversity. Our people are too inconsiderate and precipitate, being hurried by the violence of heated passions, they too often leave the subject in controversy, and wreak their vengeance for private injuries under the false pretext of the cause of liberty—a cause too glorious, too important, to be sullied by such evasive, unmanly principles. By some, complaints are made against the gentlemen of the law, if any such are really aggrieved by them, yet they are not to carve out for themselves the means of redress. These gentlemen are equally subjects of law as others, and may be silenced by the Court from