them universally inculcate upon their beloved offspring an investigation of those truths, respecting both civil and religious liberty, which have been so clearly and fully stated in this generation. May they be carefully taught in all their schools; and may they never rest, until, through a Divine blessing upon their efforts, true freedom and liberty shall reign triumphant over the whole Globe.

Signed by order of the Committees,

EDWARD TAYLOR, County Chairman.

ADDRESS OF THE JUSTICES OF THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK TO HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOUR GAGE, PRESENTED JULY 19, 1774.

May it please your Excellency:

The present term affords the earliest opportunity to the Justices of his Majesty's Inferiour Court of Common Pleas of the County of Suffolk, to address your Excellency on your safe arrival and accession to the chief seat of Government in this Province.

Your Excellency's appointment at this time of difficulty and distress, is a renewed instance of the King's great attention and regard to the interest of this country and Great Britain, when the exertion of great abilities are so necessary to restore that peace and harmony which every good man must most sincerely desire; and we doubt not that the exercise of the important powers you are vested with, will discover those principles of benevolence which have ever distinguished your Excellency in other Departments.

We assure you, sir, in our station, we shall use our best endeavours to promote justice and a due obedience to the laws, and to our utmost, advance the prosperity and happiness of your administration.

THE GOVERNOUR'S ANSWER.

GENTLEMEN: It is with much thankfulness I receive your Address. Your obliging congratulations on my safe arrival, and the idea you are pleased to entertain of my abilities, coming from gentlemen so distinguished as the Justices of his Majesty's Inferiour Court of Common Pleas, cannot fail of being extremely grateful to me.

The hopes you form, through me, of peace and harmony being restored betwixt Great Britain and this Province, as it is my warmest wish, so it calls forth the exertion of all my abilities to that effect; and the assistance you are pleased to promise me of using your best endeavours to promote justice and a due obedience to the laws, must con tribute greatly to this desirable end.

Boston, July 19, 1774.

ADDRESS OF THE FREEHOLDERS AND TRADESMEN OF EASTON, IN THE COUNTY OF BRISTOL, TO GOVERNOUR GAGE, PRESENTED JULY 19, 1774.

To his Excellency THOMAS GAGE, Esq., Captain-General and Governour-in-chief in and over the Province of the MASSACHUSETTS BAY, in NEW ENGLAND.

May it please your Excellency:

We do wait on your Excellency to pay our hearty congratulations on your arrival to this Province; to acknowledge our gratitude to our Sovereign, for his gracious appointment of you to the head of this Province at this very important juncture, and to give you firm assurance that we will do every thing in oar power, in our respective stations, to promote peace and good order in the Province.

We, in full confidence from the amiable character your Excellency has obtained in your other important Departments in America, rely you will ever delight in the promoting the good of this Government.

We find a peculiar difficulty in expressing the distresses of our minds relating to the unhappy circumstances of this Province, and can with sincerity say, that we have no doubt, from your well known character, that you will do all that is in your power to extricate us out of our distresses, in any way consistent with the true interest of Great Britain and her Colonies, which we hold inseparable; and we do bear our testimony against all riots, routs, combinations, and unwarrantable resolves, which we apprehend have been the unhappy occasion of many of our troubles; and as there is now circulating throughout this Province certain inflammatory pieces, signed by order of the Committee of Correspondence of the town of Boston, directed to the several towns in this Province, stimulating the people to break off all connections with Great Britain, which have still a tendency to alienate the affections of the people of this Province from the mother country, and create discord and confusion, we do assure your Excellency, that we will do every thing in our power to discountenance such proceedings, and are ready to aid the civil officers in the execution of the good and wholesome laws, and render your Excellency's administration successful and prosperous.

Signed by forty-six Inhabitants.

THE GOVERNOUR'S ANSWER.

GENTLEMEN: I return you thanks for this obliging Address; and the assurance you give me of doing all in your power, in your respective stations, to promote peace and good order in the Province. It is the duty of my station to use every endeavour to restore harmony between Great Britain and her Colonies; and it is my most ardent wish, as an Englishman, that the union betwixt them was so strongly cemented as never to be dissolved.

But while unwearied pains are taken to inflame the minds of the people against the mother country, paying no attention to truth, law, or justice, visibly with intent to widen the breach, which might be repaired by temper, de cency, and moderation, so salutary a work appears unfortunately at too great a distance.

Boston, July 19, 1774.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN BRISTOL, TO HIS FRIEND IN PHILADELPHIA, DATED JULY 20, 1774.

Surrounded as I am by a thousand different businesses, still I cannot resist the strong inclination I feel to tell you that I am alive and well once more in Old England. Formerly I loved the country and people, but now both appear odious to me. Their conduct towards the Americans is horrid, cruel, and detestable. They call ye all thieves, pirates, and rebels; for which, in return, I make no scruple to call them knaves, scoundrels, and spiritless slaves. Every day I am in the most furious quarrels in vindication of America, that ever you saw. I wish to God that you had a few more friends in this city. I shall, through my zealous attachment, lose or endanger my election; but no matter. They already cry—no American; no Bill-of-Rights-man. My acquaintance tell me I am too warm; but do you tell me, my friend, who that is made up of American flesh and blood, can sit calm and composed to hear his native country, with his dearest connections, calumniated, belied, and reprobated! No! By Heaven and Earth I swear I never will silently put up with such ill usage, while I have breath to speak, or hands to fight.

I am just returned from London. It is with a degree of pleasure, I can assure you, many of the great men are ashamed of what they have done, seriously dreading the associations and resentment of the Virginians in particular. The revenue arising from the duties on tobacco is mortgaged; and a stop to their exportations would make a glorious confusion among their High Mightinesses.

When I left America I recommended moderation, but with concern I find that conduct will not do. Resentment must show itself; for our Ministers wish themselves well out of it. Firmness on the part of the Americans will en sure them the victory. Now is the crisis—the important crisis of your whole lives; you can lose nothing by a patriotick stand; you may gain every thing.

The people of this country are sunk in luxury, and wish only to get their hands into the purses of Americans to support them in it. They are totally indifferent about lib erty, and lost to every sense of honour or virtue. Open corruption is connived at and approved; oppression, black as hell, darkens the annals of the present times; and Britons seem happy in their supine folly and base vassalage.

If once the Americans submit, I foresee a train of evils ready to light upon them. Taxes, impositions, and oppressions, without moderation or end. Now is the appointed time to struggle like men for your dear inheritance; and there can be no doubt, but Providence and a new Parliament will do you ample justice. I will weary Heaven with