my prayers for your success. My sincere good wishes attend you and all the rest of my worthy countrymen at Philadelphia.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM GOVERNOUR GAGE TO THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH.

Boston, July 20, 1774.

Affairs continue here much in the same situation as when I wrote to your Lordship on the 6th instant, though I don't find the merchants have repeated their attempt to comply with the Port Bill, with the spirit I hoped for Materials wanted to carry on trades, I am told, begin to fail; and the carrying molasses and rum twenty-eight miles by land, is found not to answer as well as it was expected it would; but the people are kept up by the assurances of assistance from the other Colonies, where their leaders have contrived to raise a flame, which has not been a little increased by letters, speeches, and paragraphs, sent from England.

South Carolina has sent some rice for the support of the people here. I don't mean the Province, but some disaffected persons in Charlestown; and a few sheep, it is said, has been sent from some other place; but resources of this kind are too precarious to be depended upon, and must fail them. The great object here has been to persuade the other Colonies to make the cause of Boston the common cause of America; and when the Deputies for holding the general Congress assemble, the Boston faction, it is probable, will pay the rest the compliment of taking their advice; and I understand it to be the opinion of most of the other Colonies, that Boston should begin by indemnifying the India Company. The virulent party at New-York is routed; and we are told that Philadelphia is moderate.

I have not yet received the new Act for the better government of this Province, though it is printed here; and many tell me I must expect all the opposition to the execution of it that can be made. I hope the new Counsellors and the Magistrates will be firm.

The fast day appointed by the faction, was kept in this town on the 14th instant, as generally and punctually as if it had been appointed by authority. I might say the same of most other places, though it was not universal; for in a few places no regard was paid to it; but the League and Covenant has not succeeded as the faction expected.

They rely here to obtain all their ends, on the same measures as they before adopted, viz: an union of the Colonies; a non-importation, if their demands are not satisfied; the assistance of their friends in England, and a general clamour of the merchants and manufacturers.

HANOVER COUNTY (VIRGINIA) ADDRESS.

At a Meeting of the Freeholders of Hanover County, at the Court House, on Wednesday, the 20th of July, 1774, the following Address was agreed to:

To JOHN SYME and PATRICK HENRY, Jun., Esqrs.:

GENTLEMEN: You have our thanks for your patriotick, faithful, and spirited conduct in the part you acted in the late Assembly, as our Burgesses; and as we are greatly alarmed at the proceedings of the British Parliament, respecting the town of Boston and the Province of Massachusetts Bay; and as we understand a meeting of Delegates from all the counties in this Colony, is appointed to he held in Williamsburg, on the first day of next month, to deliberate on our publick affairs, we do hereby appoint you, gentlemen, our Delegates; and we do request you then and there to meet, consult, and advise, touching such matters as are most likely to effect our deliverance from the evils which our country is threatened.

The importance of those things which will offer themselves for your deliberation is exceeding great; and when it is considered that the effect of the measures you may adopt will reach our latest posterity, you will excuse us for giving you our sentiments, and pointing out some particulars proper for that plan of conduct we wish you to observe.

We are freemen; we have a right to be so, and to enjoy all the privileges and immunities of our fellow-subjects in England; and while we retain a just sense of that freedom, and those "rights and privileges necessary for its safety and security, we shall never give up the right of taxation. Let it suffice to say, once for all, we will never be taxed but by our own Representatives. This is the great badge of freedom, and British America hath been hitherto distinguished by it; and when we see the British Parliament trampling upon that right, and acting with determined resolution to destroy it, we would wish to see the united wisdom and fortitude of America collected for its defence.

The sphere of life in which we move has not afforded us light sufficient to determine with certainty concerning those things from which the troubles at Boston originated. Whether the people there were warranted by justice, when they destroyed the tea, we know not; but this we know, that the Parliament, by their proceedings, have made us and all North America, parties in the present dispute, and deeply interested in the event of it; insomuch, that if our sister Colony of Massachusetts Bay is enslaved, we cannot long remain free.

Our minds are filled with anxiety, when we view the friendly regards of our parent state turned into enmity; and those powers of Government formerly exerted for our aid and protection, formed into dangerous efforts for our destruction. We read our intended doom in the Boston Port Bill; in that for altering the mode of trial in criminal cases; and finally, in the Bill for altering the form of Government in the Massachusetts Bay. These several Acts are replete with injustice and oppression, and strongly expressive of the future policy of Great Britain towards all her Colonies. If a full uncontrolled operation is given to this detestable system, in its earliest stages, it will probably be fixed upon us forever.

Let it, therefore, be your great object to obtain a speedy repeal of those Acts; and for this purpose we recommend the adoption of such measures as may produce the hearty union of all our countrymen and sister Colonies. United we stand; divided we fall. To attain this wished for union, we declare our readiness to sacrifice any lesser interest arising from soil, climate, situation, or productions, peculiar to us.

We judge it conducive to the interests of America, that a general Congress of Deputies from all the Colonies be held, in order to form a plan for guarding the claims of the Colonists, and their constitutional rights, from future encroachment, and for the speedy relief of our suffering brethren at Boston. For the present, we think it proper to form a general Association against the purchase of all articles of goods imported from Great Britain, except negroes, clothes, salt, saltpetre, powder, lead, utensils and implements for handicraft-men and manufacturers, which cannot be had in America; books, papers, and the like necessaries; and not to purchase any goods or merchandise that shall be imported from Great Britain, after a certain day that may he agreed on for that purpose by the said general meeting of Deputies at Williamsburg, except the articles aforesaid, or as shall be allowed to be imported by the said meeting; and that we will encourage the manufactures of America by every means in our power. A regard to justice hinders us at this time from withholding our exports. Nothing but the direct necessity shall induce us to adopt that proceeding, which we shall strive to avoid as long as possible.

The African trade for slaves, we consider as most dangerous to virtue and the welfare of this country; we therefore most earnestly wish to see it totally discouraged.

A steady loyalty to the Kings of England has ever distinguished our country; the present state of things here, as well as the many instances of it to be found in our history, leave no room to doubt it. God grant we may never see the time when that loyalty shall be found incompatible with the rights of freemen. Our most ardent desire is, that we, and our latest posterity, may continue to live under the genuine, unaltered Constitution of England, and be subjects, in the true spirit of that Constitution, to his Majesty, and his illustrious House; and may the wretches who affirm that we desire the contrary feel the punishment due to falsehood and villainy.

While prudence and moderation shall guide your Councils, we trust, gentlemen, that firmness, resolution, and zeal, will animate you in the glorious struggle; the arm of power, which is now stretched forth against us, is indeed formidable; but we do not despair. Our cause is good;