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in other Provinces only to amuse those among themselves who have been so strangely violent in support of Boston, and to which their own Provincial factions have not a little contributed; others fear a non-importation, and I hear the merchants are sending for double the quantity of goods they usually import; and in order to get credit for them, are sending home all the money they can collect, insomuch that bills have risen at New-York above five per cent. From this circumstance your Lordship may judge of others; they want to force you into their terms, by threatening ruin to your merchants and manufacturers; and at the same time are procuring all the merchandise they can get from them, lest they should be in want of it themselves.
The Council being formed, the Assembly must act with it, or annihilate the Legislature, and there is a surmise that will be the case; and since the Boston Committee have applied to the country, they have in some counties, I understand, held county meetings, and intend it in all; it has not transpired what has been done, but report says they mean to have no Courts of Justice, unless the Judges agree not to obey the new Acts; and that the Inferiour Court has been stopped in Berkshire County, and the Judges mal-treated. I have it only from report, but fear there is some foundation for it.
I transmit your Lordship a notification posted up in Salem, for the choice of Deputies for a County Meeting, in which your Lordship will observe another evasion about town meetings; for this is called by the Committee of Correspondence, and not by the Selectmen. Being on the spot, I issued a Proclamation on the morning of the intended meeting, to prevent it, and the Sheriff with other Magistrates attending me, I told the Committee to tell the people assembled and assembling to disperse, else I should proceed, and send the Sheriff to disperse them; and they, the Committee, should answer for any bad consequences. The people behaved with great decency, and retired immediately, though I doubt not, as the Deputies ever previously agreed to, that they did their business as effectually as if they had gone into their chamber of meeting. Nothing but a general phrenzy can make the Province suffer the inconveniences that must arise from the want of a Legislature and Courts of Justice; therefore, hope it is only a fit of rage that will cool; besides, the Courts can, and will be protected in many places.
It is agreed that popular fury was never greater in this Province than at present, and it has taken its rise from the old source at Boston, though it has appeared first at a distance. Those demagogues trust their safety in the long forbearance of Government, and an assurance that they cannot be punished. They chicane, elude, openly violate, or passively resist the laws, as opportunity serves; and opposition to authority is of so long standing, that it has become habitual.
In this situation I find things, and must do the best lean to put them into a better state. Connecticut, I understand, is alarmed at the alteration in this Charter, which occasions the commotions in that Province; and if the leaders change their plan of opposition, which has hitherto been to menace and intimidate, teaze and tire out, and create ideas of greater resistance in the people, and drive them to further extravagances, I conceive we should have to op pose this Province and Connecticut. I do not apprehend any assistance would be given by the other Colonies.
Since my last to your Lordship, the fiftieth regiment landed from Halifax, and is encamped near Salem; and General Haldimand has sent the Welsh Fusiliers from New-York, and replaced them by the forty-seventh regiment, from New-Jersey. I believe your Lordship, considering the state of affairs here, will not think it advisable for me to part with any of the regiments; and I mean to advise with the Admiral about sending back the transports.
I have the honour to be, with the greatest regard, respect, and esteem, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and humble servant,
THOMAS GAGE.
Boston, August 29, 1774.
A report having been industriously propagated in New-York, that the principal inhabitants of this town are converting the donations of their brethren in the neighbouring Colonies, which were intended for the relief of the suffering poor of this place, to their own private emolument, contrary to the charitable intentions of the benevolent contributors; and as such report is entirely without any manner of foundation, the publick are desired not to credit it; the following narrative being a true state of the case:
On the reception of the Boston Port Act, the chief concern of the principal inhabitants was to provide relief for all such whose support depended on their daily labour; and, in the next place, for those tradesmen, whose small funds, though sufficient for the common purposes of life, yet would soon be exhausted, if their resources were cut off. They considered the employment of all these, especially the former, as a much more prudent measure than feeding them without any employment at all. They therefore adopted such plans of business for their exercise, as were likely to be the most useful to the publick, as well as most conducive to the health and good order of the employed. Accordingly, the labourers were set to cleaning docks, making dykes, new laying old pavements in the publick streets, fee. These were all publick concerns and of no advantage to any individual, any further than as a member of the community to which he or she belonged. Not a single wharf, dock, dyke, or pavement, belonging to any individual, was ordered to be made or repaired; but only such as by the constant usage of the town, had always been supported at the expense of the publick.
The principal inhabitants of this town have invariably considered the generous benefactions of their charitable and patriotick brethren in the other Colonies, as given entirely for the relief of their indigent fellow-citizens. But would it not be offering the greatest insult to the good sense of their benevolent neighbours, to suppose that they intended to maintain a very great number of healthy, able-bodied people in idleness, which must certainly be attended with great prejudice to them, as well as to the town in general, both now and hereafter? or that, they regret to see and hear that our poor citizens are employed in works which will be a publick benefit?
Should the publick interest of the town of Boston be finally advanced by these services, in saving some future taxes,* (and they even become a small compensation for the inconceivable damage which it is now sustaining, by a suspension of all its principal business,) can it be imagined that there is a single person, in the almost endless list of contributors, who is sorry to find, that which he voluntarily gave is like to be productive of publick advantage? It is much more candid, as well as charitable, to think that it must be a matter of the greatest satisfaction to every benevolent mind to hear, that what was only intended for one good purpose had answered two.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER DATED BOSTON, AUGUST 29, 1774.
Affairs here are daily becoming more and more serious. The new Counsellors are all driven into this town by force of arms. The Judges at Great Barrington turned off the bench. All the Protestors, with the Addressers to Mr. Hutchinson, are obliged to fly hither for refuge—even those that addressed General Gage. To-morrow will be the great, the important day here. Chief Justice Oliver, impeached by the Assembly last winter, for holding that office under his Majesty's appointment, will sit on the bench at the Superiour Court; the Discontents vow he shall not; but the General has come hither from Salem to support him, so we shall see which will prove the strongest. The Governour has apprehended the Committee of Correspondence at Salem, for holding town meetings against the new Act for regulating this Government. Some interesting measures will shortly be adopted of which you will have early intelligence from my brother, whom I expect here to-morrow. The Scarborough will sail on Thursday with the Governour's despatches for England, in which ship I shall take my passage.
The people at Salem and Marblehead talked in very high terms of their numbers, and of opposing the King's troops there. Admiral Graves declared V they stirred, he would remove one of his Majesty's ships thither, and reduce both towns to obedience. I am of opinion that few
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