they found some thousands of people assembled round the Court House steps, and Judge Danforth standing upon them, speaking to the body, declaring, in substance, that having now arrived at a very advanced age, and spent the greater part in the service of the publick, it was a great mortification to him to find a step lately taken by him so disagreeable to his country, in which he conscientiously had meaned to serve them; but finding their general sense against his holding a seat at the Council Board on the new establishment, he assured them that he had resigned the said office, and would never henceforth accept or act in any office inconsistent with the Charter rights of his country; and in confirmation of said declaration, he delivered the following certificate drawn up by himself, and signed with his own hand, viz:

"Although I have this day made an open declaration to a great concourse of people, who assembled at Cambridge, that I had resigned my seat at the Council Board; yet, for the further satisfaction of all, I do hereby declare, under my hand, that such resignation has actually been made, and that it is my full purpose not to be any way concerned as a member of the Council at any time hereafter.

S. DANFORTH.

"September 2, 1774."

Judge Lee was also on the Court House steps, and delivered his mind to the body in terms similar to those used by Judge Danforth; and delivered the following declaration also drawn up and signed by him, viz:

"Cambridge, September 2, 1774.

"As great numbers of the inhabitants of the county are come into this town since my satisfying those who were met, not only by declaration, but by reading to them what I wrote to the Governour at my resignation, and being desirous to give the whole county and Province full satisfaction in this matter, I hereby declare my resignation of a seat in the new constituted Council, and my determination to give no further attendance.

Jos. LEE."

Upon this a vote was called for, to see if the body was satisfied with the declarations and resignations abovesaid, and passed in the affirmative, nem. con.

It was then moved to know whether that body would signify their abhorrence of mobs, riots, and the destruction of private property, and passed in the affirmative, nem. con.

Colonel Phips, the High Sheriff of the county, then came before the Committee of the body, and complained that he had been hardly spoken of for the part he had acted in delivering the powder in Charlestown Magazine to the soldiery; which the Committee candidly considered and reported to the body, that it was their opinion the High Sheriff was excusable, as he had acted in conformity to his order from the Commander-in-chief. Colonel Phips also delivered the following declaration by him subscribed, viz:

"Colonel Phips's Answer to the Honourable body now in meeting on the Common, viz:

"That I will not execute any precept that shall be sent me under the new Acts of Parliament for altering the Constitution of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay; and that I will recall all the venires that I have sent out under the new establishment

DAVID PHIPS.

"Cambridge, September 2, 1774."

Which was accepted as satisfactory.

About eight o'clock his Honour Lieutenant Governour Oliver set off from Cambridge to Boston, and informed Governour Gage of the true state of matters, and the business of the people; which, as his Honour told the Admiral, was not a mad mob, but the freeholders of the county, promising to return in two hours and confer further with them on his own circumstance as President of the Council.

On Mr. Oliver's return, he came to the Committee and signified what he had delivered to the body in the morning, viz: that as the commissions of Lieutenant Governour and President of the Council seemed tacked together, he should undoubtedly incur his Majesty's displeasure if he resigned the latter and pretended to hold the former; and no body appeared to have any objection to his enjoying the place he held constitutionally; he begged he might not be pressed to incur that displeasure, at the instance of a single county, while any other Counsellor held in the new establishment; assuring them however, that in case the mind of the whole Province, collected in Congress, or otherwise, appeared for his resignation, he would by no means act in opposition to it. This seemed satisfactory to the Committee, and they were preparing to deliver it to the body, when Mr. Commissioner Hallowell came through the town on his way to Boston. The sight of that obnoxious person so inflamed the people, that in a few minutes about one hundred and sixty horsemen were drawn up, and proceeded in pursuit of him on the full gallop. Captain Gardner, of Cambridge, first began a parley with one of the foremost, which caused them to halt while he delivered his mind very fully in dissuasion of the pursuit, and was seconded by Mr. Deavens, of Charlestown, and Dr. Young, of Boston. They generally observed that the object of the body's attention that day seemed to be the resignation of the unconstitutional Counsellors; and that it might introduce confusion into the proceedings of the day, if any thing else was brought upon the carpet till that important business was finished; and in a little time the gentlemen dismounted their horses and returned to the body.

But Mr. Hallowell did not entirely escape, as one gentleman of small stature pushed on before the general body, and followed Hallowell, who had made the best of his way till he got into Roxbury, where Mr. Bradshaw overtook and stopped him in his chaise. Mr. Hallowell snapped his pistols at him, but could not disengage himself from him till he quitted the chaise and mounted his servant's horse, on which he drove into Boston with all the speed he could make; till the horse failing within the gate, be ran on foot to the camp, through which he spread consternation, telling them he was pursued by some thousands, who would be in town at his heels, and destroy all friends of Government before them.

A gentleman in Boston observing the motion in the camp, and concluding they were on the point of marching to Cambridge, from both ends of the town, communicated the alarm to Dr. Roberts, then at Charlestown Ferry, who having a very fleet horse, brought the news in a very few minutes to the Committee, then at dinner. The intelligence was instantly diffused, and the people whose arms were nearest, sent persons to bring them, while horsemen were despatched both ways to gain more certain advice of the true state of the soldiery. A greater fervour and resolution probably never appeared among any troops.

The despatches soon returning, and assuring the body that the soldiers still remained and were likely to remain in their camp, they resumed their business with spirit, and resolved to leave no unconstitutional officer within their reach in possession of his place. On this the Committee assembled again, and drew up the paper, of which the following is a copy, and at the head of the body delivered it to Lieutenant Governour Oliver to sign, with which he complied, after obtaining their consent to add the latter clause, implying the force by which he was compelled to do it. Mr. Mason, Clerk of the County of Middlesex, also engaged, in his office, to do no one thing in obedience to the new Acts of Parliament impairing our Charter.

"Cambridge, September 2, 1774.

"I, Thomas Oliver, being appointed by his Majesty to a seat at the Council Board, upon, and in conformity to the late Act of Parliament, entitled, 'An Act for the better regulation of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay,' which being a manifest infringement of the Charter rights and privileges of this people, I do hereby in conformity to the commands of the body of this county now convened, most solemnly renounce and resign my seat at said unconstitutional Board, and hereby firmly promise and engage, as a man of honour and a Christian, that I never will hereafter, upon any terms whatsoever, accept a seat at said Board on the present novel and oppressive plan of Government.

"My house at Cambridge being surrounded by about four thousand people, in compliance with their commands, I sign my name,

T. OLIVER."

TO THE PRINTER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GAZETTE.

In the publications of last Monday, the transactions at Cambridge, on Friday, the 2d of September, having been so