Parliament; troops are sent to enforce those Acts. They are now erecting fortifications at the entrance of the town of Boston; upon the completing these the inhabitants of the town of Boston will be in the power of a soldiery who must implicitly obey the orders of an Administration who have hitherto evinced no singular regard to the liberties of America. The town is already greatly impoverished and distressed by the operation of the barbarous Port Bill. Your Excellency, we are persuaded, from principles of humanity, would refuse to be an actor in the tragical scene that must ensue upon shutting up the avenues to the town, and reducing the inhabitants, by distress and famine, to a disgraceful and slavish submission; but that cruel work may possibly be reserved for a successor, disposed and instructed thereto. Daily supplies of provisions are necessary for the subsistence of the inhabitants of the town. The country disgusted and jealous at the formidable operations now carrying on, survey with horrour a plan concerted—whereby the inhabitants of the town of Boston may be imprisoned, and starved at the will of a military commander. They kindly invite them to abandon the town, and earnestly solicit them to share the homely banquet of peace in the country. Should their refusal involve them in miseries hitherto unheard of, and hardly conceived of, the country must stand acquitted, and will not hold their liberties so loosely as to sacrifice them to the obstinacy of their brethren in Boston.

Your Excellency has been pleased to order the powder from the Magazine in Charlestown; to forbid the delivery of the powder in the Magazine of Boston to the legal proprietors; to seize the cannon at Cambridge, and bring a formidable number from Castle William, which are now placed at the entrance of the town of Boston; and have likewise, in addition to the troops now here, been pleased to send for reinforcements to Quebec and other parts of the Continent. These things, sir, together with the disposition of the ships of war, we humbly think, sufficiently justify the proceedings for which your Excellency seems to be at a loss to account.

Your Excellency has suggested that nature has made it easy to cut off the communication between town and country. Our only request is, that the entrance into the town may remain as nature has formed it.

If security to his Majesty's troops is the only design in the late manœuvre, we beg leave to assure your Excellency that the most certain, and by far the most honourable method of making them secure and safe will be to give the people of the Province the strongest proof that no design is forming against their liberties. And we again solicit your Excellency, with that earnestness which becomes us on this important occasion, to desist from every thing which has a tendency to alarm them, and particularly from fortifying the entrance into the town of Boston.

We rely on your Excellency's wisdom and candour, that, in your proposed representation to our common Sovereign, you will endeavour to redeem us from the distresses which we apprehend were occasioned by the grossest misinformation; and that you will assure his Majesty that no wish of independency—no adverse sentiments or designs towards his Majesty or his troops now here, actuate his good subjects in this Colony, but that their sole intention is to preserve pure and inviolate those rights to which, as men and as English Americans, they are justly entitled, and which have been guarantied to them by his Majesty's royal predecessors.

A copy of the aforegoing was delivered to Mr. Secretary Flucker, by the Chairman, with a desire that he would, as soon as was convenient, present it to the Governour, and request his Excellency to appoint a time for receiving it in form. The Secretary informed the Chairman the ensuing day, that he had seen the Governour, and had given him the copy of the Address, but that he declined receiving it in form. The Chairman mentioned to him the importance of the business, declaring his belief that the troops were not in any danger; and that no person has, so far as he had been informed, taken any steps which indicated any hostile intention, until the seizing and carrying off the powder from the Magazine in the County of Middlesex; and that if any ill consequences should arise, that should affect the interest of Great Britain, the most candid and judicious, both in Europe and America, would consider the author of the ferment now raised in the minds of the people as accountable for whatever consequences might follow from it. He therefore desired the Secretary once more to make application to his Excellency, and to state the affair to him in that serious manner which the case seemed to require. The Secretary accordingly made a second application to the Governour; but received for answer, that he had given all the satisfaction in his power, and he could not see that any further argumentation upon the subject would be to any purpose.

Upon this the Committee were again convened, and it was unanimously resolved, that they had executed the commission entrusted to them by the county, to the utmost of their ability. And after voting the Reply to his Excellency's Answer, should be inserted in the publick papers as soon as possible, they adjourned without day.

It is observable, that every vote passed by the Delegates of the county, and by the Committee appointed to wait on the Governour, was unanimous.

New-York, September 15, 1774.

On Friday last numbers of the following Card were distributed about this city:

New-York, September 9, 1774.

A Card.—The thanks of the publick are presented to those worthy citizens, who have, to their immortal honour, nobly refused to let their Vessels for the base purpose of transporting troops, ammunition, &c., to oppress the brave defenders of American liberty, who are already suffering in the common cause. Such patriotick conduct merits applause, as much as a contrary one would the contempt and indignation of every generous mind.

Yesterday evening numbers of the following Handbill were distributed about this city:

To the Publick.—As the Merchants of this city have nobly refused letting their vessels to the tools of Government for the base purpose of transporting troops and military stores to Boston, for enforcing the cruel and arbitrary edicts of a corrupt Ministry, on that virtuous people, now suffering in the glorious cause of American freedom, it is therefore hoped that no Pilot will be found so lost to all sense of duty to his country, as to assist in that detestable work. Mr. Francis Post inadvertently engaged to make some chests for the transportation of arms; and Mr. Jonathan Hampton, in like manner, undertook to contract with house carpenters, for the purpose (as is supposed) of building barracks at Boston; but when their fellow-citizens represented to them the tendency of their conduct, they immediately declined the abominable service. After these laudable examples of the merchants and tradesmen of this city, there is no doubt but their patriotick conduct will be followed by all their fellow-citizens. But notwithstanding, should any sordid miscreant be found amongst us, who will aid the enemies of this country to subvert her liberties, he must not be surprised if that vengeance overtakes him, which is the reward justly due to parricides.

THE FREE CITIZENS.

Now-York, September 14, 1774.

EARL OF DARTMOUTH TO LIEUT. GOVERNOUR COLDEN.

Whitehall, September 10, 1774.

SIR: I have received your letters of the 6th July, and 2d August, Nos. 3 and 4, and have laid them before the King.

You certainly are right in thinking that it is your duty to transmit a particular account of all publick occurrences in the Province under your Government and will not fail to embrace every opportunity that offers of writing to me.

The King has seen with concern that his subjects in the different Colonies in North America, have been induced upon the grounds stated in their different Resolutions, to nominate Deputies to meet in general Congress at Philadelphia.

If the object of this Congress be humbly to represent to the King any grievances they may have to complain of, or any propositions they may have to make on the present state of America, such representations would certainly have