These are, my countrymen, the sentiments of a man who is sincerely devoted to his country's cause, and such as he dares avow, at the expense of his life, should his country be so unhappy as to call for it, which may Heaven avert! In perusing of which, should any grammatical errour present itself, kindly pass it over, as it is the substance, and not the form, which he has been labouring to recommend; and believe him when he tells you that he long since expected to find some abler pen than his exercised in this cause, as the object of this address to you (which he has shortened as much as the subject would possibly admit of) ought to be held up to publick view, as an example which others ought carefully to shun.

BRUTUS.

Annapolis, October 20, 1774.

The Brig Peggy Stewart, Capt. Jackson, from London, having on board seventeen packages, containing two thousand three hundred and twenty pounds of that detestable weed Tea, arrived here on Friday last. The Tea was consigned to Thomas Charles Williams, and Company, Merchants in this City. Those of the Committee for Anne Arundel County who were in Town, hearing of the arrival of said vessel, met in the afternoon, and were informed the said vessel had been entered in the forenoon of that day, and the duty on the Tea paid to the Collector by Mr. Anthony Stewart, one of the owners of said brig. Four only of the Committee being present, it was thought advisable to call a meeting of the people. Notice was thereupon immediately given—many of the inhabitants, together with a number of gentlemen from Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and other Counties, who were attending the Provincial Court, met, and having called before them the Importers and the Captain of the ship, together with the Deputy Collector, the question was moved and seconded, whether the Tea should be landed in America or not? and the question being put, it was unanimously determined in the negative.

A Committee of twelve persons was thereupon appointed to attend landing the other goods on board said vessel, and to prevent landing the Tea; after which the meeting adjourned to Wednesday, the 19th, at eleven o'clock. At which time the Members of the Committee and other the inhabitants of the County, were requested to attend at this place.

In consequence of this adjournment a great number of very respectable gentlemen from Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Prince George's Counties, met here, and amongst others, eight of the Committee for Anne Arundel County. Those of the Committee proceeded to examine into the affair, calling before them Messrs. James and Joseph Williams, and Anthony Stewart, and also took into consideration an offer made by said Williams's, and Stewart to destroy the Tea, and make such concessions as might be satisfactory to the Committee and the people assembled. The Committee were of opinion, if the Tea was destroyed by the voluntary act of the owners, and proper concessions made, that nothing further ought to be required. This, their opinion, being reported to the assembly, was not satisfactory to all present. Mr. Stewart then voluntarily offered to burn the vessel and the Tea in her, and that proper acknowledgments should be made and published in the Maryland Gazette. Those acknowledgments were accordingly made, and are as follows:

"We, James Williams, Joseph Williams, and Anthony Stewart, do severally acknowledge that we have committed a most daring insult and act of the most pernicious tendency to the liberties of America; we, the said Williams's in importing the Tea, and said Stewart in paying the duty thereon; and thereby deservedly incurred the displeasure of the people now convened, and all others interested in the preservation of the constitutional rights and liberties of North America—do ask pardon for the same; and we solemnly declare, for the future, that we never will infringe any Resolution by the people for the salvation of their rights, nor will we do any act that may be injurious to the liberties of the people; and to show our desire of living in amity with the friends to America, we do request this meeting, or as many as may choose to attend, to be present, at any place where the people shall appoint, and we will there commit to the flames, or otherwise destroy, as the people may choose, the detestable article which has been the cause of this our misconduct.

"ANTHONY STEWART,
JOSEPH WILLIAMS,
JAMES WILLIAMS."

After which Mr. Stewart, and Messrs. James and Joseph Williams, owners of the Tea, went on board said vessel, with her sails and colours flying, and voluntarily set fire to the Tea, and, in a few hours, the whole, together with the vessel, was consumed in the presence of a great number of spectators.

Annapolis, October 18, 1774.

The Committee for Anne Arundel County received information from Baltimore that a considerable quantity of Tea was expected on board the Generous Friends, Captain Nairne. The ship arrived on Saturday evening, the 15th instant, and, on examination, it did not appear by the cockets, or entry at the Collector's office, that any Tea had been on board. It appeared by a letter to Mr. Hodgkin, that six chests of Tea had been shipped, and that Captain Nairne refused to sail from London until the Tea was relanded, for which conduct Captain Nairne had the thanks, of this Committee. By order,

JOHN DUCKET, Cl'k Committee.

TO THE MERCHANTS AND CITIZENS OF NEW-YORK.

New-York, October 20, 1774.

It has been deemed by some proper and eligible to return publick thanks to a set of Mechanicks for bravely refusing their assistance in securing their Sovereign's Troops from the inclemencies of the seasons; what acknowledgments are not due to you, gentlemen, for asserting and preserving your rights of thinking and acting in a more humane and reasonable manner, against the unwarrantable and bold attempts of those persons who use the prostituted name of liberty only to infringe that of others with success and impunity. Suffer not then these sons of licentiousness and disorder to encroach further. The unbounded and lawless heights to which they have risen in a neighbouring Province, demands your serious attention; take heed that while the words tyranny and oppression are bandied about and fixed on Britain, you are not unawares enthralled at home, and subjected to a domination the most abject and slavish, viz: that of the idle, the vicious, and profane, for it is not among the industrious artisans, the honest farmers, or frugal tradesmen that you are to look for these children of mischief, tumult, and riot, but among those who either having nothing to lose, or, having wasted their own substance, would gladly become the masters of yours. These are the men who excite sedition and commotions, nay, would even blow the trumpet of rebellion through the land, so they might in the confusion of the times but divide and share in your property. Thanks, gentlemen, thanks for the noble stand on the late occasion, and may every Province, after your example, thus uphold the privileges of freemen and early crush these atrocious intruders on true and genuine liberty.

TO THE INHABITANTS OF NEW-YORK.

New-York, October 20, 1774.

Without entering into the dispute as to the right of the British Parliament to impose Duties in America, I would beg leave to submit some thoughts to consideration, which good policy and a regard to our own interest, might allow to have weight in influencing our judgments in this matter.

Before we make an alteration in any circumstance in life we should consider the value of the good we put to hazard, and the risk we run of being sufferers by the exchange. In the present political case we should place the benefits arising from obedience against the burthens that we are compelled to submit to.

To induce us to submit with cheerfulness we should consider that the Government to which we pay obedience has the power to protect us; and that from the genius of the British Constitution, from the commercial interest and good policy of that Nation, we have every desirable security that its authority over us will be exercised with justness and gentleness, and for our own real advantage, as that must be the best means of promoting its own. And to