any pacifick proposals, till you have a certain and total disavowal of all their unconstitutional claims.

You will have heard, before this reaches you, of that infamous and cruel bill, which we call the Fishery Bill; which, I take upon me to say, was, in its original dress, as black a bill as ever was brought into a British Parliament. It is true they have softened it from reading to reading, by various salvos and exceptions, but all tending to divide. The Quakers of Nantucket have been excepted, on Petition from the Society here; and there are to be other exceptions in favour of those who are willing to subscribe to certain secret compacts, which are yet kept in the breast of the Ministry, but which, I take it, are somewhat of the same nature of those made formerly between the Devil and his adherents, by which, for some trifling gratification (and in which they were commonly deceived) they sold themselves to everlasting slavery.

Our Parliament have also another bill before them, called a Conciliatory Bill; the purport of which amounts to this: that if any of the Colonies on the arrival and publication of said Bill shall agree to tax themselves to such an amount as the Parliament shall approve, (which money is also to be under the direction of Parliament) that such Colonies shall be taken into favour, and the Penal Acts suspended; but which are still to remain as a rod hanging over them, to be used as occasion shall require.

And a third bill is also in agitation, which is to include all the disobedient Colonies in the same predicament as the Massachusetts, viz: to prohibit their exports to any other parts than Great Britain, Ireland, and the West-Indies.

I should inform you that New-York is not in this list. The late Resolves of their Assembly have been very grateful incense to the nostrils of our Ministry; and though, in my opinion, a matter of little consequence, yet they have afforded great triumph and exultation, and have given an opening to favour that Colony at the expense of the rest.

But I trust that the majority, even of that City, are with us, and that they will maintain the Non-Importation Agreement, in its utmost rigour. And now I am on this topick, let me advise you of one loophole, where the enemy may attempt to come in. The King’s Ships that are now preparing, both the Men-of-War and the Transports, will be in some degree freighted with European Goods—great quantities are getting ready; this you may depend on. I speak on the best authority, though perhaps not on my own certain knowledge; for I would have it understood that I would not execute an order for the best friend I have for those purposes.

Our Merchants and Traders in this City have had several publick meetings, and have made such application to the governing powers as they thought would produce the most salutary effects; or rather, (if I may express myself without reserve,) such application as they could all concur in; for it must be confessed, and indeed it cannot be concealed, that a very considerable part, though not the majority of the Merchants and Traders, are averse to the Americans.

In short, your cause is not a favourite cause in this Kingdom, as I believe I have already wrote you. Having submitted, in some degree, to slavery ourselves, we do not so fully feel the distress it may occasion in others; and partly through interest, partly through prejudice, and partly through ignorance, I fear the majority are against you. But I wish you not to be disheartened, since, to say the worst, you have a most respectable minority; a minority that will never give up your cause, if you do not desert it yourselves; nay, some of us, as I know, will maintain your rights, though you should be so base to barter them for a mess of pottage.

I can assure you that, exclusive of those publick and Constitutional Societies already established, some others are forming, for the avowed purpose of supporting British and American liberty; and I make no doubt that some good will happen from these associations; the English are slow in resentment, as in deliberation: but they are determined in the prosecution of either when they once engage.

We have already commenced a publick subscription for the relief of the sufferers in Boston; some handsome sums have already been subscribed; but, as yet, it wants the usual enthusiasm that accompanies things of this sort; however, I don’t despair that it will ultimately succeed, and it will be a glorious declaration of our principles, by the most undoubted touchstone.

ORANGE COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

March 11, 1775.

An accusation being lodged with the Committee of Orange County against Francis Moore, Jun., of his having violated the Eighth Article of the Continental Association, by gaming: the said Moore was cited, and appeared before the Committee convened February 23, 1775. The testimony of a witness, as well as the confession of the accused, convinced the Committee that the charge was well founded; but Mr. Moore gave such evidence of his penitence, and intention to observe the Association strictly for the future, and alleging, moreover, that he was not thoroughly aware of the extent of the prohibition contained in that article, that the Committee think it proper to readmit him into the number of friends to the publick cause, till a second transgression.

It need scarcely be added, that this mitigation of the punishment prescribed in the Eleventh Article, proceeds from a desire to distinguish penitent and submissive, from refractory and obstinate offenders.

FRANCIS TAYLOR, Clerk.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM BOSTON TO A GENTLEMAN IN NEW-YORK, DATED MARCH 12, 1775.

Last Monday Doctor Warren delivered an Oration against the effects of Standing Armies in free Governments, &c. There was a prodigious concourse of people present, and amongst them, in the most conspicuous part of the house, about forty Officers. The oration was spirited, yet free from particular reflections on mercenary Troops.

The red-coated gentry behaved with tolerable decency till after the Doctor had finished; when, taking exception at the words of the vote that was put for the appointment of an orator for the next year, one of them cried out fie! fie!—This exclamation was seconded by two or three others; and the people thinking that it was the cry of fire, great confusion was occasioned; many of the women jumped out of the windows, and much mischief would have ensued, had not the gentlemen in the desk very strenuously exerted themselves to restore quiet, which, after some time, they effected.

The pronouncing this oration must be construed as a publick affront to Mr. Gage in both his stations—as General of the Army and Governour of the Province. In the first, as it was a reflection, in general, on Standing Armies in time of peace; and in the other, as it was in a Town Meeting, held directly contrary to an Act of Parliament; to enforce which, His Excellency came to Boston. Nor is it a small proof of the spirit of the inhabitants, who, in defiance of a Fleet and Army, with the muzzles of their guns at their doors, dared to tell them that they were an illegal body of men, and the tools, of tyrants.

We had a most extraordinary exhibition here last Thursday. As the populace of Boston had thought fit to repeal the tarring and feathering act, the King’s Troops have thought fit to revive the said statute; and, in consequence of such a determination, gave us a specimen of a Royal mob. The Soldiers have been encouraged by their Officers to take every method of tricking the unwary. An honest countryman, on Wednesday, was inquiring for a firelock; a Soldier heard him, and told him, he had one which he would sell. Away goes the ignoramus, and after paying the Soldier very honestly for the gun (which was only an old one, without a lock) was walking off, when half a dozen seized him, and hurried the poor fellow away under guard, for breach of the Act against trading with the Soldiers; and after keeping him in duress all night, the next morning, instead of carrying him before a Magistrate, who, on complaint, would have fined him, (as has been the case in several instances,) the Officers condemned the man, without a hearing, to be tarred and feathered; which was accordingly executed. After stripping him naked and covering him with tar and feathers, they mounted him upon a one-horse truck, and surrounding the