C., for you are to know the Committee command the mob, and can in an instant let them loose upon any man who opposes their decrees, and complete his destruction.” But upon his damning the King, the spirit of the gallant Royalist grew impatient, and he opened a battery of execrations upon Committees and Congresses of all denominations. This, of course, occasioned his being ordered before the whole Sanhedrim, where he is to be interrogated after the manner of the Spanish and Portugal inquisitions. To this complexion is American liberty, through the influence of the King-killing Republicans, already arrived. But the culprit is true game, and will prove as tough a sapling as ever these big wigs have tried their strength upon. If these choose to carry matters to extremity, now is the time to repel force by force, in defence of the constitutional liberty of the Colony; and be the strength of the disaffected what it may, the lives and fortunes of many in this Country will be freely hazarded in defence of King George the Third, and the laws of his Realm.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM BOSTON, TO A GENTLEMAN IN PHILADELPHIA, DATED SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1775.

On Thursday last at daylight, the Troops beat to arms; five Regiments marched out with Earl Percy at their head; it was supposed they were going to Concord, where our Provincial Congress is now sitting. A quantity of provisions and warlike stores, I understand, is lodged there. Several expresses were immediately sent away to give notice of their marching. Important consequences were apprehended; but happily they only went a few miles out of Boston and returned again. The Town and Country were alarmed; many of the neighbouring country Towns immediately mustered, and got equipped for a march. It has given such uneasiness, that Committees from twelve of the near Towns have met upon it, and intend sending a Petition to the Provincial Congress representing this affair to them, desiring they would take up the matter, and remonstrate to the General upon it. The Troops “went out of the common road; marched over the people’s land—some where their grain was sown—and gardens; broke down their fences, walls, &c., and doing other injuries. It is thought such proceedings will bring on bad consequences, unless prevented. The late conduct of the Regulars, in tarring and feathering a countryman, headed by one of their Colonels and other Officers, and the spirited remonstrance it occasioned from the Selectmen of the. Town of Billerica to General Gage, has made much talk.

The military spirit and resolution prevailing in this Province, in support of their liberties and Constitution, is astonishing. I hope we shall soon have some good news from home, to prevent any breaking out, which I begin to fear, especially if the troops continue their marchings out. I have heard that forty or fifty of the troops were so fatigued by their march on Thursday, that they could not keep up with their fellow soldiers on their return. It is said they are intending to go out again soon. The Provincial grand magazine of provisions and warlike stores is kept at Worcester, about forty-four miles from Boston.

COUNCIL OF NORTH-CAROLINA.

At a Council held at Newbern, the 2d of April, 1775,

Present: His Excellency the Governour, the Hon. Jas. Hasell, Hon. John Rutherford, Hon. Lewis H. De Rossett, Hon. Alexander McCulloh, Samuel Strudwicke, Martin Howard, and Samuel Cornell, Esquires.

His Excellency acquainted the Board that he had received His Majesty’s commands to use his utmost endeavours to prevent the appointment of Deputies from this Colony, to attend another Congress intended to be held at Philadelphia, in the month of May next. And as a Convention is appointed by advertisement to meet to-morrow in Newbern, for the choice of such Delegates, His Excellency desired the advise of the Council what measures, were proper to be taken to prevent the meeting of such unlawful assembly. The Board were unanimously of opinion that His Excellency had no other means than to issue a Proclamation to forbid the holding of the proposed Convention, and to declare that such proceedings would be highly offensive to His Majesty; upon which His Excellency issued the following

PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, I have received information that, in consequence of an advertisement signed John Harvey, Moderator, some time since published and dispersed through this Province, sundry persons have been elected by a small number of Freeholders in the several Counties, to meet in Convention in the Town of Newbern, on this day for the choice of Deputies to represent this Colony in a Congress intended to be held at the City of Philadelphia, in the month of May next: And whereas, the meeting of such Convention, and the declared purpose thereof will be highly offensive to the King, and dishonourable to the General Assembly of this Province, which is appointed to sit at this time for the despatch of publick business: I have, therefore, thought fit, with the advice of His Majesty’s Council, to issue this Proclamation, hereby in the King’s name to forbid the holding of the said Convention. And I do exhort all His Majesty’s subjects, on their allegiance and on pain of incurring His Majesty’s high displeasure, to withdraw themselves from the same, and to desist from all such illegal, unwarrantable, and dangerous proceedings.

Given, &c., the 3d of April, 1775.

Jo. MARTIN.

GOD save the King.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a Meeting of the Committee of Gloucester County, at the Court-House of the said County, on Monday, the 3d of April, 1775,

WARNER LEWIS, Esq., Chairman.

The Resolves of the Convention held at the Town of Richmond the 20th of March, 1775, were read and unanimously approved of.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Committee be presented to Thomas Whiting and Lewis Burwell, Esquires, our worthy Delegates, for their faithful discharge of the important trust reposed in them.

It being late before a sufficient number of members assembled to proceed upon business, the Committee adjourned to Tuesday, the 25th instant.

Committee Chamber, Philadelphia, April 3, 1775.

Whereas there is the greatest reason to believe that quantities of East India Goods have been purchased in England by Holland merchants and others, with a view to transport them to the Dutch Islands in the West-Indies, and from thence introduce them into the Ports of North America; and as such a traffick would not only be injurious to the trade and interest of this Country, but effectually counteract the Non-Importation Agreement which has been adopted, among other measures, for the common safety, this Committee therefore think it expedient thus publickly to caution their fellow-citizens against engaging in so pernicious a trade, and to declare that the utmost vigilance will be used to detect any persons who shall endeavour to import such India Goods from the Dutch Islands or elsewhere, and when detected their names will be published to the world, as delinquents and enemies to the liberties of America. By order of the Committee:

JOHN BENEZET, Assistant Secretary,

FREEHOLD MONMOUTH COUNTY, N. J. COMMITTEE.

April 3, 1775.

Thomas Leonard, Esquire, having been duly notified to appear this day before the Committee of Inspection for the Township of Freehold, in the County of Monmouth, New-Jersey, and answer to a number of complaints made against him, did not think proper to attend.

The Committee therefore proceeded, with care and impartiality, to consider the evidence laid before them, and were unanimously of opinion, that the said Thomas Leonard, Esquire, has, in a number of instances, been guilty of a breach of the Continental Association, and that, pursuant to the tenour of said Association, every friend to true freedom ought immediately to break off all connexion and dealings with him, the said Leonard, and treat him as a foe to the rights of British America.