on board a Ship-of-War and confined; and we have since heard that he was sent round to Boston with the flour.

I request you to give to the bearers any aid and assistance in your power, for procuring the relief and discharge of their brother. In my letter of yesterday to the Congress, the measure of reprisal in this instance was recommended, and if it may be, I wish it may be pursued.

I am your friend and humble servant,

STEP. HOPKINS.

President of the Congress m Massachusetts.

JAMES ANGELL TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Providence, Rhode-Island, April 28, 1775.

SIR: At the request of his Honour the Deputy Governour, I have undertaken to answer yours of the 26th instant.

We, Sir, sensibly feel the distresses of our brethren in the Massachusetts-Bay, and can only say, that, as Brigadier of the three Battalions under my command in the County of Providence, I will furnish you, upon any alarm, with six hundred men; but the situation of matters is such, occasioned partly by our Assembly’s not appointing officers for the fifteen hundred men which they ordered to be raised for your assistance, and partly by the seizure made by the Man-of-War at Newport of three hundred barrels of flour bought by this Colony for supplying our Army, that it will be impossible for our forces immediately to proceed to join your Army, unless they go destitute of provision, which, we imagine here, would rather be a burden than a help to our friends. However, men are enlisting very fast, and when our Assembly meets here, which will be next week, you may rely on it that our forces will, as fast and as soon as possible, march to your assistance. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

JAMES ANGELL.

Z. ANDREWS AND T. FREEMAN TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Providence, Rhode-Island, April 28, 1775.

DEAR SIR: The anxiety we feel upon seeing the present situation of affairs, will be our apology for troubling you with a letter, the design of which is to convey you intelligence that might, with more propriety, come to you from other persons.

Deputy Governour Sessions received your letter requesting assistance, which we have seen a copy of yesterday. The Assembly have adjourned, after passing a simple vote that fifteen hundred men, with suitable stores, should be raised at Government’s expense; and leaving the matter there. Nobody at present thinks himself authorized to enlist men, and therefore, scarce any thing in that way has been done. Mr. John Brown is taken prisoner on board a Man-of-War, and a quantity of flour which he had purchased at Newport is seized, and it is, with him, to sail in a sloop for Boston immediately, if he is not already gone.

Our Assembly meets here on Wednesday next, and then we hope to see something done in compliance with your request; but we do absolutely despair of any thing being done before, if then. We are sorry to say it, from our hearts; but fearing you might rely too much upon this Government, we thought it our indispensable duty to give you this information. The gentlemen who attended our Assembly as Delegates from your Congress well know where the difficulty lies, and which we hope will be removed next week.

We observed one clause in your letter respecting the artillery, upon which we beg leave to observe, that we have heavy cannon, if such are wanted; but if field-pieces are most required, we believe that more than four or five cannot be ready to come to you, which are now preparing with all possible despatch. We are, Sir, with great respect, your obedient humble servants,

ZEPH. ANDREWS, Lieut. of Grenadiers.
THOS. FREEMAN, Lieut. of Light-Infantry.

MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS TO STEPHEN HOPKINS.

Watertown, April 28, 1775.

SIR: It is with the deepest concern we find Mr. Brown, that valuable friend of the cause of America, betrayed into the hands of our common enemies; and every measure for his release that can be pursued by us, shall most earnestly be adopted.

We have ordered Samuel Murray, son of the Mandamus Counsellor, and such Officers of General Gage’s Army as are prisoners of war, not disabled from travelling, to be immediately sent, with a sufficient guard, to Providence; and I think it best that Murray and Officers should write to their friends in Boston, and acquaint them that Mr. Brown’s friends have the same advantage over them as General Gage hath over Mr. Brown.

We beg leave to suggest to you the critical situation of the Colony at the present time, which disables the Congress from immediately seizing every Crown Officer in the Government. Boston is closed, and the numerous inhabitants so obnoxious to our enemies, are imprisoned therein. Several of our seaports are blockaded with shipping, and threatened with destruction if they join the Army. Under this situation, the inhabitants of those places most in danger, are day and night removing their furniture and effects; and we hope soon to see it generally done. Should we, therefore, seize the Crown Officers as proposed, it may hurl on us and our seaports sudden destruction, before they have an opportunity of saving themselves. We had it in contemplation to send a letter to the General, acquainting him that we should treat the Crown Officers with severity if Mr. Brown should be so treated by him; but we are apprehensive it would produce an unhappy, rather than good effect, as he has a greater number of our friends than we have of his. We desire you to give us your further sentiments of the matter. If any other way is left wherein the Congress can save Mr. Brown, it shall be readily pursued. We are, &c.

Whereas, a worthy friend to the liberties of America, Mr. John Brown, of Providence, hath been lately seized, and with two other persons, carried on board a British Ship-of-War at Newport:

Ordered, That Samuel Murray and two such Officers of General Gage’s Army, as are now prisoners of war, and not disabled from travelling on account of their wounds, be immediately sent under a sufficient guard to Providence, and delivered to Hon. Stephen Hopkins, Esquire, or other friends of said Mr. Brown; to be made such use of as they shall think proper, for obtaining the liberty of the said Mr. Brown.

MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS TO STEPHEN HOPKINS.

Watertown, April 29, 1775.

SIR: The above is a copy of an Order and Letter which passed this Congress yesterday, since which we have received from Boston copies of sundry Votes of that Town to Gen. Gage, upon the subject of a license, for the inhabitants to remove with their effects into the country; and by his answers it appears that he has consented to suffer such inhabitants as have inclination therefor, to leave the place with their effects, excepting fire-arms, which are to be delivered at Faneuil Hall, to the Selectmen of the Town, and the name of the owner to be placed on them; and the General expects, on the other hand, a Proclamation from Congress, giving liberty to all inhabitants of the Colony having inclination therefor, to remove, with all their effects, into Boston. Some of the inhabitants have already left the Town, by permission of the General; and under these circumstances, should we issue the Order which has passed in Congress, it may put a stop to this unexpected favourable event, and prevent the emancipation of many thousands of friends to America. We nevertheless propose to detain the prisoners of war; and if the General should not forfeit his plighted faith, to use all expedition in getting out the families and effects of our friends from Boston, that we may be at liberty to use our prisoners, and every other means in our power, for the release of Mr. Brown, as was intended. We have just heard that the passages to and from Boston are again stopped; but the occasion of this extraordinary manœuvre, we cannot yet learn.

We are, with great respect, &c.

To the Honourable S. Hopkins, Esq., of Providence.