TO THE PUBLICK.

London, June 12, 1775.

When the news of a massacre first arrived, the pensioned writer of the Gazette entreated the publick “to suspend their judgment, as Government had received no tidings of the matter.” It was added “that there was every reason to expect despatches from General Gage, by a vessel called the Sukey.”

The publick have suspended their judgment; they have waited the arrival of the Sukey; and the humane part of mankind have wished that the fatal tale related by Captain Derby might prove altogether fictitious. To the great grief of every thinking man, this is not the case. We are now in possession of both the accounts. The Americans have given their narrative of the massacre; the favourite official servants have given a Scotch account of the skirmish. In what one material fact do the two relations, when contrasted with each other, disagree? The Americans said “that a detachment of the King’s Troops advanced towards Concord; that they attempted to secure two bridges on different roads beyond Concord; that when they reached Lexington, they found a body of Provincials exercising on a green; that on discovering the Provincial Militia thus employed, the King’s Troops called out to them to disperse, damned them for a parcel of rebels, and killed one or two, as the most effectual method of intimidating the rest.” This the writer of the Scotch account in the Gazette styles, “marching up to the rebels to inquire the reason of being so assembled.” Both relations, however, agree in this, that a question was asked; the pensioned varnisher only saying that it was asked in a civil way, attended with the loss of blood.

Thus far, then, the facts, in every material circumstance, precisely agree; and as yet, we have every reason to believe that the Salem Gazette is to the full as authentick as our Government paper, which, as a literary composition, is a disgrace to the Kingdom.

The Salem Gazette assured us that the King’s Troops were compelled to return from Concord; that a handful of militia put them to rout, and killed and wounded several as they fled. Is this contradicted in the English Gazette? Quite the contrary; it is confirmed. The Scotch account of the skirmish acknowledges that, “on the hasty return of the Troops from Concord, they were very much annoyed, and several of the men killed and wounded.” The Scotch account also adds, “that the Provincials kept up a scattering fire during the whole of the march of the King’s Troops of fifteen miles, by which means several of them were killed and wounded.” If the American Militia “kept up a scattering fire on the King’s Troops, of fifteen miles,” the Provincials must have pursued, and the Regulars must have fled, which confirms the account given in the Salem Gazette, wherein it is asserted that the Regulars “were forced to retreat.” Whether they marched like mutes at a funeral, or whether they fled like the relations and friends of the present Ministry who were amongst the rebel army at the battle of Cullodon, is left entirely to the conjecture of the reader; though it should seem that a scattering fire, poured in upon a retreating enemy for fifteen miles together, would naturally, like goads applied to the sides of oxen, make them march off as fast as they could.

The Scotch account, in our English Gazette, relates dreadful things respecting “the cruelty and barbarity of the rebels, who scalped and cut off the ears of some of the wounded men.” If the publick have any aversion to being imposed upon, they need only refer to the affidavits of the Lieutenants, and the rest of the King’s force, who were wounded and taken prisoners. In those affidavits the parties freely, and of their own accord make oath, that “although the King’s Troops began the bloody business, and thus provoked the Provincials to a rage that might have justified merciless revenge, yet the Provincials behaved with unparalleled moderation, and had exercised every virtuous office humanity could suggest to such of the King’s Troops as had fallen into their hands.” Whether, therefore, is the greater credit to be paid, to the oaths of the parties who experienced this tenderness, or to the naked assertion of a pensioned varnisher, who trumps up a Scotch account of the matter, manifestly to serve the purpose of Ministry, by glossing over murders, for the perpetration of which their heads should instantly be struck off. The Gazette writer concludes his narrative, by informing the publick that General Gage says “that too much praise cannot be given to Lord Percy for his remarkable activity during the whole day.”

The publick will think this a very singular kind of compliment. The preceding part of the narrative had told a story about the troops marching, or, in plainer English, retreating from Lexington; they did not halt, but continued their retreat for fifteen miles. What then are we to understand by the “remarkable activity of Lord Percy?” His personal bravery is too well known to leave room for suspicion that he ever would shew “remarkable activity” in retreating. Yet the Scotch account in the Gazette leaves the compliment so ambiguous, that an invidious reader might suppose Lord Percy made it, like the swift-footed Achilles, with a light pair of heels. It is not surprising that General Gage should wish to pay his court at North-umberland house; but when he pays another compliment, as he cannot write himself, he should entrust a better hand than the pensioned compiler of the Gazette.

To reason on the facts, which are now indisputable, is a task which will better suit some future opportunity. The publick have but to ponder on the melancholy truths thus attested by Government. The sword of civil war is drawn, and if there is truth in Heaven, the King’s Troops unsheathed it. Will the English Nation much longer suffer their fellow-subjects to be slaughtered?

It is a shameful fallacy to talk about the supremacy of Parliament. It is the despotism of the Crown, and the slavery of the people, which the Ministry aim at. For refusing those attempts, and for that only, the Americans have been inhumanly murdered by the King’s Troops.

Englishmen! weigh these things with deliberation; make the case your own. If the massacre of brethren will not open your eyes, they deserve to be forever shut against your welfare. Away with the canting piety of a Court! Away with the affected candour of tools in office! Ministry are so candid that they would disguise the truth, and so pious that they would take the sacrament as barbarians keep carousals, and drink of the cup, if it was but filled with the libations of the blood of freemen.

STRICTURES ON THE GAZETTE ACCOUNT OF THE ACTION BETWEEN THE PROVINCIALS AND THE REGULARS, NEAR BOSTON.

London, June, 1775.

We must give the Ministry credit for the little cunning of putting General Gage’s name to the end of the whole account, when in truth it was to the return only. This is a trick, or, as Lord Sandwich would say, a “take in,” and suits at once their genius and their capacity. The truth is, that the whole was culled out of a variety of letters by two Secretaries, their Sub-Secretaries, and office Clerks. Though I do not conceive General Gage to be a Cæsar or a Wolfe, yet I know him incapable of writing such stuff as is here indirectly imputed to him.

The Ministry were exceedingly puzzled between the shame of being themselves obliged to refute the charge of cowardice, which they have been so forward to urge against the Americans, and the reproach of having commenced a civil war, by a wanton and unprovoked murder of the people. Of two evils, the Ministry chose the least; and, as men who have neither wisdom nor veracity generally correct one extravagance by another, a small body of those cowardly poltron Americans, millions of whom were to fly before the face of the Regulars, are represented as daring enough to attack the flower of General Gage’s Army.

The Gazette tells us, “that General Gage; detached in the night the Grenadiers and Light-Infantry of his army, to destroy some stores at Concord.”

Every one knows that this description comprehends the best and most active troops of the whole body. They have the advantage, too, of stealing a march upon the people. We might have expected some enterprise and exploit of moment and magnitude, equal to the preparation, the secrecy, and confidence of this expedition. But, alas! the trunnions of three old iron ordnance are. the vast object of this mighty achievement. Some flour, musket-balls, and gunpowder, were also thrown into the river. I should be glad to know what motive could induce the King’s Troops to throw away articles so useful to themselves,