The Committee thereupon voted, that Abiel Wood was an enemy to his Country.

On the 24th of May last the Ship Christian, Christopher Williamson, master, arrived here, having on board one hundred and ninety-eight coils of Cordage, one hundred and seventy-eight bars of Flat Iron, and six Anchors, which were shipped by John Hatly, of Whitehaven, on the 20th day of February last, on account and risk of Abiel Wood, and to be delivered to him at said Pownalborough, the dangers of the seas only excepted.

The Committee ordered the Cordage, Anchors and Iron should be sent back forthwith.

The said Ship sailed the 28th following, and Abiel Wood went in said Ship to Nova-Scotia. A Sloop of said Wood sailed about the same time, and at sea said Wood had part of the Cordage taken out of said Ship and put on board his Sloop. Said Wood had all the Cordage, Anchors and Iron above-mentioned carried to Nova-Scotia, and there landed and disposed of the same. Said Wood has also made another trip to Nova-Scotia, (since he carried the Cordage,) with Salt, and on the 8th instant arrived here, having cleared out from Nova-Scotia to New-York for Provisions.

The Committee therefore think it their duty to, and they hereby publish the said Abiel Wood as a violator of the American Association, and an enemy to this Country, and that he ought to be treated as such, notwithstanding a late publication in Mr. Hall’s paper, by the Committee of Correspondence, to the contrary.

By order of the Committee of Inspection for the East Parish in Pownalborough:

TIMO. LANGDON, Chairman.

East Precinct, Pownalborough, August 17, 1775.

TIMOTHY PARSONS TO THE PUBLICK.

A certain Abiel Wood, of Pownalborough, having laid a plan, with the assistance of Thomas Rice, and the rest of the Committee of Correspondence of that Town, to supply the inhabitants of Nova-Scotia with provisions, contrary to, and in direct violation of the Resolves of the Continental Congress, I think it my duty to expose them, and every person who shall endeavour to break through the grand rules by which alone we must expect to effect a defeat of our unnatural enemies.

Wood, after he had been to Nova-Scotia with a large quantity of goods, which he imported in opposition to the Continental Association; after he had committed the numerous outrageous crimes mentioned in a publication of the Committee of Inspection of Pownalborough, in Mr. Edes’s paper of the 11th ultimo; after, by his finesse and low cunning, he had raised many and great disturbances in this place, by forging and spreading lies in favour of the British Ministry, and against America; after, when by his friends he was advised to desist from such male-practices, seeing he could not effect his purpose of torifying the whole Town, and that his efforts would only tend to disturb the peace and virtue of the people, (for he had many, if not a majority of them dependant upon him,) replied, if the Town was ruled by his opinion, that a pepper-corn would turn a scale, and that he was determined to persist in what he had undertaken, and the worst the Committee could do, was to publish him in the papers, which he cared not for. After all these things, the said Committee of Correspondence, of which Mr. Rice is the principal, met at Wood’s house, notwithstanding they were knowing to the truth of the above; and furthermore, that he had the very goods he imported, as mentioned, then on sale in Nova-Scotia; and having eat dinner with him, and drank up all his ale, they composed the piece which appeared in Messrs. Hall’s paper, purporting that he had not violated the Association in any respect, &c., and that for the rash words he had spoken he had made an acknowledgment, which acknowledgment has never appeared other than the dinner and ale; and consented that he might go to Nova-Scotia with a large quantity of salt, for the support of the British fisheries, in opposition to the Continental Resolves to the contrary, which he religiously executed with his sloop; and on his return he cleared out/or New-York, but he touched in here.

The Committee of Inspection, alarmed at so violent an act of opposition as the supplying our enemies with provisions, or even the violation of the Congress’ Resolves, which is the grand criterion of every friend to his Country in his Committee conduct, met and voted that it was not safe he should proceed until he had liberty from the General Court of this Province. An evidence respecting Wood’s design, follows, viz:

“I, Stewart Hunt, of lawful age, testify and say, that some time in June or July last, I heard Abiel Wood, of Pownalborough, say he was determined to carry on trade to Nova-Scotia, and that he could get corn at the southward, and that he would go a voyage for corn, and clear it out for Nova-Scotia, and that on his voyage he could come into Shecpscot, and leave part of his cargo there, and then proceed to Nova-Scotia with the remainder of his cargo, in order to cancel his bonds; and I heard the said Wood say, that he hoped John Hancock and the Adamses would be hanged, for they have made all the disturbances; and if some of the leaders were hung, the rest would be easy; and that there would be no peace till some were hung; and at many other times he seemed disposed to terrify the people, by saying all that have signed the covenant would certainly be hanged, &c. I do now solemnly declare the above to be the truth.

STEWART HUNT.

“Pownalborough, August 25, 1775.”

The General Court having ordered that the Committee of Correspondence in the several Towns should be authorized to clear out vessels, the property of well known friends to this Country, to go to the southward after provisions, the said Thomas Rice, with the rest of the Committee, cleared out said Wood’s Sloop, Zebulon Baker, master, although he has been published an open enemy to this Country. It is therefore hoped, in justice to the cause of liberty, as well as to prevent said Wood from supplying the people in Nova-Scotia, where he has a store, and carries on trade now with provisions, contrary to the Resolves of the Continental Congress, that the Committee, in what port she now is or may be at, will detain her so as to prevent such abandoned designs being executed.

The following is an Address to the Committee of Correspondence.

Question 1. Did you clear out Abiel Wood’s Sloop because he has made it his business for nine months past to curse both Continental and Provincial Congresses, and tell the most scandalous lies of them which he could invent?

2. Was it because he endeavoured to discourage the good people of this place from regarding the Continental Association?

3. Was it because he tried to frighten the people of the Town from choosing Militia Officers, and a person for learning them the exercise, by telling them it was high treason, and they would all be hanged for it; and by such actions has got a party of about forty men in the Town to join with him; has deterred the youth from their noble designs, by reading the law respecting the London apprentices, and concluded by saying, if they met to exercise, they would be hanged in the same manner with them?

4. Was it because he, in a most notorious manner, broke the Continental Association, and in consequence was published in the papers as an enemy to his Country?

5. Was it because he traded, and now continues to trade, to Nova-Scotia, in open violation of the Continental Resolves’, and his determination of carrying the provisions there, For which his vessel is gone by your recommendation?

6. Was it because the Committee of Inspection voted it unsafe to let his sloop proceed on her voyage, as she was going with supplies to a place prohibited by the Congress?

7. Was it because he, with Thomas Rice, Esq., one of your Committee, granted a warrant for the annual March meeting, agreeable to one of the Acts of Parliament, against which the present noble resistance is made?

8. Was it because you are determined to avert the just punishment which he is liable to for violating the Association, by assisting him to carry on a trade with the enemy?

9. Was it because you thought him a friend to this Country, by endeavouring to establish the mild Acts of Parliament lately exported from England; Acts which were granted to take our money without our consent; block