Untainted by the vices that too often accompany affluence, our people have been inured to industry, sobriety, and, when engaged in your Majesty's service, have been distinguished for an exact obedience to discipline, and a faithful discharge of duty; and we hope, if called forth to action in one combined corps, it will be their highest ambition to merit a favourable report to your Majesty from their superior officers. At the same time, it is our most ardent prayer to Almighty God, that the eyes of our deluded fellow-subjects in America may soon be opened, to see whether it is safe to trust in a Congress unconstitutionally assembled, in a band of officers unconstitutionally appointed, or in a British King and Parliament whose combined powers have indeed often restrained the licentiousness, but never invaded the rational liberties of mankind.

Signed in our name, and by our appointment, by our PrÆses, at Thurso, the 6th day of December, 1775.

Caithness Presses.

ADDRESS OF THE MAGISTRATES, ETC., OF CUPAR IN FIFE.

Address of the Magistrates, Council, and Incorporations of the Royal Burgh of Cupar, in Fife, transmitted to the Earl of Suffolk, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, and presented to His Majesty.

To the King's Most Excellent Majesty.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

We, your Majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Provost, Magistrates, Council, and Incorporations of your Royal Burgh of Cupar, in Fife, beg leave humbly to testify to your Majesty our unshaken attachment to your person, family, and Government, that, sensible of the many valuable blessings we, with the rest of your Majesty's subjects enjoy, under your mild, legal, and just Government, do, with the utmost abhorrence and detestation, see an unnatural rebellion broke out in your Majesty's American Colonies, influenced by some restless and seditious spirits among themselves, and not a little fomented by a small disappointed faction at home; and we humbly beg leave to assure your Majesty, that (with the almost universal voice of your Majesty's British subjects,) we will concur, with heart and hand, life and goods, in supporting your Majesty in executing those measures you shall judge most effectual for restoring peace, liberty, and a due dependance on your Majesty, and the legislative authority of this empire, in the British American Colonies; where rebellion, tyranny, oppression, and confusion do at present prevail.

Signed in our name, in our presence, and at our appointment, by

John Baxter, Provost.

Cupar, December 6, 1775.

MEETING OF SUGAR PLANTERS AND LONDON MERCHANTS.

At a general meeting of the Planters of His Majesty's Sugar Colonies, residing in Great Britain, and of the Merchants of London, trading to the said Colonies, at the London Tavern, December 6, 1775:

Beeston Long, Esq., in the Chair.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to attend to the general interest of the West-India Planters and Merchants at this alarming crisis, and to report their proceedings to such general meetings as may be called from time to time.

Resolved, That the Committee consist of forty-three; and that the following gentlemen be named of the Committee: Beeston Long, Richard Oliver, James Phipps, Samuel Turner, George Drake, Charles Spooner, J. L. Aikenhead, Stephen Fuller, John Kennion, John Bourke, Thomas Oliver, John Pennant, Bryan Edwards, John Ellis, Joshua Steele, Richard Atkinson, Edward Morant, John Brathwaite, Alexander Campbell, Sir James Cockburn, Bart., John Hankey, Samuel Eastwick, Godschall Johnson, Rose Fuller, Sir Philip Gibbs, Bart., John Jackson, Michael McNamara, William Holder, William Bond, Thomas Walker, Henry Dawkins, Hon. Thomas Walpole, Richard Neave, George Walker, Thomas Boddington, Thomas Lucas, Arnold Nesbit, James Gordon, Thomas Storer, Wastel Briscoe, Philip Dehany, Chalmer Archdekne, John Trevanion, Esquires.

Resolved, That seven be a quorum to do business.

Resolved, That the said Committee be instructed to give particular attention to the Bill now depending in the House of Commons, interdicting all foreign trade with the associated Colonies, thereby confirming that agreement, of whose ruinous effects a general meeting expressed their apprehensions to both Houses of Parliament the last session, and also to certain Resolutions of the House of Commons, intending important variations in the several Acts of Parliament, which gave the produce of the British Plantations in the West-Indies a preference over the produce of the foreign.

A Petition to the House of Commons being produced by Mr. Eastwick; it is

Resolved, That the same be immediately referred to the consideration of the said Committee, who accordingly withdrew, and after some time reported the same with amendments.

Resolved, That the said Petition is proper to be presented to the House of Commons, and that the same be engrossed, and left for signing at the London Tavern till tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon.

Resolved, That Mr. Alderman Oliver be desired to present the said Petition, and that the several members interested in the West-India Islands, and the Representatives of London, Bristol, Liverpool, and the great commercial towns, be requested to attend and support the same.

Resolved, That the Thanks of this meeting be given to Mr. Eastwick for the above Petition.

James Allen, Secretary.

The Committee having agreed to confine their present Petition merely to the subject of the Bill depending in Parliament, reserving themselves for further application on other matters, so much only of the following Petition was presented to the House of Commons as related to the Bill.

To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled.

The humble Petition of the Planters of His Majesty's Sugar Colonies residing in Great Britain, and of the Merchants of London trading to the said Colonies:

Showeth, that your Petitioners having upon a former occasion stated and laid before this honourable House, with all the accuracy, precision and truth that were in us, the worth and value of His Majesty's Sugar Colonies in the West-Indies, their national magnitude and importance to Great Britain, their situation as depending upon their sister Colonies in North-America, for the maintenance of property and support of life, our fears and apprehensions of dangers and distress, arising out of the unhappy disputes subsisting between Great Britain and America; we firmly trusted, if conciliation did not render it unnecessary that these substantial motives would have made us the objects of your consideration and attention.

That, in this state of things, at first positively bad, now comparatively worse, and soon, too soon, may be superlatively bad; again do we, your Petitioners, find ourselves obliged to return, to lay our grievances before you, and to implore that relief which justice pleads for, under innocent and unmerited sufferings.

That, fixed between two contending powers, to be abandoned by both, though tied to each by the closest bands of interest, of friendship, of blood; and to be left to beggary, nay, to famine, without a helping hand from either; what scene of piteous horror more can imagination form. And yet this frightful picture is our own.

That, thrust out from our natural channel, and stopped from that course of trade which immemorial usage had rendered habitual, and till now uninterrupted, it is not in us, but in your wisdom, to say what substitute must now take place, what manner of help may be had.

That suggestions of bounties on certain enumerated goods to be procured from Canada, Nova-Scotia, and the Floridas, have been made, as one probable mode of assistance; but, added to the vain hope of receiving any supplies from these Colonies, alas, sorry are we to think that our wants and necessities will afford bounties of a sufficient encouragement to them, and enough to fill even the unsparing hand of extortion itself.

That another idea has been entertained of obtaining a