this very important event; and that you may be informed of it as soon as possible, I now despatch Lieutenant Flahavan express with this letter.

I have the honour to be your most humble servant,

STIRLING.

The Hon. John Hancock, Esq.

PUNISHMENT OF THOMAS RANDOLPH.

New-York, December 28, 1775.

The 6th of December, at Quibbletown, Middlesex County, Piscataway Township, New-Jersey, Thomas Randolph, cooper, who had publickly proved himself an enemy to his country, by reviling and using his utmost endeavours to oppose the proceedings of the Continental and Provincial Conventions and Committees, in defence of their rights and liberties; and he being judged a person of not consequence enough for a severer punishment, was ordered to be stripped naked, well coated with tar and feathers, and carried in a wagon publickly round the town; which punishment was accordingly inflicted. And as he soon became duly sensible of his offence, for which he earnestly begged pardon, and promised to atone, as far as he was able, by a contrary behaviour for the future, he was released, and suffered to return to his house in less than half an hour. The whole was conducted with that regularity and decorum that ought to be observed in all publick punishments.

DECLARATION OF INHABITANTS OF QUEEN'S COUNTY, NEW-YORK.

Queen's County, Long-Island, December 6, 1775.

We, freeholders and inhabitants of Queen's County, seeing, in common with our fellow-subjects, the deepest anxiety and distress from the most unhappy state of affairs between Great Britain and the American Colonies, and beholding, with horror, every appearance of being involved in any the least unfriendly contention with our neighbours, countrymen, and fellow-subjects, have resolved to take every step in our power to prevent so destructive an event—an event which, if permitted to take place, will introduce misery and distress, and open wounds that many years cannot heal. Impressed with these ideas, and the most friendly disposition towards all our fellow-subjects, we make this publick declaration of our sentiments and intentions, by which we hope to obtain the approbation of every real friend to liberty.

We declare that we have not the most distant design or inclination to injure or offend any of our fellow-subjects; but if, in exercising the essential privilege of freemen, we unfortunately differed with our brethren as to the mode of bringing the present troubles to a happy conclusion, we have carefully avoided every ostentatious display of that difference in sentiment and every irritating measure. We wish only to remain in peace, nor have we done aught to interrupt the quiet of others. So far have we been from harbouring a wish to offer violence to any, that we remained a long time destitute of the ordinary means of self-defence. We trusted that as we meant not to injure any man, so none would attempt to injure us. At length, however, we found too much reason to be apprehensive for the safety of ourselves, our families, and property. Reports have been circulated, and messages delivered to us, importing that we are to be disarmed, and some of our principal people taken in custody; that we are, in short, to be treated as enemies to our country. We call upon every man who values himself upon the inheritance of an Englishman, to say what he would do in such a case. Would he suffer himself to be disarmed, and tamely confess himself an abject slave? Certainly no. Can any one, then, who feels the spirit of liberty, impose that on us which he had rather die than submit to himself? Can he blame us for doing that which he most surely would do was he in our situation? Impelled by the most powerful arguments of self-defence, we have at last been driven to procure a supply of those means for protecting ourselves, of which we have been, till now, almost totally destitute; but we solemnly declare we procured them for the sole purpose of defending ourselves from insults and injuries.

And as many reports have been propagated, tending to excite the resentment of our countrymen against us, and to represent us as entirely inimical to them, we take this opportunity to declare that all such reports are wicked inventions and void of truth.

To remain peaceable and quiet, we again repeat, is our earnest desire; and breathing the most friendly disposition towards our neighbours, countrymen, and fellow-subjects, we entreat them to behold in us those endearing connections, and not suffer a difference in opinion, or mischievous and groundless reports, to hurry them into acts of violence against us, which the laws of God and man will justify us in resisting.

The above declarations are published as containing the sentiments and intentions of a large majority of the inhabitants of the County.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER, DATED CAMP BEFORE QUEBECK, NEAR THE GENERAL-HOSPITAL, DECEMBNER 6, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I wrote you the 21st ultimo, which I make no doubt you have received. I then gave you some particulars of our march, proceedings, &c., since which General Montgomery has joined us with artillery, and about three thousand men; and yesterday we arrived here from Point-aux-Tremble, and are making preparation to attack the enemy, who are in close garrison, but cannot hold out long, as from the best accounts they are much divided amongst themselves, and a prodigious panick has seized them all. Carleton, we are told, is determined to hold out to the very last, as his only hope; for he can expect nothing but punishment from the Ministry, whom he hath most egregiously deceived with regard to the inhabitants of this country. All his friends, or rather his courtiers, say he could not have taken more effectual measures than he has to ruin the country.

The 22d ultimo he issued a very extraordinary proclamation, strictly ordering all who refuse to take up arms and defend the garrison, to depart the town and district within four days, with their wives and children, under pain of being treated as rebels or spies. In consequence of which a great number of the principal inhabitants came out with their families, but were obliged to leave all their property behind, except some wearing apparel and a little household furniture, &c. I enclose you a copy of the proclamation.

Among the corps who came with General Montgomery, is your worthy friend, Captain Lamb, whom I had the pleasure of seeing a few days ago at Point-aux-Tremble.

Our men are in high spirits, being now well clothed with the regimentals taken from the Seventh and Twentieth regiments, who were taken prisoners at St. John's. This is a circumstance which, I believe, the like never before happened to the British troops, as two regiments of them to be made prisoners at one time. Providence smiles on us in a most remarkable manner. The Canadians say, "surely God is with this people, or they could never have done what they have done." They are all astonished at our march through the wilderness, which they say was impossible, and would not believe our coming until they had occular demonstration of it.

We are at a great loss for intelligence from the army at Cambridge and other quarters, having bad no certain accounts of their movements, nor the least syllable of news since we left Newbury.

I am astonished a regular communication has not been opened between Montreal and the Colonies; hope you will pay a little attention publickly to it, more especially as there are some scoundrels who with impunity open the letters directed to the officers in our army, and I suppose they continue the like infamous practice with the letters which are sent to our friends and acquaintance.

The General is now absent sending off an express, by whom I send this. I hope the next time I write you it will be from Quebeck; for, if the insulting foe does not surrender shortly, I believe it is the General's intention to carry the town by storm.

CONNECTICUT COUNCIL OF SAFETY

Wednesday, December 6, 1775.

At a meeting of the Governour and Council of Safety, Present: His Honour the Governour, Jabez Huntington,