back room of Edes and Gill's printing office, at | ers, and placing them in the chaplet of the histhe corner of the alley leading to Battle street | toric muse, which would otherwise fall to the church from Court street. There are very few ground and perish in oblivion. I offer the alive now, who helped to empty the chests of following. tea, and these few will probably be as prudent as those who have gone before them. LETTER Daily Adv. RELATING TO THE DESTRUCTION OF TEA With regard to the Indians who destroyed the three cargoes of tea in the harbor of Boston, I have met with a slight notice that confirms the remark of president Adams, that "they were no ordinary Mohawks." It is in the Historical Sketch of Charlestown, by the hon. Joseph Bartlett, M.D., in which he says, that E. N. (giving only the initials) a respectable inhabitant of that town, had repeatedly informed him that he was among the Indians who destroyed the tea. THE "MOHAWK INDIANS." J. F. Hanover, N. H., June 22, 1819. SIR-Seeing a notice or a letter addressed to president Adams from you, I take the liberty of giving you the information, in part, you wish. My father, Anthony Morse, afterwards a lieutenant during the revolutionary war, but since deceased, and Mr. Joseph Roby, now of this town, were the most active in destroying the tea in Boston harbor. Mr. Roby thinks there is but one or two now surviving besides himself. I am, sir, yours with esteem, MR. H. NILES. LEWIS R. M. MORSE. REVOLUTIONARY RECOLLECTIONS Upon reading the Boston reminiscence of the tea-ship, the line quoted from the old song occasioned the whole of it to rise like an exhalation before me. As near beauteous Boston lying, Three ill-fated tea-ships rode. Just as glorious Sol was setting, On the wharf, a numerous crew, Arm'd with hammers, axes, chisels, Three bright angel forms were seen; 'Soon,' they cried, 'your foes you'll banish, Quick as shot the ships were boarded, What a glorious crash they made! Captains! once more hoist your streamers, EXTRACT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S TO THE COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF Repre- Gentlemen of the Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives. The judicial proceedings of the governor and RELATING TO THE DESTRUCTION OF TEA council, as the supreme court of Probate, and IN BOSTON HARBOR. as the court for determining in cases of marriage and divorce, having been impeded in many instances, where the opinion of the governor has been different from that of the ma From the National Gazette of Sept. 5, 1821. I am one of that class of your readers who are much pleased with the plan of the reminis-jority of the councillors present, the governor cences, and wish it may be promoted, by our well-informed aged citizens taking the trouble to present to the public such authentic facts and information as their memories can furnish. It may be the means of preserving some flow having always considered his consent as necessary to every judicial act. In the year 1771, I stated the arguments, as well against as for the claim of the governor; and his majesty having been pleased to order the case thus stated, to ירושלים I am required to signify to you his majesty's disapprobation of the appointment of committees of correspondence, in various instances, which sit and act, during the recess of the general court, by prorogation. T. HUTCHINSON. be laid before the lords of his majesty's most | various instances, which sit and act, during the honorable privy council, I am now able to in- recess of the general court, by prorogation. form you, that it has been signified to me, to be You are not pleased to explain to us the grounds his majesty's pleasure, that I do acquiesce in and reasons of his majesty's disapprobation; the determination of the majority of councillors until we shall have such explanation laid bepresent, voting as a court for proving wills and fore us, a full answer to this part of your speech administration, and deciding controversies con- wlll not be expected from us. We cannot, cerning marriage and divorce, although I should however, omit saying, upon this occasion, that differ in opinion from that majority. This while the common rights of the American suborder more immediately respects the council; jects, continue to be attacked in various innevertheless, the tender regard which his stances, and at times when the several assemmajesty has shown for the interest and conve- blies are not sitting, it is highly necessary that nience of his subjects, in a construction of the they should correspond with each other, in charter, different from what had been made by order to unite in the most effectual means for all his governors, ever since its first publica- the obtaining a redress of their grievances. tion, make it proper for me to communicate the And as the sitting of the general assemblies in order to both houses. this, and most of the colonies, depends upon the pleasure of the governors, who hold themselves under the direction of administration, it is to be expected, that the meeting of the assemblies will be so ordered, as that the intention proposed by a correspondence between them, will be impracticable, but by committees, to sit and act in the recess. We would, moreover, observe that, as it has been the practice for years past for the governor and lieutenant governor of this province, and other officers of the crown, at all times, to correspond with ministers of state, and persons of influence and distinction in the nation, in order to concert and carry on such measures of the British administration, as have been deemed by the colonists to be grievous to them, it cannot be thought unreasonable, or improper for the colonists to correspond with their agents, as well as with each other, to the end, that their grievances may be so explained to his majesty, as that, in his justice, he may afford them necessary relief. As this province has heretofore felt the great misfortune of the displeasure of our sovereign, by means of misrepresentations, permit us further to say, there is room to apprehend that his majesty has, in this instance, been misinformed, and that there are good grounds to suspect, that those who may have misinformed him, have had in meditation further measures destructive to the colonies, which they were apprehensive would be defeated by means of committees of correspondence sitting and acting in the recess of the respective assemblies. EXTRACT FROM THE ANSWER It affords great satisfaction to this house to find, that his majesty has been pleased to put an end to an undue claim, heretofore made by the governors of this province, grounded upon a supposition that the consent of the chair was necessary to the validity of the judicial acts of the governor and council. Whereby their proceedings, when sitting as the supreme court of Probate, and as the court for determining in cases of marriage and divorce, have been so often impeded. The royal order, that the governor shall acquiesce in the determination of the majority of the council, respects not the council only, but the body of the people of this province. And his majesty has herein shewed his regard to justice, as well as the interest and convenience of his subjects, in rescuing a clause in the charter from a construction which, in the opinion of this house, was repugnant to the express meaning and intent of the charter, inconsistent with the idea of a court of justice, and dangerous to the rights and property of the subject. Your excellency is pleased to inform the two houses, that you are required to signify to them his majesty's disapprobation of the appointment of committees of correspondence, in It must be pleasing to the good people of this province, to find that the heavy debt which had been incurred by their liberal aids, through the course of the late war, for the subduing his majesty's inveterate enemies, and extending his territory and dominion in America, is so nearly discharged. Whenever the house of repre sentatives shall deem it incumbent upon them | Dr. Church, Dr. Holtan, Mr. Gerry, Col. Trying, Captain Robinson, Major Foster, and Mr. Gorham. The day following, the committee reported a message to Governor Gage, which was accepted, and is as follows :] to provide for any future charges, it will be done, as it ought, by such ways and means as, after due deliberation, to them shall seem meet. In the meantime, this house will employ the powers with which they are entrusted, in supporting his majesty's just authority in the province, according to the royal charter, and in despatching such public business as now properly lies before us. And, while we pursue such measures as tend, by God's blessing, to the redress of grievances, and to the restoration and establishment of the public liberty, we persuade ourselves, that we shall, at the same time, as far as in us lies, most effectually secure the tranquility and good order of the government, and the great end for which it was instituted, the safety and welfare of the people. [The committee, by whom the foregoing was reported, were, the speaker, Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Hancock, Col. Warren, Col. Thayer, Col. Bowers, and Captain Derby.] ELECTION OF DELEGATES BY THE GENERAL Court of MaSSACHU SETTS. To convene at Philadelphia, Penn., to consider the critical and alarming condition of the country. June, 1774. [Before the general court of Massachusetts separated, in June, 1774, they elected five delegates, to meet such as should be chosen by the other colonies, to convene, at Philadelphia, to consider the critical and alarming situation of the country.--They met in September, 1774, and delegates from all the other provinces, (except Georgia, which, however, soon afterwards joined the confederacy,) convened there, at that period, and formed the first continental congress. The following gentlemen were appointed delegates: Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, Robert T. Paine, James Bowdoin, and John Adams. And as the general court was dissolved, it was also proposed to have a provincial congress, or meeting of deputies, from every town in this state. Deputies were accordingly chosen, and met at Salem, October 7th, 1774. An adjournment was immediately voted, to Concord. John Hancock was chosen president, and Benjamin Lincoln, secretary. A committee was appointed to consider the state of the province, consisting of the following gentlemen, viz. the president, Joseph Hawley, Dr. Joseph Warren, Samuel Dexter, Col. Ward, Col. Warren, Captain Heath, Col. Lee, MESSAGE FROM THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, SITTING AT CONCORD, TO HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR GAGE. May it please your Excellency, The delegates, from the several towns in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, convened in The discongress, beg leave to address you. tressed and miserable state of the province, occasioned by the intolerable grievances and oppressions to which the people are subjected, and the danger and destruction to which they are exposed, of which your excellency must be sensible, and the want of a general assembly, have rendered it indispensably necessary to collect the wisdom of the province, by their delegates, in this congress, to concert some adequate remedy for preventing impending ruin, and providing for the public safety. It was with the utmost concern we see your hostile preparations, which have spread such alarm through the province and the whole continent, as threaten to involve us in all the confusion and horrors of civil war: and, while we contemplate an event so deeply to be regretted by every good man, it must occasion the surprise and astonishment of all mankind. that such measures are pursued, against a people whose love of order, attachment to Britain, and loyalty to their prince, have ever been truly exemplary. Your excellency must be sensible, that the sole end of government is the protection and security of the people: whenever, therefore, that power, which was originally instituted to effect these important and valuable purposes, is employed to harass and enslave the people, in this case it becomes a curse, rather than a blessing. The most painful apprehensions are excited in our minds, by the measures now pursuing; the rigorous execution of the (Boston) port bill, with improved severity, must certainly reduce the capital and its numerous dependencies to a state of poverty and ruin. The acts for altering the charter,* and the administration of * In June of this year, an act of parliament was passed, revoking that part of the charter, which allowed the representatives of the people to elect counsellors; and the king, with the advice of his ministers, was empowered to appoint them; and, in August, he accordingly justice in the colony, are manifestly designed | they would not be impanelled, becomes highly to abridge this people of their rights, and to interesting: license murders: and, if carried into execution, will reduce them to slavery. The number of troops in the capital, increased by daily accessions drawn from the whole continent, together with the formidable and hostile preparations which you are now making on Boston Neck, in our opinion, greatly endanger the lives, liberties, and property, not only of our brethren in the town of Boston, but of this province in general. Permit us to ask your excellency, whether an inattentive and unconcerned acquiescence to such alarming, such menacing measures, would not evidence a state of insanity? Or, whether the delaying to take every possible precaution for the security of this province, would not be the most criminal neglect in a people, heretofore rigidly and justly tenacious of their constituted rights? Penetrated with the most poignant concern, and ardently solicitous to preserve union and harmony between Great Britain and the colonies, necessary to the well being of both, we entreat your excellency to remove that brand of contention, the fortress at the entrance of Boston. We are much concerned that you should have been induced to construct it, and thereby causelessly excite such a spirit of resentment and indignation, as now generally prevails. We assure you, that the good people of this colony never have had the least intention to do any injury to his majesty's troops; but on the contrary, most earnestly desire, that every obstacle to treating them as fellow subjects may be immediately removed: but are constrained to tell your excellency, that the minds of the people will never be relieved, till those hostile works are demolished. And we request you, as you regard his majesty's honor and interest, the dignity, and happiness of the empire, and the peace and welfare of this province, that you immediately desist from the fortress, now constructing at the south entrance into the town of Boston, and restore the pass to its natural state. AN HONEST JURY. The refusal of certain gentlemen, returned to serve as grand jurors for Boston, or Suffolk county, in 1774, being frequently alluded to, the following, which shews the reasons why appointed others, commonly called mandamus counsellors; Deing wholly independent of the people and holding their office of the crown, they were likely to be fit instruments of oppression and tyranny. County of Suffolk, BOSTON, Aug. 30, 1774. We, who are returned by the several towns in this county, to serve as grand jurors at the superior court for this present term, being actuated by a zealous regard for peace and good order, and a sincere desire to promote justice, righteousness and good government, as being essential to the happiness of the community, would now most gladly proceed to the discharge of the important duty required in that department, could we persuade ourselves that, by doing thus, it would add to our own reputation, or promote the welfare of our country. But when we consider the dangerous inroads that have been made upon our civil constitution, the violent attempts now making to alter and annul the most essential parts of our charter, granted by the most solemn faith of kings, and repeatedly recognized by British kings and parliaments; while we see the open and avowed design of establishing the most complete system of despotism in this province, and thereby reducing the freeborn inhabitants thereof to the most abject state of slavery and bondage; we feel ourselves necessarily constrained to decline being impanelled, for reasons that we are ready to offer to the court, if permitted, which are as follows: Ist. Because Peter Oliver, esq., who sits as chief judge of this court, has been charged with high crimes and misdemeanors, by the late honorable house of representatives, the grand inquest of this province; of which charge he has never been legally acquitted, but has been declared by that house, unqualified to act as judge of this court. 2d. Because, by a late act of the British parliament, for altering the constitution of this province, the continuance of the present judges of this court, as well as the appointment of others, from the 1st of July last, is made to depend solely on the king's pleasure, vastly different from the tenure of the British judges; and as we apprehend they now hold their places, only in consequence of that act, all the judicial proceedings of the court will be taken. as concessions to the validity of the same, to which we dare not assent. 3d. Because three of the judges, being the major part of the court, namely, the said Peter Oliver, esq. Foster Hutchinson, esq. and William Brown, esq. by taking the oath of counsellors under authority of the aforementioned act, are (as we are informed) sworn to carry into execution all the late grievous acts 4th. Because we believe, in our consciences, that our acting in concert with a court so constituted, and under such circumstances, would be so far betraying the just and sacred rights of our native land, which were not the gift of kings, but were purchased solely with the toil, the blood, and treasure, of our worthy and revered ancestors, and which we look upon ourselves under the most sacred obligations to maintain, and to transmit the same, whole and entire to our posterity. Therefore, we, the subscribers, unanimously decline serving as grand jurors at this court. William Thompson will be taken, till the sense of the whole continent is known; as the people have great dependence upon the determinations of con of the British parliament, among the last of which, is one, made ostensively for the impartial administration of justice in this province, but, as we fear, really for the impunity of such | gress, and expect them to chalk out the line persons as shall, under pretext of executing for their conduct. As to the soldiers here, those acts, murder any of the inhabitants they are no more feared than if they were the thoreof, which acts appear to us to be utterly troops of Lilliput. Indeed, they are much repugnant to every idea of justice and common more disposed to flight than combat, and have humanity, and are justly complained of, more inclination to desert to us than to fight throughout America, as highly injurious and us-above two hundred having already left oppressive to the good people of this province, them. To put a stop to these frequent deserand manifestly destructive of their natural as tions, the officers are obliged to treat them well as constitutional rights. with great severity-death or 1000 lashes, is the only choice offered to those who are retaken. There is a humorous story told about town of one of the deserters, though I cannot say it is absolutely to be depended upon as a fact: a soldier, whose name is Patrick, deserted sometime ago and settled in a country town at some distance, and there undertook to instruct a company of about fifty men in military exercises. A sergeant and eight men were sent to apprehend deserters, got intelligence of him, and agreed with a countryman, for a couple of guineas, to conduct them to him. Patrick, it seems, was at that time exercising his company; however, being called by the sergeant and his men, he immediately came up to them. The sergeant demanded what he did there, told him he was his prisoner, and ordered him to return and join his regiment. Sir, said Patrick, I beg your pardon, but I don't think it possible for me to obey you at present. The sergeant repeated his orders in a very peremptory style. Patrick still assured him of the great improbability of his being able to comply with the command; but told him, as it was not absolutely certain, he would see what could be done about it. You must know, said he, that we determine every thing here by a vote-and turning to his company, which had by this time come up,-gentlemen, says he, if it be your mind that I should leave the town and return to my regiment, please to manifest it. Not a single hand appeared in favor of the motion. He then desired that those who were contrary-minded should manifest it, which passed nem. con. The sergeant and his men, finding themselves in so small a minority, and seeing it in vain to oppose the general voice of the meeting, were about to return again in peace, when one or two of his men desirous to have it put to vote whether they should not stay also. Patrick, as moderator, immediately put the question, which it was not difficult to carry in such an assembly, and the sergeant, knowing it vain to resist. returned with six men to his regiment. Paul Revere Robert Williams James Ivers Joseph Pool Lemuel Kollock Nicholas Cooke, jr. Moses Richardson Peter Boyer CORRESPONDENCE OF JOHN ADAMS. Second President of the United States. Let- were |