The Virginia Gazette

CAMBRIDGE, April 4.

Since our last the Selectmen of the town of Boston waited upon
his Excellency General WASHINGTON with the following
address, viz.

May it please your Excellency,

We congratulate your Excellency on the success of your military operations, in the reco-
very of this town from an enemy, collected from the once respected Britons, who, in this instance, are characterized by malice and
fraud, rapine and plunder, in every trace left behind them.

Happy are we, that this acquisition has been made with so lit-
tle effusion of human blood, which, next to the Divine favour,
permit us to ascribe to your Excellency's wisdom, evidenced in
every part of the long besiegement.

If it be possible to enhance the noble feelings of that person,
who, from the most affluent enjoyments, could throw himself
into the hardships of a camp to save his country, uncertain of
success, it is then possible this victory will heighten your Excel-
lency's happiness, when you consider you have not only saved a
large, elegant, and once populous city from total destruction;
but relieved the few wretched inhabitants from all the horrors of
a besieged town, from the insults and abuses of a disgraced and
chagrined army, and restored many inhabitants to their quiet
habitations, who had fled for safety to the bosom of their country.

May your Excellency live to see the just rights of America et-
tled on a firm basis, which felicity we sincerely wish you, and at
a late period may that felicity be changed into happiness eternal.

John Scollay, Timothy Newell, Thomas Mar-
shall, Samuel Austin, Oliver Wendell, John
Pitts, Selectmen of Boston.

To his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq;
General of the united forces in America.

His Excellency's ANSWER.

To the Selectmen and citizens of Boston.

Gentlemen,

Your congratulations, on the success of the American arms,
give me the greatest pleasure.

I most sincerely rejoice with you on your being once more in
the quiet possession of your former habitations; and, what greatly
adds to my happiness, that this desirable event has been effected
with so little effusion of human blood.

I am exceedingly obliged by the good opinion you are pleased
to entertain of my conduct. Your virtuous efforts in the cause
of freedom, and the unparalleled fortitude with which you have
sustained the greatest of all human calamities, justly entitle you
to the grateful remembrance of your American brethren; and I
heartily pray that the hand of tyranny may never more disturb
your repose; and that every blessing of a kind Providence may
give happiness and prosperity to the town of Boston.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.