The Massachusetts Spy, Or, Thomas's Boston Journal

THURSDAY. March 10.

BOSTON.

Saturday last being the anniversary of the fifth of March, upon which day, agreeable to a Vote of the town last year, a meeting was duly notified, and accordingly met at Faneuil-Hall, at ten o'clock in the forenoon; and after choosing Mr. SAMUEL ADAMS Moderator, they adjourned to the Old South Meeting-House, where, after the Moderator mentioned the occasion of their thus assembling, The Hon. JOHN HANCOCK, Esq; delivered an ORATION on the dangerous tendency of standing Armies being placed in free and populous Cities, and to perpetuate the memory of the horrid Massacre on the evening of the fifth of March, 1770, by a party of Soldiers under the command of Capt. Thomas Preston, belonging to the 29th regiment.--At this meeting a vast concourse of people attended to hear the Oration, which lasted about three quarters of an hour, and was received with universal approbation.

After it was delivered, a committee was appointed to return the Orator the thanks of the town, and also to request a copy for the press: Another person to pronounce the ORATION at the next Anniversary; after which the meeting was dissolved.

At the breaking up of the meeting, a very generous collection was made for the poor unfortunate Christopher Monk, now about twenty one years of age, (then present and on whose piteous condition Mr. Hancock very affectionately addressed the audience) who was thought to be mortally wounded on the fatal evening of the Massacre, but yet remains a shocking monument of that horrid transaction.

Extract of a letter from one friend to another in this town.

A desire of communicating my sentiments to my friends, prompts me perhaps too often to trouble you with my epistles,--- but I know, your generous heart expands at the praises of your friends, especially when they so richly deserve them; as our much esteemed American Orator!--Who far surpassed my most sanguine hopes and expectations. Had I the pencil (with half the genius) of the inimitable Raphael: I could have delineated Mr. H---k's figure from the life, to more advantage than his so much celebrated one of St. Paul, when preaching before Agrippa.

Indeed I admired Mr. H---k's elegant composition as much as I did the manner in which it was delivered-my heart swelled with indignation, when he described the ruffian band who patrolled our streets, to the prejudice of young people of both sexes,--but the pathetic address to the unfortunate M---k (who was so conspicuously placed) melted my very soul. Then he made me smile with pleasure, at the lively manner in which he described the flight of those wretches, who had brought such destruction and wretchedness among us,

But when he so gracefully address'd the amiable Mr. A----s, as the first of patriots and friends in his country's cause,---my admiration and gratitude were excited almost to ecstasy.-

Thus he awakened, such a variety of sensations, that my ideas were galloping from one scene to another till he had done speaking.