The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from Chelmsford, March 30.

"At our assizes one Jew woman, and ten men, were sentenced to be hanged.

"The following letter was ready to be sent by the Grand Jury; but the Court and Judge waiting for the remainder of the bills found, in the hurry the jury went therewith, and by the court were discharged before completed.

To Sir WILLIAM MAYNARD, Bart. one of the representatives of the county.

"We the Grand Jury, Gentlemen, Clergy, and others, freeholders of the county of Essex, assembled this 28th day of March, 1770, at the assizes held at Chelmsford, in and for the said county, take this opportunity to testify our entire approbation of your late conduct as our representative in Parliament, and more especially at this critical time of anarchy and confusion, instigated by a combination of artful, ill designing men, supported by mobs, riots, and disturbers of the public tranquillity, to the hazard of our lives, liberties, and properties, the total subversion of all law, and imminent danger of our excellent constitution.

Sorry we are to find you are not supported by your colleague, our other representative, who, swerving from his duty in general to his King and Country, but more particularly to us his constituents, is not entitled to our present or future regard, and which he, by his improper conduct, has so justly forfeited.

"We beg, Sir, you will persevere in the duty to support all lawful authority constitutionally exercised, by maintaining our civil and religious liberties as established by the glorious Revolution, and supported ever since, and in a more especial manner by the family and Prince now on the throne (whom God long preserve) whose virtues exceed even all Princes his predecessors, and who, from his own motion, has enlarged the salaries, and made the judges of the law independent of the Crown.

"May these fomenters of the national disturbances meet with equal punishments, proportionable to their high crimes, and adequate to their deserts."