The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in New-York, to his Friend in Boston, dated December 22, 1769.

YOURs of the 21st ult. is come safe to hand, with the Pamphlet in Vindication of the Town of Boston, wherein I verily think the Nettleham Baronet is nettled; and that the General, if he is not altogether callous, which some affirm, must feel the Lash. As to affairs in G. B. our Opinions coincide exactly. I firmly believe there will be very serious work, before they purge themselves of the Leaven of Unrighteousness. Those who are called our Friends may be very desirous to promote a Repeal on commercial Principles; but I ask you if you imagined they would consent to our enjoying all the Rights of a free People, in order to gain your Attention to the Improbability of it. I am not by any means for considering those Events as remote, when we daily see such enormous Strides taken by the Enemies of the Constitution, who may, unless timely prevented, bring all into Anarchy here as well as in Europe, in order to erect a Tyranny or Despotism.

Relative to our Affairs here, tho' we could not procure regular Instructions to our Representatives, yet, as soon as there appeared Ground of Suspicion, they were ply'd with sundry Letters from different Hands, a Copy of one I enclose you and leave you to guess the Author.

Gentlemen,

As Friends to you and our Country, and its Constitution, we conjure you, each and every of you, by the sacred trust with which you are invested, by the love of Liberty, your Country, Posterity, and every valuable Enjoyment in life, not to grant any Supplies to the Troops on any terms whatever. We don't mean to insult you, neither do we expect to intimidate you; we are too justly impressed with a due veneration for the dignity of our offices as legislators, to offer you any indecency; but to be silent in a time of such imminent danger, we conceive would be highly criminal.

We therefore beg your patience whilst we recite some of the many evils which you will unavoidably entail on your country and constituents, if you do, contrary to Nineteen Twentieths of your fellow Citizens Inclinations, give away their substance to their sworn Enemies of the British Constitution; that is, the present M----y of G. B. and their Tools---the Military. In the first place, you will set a most unconstitutional example, which will always be cited as a Precedent; and you must be too well acquainted with the Power of Example to make any comment of ours necessary thereon.

The Military Establishment, as it has been every where else, will be enlarged, Luxury and Voluptuousness will be the certain Concomitants of a Standing Army---Commerce, Industry and Frugality will be despised, together with Mechanism and Agriculture---The two grand Sources of Wealth and independence. Secondly---You will most unjustly impose on your Countrymen and Constituents a twofold Interest, that is, one for a Permission to do what no power on earth has any Right to prevent their doing, viz. furnishing themselves with a necessary Medium of Trade. The other for sinking Fund, or the Contingencies of Government, &c. Thirdly, you will thereby annihilate the Freedom, Honour, Dignity, and every Thing worth contending for of your own House; as at one Vote you sink yourselves to the abject State of an executive Body, who are obliged to do as they are commanded, by the insolent Mandate of every cringing Sycophant---the Descendant of some male Hopes, or other perhaps. Fourthly; you will ipso facto; forfeit all federal Confidence of the Colonies, which at this time is so essentially necessary to our political existence---together with the Will and Esteem of your Constituents and American Brethren, besides erecting to yourselves a Monument of everlasting Shame! These are only a few of the Evils that will inevitably result from your granting Supplies to those Mercenaries, at this Time. But Should you, on the contrary, persevere in a free, noble, emulous and consistent Conduct, (for it appears very inconsistent to us to oppose the Stamp and Revenue Acts, &c. &c. and yet grant Money to the Troops, either on a Ministerial or Parliamentary Requisition) then will you acquire true Renown and Glory! which no Age----no length of Time, no Series of Years will ever cancel in the Minds of your Fellow Citizens! Nay, unborn Posterity will celebrate your Names with festive Acclamations! Yes, you will be, enrolled among the glorious Company of Martyrs to the British Constitution! Thus we have in a few Words, set Good and Evil before you; choose which you list; and the Lord reward you accordingly!

From a Number of your Friends and Constituents.

To John Cruger,

James Delancy,

Efqrs. Representatives for the City &

Jacob Walton,

County of New-York in General

James Jauncey,

Assembly convened.

New-York, Dec. 12, 1769.

Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in New-York, to his Friend in Boston, dated December 22, 1769.

THE General Assembly of this colony in their last session, voted to supply his M--ss --p-- quartered here, which gave great umbrage to their constituents. The assembly in order (as is supposed) to quiet the minds of the People, made a unanimous declaration in the house that it should be the last supply of the kind they would ever grant, until our grievances were redressed. This declaration satisfied the people who rely'd on the promise of their representatives. However the house in their present session, have pass'd a vote for a further supply to the troops of 2000l. one thousand to be paid out of the treasury immediately, and the other out of a bill now pending for striking 120,000 in bills of credit to be let out on loan, which bill has no probability of receiving the Governor's assent. The procedure of the assembly greatly inflamed the minds of the people, who expressed their uneasiness and indignation in the most unreserved manner: Several consultations were held in order to fall on such measures as should induce the house to drop the bill. A number of printed papers were dispersed through the city, some wrote with decency; others couched in different terms, tho' containing many truths and just observations.

Yesterday Mr. Lamb attended the bar of the house, a vast number of the inhabitants attended on the occasion. Mr. Lamb being called on and charged by the Speaker, desired to be heard; which being granted, he began by confessing the charge, and conducted himself in such a manner; that I am certain the house repented of their ordering him before them. Our city members told him in substance as follows, 'That the people had no right to convene and disapprove the proceedings of the assembly.' Mr. Lamb answered that he had assembled with the rest of his fellow citizens, and had propos'd questions, which as a citizen, a freeman, and an Englishman, he had a right to do, and was surprised to hear it controverted. The house found that they had before them a man of sense, knowledge and resolution, who was determined to assert the rights of his countrymen and fellow-citizens, gave up the point, and dismissed him. He has by his judicious and spirited conduct on this occasion, gained lasting honor, by opposing the destructive measures of a venal house of assembly, tho' I am of opinion, after all, they will give the money, unless frightned out of it.