The Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, January 16.

Extract of a letter from a Gentleman in London to his friend here, dated Nov. 9, 1765.

"Before this comes to hand I presume you will have heard of the great loss this nation has sustained by the death of the King's uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, who died very suddenly the evening of the 31st ult. I apprehend it will appear he was a wise Prince, and steady counsellor, and frequently found means of moderating contending parties in the Ministry. I find the North American colonies, as well as the West India islands, take the Act of Parliament for establishing Stamp Duties, &c. very hardly, which indeed was carrying the prerogative of the British Parliament to an unjustifiable length, unless you had previously, by your Assemblies, consented thereto; but you are doubtless apprised of the change in the Ministry, which will, I hope, be productive of some good towards you, as well as us; some of the new Ministry, having, to my knowledge, taken much pains to inform themselves of the nature and state of trade, especially of the American trade, and the cause of its present decline, which they seem determined to have remedied at the next meeting of the Parliament."

In another letter from London, of the same date, it is said: "In the Duke of Cumberland the King has lost an able counsellor, and the kingdom a most faithful friend. The present Administration are friends to America, and will serve it."

Besides the above, we can inform our readers that we have seen several other letters from London by the last packet, wrote by men of candour and ability, the purport of which is, that they heartily condole with us in the oppressive measures taken by the late Ministry; that they applaud us for the spirit we have shown, in opposing these measures; that numbers of the people of England make our cause their own, and highly commend us for the noble stand we have made in the cause of liberty; that the trading part of the nation were much alarmed at the smallness of the orders, as well as remittances, from the colonies of late, owing to the restrictions laid on our trade, which they were resolved to have taken off at the next meeting of Parliament, if possible; and that it was not doubted but the present Ministry would endeavour to get the Stamp Act repealed, which had thrown the whole English world into the greatest convulsions.