The Virginia Gazette

October 11. The Hon. House of Representatives on Thursday
last proceeded to the consideration of the report of the committee
appointed to consider his Honour's speech to both Houses; the
substance of which report was, that it was for the interest of the
province that the House still adhere to their former resolution not
to proceed to the publick business. After some debate upon the
question whether to accept this report, it was moved that the farther
consideration of it be referred, and that in the mean time a com-
mittee be appointed to prepare a message to the Lieutenant Gover-
nor, praying that his Honour would be pleased to explain a
certain passage in his speech, and also that he would inform the
House whether he had received any late instructions with respect
to the continuance of the Assembly out of the town of Boston; and
Mr. Hancock, Mr. John Adams, Mr. Ingersol, Mr. Samuel
Adams, and Captain Fuller, were appointed accordingly.

This committee the same day reported the following draught,
which was accepted by the House; and Mr. Hancock, Mr.
Pickering, Captain Heath, Mr. Wood, and Captain Thayer,
were appointed a committee to present the same to his Honour,
viz.

May it please your Honour,

THE House of Representatives having taken into consideration
your speech to both Houses, at the opening of this session,
beg leave to request your Honour to explain a part of it, which is
expressed in such terms as leaves it uncertain in its true intent and
meaning. The passage referred to is that wherein you say "there
are other affairs, of a very interesting nature, which had not then
come to our knowledge, and which may be determined before we
can have another opportunity of acting upon them." No such
matters have come to the knowledge of this House. If they have
been communicated to your Honour from his Majesty, or his
Ministers, we desire you would be pleased to lay them before us,
that we may have a precise understanding of what your Honour
intends, the want of which prevents our coming at present to any
determination on your speech.

The House are also very desirous that your Honour would inform
them whether you have received any late instructions, agreeable
to your expectation expressed in your message to this House of the
first of June last, relating to the continuance of this Assembly out
of its ancient, legal, and only convenient place, the town house
in Boston.

To this message his Honour was pleased to return the following
answer, viz.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,

I AM not at liberty to make publick, or communicate to you
by speech or message, an order of his Majesty's Council of
the 6th of July last; but it appears to me that in consequence
thereof the state of the province of Massachusetts Bay will un-
doubtedly be recommended to the consideration of Parliament,
in the approaching session. This is the principal matter of moment
to which my speech, at the opening of the session of the General
Court, had respect. Although I am not at liberty to lay this
order before you, yet I am very ready to give all the information
in my power to any committee you may think proper to appoint
of the facts and ground upon which this order is founded, so far
as shall consist with my instructions.

His Majesty has been pleased to cause to be expressed his entire
approbation of my summoning the Court to meet at Cambridge.
I am restrained from removing it to Boston, but I am not confined
to the town of Cambridge. I am willing to meet the Court at
any town in the province which shall appear to me to be most for
the convenience of the members, and which shall not militate
with the spirit of my instructions.

CAMBRIDGE,
October 4th, 1770.

T.
HUTCHINSON.
The next day Colonel Murray, Colonel Gerrish, Mr. John Adams, Brigadier Prebble, and Mr. Samuel Adams, were appointed a committee to consider the same, and report.

In the afternoon Colonel Murray, from the aforementioned committee, reported, as their unanimous opinion, that his Honour's message did not afford that light which the House requested in their message to him; and that it appeared to the committee, from his Honour's message, that he was restrained, by instruction, from communicating the same to the House, in a parliamentary manner.

And therefore that an address and remonstrance be prepared in answer to his Honour's message of yesterday, and a committee be appointed for that purpose, to report as soon as may be; whereupon Mr. John Adams, Mr. Samuel Adams, Mr. Hancock, Mr. David Ingersoll, and Mr. Bullen, were appointed.

Then the House entered into a consideration of the aforementioned report of the committee, on his Honour's speech to both Houses; and upon the question being put, whether the House do accept the report, it passed in the negative.

It was then moved that the question be put whether the House will proceed to the publick business in the town of Cambridge; and after debate, a motion was made that a committee be chosen to prepare a resolve to the following purpose, viz. That it is from absolute necessity only that the House proceed to business; and also to prepare a protest against the restraint they are under to hold the session out of the town house in Boston, the same to be entered on the journal. In consequence of which motion Mr. Wood, Mr. Hancock, Brigadier Prebble, Mr. Samuel Adams, and Major Read of Marblehead, were appointed to prepare a resolve and protest accordingly.