National Gazette

EXETER, February 4.

Extract of a letter from Boston, January 28.

"With respect to politics we have none except the town police, which arose the last week to an extravagant height, owing to the present attempt for an incorporation, which the mechanical interest are much opposed to. The debates in town-meeting last Thursday were very warm and high on both sides; which was the fullest ever known in this town. The mode of incorporation was rejected.—There has been large mobs every succeeding evening on 'Change, in order to mob Mr. Russell, the Printer: but have as yet been prevented, by the timely interposition of civil authority. Their reasons for attempting it were these—At the meeting on Thursday, Mr. Benjamin Austin was chosen on the one side, and Mr. Benjamin Russell on the other, to count the freeholders present, in order to ascertain fair votes, &c. But Mr. Austin tho't himself degraded in being chosen with Mr. Russell, and declined the office. Mr. Russell could not swallow so open an affront, and when the meeting was over, he met Mr. Austin on the 'Change, where blows, &c. ensued—but they were soon separated. In the evening the mechanics, whose interest Mr. Austin espoused, assembled in order to demolish Mr. Russell's office; they were however prevented; and last evening they assembled again to the number of several hundreds, but to the same effect. We are at a loss how it will terminate."