The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

By the Duke of Cumberland Packet, arrived at New-York, in 7 Weeks from Falmouth; by Capt. Spain, arrived at Philadelphia from Bristol; and by Capt. Gyles, of Beverly, who has favoured us with a London Paper of Jan. 7, procured from a Packet bound from England to South-Carolina, which he spoke with on his Passage from Turks Island; we have the following interesting Advices, viz.

LONDON, Dec. 24.

GOVERNMENT received Some important Dispatches from Boston on Sunday Night last, which are kept secret.

The Unanimity of the American Congress, the Moderation of their Demands, and the Firmness of their Resolves, have confounded the Ministry, and struck their Advocates dumb. The Bernards, Hutchinsons, Knoxs, Mauduits, who have been constantly representing the Opposition in America as a contemptible Faction, aiming at a Dissolution of all Dependence on this Country, and the Destruction of the Acts of Trade & Navigation, are now discovered to be false and malicious Incendiaries.

It seems to be the Opinion of all true Lovers of their Country, that nothing will heal the unhappy Divisions between this Country and America, but calling forth Lord Chatham and his Friends, who having equally the Confidence of both Countries, are most likely to reconcile them.

Dec. 26. The Resolution of the Americans, relative to the exporting nothing from thence to England, will affect Government more than may be generally imagined. Even in the Article of Tobacco they will sustain vast Loss; for the Duty on that Commodity only for the present Year, it seems, amounts to upwards of Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Pounds Sterling.

It is said that a Plan is now agitating in the Cabinet, to conciliate Matters between the Mother Country and the Americans, by Repealing the American Acts, and admitting them to be represented by Eighty Members in the House of Commons.

Dec. 28. A Privy Council is summoned to meet this Day at St. James's on American Affairs.

Some Business of great Consequence is on the Carpet, as not an Evening passes, but a Cabinet Council is held at the House of some of the Members of the Cabinet.

It continues to be rumoured, that a change in the Ministry will take place in a short Time, but that it will only be a Change of some few Men.

It is said that Orders are given for several Frigates to be fitted out immediately to sail for America, to be stationed there, in Order to cruize along the Coasts, to prevent any Ammunition or Arms being sent to the Americans by any foreign Power.

Jan. 3. Orders are sent to Ireland to take up 2000 Tons of Shipping in Government Service.

4. It has been intimated to some considerable Merchants that the Ministry will be ready to meet any conciliatory Measures that may be proposed with Respect to America; and it is wished by many that the Meeting of the American Merchants this Day may be productive of some Scheme that may bring about Matters before they are carried to too great a Length.

It has been calculated that Great Britain sustains a Loss of upwards of 1000l. per Day, exclusive of Government Duties, while this Nation continues at Variance with her American Colonies.

5. Lieut. Dundas is arrived Express from General Gage, on board the St. Lawrence armed Schooner.

We are informed that circular Letters have been sent to all the Members now at their Country Seats, to require their early Attendance in Parliament, as some Affairs of Importance are to be taken into immediate Consideration.

We have the Pleasure to hear, that repealing the American Acts is determined on in the Cabinet.

Yesterday several Chests of Ordnance Stores were shipped in the River for North America.

7. A Great Personage is said to have inspected all the Papers which have been received relating to the unhappy Transactions at Boston, and that he has been pleased to make Memorandums on the most remarkable Passages they contain.
LONDON, January 7.

On Wednesday Morning at 10 o'Clock there was a numerous Meeting of the North American Merchants, Tradesmen, & others, concerned in American Commerce, at the King's Arms Tavern, Cornhill.

Some Time after Eleven o'Clock, the Great Room being near full, Mr. Hayley proposed Mr. Thomas Lane as Chairman, which being universally assented to, Mr. Lane accordingly took the Chair, and then briefly propounded to the Company the Business of the Meeting, which was, to take into Consideration the present unhappy Disputes between the Mother Country and her Colonies.

Mr. Barclay first opened the Debate, by stating to the Company the Reasons which induced those Merchants, who signed the Advertisement calling the Day of Meeting from the 22d of last Month to that Day; which was, he said, to give Time to many of them to return from the Country after the Holidays, as well as to turn so great a Subject in their Minds. He observed that he had made some Enquiries about the Authors of the original Advertisement of the 22d of December last, but to no Purpose so as to fix them to a Certainty. At first he was induced to think it a Manoeuvre of Government, or of Party; but he was glad to inform the Company it was neither. He then went into the Nature of the Meeting, which was, to consider of some proper Method for stemming those Evils that threatened no less than the Destruction of the whole Empire, by the present unhappy Disputes between this Country and North America. As this was a Subject of the greatest Magnitude and Importance to the Trade of this Country, he hoped it would be treated with great Temper and Circumspection, and that consequently it should be only taken up on a commercial Ground, leaving the political to those who should best know how to discuss it.

He then produced the two following written Propositions, which were severally read and seconded:

"That it is the Opinion of this Meeting, that the alarming State of the Trade to North America, makes it expedient to Petition Parliament for Redress."

"That a Committee be appointed to prepare a Petition to the House of Commons, and lay the same before a general Meeting, to be held at this Place this Day sennight."

Mr. Bacon (Member for Aylesbury) rose after Mr. Barclay; -- and after joining with him in thinking the present Question of greatest Importance to this Country, yet thought the Mode of Petitioning rather premature. There was, he said a Petition from America already presented to the King; and the King had given his Answer, it should be laid before the Parliament; now, says he, let us wait 'till we hear how this Petition is received before we go upon one, the Prayer of which might be different from the other.

Mr. Barclay answered him, He said, the Proposition might be dangerous; and that if they waited for the Fate of one Petition, the Parliament, by that Time, might take some Measures which might defeat, in a great Measure, the purpose of Petitioning at all. That besides, so large a Body as the North American Merchants of London should not sit idle Spectators in so great a Struggle as the present; that their not exerting themselves before, was made a Handle of last Session.

Mr. Baker followed Mr. Barclay; and after very properly apologizing to the Company for his Appearance in that Assembly, being not immediately in the American Business himself (tho' connected) he agreed in the general Necessity of a Petition, but hoped the Prayer of that Petition would be extremely guarded in pointing out the Particulars of Redress; as, in case of any one Thing demanded or omitted, which may be afterwards found necessary to add or expunge, the Parliament may hold the Petitioners to the direct Letter, which perhaps would be insufficient to their general Purposes.

Mr. Samuel Vaughan acquainted the Assembly, that having had the Honor of attending the Meeting of the West India Merchants and Planters on the Night before at the London Tavern, upon the same Subject as the present, he would declare to them their Resolutions. -- He then read a Letter from the Merchants, Traders, &c. in the West Indian Business, residing at Bristol, requesting to join themselves to the London Meeting of Merchants, &c. and that upon this Letter being read at the last Night's Meeting, they had resolved to assent to the Association, and likewise resolved to have a general Meeting at the London Tavern on the 18th inst. for that Purpose.

Mr. Hayley read a Letter from the Council of Commerce at Liverpool, requesting to know what Steps the London American Merchants intended to take. He likewise said he had Letters from Manchester, Leeds, and other Places to the same Purpose. These Letters he urged for the immediate Necessity of coming to some Determination. Mr. Barclay corroborated this by reading a Letter from Leeds, giving a pitiable Account of the Miseries and Distresses of the Manufactures in that Town, on Account of the Non-Importation Article.

After several other Gentlemen had spoken successively to the Business, in which they all essentially agreed (though two warned them of Petitioning in Favour of those who had resisted the Authority of Parliament) the Motions were severally put by the Chairman, and carried unanimously. The Committee were then appointed, to consist of 23, and the Names given in accordingly, at the Proportion of three to each Province, and two over; nine of whom were to constitute a Committee. A short Debate then ensued, on including the Tradesmen and others concerned in American Commerce in the Prayer of the Petition, which was finally agreed to. A Motion was then put and unanimously agreed to, for printing the Resolutions of the Day in the Papers, which was followed by another returning Thanks to the Chairman for his Attention to the Business of the day, after which the Meeting adjourned.

The above Meeting consisted of between three and four hundred of the most respectable Merchants and Traders concerned in the American Business, and was conducted throughout with much Spirit, good Sense, and Moderation.
London-Tavern, Bishopsgate-Street, January 3, 1775.

At a general Meeting of the West-India Merchants, the Chairman produced a Letter which he received, signed by several Gentlemen of the West-India Islands, of which the following is a Copy:

LONDON, JAN. 1, 1775.

"SIR,

The very alarming Situation in which the West-India Islands are placed by the late American Proceedings, induces us to apply to you as Chairman, of the Society of West-India Merchants, to request that they will not come to any Resolution, as a separate Body, at their next Meeting, but that they will join with us in calling a general Meeting of the whole Body of Planters & West India Merchants, to deliberate on the steps necessary to be taken by us jointly on the present important Crisis."

Signed, John Pennant, Charles Spooner, Thomas Storer, Peter Fuller, Samuel Vaughan, George Chandler, Michael M'Nemara, John Trent, Montague James, B. Edwards, Sam. Torr, James Nat. Phillips, John Davis, Charles Fuller, Roe Fuller, Flo. Vassall, John Ellis, J. Kennion, Neill Malcolm, Philip Gibbs, Thomas Walker, William Gunthorpe.

"To Beeston Long, Esq; Chairman of the Society of West-India Merchants at the London Tavern,"

In consequence of which, it was resolved, That this Society do very cheerfully concur in Opinion with the Gentlemen Planters, that we ought not to come to any Resolution as a separate Body at this Meeting; and do also readily join in calling a general Meeting of the whole Body of Planters and West India Merchants.

And having been informed that the 18th of the present Month is a Day recommended by the Subscribers to the above Letter, as proper for such a Meeting, it is further Resolved, That immediate Notice be given in the public Papers, that such general Meeting be called and held on the Day aforesaid, at the Hour of 12, at the London Tavern, then and there to deliberate on the Measures necessary to be taken for the Preservation of the general Interest of the West-India Islands, in the present important Crisis.
LONDON, January 8.

By authentic letters from Amsterdam we are informed, that the British Ministry have lately very strongly solicited the United Provinces to pass an act for prohibiting the Dutch merchants to trade to the English colonies in America, till they are brought to a due submission. But as the greatest part of their High Mightinesses and Members of the States consists of merchants, it is hardly supposed that they will pass such an act, and offer the French to enrich themselves by it; however, we hear that the Dutch Ambassador (who is now at the Hague) has received proper instructions of the States, and what answer he is to give the Ministry on his return to London.
The last Paris Gazette says, "the Emperor of Morocco will absolutely declare a war against the Dutch; and a report is current, hostilities are already commenced." The reason of this sudden and unexpected rupture, he (the author of that paper) supposes to be a trick of the British Ministry, that the Dutch might be hindered from trading to the English Colonies of America from all sides.
They write from Gibraltar, that the Emperor of Morocco's Squadron has had an obstinate Engagement with some Men of War in the Mediterranean, in which the former were repulsed with loss.
A private Letter from Amsterdam says, that Eighty Tons of Tea were actually shipped on board a Dutch Vessel the middle of last Month, for St. Eustatia, in order to be disposed of to the North-American Vessels, which are continually passing that way.
The meetings of American, and West India Merchants being disagreeable. January 9. Lord North has declared, that so far from the ministry wishing for as much information as possible on the American Business to be laid before the Parliament as speedily as possible, into the Grievances complained of, and on other Matters of Consequence. It is reported that two Noblemen of distinguished Abilities will speedily embark for America, by Commission, in order to enquire into them in consequence.

The misunderstanding between Great Britain and the States General is likely to become serious, occasioned by their furnishing the Americans with several Articles of Commerce.

In the body of the Petition, to be presented to the House of Commons by the Merchants, &c. trading to North America, it was stated that the Balance due from America at present to this Kingdom was little short of 200,000l.
At a very numerous Meeting of the Merchants, Traders, and others concerned in American Commerce, agreeable to Adjournment: King's Arms Tavern, Cornhill, January 11.

THO. LANE, Esq; in the Chair.

The Committee informed the Meeting, that they had prepared the Petition proposed at their last Meeting, fairly engrossed under the inspection of the same Committee that reported it, with the addition of Mr. Strettell, Mr. Watson, Mr. Hunter for the Province of Quebec: And that the said Committee be desired to attend the signing, and presenting of the same to the House of Commons, and to prepare and digest such Evidence as may be necessary for proving the Allegations in the said Petition, and for supporting the same.

Moved that the said Petition be read, It was read accordingly. Reported it. Resolved unanimously, That the Petition now presented and read is approved of by this Meeting.

Resolved unanimously, That the Committee be desired to call another Meeting of the Merchants, Traders, and others concerned in the American Commerce (as soon as they know the fate of the Petition in the House of Commons) in order that the Public may be informed thereof.

Resolved unanimously, That the Minutes of this Meeting be fairly transcribed and inserted in the Morning and Evening Papers.

THOMAS LANE, Chairman.

At a Meeting of the North-American Merchants, on Wednesday last, the Business of the Meeting was opened by reading the Petition, the substance of which was—— "First, stating to the House the several Particulars of the extensive Trade carried on between this Country and America, as it respected the barter of Commodities—the balance of Cash, as well as the negociation of Exchange in several Parts of Europe :—it next stated how this very extensive Trade was hurt by the several Revenue Bills affecting North-America, passed since the repeal of the Stamp-Act to the Year 1773. It then concluded, praying Redress in these Particulars, as well as in the Operation of all other Acts which may affect the general Trade carried on between this Country and N. America."——The whole was couched in decent, manly Terms. And in Point of Style, good sense and precision, shewed the Committee appointed for drawing it up, every way equal to the great Trust delegated to them.
NEW YORK, March 13.

Extract of a Letter, dated London, January 3, 1775.

"We hope your just ground of complaint will speedily be redressed.——Lord North, who is at the head of Administration, is in great tribulation; owing, in a great Measure, to the well timed, sensible, and spirited proceedings of the American Continental Congress. ——These Proceedings we hope, will have the desired Effect: They are re-printed in this Place, and are circulating in every Part of the Kingdom. ——

The two Houses of Parliament have adjourned for the Holy-days, and will not assemble again till the 20th inst. the principal Business the House of Commons will proceed upon, will be the North American Grievances, and by the next Packet you will certainly know whether the Acts passed last Session, and others made some Years back, will all, or a part of them, be repealed."
Extract of another Letter from London.

"People in general here are in favour of America; the manufacturing Towns will, in general, petition. The Ministry are resolved to grant some particular Privileges to the Province of N. York, in order to draw them off from the other Colonies, which — if they effect, they will carry their point; if not, they will certainly give over their present pursuit."
Extract of another Letter from London, dated January 4, 1775.

,"The Reasons why I hope the unhappy Differences (between Great Britain and the Colonies) will soon subside, are the following, viz.

That the deliberations of that celebrated Body of Gentlemen, who constituted the General Congress, are held in the highest esteem, by every sensible Man in this Metropolis. Our great Patriot Lord Chatham has declared, that he wants Words to express the great Satisfaction he received in reading them; and that he does not think there are 52 Men besides in the Universe that could have done what those Gentlemen did, and that they must have been divinely inspired in their glorious Work ?"