The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume], November 26, 1772, Image 2

About The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775

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‘S 3
FuT the Massachusetts SPY.
To Dr. YOU N G.
S i a,
I PERCEIVE the manner in which I
fpokcot you,in a late town-meeting,has
given you offence ; if you are so vain aa to
think youuelfof (o much importance, that
a man who expresses a diffike of your cha
racter, wound* his country through your
sides, I believe you are the only man in the
world that has so high an opinion of your
own importance: For my own part, I be
lieve there is no perfen, with whose cha
racter the interest bf the country is iefs
than with yours.
If yotl think, by giving us your creed,
to deceive the vulgar and palm yourfelf on
them for a Cbrtfian, let me tell you, you
are much mifLken: There are none,uniefs
whose eyes pirty zeal hath blinded, but
f:e there is nothing in ycur creed todiftin
guifh you Lom the most thorough-paced
infidels, and virulent oppofers of our holy
religion. Let me ask you plainly ; do you
believe the scriptures of the old and new
testament, or any part of them, to be tru
ly a revelation fiorn God ; or that Jesus of
Nazareth was the son of God, and the ap
pointed Saviour of the world ? Do you be •
sieve that Jesus is risen from the dead, or
that he is the appointed judge of the world r
That by him God will judge the world in
righteousness, and every man will be re
warded or pumlh'd in another world, ac
cording to the deeds done in the body i
Let us have plain, poiitive, unavafive an
swers to the foregoing plain questions. Do
you believe it of a whit more consequence,
to be acquainted with the geneology of
Chnft, than with that of Paul or Cephas,
Luther or Calvin, or even Mahomet him
felf ? Have you not freely proftfied, years
ago, that you thought it your indifpenfa
bJe duty to undeceive mankind, and dis
credit the writings of the Bible ? Has not
your zeal in the cause of infidelity, led you
to speak of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Ma
ry in terms of reproach and contempt, too
bad to be repeated after you, and too
{hocking to be published to the world in a
common news-paper.
You seem to complain of it, Sir, that I
‘ censured your moral charader, and set that
in an odious light, but let me ask you,
and ask the impartial world, whether or no
the man that accustoms himfelf to curse,
{wear, and take God’s name in vain, and
damn his fellow creatures, can be said to
be a moral man ? Do your acquaintance
know,and can they witness for you,that you
are free from such a use of your tongue? Per
haps 1 am better acquainted with your
conversation than you are aware, and let
me tell you (to fay the least) if you are
the gentleman that keeps that unruly
member the tongue in due fubjedion, then
1 will acknowledge my ears have deceived
me.
Now, Sir, I do not deny that I did free
ly and openly declare, in our late town
meeting, that I did not choose to have any
thing to do with mcafures wherein I must
follow the lead of such men a» Dr. Young,
or in words of like import, and, I believe,
I might further fay, that if 1 had any thing
of my own private affairs of importance to
be tranfaded, I (hould choose to commit
it to men of virtuous lives and converfati.
cm, and this is Hill my opinion, and 1
hope ever will be so to my dying day ; and
kt me tell you plainly, Ido not choose to
put confidence in any man that makes it
his business to disparage the religion, and
di (honour theperfonof our glorious Re
deemer, or that has no more regard for the
name of God, or the good of mankind
than to curse and damn his fellow crea
tures, and to take the awful name of God
in vain. Such men, I take, with ail their
pretences to patriotism and benevolence, to
have no solid principles of goodness, and
are quite unworthy of any special truit and
confidence.
The town of Boston is not, I am per
suaded, Jirailntdfor mtn of jpirit and capa-
and I may add, ot jolidity and
religion, to serve them in all their impor
tant trusts ; and it has always been afto
nilhii'g to the world, how any important
truth came to be committed to you ; the
bell account that can be given for it, 1 be
lieve, is, that you appeared ready to lead
in such bold and exceptionable measures,
as to most of the wife and difeerning part
ot the gent emen of the town, appeared to'
be quite imprudent and dangerous, and ra
ther favoured of faction than boded any good
to the publx. To tell the truth,it has given
no imaft offence to the mote solid and ju
dicious part of town and country, and not
a Uttie differved the noble cause of public
liberty,that you (hculd have been held up in
the light of a zealous patriot, and been put
The- MASSACHUSETTS _Sr Y, -{or »77«.
to lead in measures of public important.
But let your character be what it may,
do not think that a set of Atbeifts or
Deists, men of profligate manner* and pro
fane tongues, are fit persons to be intruft
ed and fuffered to lead in the intereftmg
concerns of ’public 4»berty and happiness.
Do i’t it look quite ridiculous, for a set of
puritans, deeply concerned for their religi
ous as well as civil privileges (as the gene
rality of the good people of this country
are) to set up fuct men, as 1 have just
mentioned, to be the leaders, guiders aed
managers in public affairs i for my part I
with cur eyes may be on the faithful of the
land, men of exemplary religion, united
with us in the faith and feilowfhip ot the
gospel. .
What end you designed to answer by the
pompous account of your reputable paren
tage, and your comfortable foitune, 1 know
not; your account of the early impressions
you had of religion,and your concern to be
saved, taken with your foiemn appeal to
God, seems to me to favour of prophanity.
However, it agrees well enough with the
other parts of your conduit. If you ever
had such a serious turn of mind, I wish
you had carried it through life. That of
an Apostate, is a dreadful Character. Read
Heb. vi.— 4, to BthVerfe,in a fenous Hour.
Perhaps, Dear Sir, the Gospel is not a
cunningly devised Fable, if there were on
ly a Perhaps, such a text should make an
Apostate tremble.
It is not impossible that you might be
helpful in encouraging Recruits for carry
ing on the War, but 1 don't find you had
courage enough to venture vour head ; and
since the deteftablc stamp-ad you may have
vapoured away in talkwords are but
windswhether your view was to be ad
mired. applauded and promoted, or any
thing better, you know best.
I now am,and ever have been, as steady
a friend to the rights and privileges of
my country, as any man whatsoever, tho’
perhaps not so fond of founding my own
praise as feme, and in my humble Ration
shall do all in my power to promote good
government and secure our invaluable
liberties ; but in this glorious cause 1 (hall
think myfelf very unhappy, to be obliged
to consult with, or follow meafurca di&ac
ed by others than men of probity, pi
ety and real chriftianity.
I retrad nothing that I said about you in
the meeting referred to,—l with myfef(and
you better men, —I have neither leif/rtaor
learning to pursue controverfy,—l wiffimy
countrymen of abler heads and better nvin
than either of us, to lead in public mea
sures I ever did, so I now with you.
we'l. AARON DAVIS, jun'
Roxbury, Nov. ij. 1771.
MONDAY, November 23
BOSTON,
Extrafl of a Letei from a gentleman in Rox
bury to Dr. Young in Boflon.
** Sir, Being sensible of the injury done your
character in so public a manner, I was from
that time greatly uneasy; but what fl urn bled me
moji was, that Mr J) avis jhould take upon him
the judgment of other nuns principles, much
more to fay, that yon and Mr. Mo lint aux were
men of no principle! and no religion. I know
not what buftneji he bad with it, whether you
were or were not religious, as the meeting was
not called to examine into men's articles of faith.
But I take it. Sir, be thought to make feme
proselytes by that grandfpeech, to defeat the de
signs of the meeting if poffsble, andJirengthen
Mr.Hutchinfon s high opinion of one of his new
tools. Upon the whole, however, I think the
man is as weak as kis speech—The Dod ar he
has employed will not answer his end, therefore
as you have undertaken for him, don't delay
proper applications ; feurtfy in Jeafon and go
deep, for he never had much feeling. Delays
are dangerous. Give bsm the bark, for you
plainlyJte he is of a very lax habit."
On Friday iait the freeholders and o
ther inhabitants of this town, being duly
warned, legally aflembled in Faneuil-Hsll,
tocoufider the report of the committee ap
pointed at a former meeting on the ad inst.
to Rate the rights of the colonists, and of this
province in particular, enumerate the viola
tions thereof that have been made, and form
a.letter of correspondence to the other towns.
The said report was firft read by the chair
man, and af.erwards by the moderator, the
hon. John Hancock,Efq; and thoroughly ex
amined and amended by tha town, when it
was accepted by a full vote nemine contradi
cente.— The town then voted that these pro
ceedings be printed ; and ordered the Town-
Clerk to pr inted copies of the fame in the
name and behalf of the town, to be sent te
the Sele&men of each town and diftrid in
the province, and to such other gentlemen
as the committee (hall direct. Thus the
matter is left to the candid cmfideiauon if
our brethren and fellow ftibj'ds in general.
The following is an extrad of the letter re
potted at the late meeting of this town,
and then ordered to be sent to the towns in
the country.
“ A FREE communication, of your fenti*
• mints, to this tewn, of our common danger, is
earntjlly /elicited and will be gratefully received.
If you concur with us in opinion that cur rights
are properly dated, and that the fiveral aCis cf
parliament and meajures of adminijiration
pointed out by us, are fulverjivt of those rights,
you will doubt left think it of the utmost import
ance, that we Jland firm as one man to recover
and support them j and to take such meafurts
by infir ufling Hr teprefentatives, or other wife,
as your wijdom and fortitude Jhall diClute to
refeue from impending ruin our happy and glori
ous con/litution. But, if it should be the gener
al voice of this province, that the rights as we
have fated them do not belong to ui, or that the
fever al measures of adminijiration are no viola
tions of theft rights or, that if they are thus vi
olated and infringed, they are not worth con
tending for or rejolutely maintaining—Should
this be the general voice of she province, we mufi
Ar reftgned'to our wretched fate i but Jhallfor
ever lament the exynChcn of that generous ar
dor for civil and religious liberty, which tn the
face of every danger, and even death itfelf, in
duced our fathers to for fake the bosom of their
native country and begin a Settlement in bare
creation. But we trujl this cannot be the case:
Weare fur e,your wifdam, your regard to your-
Jelves and the rising generation, cannot fuff er
you to doxe or fit supinely indifferent on the
brink of deJiruCtion, while the iron hand of op
preffton is daily tearing the cboiceji fruit from
the Fair Tree of Liberty, planted by our wor
thy Predeceffort,at the expence f their treasure,
and abundantly watered with their blooa.”
TUESDAY, November 17.
BOSTON.
This day Capt. Jenkings, arrived here from
London, by whom we have the following
EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.
London, September 28.
E fi® ar that on Friday
'Sr the Dukes of Glou-
J' * W cefter and Cumber
w*lh their Dut
cheffes, set, off from
Pall Mall for Stowe in
Buckinghamfhirc,on a
visit to Lord and Lady
Tamile.
i<Vn Thursday last the remains of the Earl
-ttfLitchfield were carried from the Hot wells,
Bristol, to be interred at Dichley near Wood
stock in Oxfordfhire.
Sept. 29. It is strongly reported, that at
the meeting of parliament a new regency
will be appointed, in order to hinder the two
brothers in disgrace, from having any (hare in
the administration.
Yesterday a court of Hustings was held at
Guild-Hall, when Mr. Aiderman Oliver and
Mr. Aiderman Lewes were sworn into their
office of Sheriffs for the city of London and
county of Mrddlefex.
September 30. Yesterday being Michaelmas
day, and the anniversary eledion of a Lord
Mayor of this city for the ensuing year,
there was a very numerous appearance of
the Livery at Guildhall for that purpose.
The Lord Mayor, attended by several Ai
dermen, the two Sheriffs, the Recorder, and
city officers, afeended the Hustings at about
a quarter part one o’clocx, when the com
mon Cryer, as usual, having opened the
occasion of their assembling, the Recorder
came forward, and in a very plain, sensible
add refs, acquainted the Livery, ** that this
being the day appointed for their election
of a Lord Mayor, that part which the con
stitution allotted to them, was to chufe two
persons out of a number of refpe&able names
which would be read to them, one of which
was to be approved of by the Court of Ai
dermen. He then defcamed very properly on
the dignity and importance of the office, and
concluded, by hoping they would be go
verned in their choice by temper, candour,
and impartiality, which he hoped the event
would juftify.”
This address was received with very strong
marks of applause; after which a motion
was made, “ that the thanks of the Livery
be given to the late Sheriffs, Wiikes and
Bull, for the watchful and steady difeharge
of their office,*' which was utuoimoufly
carried. Another motion was then made,
“ that the said thanks be recorded in the
Town Clerk's office,*' which was likewise
carried. t .
After this all the Aldermen who had not
passed the chair were federally put in nomi
nation when there appeared a large majori
ty of hands for Aidermen Wilkes and Town
fcnd»as there were hides and groans for Ban-
*•. . •
kes, KiUifax, Sh-kcfpear, Kenner, Efdaile,
&c.
This the Sheriffs immediately declared,
which declaration was received with bursts
of applaule. At the fame time a poll was
demai ded for Sir Henry Barkes, A'dermen
Halifax and Shakefpcar, and also for Aider
men Wiikes and Townsend.
When the po I was reported to the Liveiy
by the Common Seijeant, the Sheriffs defited
him to announce the proppfers,which he ac
cordingly did; whom the Livery compli
mented with groans and hisses.
Thc'Sheriffs then decaied Jhat the poll
should not be published, and that it should com
mence dire&'y.
Yefterdiy both Houles of Parliament met,
pursuant to rhe last prorogation ; and were,
by a commission from his Majesty, further
prorogued till the 17th of November.
Tney write from Copenhagen, that ex-
Iracrdinary warlike preparations are now
making in every part of that kingdom, on
what account is kept a profound ferret.
Orders are iftued for the Subaltern officers
in each regiment to attend their duty with
the'utmoft exa&nefs.
The Wind for, of 60 guns, and the Pres
ton, of 50, now at Portsmouth, are ordered
to be rigged and fitted out for sea immediate
ly‘ ’ , -
October 1. efterday both Houses of
Convocation met, pursuant to their last pro
roga ion, and weie further prorogued to
Wednesday the 18th of November next.
Oftober 2. The Cabinet-council did not
break up yesterday till after four o'clock : It
is rumoured it was in consequence of force
intentions against Denmark.
Extradof a letter from the Hague, Sept. 25.
“ Letters received here from Hamburgh
advile, that the late revolution in Sweden
has excited the attention of the Court of Pe
terfburgh; and a report prevails, that the
Empreltf of Russia has given orders for
25000 men to march immediately into Fin
land ; but the motives which have induced
her Imperial Majesty to take this step remain
a mystery. *
Yesterday arrived a mail from New-York,
brought by the Lord Hyde packet-boat,
Goddard, to Falmouth, in 23 days.
The King of Prussia has taken possession
of the diftrid of Great Poland, situate be
tween the Diage and the Netze,as well as of
the country of Prussia and PcTnerauia on
both sides of the Vistula, which the crown of
Poland has hitherto held under the name of
Polith Prussia, except the cities of Thorn
and Dantzick.
From the Frontiers of Poland, Sept. 16. We
learn by authentic letters from Warsaw, that
the Ruffian Ambassador had received an ex
press from Fockzani, with the news that the
congress had been bioken up fruitleisly the
lift of last month, and that the Miniftcis
Plenipotentiaries of each party set out the
next day. Thefe' letters add that the Ruf
fian croups in Moldavia and Walachia had,
in consequence, received 01 de s to march
immediately towards the Danube, and that
they are to be replaced by the several regi
ments of that naciuDnnow quartered in Po
land.
London, Gdober 8. Yesterday his
Grace the Primate of Ireland set out for that
kingdom.
They write from Copenhagen, that the
King has advanced 50000 crowns, without
tnteicft, to <he prujedors of a scheme for
eredug a found ary m Norway for cannon
For Mr. Aiderman Wilkes — 2301
- Mr. Aiderman Townsend — 2278
Mr. Aiderman Haliifax —- 2126
Mr. Aiderman Shakcfpear — 1912
Odo. 9. Yesterday morning, at eleven
o’clock, a court of hustings was heid at
Guildhall, for the purpose of declaring the
poll for Lord-Mayor tor the ensuing year.
The bheriff% attended by their officers,
ascended the hustings a little after eleven,
and afier wards fat down to cast up the poll,
which took up about two hours. When
the poll was raft up, the common ferjeant
came forward, and declared the numbers as
they flood at the ciofc of the poll.
The poll being thus declared, Mr.
Wilkes came forward, and addressed the li
very in the following speech.
The SPEECH of Mr. Alderman WILKES
to the Livery, at at Guildhall, yesterday
Odober 8, 1771. * /
Gentlemen, and brother Liverymen,
* I want powers to express the deep sens
I have of the distinguished honour you have
done me by a majority of your free fuffiag*
cs. I find you are now, on the most hive
Pous pretexts, to be harrafted by a fautiny
but 1 know the event will only confirm cl
just ice of the poll, aod deme nitrate the fair
nefs and honour of the proceedings of my
friends during the whole election.
--. • '
November