The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume], January 28, 1773, Image 1

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

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A Weekly, Political, and Commercial Paper Open to all Parties, but Influenced by None.
'DO thou Great LIBERTY inspire our Souls,—And make our Lives in THYPoflellion happy,—Or, ourDcathsglorious in thy jusxDefence.’J
VOL. ll.]
From the Providence GazitTß.
* meet * n £ °f Geaenl-
Afiembly of the Engltfh colo
ny of Rhode-Ifl*nd, «nd Pro-
A |rC9 vidence plantation*, at Eaft
iSVTWTnTV Greenwich, on the 15th of
Oaober. A. D 1769, n was
Ivoted and refoived, “ That
*li trial* tor tteafon, milprifon of treason, or for I
any felony or crime whatsoever, committed and
done in this colooy, by any psifon or persons
residing therein, ought of right to be held, and
coodu&ed in and before hi* Msjffty’s courts,
held within said colony, according to the fixed
sod known cosrfe of proceeding ; and that the
feising any person or persons residing in this co
lony, fufpelled of any crime whatsoever, com
mitted therein, and fending such person or per
font to places beyond theses to be tried, is high
ly derogatory of the rights of BritiSt fubjedts, as
thereby the inestimable privilege of being tried
by e jury from the vicinage, as well as the li
berty of summoning and producing witncfTea on
such trial, will be taken away from the party
accused.”
When the above resolve pafTed the House of
Afiembly, it was a time of coolness and much
deliberation, and none had the most difiant
that this colony wonld be the firft at
tacked in so tender a part. Perhaps it may be
either unfortunate for American liberty, that
the small colorv of Rhode-Ifland ftould be fin
agled out, bv miriftcrial mandates, to take (he
fi ft dose of that celebrated antidote sgainft trea
son ; tut. we cjn aflu'S oor bret. reo of the other
colonies, that we will, in no instance, give np
ti»v- lead ti:t!e of our just and dear bougoi rights
to ary power on earth. 0
I ihall give a short hiftorv of the behaviour of
the Gafpee Ichooner, from her firft arrival in
thi* colony till her deftru&ion on the 10th of
Juie I aft, aa introduftory to the present alarm
ing measure«.
About the middle of March last an armed
fchoo >er appeared in our Bay, that boarded,
searched, and maltreated every vefftl she came
op with, not shewing any commifiion or autho
rity for so doing This matter was represented
to his honour the Governor of the colony, who
feat the hiyh IherifF of the county of Newport
on board the schooner, to fee who and whst she
was. Lieutenant Duddingfton whe command
ed her, did not think proper to wait on the go
vernor wish his paper*as he was required, and aa
it was hi* indispensable doty to have done t but
sent the master of the Schooner, with feme pi
per* from the commificners of the customs at
Boston, impowe ing them to imfce fcizuie* of
sny veffcl* that should be found smuggling Sec.
Several mefiages pafTed between thv Governor
and Lieutenant Duddisafton. in which the im
propriety of Mr- Duddingfton'* conduct was
pointed out; and he was even told, by one of
his fiiend*. what null be the consequence of
such behaviour: But he biufleicd much, and
fwor* he whole colony could not get on board
bis vefiel.
A miral Montagu was made acquainted with
the rifpme, which he soon ttx k a very improper
part in, and treated the Governor with great in
d'g ity; After Mr. Duddingfton bad yoked the
Almira! in hu cause, hi* beha-iour became more
irfolert and intolerable, pe.fonally ill
t e4tirg eve-y milter and merchant of the vcf
fc t he lioarded, (feeing flierp, hogs, poultry,
Sec. f rom the termers round the Bay, and cutting
done their fruit awl other trees for fire
wove In a word, his behaviour was so pira
tical and prcvnkipg that Eng’ifhmen conld not
pa ie tl> beir it. Thi' Jive rife to the unhappy
scheme cf destroying the Grfcee, which though
it has beea repreferted, by the Ring 1 officeri, aa
an affair preconcerted by the iahabi anti round the
Narragai set Bay, and that aimoftthe whole tows
of Providence were concerned in it, 1 fay thi* ac
tion was done by about forty pecpleJ in five or
fix longboats, as the Gafpee’s people declaied on
Oath the day after she waa deftreyed. The eo
terpiize was hafiily concluded on, and very fe-
Crctiy cxecu'tT*, so that the authority of the town
of Provicercc had not the least knowledge of
ft. The ft effc&usl steps were immediate
ly taken by the suthoii.v in thi* colony, to dii-
Cover the perpetrators of this rio'.ou* affair. A
proclamation wits iflurd, effetags laige reward
so anv that wotftd give info matioo, so that tfte
HFradrt* might be brought to justice ; but r,o
vyuacii oL vail Jv> appearing, the biavt Capuin
Or, Thomas’s Boston Journal.
THURSDAY, January 28, 1773.,
Linzee kit napped a mulatto, and by fair promif
ar.d threats made the villain swear to • numoer
of faiftioods, whereby he ha* imDeath?d fom?
of the brft charsllera in the colony; and because
the civil authori'y did not think the evidence
Efficient to apprehend them for trial, the Admiral
and o’her < slicers in their great wrath against the
co’ony, have so represented thi* matter to the
ministry, that his Majesty has been pleased to ap
point fpedal coromiffioncrt, for examining and
fending to England aa many of the offenders as
can be apprehended. , s
I trull when thecommiflioneri come to have
a true account of the exertions of the authority
of the colony, and that they now (land ready to
give every one accused, on Efficient evidence,
lawful trials, they will give his Majesty a fa
vourable account. On rhe other hand, when
they fee the graft mifreprefentationa that have
been made, and all from a lying servant, that
haa not spoke a word of tru h it is expelled the
comm ffioners will do justice to the chvrallert of
those gentlemen that have been unjuftlv sc
cufed. PROVIDENTI A.
FRIDAY, January 22.
BOSTON.
The following are the proceedisga of the
town of M ARLBOROUGH, viz. '
** To the ctmmittee of corre/pmdence for the
town of Boston,
*' Gbmtlimbr, -,
“ BEING all esgagM in one common cyfifr
viz. that of averting and maiataining ( cprn
rights and privities, (hall contribute craft
tning in oor power towards tht restoring tro
ftme to their pristine purity.
*' We Tiava here inctofed the resolves end
Eroceedingsof this tswn for your candid peruM;
oping that each town aflifting and uniting like
s band of bioihera, may banish tyranny from
our laad. “ We remsin yoor’s, kc.
By order of the committee,
“ Hezckiah Maynard, Chairman.
“ Marlborough, January 7, 1773 ”
“dT a Meeting es thefr übeUtrs and other in
habitants of SAfCA L BOROUGH, duly nvarmd
and legally afftmblt t on Monday ttjl of l) teem her,
A . D. 1772, to hear tbo •votes mod proceedings of
the town of Boston , tfle. voted to chooje a commit
tee to preport a dretjt to lay beforo the ton**, ana
inftruQions for tht reprajenttUtve, and ta etrrtf
pond-with the committee of tba town of Boston ,
Uc ——The toivu then proceeded and moot chotee
of MeJJuurs F/eztkiab Maynard. Alp heat Wood,
Eaward Barnes , Jonas Morfo, jun. and Daniel
Harrington, ana adjourned to January \ft , 1773,
one o'clock afternoon—at which time theJaid com
mittee reported at fol.owe, viz,
“ THAT slavery haa something very (hocking
in its nature, and that death, perhaps is more e
ligible chan such a Hate ; and once the mcursfal
tragedy is commented, then to awake and Have
our eyes open, would be intolerable, that it oiMr
was in our power to have prevented it. ,
“ We desire with the fincettft returns of grcgi
titude to (he head of influences, to acknowledge
hisgoodnels infptriiing so great a part of our me
tropolis to endeavour the recovering andmaistats
ing by all lawful mears.our rights and privileges
both civil and sacred, which he haa (notwith
ftandmg our fins) favoured us with, and do now
return our thanks to you for the noble exertions
lately made in tht cause of liberty, and at the
lame time hope you will persevere is all consti
tutional ways for the full recovering and maia
taining the fame ; with an cotire dependence os
the Lord of holts, who haa aiwaya fopported his
church and people against their tyrannical
barbaroua enemies, and who we hope win
aHaw appear for us, and in his own righteous way
grant tftlg fai Cation needed for Hit people, for
which wtf hope glory will be given to tbs name
of him wto is the Captain of our falvstioo
So with all lefpell we are wi k you, true and
loyal fubjelb it common with Great-Britain*
the true or.ftitution of which vde desire in all
lawful ways to maintain. - —Therefore do
•* Retotoe tft. That the inhabitants of this
earth{are naturally free, and while in a Bate of
nature, have a right to do HMmfclv'es justice
when .heir rights are invaded, oi ?
*• Rtlo/vt zdlj. That mankind have a right
and power to form themfehres into societies,
mike C'mpaHs, covenants, and just laws, so as
10 form a good and equitable rule of go^nsmenr.
“ Reinon jxily. That it is the«mnto(Pot this
tcv..Y mat .he Sritilh Nation tPjbyed,*
pe*h*ps, as compleat a system of government aa
any nation whatever, agreeable to, and by which
the King was as much bound as the people, and
had no longer right by the constitution And his
orooatiou oath to the throne, than during the
tim* of ruling according to the fame; and in
extreme cases when a prince breaks through and
treads down the fundamental laws of bis coun
try, and destroys the nob.e constitution thereof,
•nd fe a himfelf to destroy Liberty and Pioper
ty, with the holy religion of God's covenanted
people, and all that ia near and dear to them,
and ir.ftend of supporting virtue and holireft,
doing justice and loving myrCy, and walking
humbly with God, he grows haughty, unjull,
and a tyrant, uftog arbitrary power, introducing
popery, and all manner of debauchery and wick
edness ; then thst free born people are not re
quired by the religion of Jesus Ch ill, to submit
themfelvea aa flavea to such irreligious t> nanny,
but may make use of such power as God haa
given them, to preserve anc defend themselves,
and recover and support their laws and liberties
civil and religious, and this must be admitted by
all who approve that happy revolution bro'c a
bout by the hand of divine providence in 1688.
" Re/oive 4thly. As the opinion of this
town, that the whole British Empire is under
very alarming circumftancea, in taat, the confti-
I ration of the nation being in part broken over *
the rights of the people invaded, great inroads
made upon their liberty in an arbitrary manner *
fhfcirJkyfdom, property and privileges, civil
fpd reftgVous, in danger of being wholly taken
foto tfefti, notwithftandiug all the conftitutioael
mtifciMtteogea and petitions that have been
made u£e of.
** Reftbvi sthly, That the British Colonies
in America, and this province in particular,
have a right to all the immunitiea, privilege*
j and liberties, granted to them by Royal Charter,
and alts of parliament.
•* Relolve 6 hljr. TTiat the people of this pro
vince have aver been a loyal people, and never
forfeited their charter-right*, be. by any dif
loynity whatsoever, and that they have good right
to hold and er.joy their property and privileges,
and no power on earth ea anv just right to alie
nate th:m from the owners without the consent
of themfelvea or reprefentstives.
" Ref the 7thly That the many alls of par
liament impofingin late yean, duties on this, as
wed as the other colonies,and the tolerating aßo
mifhpricil, and appointing papilU to high places
of trust in the British dominions, and also inefta
biiftiiog the falarics of several of the fi d men in
this province, and also of the Judge* of the Su
perior Court, and making them ir dependent of
the people, the great exiention of the Admiralty
Office, the quartering foldiera upon os in time of
peace, the arbitrarily demanding and treacherous
giving up of Castle-William, our eh’ef fortrefi,
the (bedding innocent blood, as in the horrid
Maflacre in Boston the fifth of March 1770, all
which we look upon unconstitutional, and catries
a bad afped, be.
“ Rt/ohe Sthly. That this pravince, and
evary individual town and person (eperate or to
gether haves right to peti ion bis Msjefty for a
redre&nfgrievances according to the bill of
rightvjnra other ads of parliament, and that thv
afTertien of a corrupt miaiftry ,a LordH illfi'orough,
the Bvronet of Nettleham, or any other tools
Cl arbitrary power, proclaiming to the contrary,
or their withholding petitions and remonstrances
from King and parliament, is denying and with
holding Justice, and ia unconstitutional, and de
serves our refentmCnt.
** Jb/olvt 9thly- That when a people justly
com pi am of illegal ads of parliament which are
contrary to tha constitution of the nation, and
petition to tha throne in a proper way for relief
-■—.to be denied a hearing and called seditions
and guilty of treason against bis Majesty, as has
beea tba case, it totally subversive of the confu
tation, and a great indication of much corrup
tioa, and a sign of wicked raters, and that the
glory of such a peopled departing or already
gone, which call* aloud on such a pe?p’e to exert
themselves in the cause of their God and coun
try f for tha case is very dangerous, and there
'ball be no delay iatbis issuer.
“Re joint iothl y. A* the opinion of thta
town that the province it in the utrooft danger of
being rained, sod that it is time, yea, mo-e than
timetoroufe out of fectlri»y,and to confider of the
danger we sic in, cf being fffipped if the privi
ledge of trial* by Ju itfr, and of tdugdefr.vad of j
[Numb. 103.
a counsel of our own choosing and fuppirtinP,'
which is now fought after by those mercenary
wretches, who are so sordidly detiched from all
good, as that they are endeavouring to endive
this ccuntry in mifcry.by fhipplag the people of
their teligon, liberty, and property.
“ Re! tv* 1 ithly «nd lallly. That every town
not only in this province, but in all the Erglilh
colonies, and elsewhere in theJßricifh dominions,
ouaht tofurnifli tliemfelves with every thing re
crflsry, that is lawful and commendab ein the
fight of God, in order to save and defend thetn
felves, and regain support and secure our lives,
properties, liberties and privileges civil and sa
cred, and that further delay.
By order of the Committee,
“ HizeKiau Maynard, Chairman,
The above reforvea being twice read, and n
vote called for, pafTed in the affirmative, atm,
ten.
“ A motion then being mide to add two
others to the committee of correspondence above
named» the town then proceeded to mike
choice of Dell. Samuel Curtis and Mr. Willi
am Bovd.
• • Voted, the foregoing proceeding! be recor
ded npon the town bock.
“ Attest. Abraham Williams, Moderator:
•* A true copy aa on record.
" WINSLOW BRIGHAM, Town-Clerk.’*
REPRESENTATIVE'S Instuctions.
“ WE his Majefty*! most obedient and loyal
fubjelb, the freeholders and other inhabitants of
the town es Marlborough, having taken into con
fidcration on the one hand, the happy condition
of ourfelvcsand ancellors under the happy reign
of two as glotfous princes as ever filled the Brit
ish throne * white on the other hand, we refWt
on the f«d and deplorable condition we seem to
be in of having our rights and privileges, both
civil and fscred, taken from us, and being alarm
ed with a new invasion of our rights, viz. The
making our Superior Judges dependant on the
crown for their support 1 we can no longer fit
esfy.and fee cur rights which are as dear to ua
as cur lives, torn from us one after another :
Therefore we think it our doty boldly and reso
lutely to refill the attempts of those, who seem
by their condull, determined to bring us into
bondage, If ft may be a means, under God, of
oor deliverance from slavery : And as w« have
so much of our privi eges continued to 01 as the
meeting of our General afiembly twice a year for
his Majetty’s service ; and likewise we have the
privilege at present of a man to represent us in
that august AffVmbiy : And now Mr. Bint, aa
you ark the man who is to represent ua in that
grand afiembly, we give you our iuftxudions ia
the following manner,
“ 1 ft. We would desire you to ofe your at
moft in preserving the Libbrty or tub Potts,
that great bulwirk of the Eogiifh nation,inviolate
to the laud posterity.
“ idly. We desire you to join with your
brethren in all proper meafuret which ftiall be
thought fit to come into, in order to obtain our
violated tights, and to have our rights, both ci
vil and fseted, continued to us according to our
charter, till time (hall be no more : And in par
ticular, ia petitioning our most gracious fovc
reign our political father, thst he would hear us
of his clemency, and give us an answer of peace;'
and treat os accord ing to the account we have ot
earthly parents, that if a son aft a fiffi. wi I noc
give him a Hone, or if he afic aa egg would not
give him a fcotpion ; and not treat us as Rcho
boam did his fubjelli, to make his little finger
thicker than hia father's loins.
*• jdly. We would recommend to you to
take condull of those tbice worthies for your
pattern, the account whereof you have in the
third chapter of Daniel, which tha: impious and
arbitrary monarch Nebuchsdnczar had mads
his formidable image, whole height extended to
threescore cubits, and commanded all his labjells
to fall down and worfiiip that dumb devi., so
contrary to the law* of God, ar.d the reason
which man’s creator hath given him yet they
were so stupid aa to obey that exec able edill:
But behold there were th ee true fon* of liberty,'
not foe* by birth, but captive* obtained by con -
qoeft of war, who refilled to otey tht Jtirg'i com
mand ; when the King was infoimed that thcie
men did not obey tT:s command, then the King'
com minded them to lw brought before him, and
the King fptlWand (aid, rt.it t*c:. O Shadnck,*
Mefiieck and Abeir<egq| that you do hot ierv*
ms god 1, acr wotftitp the frizn image which C-