The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume], September 30, 1773, Image 1

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

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«BWsWllu£iW
Or, Thomas s Bolton Journal
A Weekly, Political, and Commercial Paper :—Open to all Parties, but Influenced by None.
J *_J I_l_ ! • - '■ ! • • ’ • : i-_ • •• • A» •• . . . . , . . •
*DO thou Great LIBERTY inspire oar Souls, —And make our Lives in thy Pofleflion happy, Or,car Deaths glorious in thy just Defence.
_ . — - . . - . _ t • -r» « j _ _ ' _ .• V . . • J
Vol. 111. l
Ml
For the Massachusetts SPY.
Mr. Thomas,
You are defiled to insert the following.
A Dialogue between the B R I I ONS and
AMERICANS.
Britons.
O U have within a few
giQb years denied the authority
rrvp °f P ar^amrnt over Co
BTj Monies, and called in ques
tion a power which we
have exercised over, since
Ameuca has been inhabited by Engliflimen.
Americans. It is true, we have denied
that you have any just authority to make
laws for us ; for it is an indisputable truth,
«< Any people among whom one law is
made or repealed, without their consent, is
in a state of and we absolutely de
ny your having any right to enslave us.
Britons. We do not want to enslave
you nor hurt your interest, but it is ncceffary
for the good of the whole that there (bould
be a supreme power some where, and cer
tainly the parent state has the best claim to
this supreme power.
Americans. Such a supreme authority
as you contend for, destroys all liberty in e
very other part of the empire, and betide, it is
not ncccdary for the good of the whole that
there should be any such power, provided it
was confident with liberty, for the common
interest will forever preserve union and vi
gour in the nation, If the prime niters ad
with any degree of wisdom.
Britons. Such a state of independence
and equality as you talk of, would divide
and rath the nation, for where all the most
important national movements depend upon
the will of different Assemblies or Houses of
Commons, things move flow, and innumera
bie difficulties-arife.
* Americans. Some difficulties will at
tend all governments, the best have their
♦mperfedions, but the reason of mankind
and the experience of all ages, assure us that
do society defer ves the name of government
which has nor liberty for its grand objeX ; and
when any form of government is proposed,
which will not preserve this, it ought to be
reeded with disdain by a free people.
Britons. We are not disposed to de
flroy your liberties, but would be rhe guardi
ans of them ; we defne no more authority
over you, than is neceflary for a due subor
dination and the preservation of government,
but your jeaioufy is alarmed, and you uhrea
fonxbly suppose that we (ball turn tyrants,
when our power is once established.
AmSEICanS. Our own realon, as well
as fad .experience, teaches us, that, under
Providence,we are the natural and best guar
dians of our own liberties ; and that none
but fool* and madmen will trust the keeping
of these preciom jewels to others. We have
already fdfered the toss of bleed as well a*
trenfure y by your attempting to take what
reason and Heaven has forbid us to part with,
our rights, the matter is (o plain the most
simple must undetftand it, for there is
but one step from liberty to slavery ; the for
mer is to be at our own disposal, the
latter to be at the disposal of another ;
this is yOur system, that is ours.
’ Britons You talk of the experience
cf age», (hew us an example of any ffate’s
flourifhing with different independent aflem
b.ies or Houses of Commons fun it ar to what
you propose.
Americans. We have a striking one
at hand to our purpufe, the Dutch L/nited
Provinces ; the meft flourifhing ami prosper
ous peop'e, in the wot Id, who revolted from
th •tr tyrannical neighbours,fcrmedaComrr.cß
wealth <>f their own,andhave long been one of
the most wealthy and potent states in Europe.
• D fior Church’s Oration, 1773.
THURSDAY, September 30, 1773.
Britons. At another time We will hear
all that you have to fay, and as reason ought
to determine all disputes, if it preponderates
in your favour we will submit to its dilates.
। —■* *1 ■
From the New-YoRK GAZETTEER.
To the ? R I N T E R.
S I R,
AS the public are interested, so they
must be anxious to know the refuit
of a special court of Oyer aud Terminer,
held here lately for the difeovery and trial
of the persons concerned in the counterfeit
ing the paper currency of the province of
New-York,Pennfylvania, and New-Jersey.
I shall give you a brief narrative of the
tranfadioos of the court, and the fads that
appeared, that you may communicate them
if you think proper, through your paper.
This account you would have had (ooner,
but it was thought (for certain reasons)
prudent not to publish it until this time.
Ycu have already mentioned in your pa
per that Samuel Ford and John King had
elcaped from goal. Their efeape made it
extremely difficult to difeover their accom
plices —— Ihe court opened on I'uefday
the tith, and it was the Friday following
before the least intimation could be got of
any persons concerned, when one of them
who lay under the censure of three conviX
ions, (he one for aiding Ford and King, in
their efeape, aud the others for high mis
demeanors, or being hard pushed, and in
order to mitigate his pu lifhment for thcfk
crimes, began to make a confcffion, this
soon alarmed another of the accomplices,
who made an ample aid full conftffiun.
By which confeffions, and those of the
persons afterwards apprehended, these fads
appeared—That Ford has been in the busi
ness of money making many years, that in
the year 1767, or 8, he followed it in New-
York; but was apprehended on suspicion
of making money, and admitted to bail,
and even then set about preparing materi
als to renew the business, that he soon re
moved back ihto this country, where be a
gain entered into it, and made a connexi
on in Philadelphia, with a certain Capt.
J ofc ph Ricbardfon, from whom he got a
fuppiy of types, he then attempted the
Nrw-Yo k emission of Three Pound Wills,
and made a corfioerabie sum, but complain•
ed of the thinness of the paper, and the bad
credit of the currency; at least in this and
the neighbouring provinces, and gave a
preference to the Jersey currency ; but it is
thought did little at it till th* Pennsylvania
emission of 1769 came out, when he and
Captain Richardson went to Ireland, and
from thence to London and the manufac
turing towns, and Ford applied h miclf to
learn the business of an engraver and type
maker, and from hi* knowledge before in
the art of carving, and an uncommon na
tural genius, he in the course of three
months became so perfe&ly a matter of the
business, that (on his return to America)
he made all the types for his press, and in
so msfterly a manner, that the imitation of
the Jersey and Pennsylvania Bills, which
were struck by them, of Three Pounds and
Thirty Shillings, is so exaX that the differ
ence cannot be difeovered without the most
ftrid examination ofa person well acquaint
ed with the true bills.
From the time of his return, till be was
apprehended, he went on with uninterrup
ted fucceti, and emitted large sums of the
Jersey andPennfyivania currency: but prin
cipally of the latter, for thcle two years
past, and was the less apprebentive o( be
ing deteded for the following reafoos!
1 ft. His bills had stood th* test of the
several treasurers examidation, and had
their fandior, which be ever made an in
variable rule to fecur* before he paflzd any
of his newemiffion*.
Idly. His press and ail his implements
were in an almost impenetrable swamp, at
a mile distance from bis house, and in
which the water most part of the year, was
halt leg deep, so that no person could track
him. and he must trawl on his belly some
rods before he could reach it.
Jdly. As no person, except King and
Richaidfon,knew where he did work,or had
ever seen the place, and these and all others
concerned were (worn to fecrccy.—Hs used
to go to his work at day light, in the morn
ing, with his so that no person could
ufped him.—-Ford was called the treasurer
for the three Provinces —He signed his own
bills. By direction ot the court a number
of persons went into the swamp, in search
of his types, tic. but found only his press,
and a leather that covered the bills when
they were struck, on which was the impreb
fionof a Pennsylvania bill of three pounds,
oftheemiffion of 1769.
Upon these faXs, the following persons,
(who were only concerned as paftsrs of the
money, except Reynolds, who procured
some types lor Ford) to wit, Benjamin
Cooper, Esq; DoXor Burn Budd, Samuel
Haynes, and David Reynolds, were indid
ed,and plead guilty to their several indiX
mencs, and on the ninteenth they received
, <cntcnce of death, to be Executed the seven
teentb day of September next. Few feene*
were ever more tru y affecting than the one
in ths Court-Houle, at the time of fentrnee
passing — I'hefe four pets >ns are remarka
bly hand fume fine looking men, three of
them about thirty, and the other forty, they
are all manicd and have children. All are
defendants from the fit ft families in the
province, and all have parents living and
numerous reLtious, the attendance of their
relations and friends added much to the so
lemnity of it, so much that it 1* better con
ceived than dcfci ibed—among a thousand
people there was scarce a dry eye. The
Ipedators were more sensibly afteXed for
those unhappy pdrfons, as it appeared they
had been drawn into it by the art, cunmng
and perluafiun of that villain Ford.
These were all the persons apprehended
for capital crimes, except Justice Ayres,
whose crime was committed in Suflex
county, it appeared he had not been in the
praXsce for some time past, and if any judg
ment can be formed ot his repentance, by
his conduX and carriage, it was sincere be
fore he was futpeded, as his life had lately
been so exemplary, that the congregation to
which bo belonged had promoted him to
tne rank of deacon, and the parson was so
fully convinced of his innocence, that on
the Sunday after his commitment be prayed
for his protedton from falfe accusers, and
on the Sunday following a report prevailed
that he was released, when the parson re
turned thanks for it; but alas! Before the
next Sunday certain accounts were received
that he had confcfted his crimu.
During these enquiries, fufficient evi
dence appeared to convince every ooe pre
sent, that Ford was one ot the persons that
robbed tM treasury of thia province, some
years ago, both from his own confeffisa to
one of the convids, who declared it on
oath, as also from many other circum
stances.
From this account of Ford, the public
must view him in the light of the most ac
comphfhed villain, that this country ever
produced, and it is hoped it will ftrmulate
every well-wisher to the comm unity
throughout the continent to be watchful
for, and adive in apprehending him, espe
cially when they have the promilc of 5001
from the Governor of Pennsylvania, for
conviding the person who counterfeited
the currency of that province,and of his be
ing tbe man agamft whom there is the lul
left proof.—it is (uppofed he is gone to the
Ohio, and intends going down the mouth
’Numb. 139.
of the MifliGppi. Richaidfon has also mad.*
his efeape.
The Grand Jury, in a polite addreti.
thanked ch* court and Attorney
for the great pains they had taken in aidin.
them in their difeovener; and in a very par
ticular manner their thanks, and those
of the county to lome persons whose »Xi
vity had laid a f >unda«ion for deteXiq;*
and breaking do this heft df public rob
bcis.
. You fhou’d have had this at large wit t
the answer to it, but top mu. h of your pa
per would be taken up thcitbyifor one lub •
jad to engross. .
FRIDAY September 24.
boston.
Captain Miller, who is arrived at Phi
ladelphia from London, on the a6th ©f
July, in lat. 41. long. 38. spoke with the
(hip Eleanor, Capt. Bruce, from Antigua
foi London, oyt five weeks, and all well.
MARRIED ] Mr. John Inman, Mer
chant, to Mils Sally Haskins, cldeft daugh
ter of Capt. John Haskins, of this town.
D>ED ) Captain Traill, a noted sea
commander —Mrs. Kelly, wife of Mr.
Kelly, lighterman —Mrs. Berry —Mrs.
Rebecca Littlefield, wife of Capt. Junto
Litttlefieid —At Cambridge, Mds Sally
Inman,youngeft daughter of Ra ph Inman
Eiq;—At Newport, Rhode-HLnd, Mr.
Edward Wanton, merchant, youngest son
of th* Hon. Gideon Wanton, Esq; late
Governor of that Colony.—At Newbury-
Port, Capt. William Davenport.—At Pro
vidence, Nahum Wilder, merchant;
Charlestown [S.CarArna] 24.
Last week arrived here from Newry in the
North of Ireland, ihe brig Elliott, John
Waring Master, with two hundred paflen
gers, who intend to fettle in this province.
3 1 ’ Friday the ship Wal
worth Capt. McCaufland, arrived her* from
Londonderry, with Mar three hundred pas
sengers.
SATURDAY September 25.
.BOSTON.
Five hundred people arrived at North-
Carolina from Ireland, the last of August,
with an intention of fettling in that pro
vince.
We have accounts from different part
of the country, the drought is so great,
that most of the wells are entirely dry, and
the inhabitants in many places are obliged
to fetch their water three or four miles.
New-York, September 10. We hear
from New Jersey, that the following me
lancholy accident happened about three
weeks ago, at the new Moravian Settlement,
in Suflex county, in that colony ; a remark*
«bte fine child, aboht test months old, son of
Mr. Leinbeck, store keeper there, was drop
ped by a boy into a bucket of fealding wa
ter, which was, at the fame time; oterfet by
the boy, which threw the water all over and
under the child, and scalded the (kin in the
parts most exposed, in a terrible . inner, so
that i? came off m undressing. The distress
ed patents committed it to the care of *a
woman ia the house, who pretended to un
derstand the cure of scalds: She immediately
applied fait to the scalded parts,which threw
the child into convu tions, and in less than
an hour put ah end to its life and miferv.
Last week a country nan having tece vsd
a sum of money on Long bland, in dollars, .
was teturninj home, cither to Orange it
Ulster county, but in ci offing the ferry at
Hadtinfeck, about the middle us tbe river
hishorfe took flight, jumped out of thefcow
aud carried tbe (addle bags with him, which
not being fattened to tbe fiddle were loft
with a.i in* dollars.