The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume], April 22, 1774, Image 1

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

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Or, Thomas’s Boston Journal.
A Weekly, Political, and Commercial Paper :--Open to all Parties, but Influenced by None.
•D O THOU Grau LIBERTY INSH»» nr Soul»,—And nuke mr Liva in TUT Poflegon happy,—Or, nr Paths ilmmu in thy just Deface,*
Vol. IV.]
Bajin, April iyb, 1774.
This day was published,
[Ensbeilifrcd witfi elegant Ingravmgs, 1. The Bust of the
Honourable John Hancock, Elq;
of Liberty and a* Ancient Briton. IL The Fortune
Hunter* a humorous historical piece.]
NUMBER UI. of
THE ROYAL
American Magazine,
Or Uxivbmsal
Repository of Inftru&ion and Amusement.
" For M A R C H, 1774.
CONTAINING,
delivered March the fifth, 1774, tt there
qeft of the town of Boston. By the Honourable John
Hancock, Efqi On Hunaan Happineft Eflby oa the
Origin of I rttril J ustice and Gemrofity jor the rt-
tnarkabta History of Wilbraham Wentworth, concluded
A Council to the Ladies «■ Method of diddling Salt Wa
ter— on Tea Treatise on the Sina J POS
——Dr. Tifibt’x met hod of recovering drownedPeriy* —
The For.unc Hunter,continued——-Fcbtilal Essay,
—Caftlc Building' —Varies addrefled to a Young Lady
— A Manulcript found among the Writings of the late
Bunjamm Pratt, Eiq; of New-York-s—AnTwer to the
Reous' in No. IR—His roe ic al Cbiomcli
General Hiftory'of America Dombstic Intbl-
LioßNCr—Mel&ge, of the Governor, Council and
House of Rcprelcntatives, of die Maflachufett, Bay -- —
Marriages and Deaths Meicvrol 'gkal Obtervations mi
the Weather ' ' Governor Hutchinion . Hiitory, Ac.
Printed by, and for, L THOMAS, near tne Market,
and fold by the Rrinters and BookieUers in Amisica,
Nbw-York, Dicember 3, 1773.
PROPOSALS
For printing by SußscxirTjost,
r pHE Memoirs of the Life of the Rev.
1 GEORGE WHITEFIELD, M. A. Late Chaplin
of the right Hon. the Counters of Huntingdon. In which
•■very circuinftance worthy of notice, both in his private and
public charadter is recorded. Faithfully fdedied from his
Original papers, Journals and Letters. Uluftrated by a va
riety of interelting and entertaining Anecdotes, from the befl
authorities. ,
To which are added,
A particular account of his Death and
Funeral, and exrafts from the Sermons which were preacfi
<l on tnat occasion.
By the Rev. JOHN GILLIES, D. D.
CONDITIONS. .
I. It frail be printed in large Twelves, on good paper
and with new and neat types.
IL It will consist of about three hundred pages, and the
p ice to'the fubkriber. will be no more than Snr ShiAngs,
neatly bound and lettered, although the London edition is
nearly double hat price.
Ilf. It (hail be put to the press as loon as 300 have No
fcribad ; and the names of the fubferibers printed at the
oejinning.
IV. The books as loon as iinilhed, will ba delivered to
the fubicribei s upon paying via Shillings.
V. Thole that fubkribe tor twelve frail l»ve a thirteenth
grads. , ’ J*
Subscriptions are taken in by PHILIP
FREEMAN in Union-street, freeing the Cornfields, and
PHILIP FREEMAN, jun. near Liberty-Tree, in Boston,
->nd by all rhe Printers and BookieUers on the Continent.
MO SES CLEVELAN D,
TN confidence that the example of thole
I public (pirited gentlemen, who have (übfcribed to the
pn petals for raising the furn of faty pounds* lawful money,
- "o enable a port to ride weekly between Noßwich and
Boston, will influence others to be liberal to an eflabliA
muit which, it is evident, must be produftive of great com
..lerciai advantages to both towns and the intermediate
c >untry.—lnduced by thefc considerations, (aid Cleveland
.as undertaken (although there is 21 L 101. wanting to
-omplete the abovementioned sum) to set out from the priw
cog-office in Noawica every Thursday, imasadiately after
the publication of the Norwich News paper, for the
spats of one year from the date hereof. Ha will proceed
inputs Windham, Pomfbbt, Mendon,Ac. and ar
rive at Boston on Saturdays, remain there until Monday
coming, and return So Norwich by the fame road he went
He will carry this and other papers, and the Royal American
M AG AZINE, and deliver them to firth geodemen as are
pi: afed to encourage them, with the utmost regularity. Thole
weochoofetoemploy him, to carry bundles, or to
do any bufiods for them, may depend upon his care mH
fidelity.
N. B. Said Cleveland has employed a post to tide every
week from Nos wren to Hast roan, forve Nie enftaoem
van New .-papers,Magazines, and do fuck other bufinefc as
Ik may be employed to execute.
f” 5 H E Gentlemen and Ladies of the
a town are hereby made acquainted that THOMAS
TURNER hss taken chargeeftheDANClNG SCHOOL,
on h half of his brother who it absent. Thefc who pieafe to
l—.d theirchikiren, may depend there will be the fhifteft re
gird paid to their being inftrufted ta the politest and most
4 proved method ; likesrife the utmaft order and decorum
.refereed.
rH I S is to forwtm all pedons from
trusting SARAH the wife of me the feWeri
b - w ho has behaved in a very unbecoming manner, « I
, „ no aebnof her conuafting from the data hereof.
W EDWARD BUNCH.
r/*n, Afril 4, •774«
THURSDAY* April ai# 1774-
DX BATES bt th, Ibiso Hovsb A Common*
arooe r*r ST AM P ACT, thin.
A FT ER reading the prefetoey resolution, by which
it was resolved »lay dudes on utwv pspen* pem
phiets, and advertifanoats in any paper, at periodical pub
lication, and aMb to oblige el printers of aews-faaes to
annex their enuks to their papers, Mr. Fortefcuc fidd, the
duty oa ifrmtlfwM would be a greet hardftip upon the
Trufteeseftha Linen Based* wlto were obliged to advettife
frequently ia the country papero* and hoped they would be
“Srpoofiroby Md* ha had Amdy Vetoed Mi di&ke of
ah part of the ftwnp-aa* ro laying a tax upaa
juftiat* sad stamping the liberty of die pMNh j bat ha ma*
MW peetkuhudy oHea tn tn ihrififiuwaM, a 1 tsi «e
trade, which would be sensibly MMhd by thio iMfritmel
«MIM 1 end as every inroiirroMneat was rather warning
M this time of declining trade (if a Ittte IwMadod tn*c
could bear that name) he hoped dot guMteatM Would not
insist on what would manifeftty hurt it.—That he would
not pretend to debate, he would only intreat and implore j
he would appal to humanity, aad be « beggor nr the 4
Mr. Barry was of the fame opinion, and stoved to ®-
punge the words relative to advertlfeaneats, leaving the
duty on news-papers and pamphlets. ' *
Mr. Mafo® replied, that this port of the tax was es F^L c
ed to nife one fourth of the whole stamp-dudes,
would be greatly abridged by leaving out advertitoroSMfg ,
and lome other tax must be found to supply that detikiepcf*
wliich would bear harder upon the neceflaries of BfeNMh
ftamj s. This duty would not hurt traders* tot it wo«0W
icpaired by the consumers of the goods purchased. So that
6d. on an advertHrment would be to difltaninated* that it
would be left to individuals than any nomiaUl min
Mr. French Add, he must oppose including of pampi>Mb
as it would be a tax on genius in revtrfion. Anonytauß
pamphlets have frequently been A the greatest ftrwlh
Hating affairs of confrquenee* fctting people on their ggMfr
and rouftng a proper spirit i Au anonymous pamphlet* writ
ten by Lord Somers, was the great means es the glorious
revolution. The pamphlets written bv Dean Swifts and the
farviro sUy did in 17x4. agslnft the nafaHMM mMfora of
Wood's halfpence, are Mb in every one’s Money. It
may be thought proper to tax news-paptre* bet paanphitto
and advertisements ought to be eatmptod.
Mr. Prime Serjeant (Hele Hutshinfon) aofivered, that
if news-papers only were stamped, and no pdtaphlets and
advertisements, the duty ought be crafted. A paper ought
be printed contairing o*ly adv«tifen«nts* and no newt*
and thus escape the tax) and, if peanphlets were exempted,
there would loon be no news-paper, for by adding one page
more, if it contained but only one lint, it would become a
pamphlet. Taxing pamphlets would not dewsafc the num
ber of them, fat since they have been taxed in England
they have multiplied above four-folds. A right honourable
Gentleman hath rhentiooed the liberty of the press i but
the liberty of the press covid not be hurt to that tax* m the
names of the pointers only would be pubfifad ; and if they
stuck to legal liberty, they had nothing to fear. But he
knew no reason any printer fixmid stand concealed, only to
trample on truth* and the dwreAsn A individuals j M by
abuse of the best things, they become the wwft, so has this
liberty. What was to be understood by liberty, but the
privilege of afting comfonoaHe to law ' Whilst a printer
did that, he was fafe. SHowkl a man Publilh any thing
concerning the parliament that was ftriftty true* though
from those truths he foould even draw 61st confogueneu,
I and fsy foch and foch a measure of the House would be the
rain of the country, and deftrey the libertSee of the feijeft,
yet. tothefe were only the private opinion of the writer, he
might be hid to be mistaken j and if a prosecution wae be
gun againlt the printer, a grand jury would hardly find the
NU ; or, arm if it did, no petty jury would find a vardift
I egatnft the defendant. This would be the liberty preceded
I by taw } for liberty is a wild beat of prey, a foe of huma-
I nity, till it becomes guided by reafim. That if sre coofider
I the London nevs-papcre, they have not been left fire than
I before the famp-aft. The richest printer ia Dublin,
I George Faulkner, has beat pretty fire in his papa, though
I his w*»»e was annexed to it J be had been very patriotic,
I tag, as he was so henaft man, he never hurt private chs-
I rafters.
Mr. Barry perfifled, that trade would be hurt by a
I tn upon advertifemoMs* if even the charge was repaid by
I thacoafomsn ; for if theaupenee is to be made up to the
I adiotifer, commeditNS would thereby I r reMr dearre ac
| cording to that rule. But thj n<e would not held j for as
I buyers had the choice of going toftbeps aad trudere who dta
net, as weU as theft who Ad adrift, a cauoasadity oroft be
fold rochet by the ore as the other j therefore, the 106
I vriU fell on the traders, and not the confiuners.
I Mr. Chapman feid, he abhorred alike the private aAflin,
I who stabbed dm chorefter of an iafthridujri in a news-paper*
I Min a but he feared, to prevent one evil* we
I might ran into another, nd the printers names being pub-
I lifted might iuftj-ft them to a praftcutMO* for what was
1 ma legal liberty of the prafi. It sms not here at it wro
I ia England, where a num* profound for any bold pnbM-
I don againftgorerameof* was fore es proudbov. Here*
I would be the reverie j for though, if all men onto Ska the
I right hooounhte Geadoanaa (Mr. Prioea Serjeant) ao juries
J would coodemn a printer, yet no gemieman can fey a pe»-
I focuoen, even if the mao was acauted, would out be a
heavy poraftmeot, sod that a mao u> fiaoder rirromMirrs
might be rained before Ha esufe came to a trial 1 To ftuo
foch an evfl, naan would be timid fas printtag, aad asaka my
febmiifroa to the powerfol men, vrho migta think himfeif
oflended. An inftaareeftoirwehaveindMcafeofaprinterin
thisefry,] E , who havingta • periodical pamphlet
aubiidbed feme reflefttane on a certam perfba (Cotanri
L iurdi) wae, on being threatened wids a prefecurionr so
inuaudmafo that to * B »°* “*>“» tojeft, flavifoani
fetamAon.'
1 M>. Tighe observed, that people hod deported 60m tM
mnftituciooalliberty of the prefoo* tom, not aieafeeus,were
attacked ; therefore it wae noceftbry the priners MM»
Aould be fixed IB aem papers, which, 6am theie mrawM
■U contents* we* taciam a and eroM Iftmcftr
M now a labourer would hardly go to work till he had
tfKr DCWBo v
. Colooci Jephfca was A nptalM* that a would
not obftrud the just liberty A the prefo. It would not
hinder writers of nenius. Who, through modesty, diflident
A the opiniM of dbe public, or love efretirtment, chafe to
be anknown, from bmag kept feoet. The printers names
pAj wore WMtod, that an, loured perfoo might know
whsai to eefert for the juft* the laws allowed him, and
that an anonymous paper might no longer be a dark lantern,
islight ths vifoiiNus aAAn of private reputation to give
ths wound, and at the feme time conceal him from the
eyes or reach of the injured. •
Serieatu Dosnit fifth Gentlemen had wanftcred from the
point in qqeftion, which waa oniy r whether advertisements
tauld or Aould not to taxed ? He (aw no reason why the
printer* who, by expefting five frilling from the advertiser,
foft rrifed the taxjfeuld net pay a few pence out of it
to government.
Mr. Flood thought fame tax ought to be laid on adv*-
tifemesats* though it might to thought proper to mitigate
the quantum to » (mailer fom than M mentioned; but jamph
ieu lurely ought not to to taxed They wese not generally
here made use us for the papAo A defemation ) that wae
the province of news-papers, which had dealt pretty largely
In it. Some indeed were more moderate than ochers; fame
roGto anonymous papers had rather difcufled measures than
men, though they had sometimes ftUan into that
evilly Wit must beowned, that there had never beenfo much
yM&ksßs abuse, ft much tew dirty malice, so much fenfelefe
MAMtanattaotor so much bast wanton calumny in all the
SR; and pamphlets in this kingdom put together, as in that
vehicle of wkkedneft and nonsense, the Monitor, jcis true
t num, wrapt up in confcioui integrity, may despise the (hafts
of scandal, and let rife constant tenor of his life give the Ue
to malice i therefore this abuse A liberty Is the more *
to flighted, and not made a pies fix abridging that liberty,
which nuty probably be hftrt by taking pamphlets wherein
• fiaedom of difcufllng pofiticai points is more the peculiar
province than In a news-paper, whose limits will not aflurd
ths neceAry taupe. For the integrity of juries can Be but
little femmty, when, in case of a feture bod Viosroy, and a
btott bad administration, the nommatfon of Sharift being
in their power, aad the impaoneUiag of juries ia the power
of the Sherifle, every evU Might be if prrhruled
Colonel (aid, he frouid confider this question
chiefly as a moie of taxation. It was thought that this
article wouM produce a fifth part of the whole, and there
could be do inconvenience in obligiag printers to put their
names to what they publilhed, m it could only lerve to pre
vent those writers of more malice than wit, aad more fcur
rfty thaa feafe, from dipping their pens in poifoa, not In
ink. If pamphlet* were not taxed, the feat of calumny
would he only removed from news-papers to pamphlets j so
if fondal wss extinft in the former, they would soon drop.
Every rational freodom of writing wae enjoyed in England,
and Gentlemen could no more call the ftamp-aft a tax on
justice and liberty, than the duty on wine could be called a
tax on religion, bocaufe a linall quantity of that liquor wm
u(ed in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Mr. Barry withdrew bis motion.
Mr. Chapman moved to strike out the word pampUets.
Mr. Scot (aid* he thought news-papers, not pamphlets,
were the proper conveyance for political knowledge, and
pamphlets were generally appropriated to literature and
MKt t But if they alone were to be untaxed, they would
be worse than news-papers ; and, being larger, would be
only a laager species of scandal. The petty deafer in calumny
would then tore nothing to do but to extend his minus,
and bocosxie a whoiefefe merchant of deftruftion. That
for hb own port, ha was always glad to be abufod s for, if
it (hewed he had enemies, it frewed also that they had that
wwtltad of venting their malice, without which they might,
perhaps, ba so (wetted with ftiflod (phen, that they might
stab him at feme corner. Yet, although be defoifed it,
and men of such known abilities, known talent*, and
avowed integrity, as hie honourable friend below him (Mr.
Flood) might defy scandal, yet that was not univerially the
case, and feme method frouid be taken to save them from
it. which might be materially hurt by it. Women, for
mamXT tod not ufcally that strength df mind ; their re
putations ought to be heid (acred, and defended against a firtt
of ruffians, who would so for prevert truth, and give a
foafe to malevolence, that a woman would be afraid to go
tocbuds* left feme of them aright vublift (in that most
of ill papers ever known) that fte was going on
feme ftamefol errand. For thefc reasons, he frouid think
a B—y -ft was rather a warrant for a legal free prefc*
thaareftnint ; and no printer wm ent profouted here
for foch legal liberty.
Dr. Cl replied, that one Harper, a printer, hadbeen
prolerated, and a proclamation iifeed against another.
Mn Scot eftod* if cither had a verdid against him ?
Mr. Prime Sojeant (aid, in regasd to the true liberty of
the prafe, he thought in a free country, Mfore,
and public man, wae a proper fotged for discussion.
Thw He fortion, as a (errant of the Crown, and the frare
be bed in aimimftrition, rendered him so for accountable to
*h* that be applauded writers, who canvaflcd hie ac
txmsTwtodi ought» Md the test of the public difquifitfom
got it is tar otherwift with merchants, women, and pro
ri, ta trade, wirofe repuraciom might be materially fojwto
ty feds rife detrafefen, as had lately flowed so much in a
u ■ tire for paper. So that none could advertise m that pa
pmwW tof »T "VA for public tranqudity and private
known, OS to be accountable for the bofe, unjust and ddheis
•ftMurim. he Itod Me to worthy and virtuM people, by
pLblifotaciaMrimmßte calumny, feme of theft people hM
oastotaimed to him, and had led to this idea, which ought
not to dribtMten any honest printer. In regard to adver
tisements, be proposed they ftould be mitigated, if geatte-
MWM Nt Btoe aoyfisrttor oppofitfea to this general,
and. what to thought, idea.
CMm Haaniiton find, the advertising the (ale of
। hMta Md fends* by bringing so many btaders, was one cause
L4 nLptaSs Price thereof, end ought to be taxed.
Colonel Brow* thought it proper to tax licentioufnefo,
Udnab coMd no nnre tori the just liberty of the prefe,
dll the afe agmnft chrikots croid prevent the hwfei use
[Numb. 168.
1 of a knife j and that he looked upon a wound la his body
I better than one in his charefeer, as it may eafilv be cured,
I would not pain him so much, and mtaht excite thtpity and
I compaflion of his friends, and not war hatred or contempt.
I Mr. Chapman persisting In his motion, the qwftiouwru
I put, whether the word pamphlets frouid stand part of the
I refutation, and there appeared ayes toy, num 4*.
I o The refotaum was then agreed to, as were the subsequent,
I Ohly, instead of fix-ptoce on each advretifanent, Mr. Prime
I Serjeant moved for two-pence, which was caniodpi 1
For the Mamachviktti SPY.
To Dr. S—, E—T p r and
J—-T - y all of S—h in the eßunty
of Bi under pimps; centum ferttn/enA
WriEREAS ye have falfely reported* that
the meeting of the people at the Old-
South meeting houu in Boston, in December
left* consisted only of men of oar denomination ;
and have taken unwearied pains to ftnndaliKt tit
frectuEtwi of laid meeting, and to bring upon
iu the resentment of the town of 8—- —h* who
have ever difeovered their regard to the liber
ties of* the people, by endeavouring to perfitade
them to proccn against the doings of said meet
ting } by which conduct you not only discover
ed your malevolence towards au your luperiours,
but* disregard to the interest of your town ;
and a fixed enmity against your country: For
all which we think you deserving chat tecom-
Since of your error which is meet. Withere
re notify you, that whenever you rive ur op
portunity, we will prelent you with • drefi'vmy
becoming persons at your charader.
j A FotTiß per order.
Te Mr. LUU DBMOCRITUS
Naw-Yoaa.
My Dbaibbt Sia* .
AS you have advertiled far • wife of *
lingular character, and I imagine mine
corresponds the most to it* of any in the world j
I take thia earliest opportunity to inform you,
that I have an earnest desire to enter into matri
monial life. Though I long ago arrived at
maturity ; yet through the angularity of my
disposition, I have never had one propofol of
that kind made to me : You seem to be a man
of wit and humour; yet I would willingly
hope that you are serious for this one time ;
If you are not ft>—but this I cannot ftippofe—
a good foundation, however* ia laid for future
happiness. .BETSEY BLANK.
111 1 a —MW—»
A plain atAJnre netthni n raije tM Irak! AN
Mvlaaaa y Tail* pMcbfmAnm the
feed ferfilk tuamu.
'T' AKE a spot of your best garden land, and
1 prepareitweil.aaiadone for letticeor cab
bage feed* divide it into beds of four feet broad,
and as long as you pieafe 3 let there be on each
fide a fmallpath, that you may come atit,to weed
and to water it duly. In the spring. when you
sow your other garden feeds, make in each bed
length waysjthree final! furrows,one and an half
or two inches deep, and sow therein your mul
berry feed (that it may not fall two thick, you
may mix the feed With feme coarse fond) then
cover it with fine earth ;if the ground Ihould
be two dry at the time of lowing, you must wa
ter it well some hours before you sow the feed,
and if it does not rain within three or four days
after, you will do well to water it again > bar
take care, that by your watering, the ground is
not clodded or beaten hard; co prevent which,
put a mat or some straw upon the rows, that the
ground be not hardened about, or waftied away
from the tender roou of your plants; keep them
clean from weeds; and water them from time to
time, if the weather proves very dry. In the
spring following, you may tnafplant them in
the months of March or April into nurieries or
hedge-rows, contiguous co your dwelling-houfr
or eifewherc; taking care that no cattle come
near them, while they are young.
iuft PUBLISHED, NritobcfoMot
LEENLEAF’s
Nur CcMKort-Hril, Bsflcn ; *
THE General Pradice of the New-
EmladS Churehos. retatinx to BrocifiD, ftaoiter
vindicated, being sa AnTvrar to th. Rw. Chtoifer Robt&o.
Subfcnbarostt desired to fend for their books.
SuMnibm sifo, for Dr. Cuapek Sertnua M tiM Dudlua
Lefture, an driireJ to feed for ebrir books.
Also, just pubtifoed, the Htftary of Goa* Borovdi.
N. B. Ta/e fold at (xU otSa, blank Writs rod Sum
mons, »lfe Compbints, Wirrants, Jufipstncs, Cotonrt
roentHlsc. for the JUfe A Juftkuft nsrer before