from you, as he did from Saul, and has given you over to your own devices. * January 27th. This day John Dickinson attended the Provincial Congress in order to show and contradict the notorious lies promulgated in Rivington's paper, No. 91. At Dr. Chovel's Lecture.* February 11th. This day was published, in J. Humphrey's Ledger, No. 3, a scandalous letter, said to come from Kent County, Delaware.† : 13th. Some time last week arrived, from London, the ship Polly and Peggy, but brought no kind of merchant goods in that time also arrived a brig from Madeira, having a few pipes of wine. The owner advised the committee, and declared his intentions to send away the said vessel and wines, agreeably to the direction of the Congress. 28th. This day a petition was presented by the Quakers' interest, requesting the suspending of our fairs in this city: also, a petition from our committee respecting no negroes to be any more imported here. March 1st. Early this morning, departed these parts, universally lamented by the friends of slavery, but to the joy and satisfaction of the lovers of freedom, that baneful and detested weed, East India TEA, whose return is never desired or wished for by the true sons of American liberty. 9th. Yesterday evening, arrived, ship Chalkley, Captain Spain, from Bristol, who brought account that his Majesty had received the petition of our American Congress, and promised to lay it before the Parliament, who were to meet, by adjournment, the nineteenth of January. In the * See Appendix, (B.) interim, petitions are preparing by the body of merchants in London, Bristol, and all over England. This news causes our Tories to be quite jaw-fallen and sullen. March 17th. ** Yesterday an election was held at the Carpenters' Hall, for choosing officers for the new manufactory, set on foot for making woollens, linen, and cotton, when Joseph Stiles was chosen Treasurer, James Cannon, Secretary, and twelve managers, viz., Christopher Marshall, Jacob Winey, Isaac Gray, Samuel Wetherill, Jr., Christopher Ludwick, Frederick Kuhl, Robert Strettle Jones, Richard Wells, Thomas Tilbury, James Popham, and Isaac Howell, for one year. 21st. Last night, nine of the managers met at Captain Stiles' school-room, sent for William Smith, who came, of whom we took his house in Market Street, for three years, for forty pounds per annum. 22d. The Pennsylvania Journal, No. 1685, gives a succinct account of the proceedings of [the] New York and Elizabeth Town Committees respecting the state of the case of Messrs. Robert and John Murray, merchants of New York, who had landed goods out of the ship Beulah, from Londonderry, contrary to the resolve of Congress. * * 23d. Account from New York yesterday, that Messrs. Murrays' house and store [were] shut up, and a seal put upon the latter. Thus may be seen the manly behaviour of the committee of New York, notwithstanding the opposition they met with, both in their Assembly House and public proceedings, by the enemies of our country. The committee of the county of Cumberland, New Jersey, have also published the behaviour of Silas Newcomb, Esq., respecting persisting in drinking East [India] Tea, since the first of March, agreeably to the eleventh Article of the American Congress. See Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 2413./ April 13. This morning was published the Address of the Lords and Commons to his Majesty, on the ninth of last February, wherein they declare Massachusetts Bay in a state of rebellion, and countenanced and encouraged by unlawful combinations in several of the other Colonies, and also, that all the Bostonians who signed, as they call it, à league and covenant, are declared by the crown lawyers, to have committed an overt act of high treason. Thereupon were ordered for Boston, to chastise them, three regiments of foot, one of dragoons, seven companies of marines, a large train of artillery. Notwithstanding all this, some of our staunch friends in England beheld with horror the ministerial proceedings, and as proof thereof, and to their lasting fame be it recordered, that the Constitutional Society stepped forth, and showed their dislike of those cruel proceedings by their resolving unanimously, that One hundred Pounds. sterling be sent by that Society to Dr. Franklin, requesting him to transmit the same for the relief of the town of Boston. 20th. * * News brought by post this day, of the arrival of the Snow, Sir William Johnson, Captain Dean, at New York, the 19th, in thirty-one days from London. It is said his papers are to [the] 5th [of] March, and [he] says that "Sixteen men-of-war and ninety-five transports are certainly coming out to America, to bring over eleven regiments and two troops of horse, he thinks, to New York," and that "a nobleman is ordered out to New York, in order to bring about a pacification," (I hope) and that "the city of London have subscribed thirty thousand pounds sterling for the poor of Boston." 6 21st. ** Went to the Manufactory before ten, stayed till eleven, in company and back with Frederick Kuhl, my attending partner each day for one week; mornJames Cannon came, ing at ten, afternoon at three. *** brought the first and second" Crisis," read them, and stayed to supper. April 22d. ** Under the London head, Feb. 7th, it is said "The regiment of light-horse, destined for America, are all equipping with new accoutrements. On their caps is the following motto, Death or Glory,' and a death's head likewise embroidered;" and it is farther said that "It is intended to put the refractory Colonies under military government, and to grant special charters and privileges to those of them who are obedient. This day, March the 7th, at noon, the two sheriffs and the hangman attended at the Royal Exchange, in order to burn a periodical paper, called The Crisis, No. 3,' and the pamphlet entitled The Present Crisis with respect to America.' As soon as the fire was lighted before the Exchange, it was immediately put out, and dead dogs and cats thrown at the officers. A fire was then made in Cornhill, and the pelting still continued." It is farther said, "There are at this time, between London Bridge and Lime House, more than three hundred vessels, with brooms at their mast-heads, as a token that they are for sale." Feb. 10-it is said "An eminent Quaker, at the meeting of the merchants declared, however lightly and contemptuously their petitions were treated, he was fully satisfied that the Americans would, to a man, die, if the act in his hand, which he held up, was not repealed:" to which add, in a paragraph of [a] letter from York, Feb. 13, it is said, "A certain celebrated lady amongst the body of Quakers, waited on the king to address him on the times, and after promising her an audience, he abruptly withdrew." 米米米 March 10th, It is said from London, that " Deputations are sent from hence to Boston, to try several persons in America," and that "the twelve sail of frigates destined for Boston, have stores, and are completely victualled for twelve months. The Generals, MacKay, Howe, and Clinton, were to embark with the troops, the 12th of March. **. April 24th. ** About five this afternoon, arrived an express, for the particulars of which see the printed piece. annexed.* 25th. ** Went to the manufactory with my partner. At four, he and I went to the State House, there being a meeting pursuant to public notice, which, by computation, amounted to eight thousand, in order to consider the measures to be pursued in the present critical affairs of America. ** A second express came this afternoon, 26th. * * which see in printed piece annexed.† April 27th. ** Another account, being several extracts of letters per post, from Boston, of the 19th and 20th, giving further account of the behaviour of the troops, and of their precipitate retreat unto Charleston. See postscripts to Pennsylvania Journal and Gazette, (No. 1690, and No. 2418.) * The leaf marked A., an exact copy of the original slip. + The leaf marked B., an exact copy of the original slip. The statement that Lord Percy was killed is erroneous. He afterwards fell in the battle of Brandywine. |