violences that have been committed. And it is matter of still greater surprise, that the Ship which has been thus rebelliously denied an entrance into the Port of Philadelphia should have returned to G. Britain without a single letter of advice or information from the Proprietors deputy in the administration of that government. I have, Sir, too good an opinion of you to suppose that you have been inattentive to what was your duty upon the occasion; and therefore I must conclude that your despatches have by some accident miscarried. It will be necessary however in all Events, that a circumstance which appears at present so very extraordinary should be fully explained Gov! Penn appologized for his before reprehended neg- 3 May, 1774. lect. I was totally ignorant, says Penn, of the measures which were taken to prohibit the Entrance of the vessel, till after her departure; and indeed had I been fully apprized of the unjustifiable designs of the people, such was the general opposition of the people upon that occasion as well here as in other parts of N. America, that any Endeavours on my part to have prevented what happened would have proved ineffectual and vain. The Importation of Tea into America, by the East India Company was generally considered here from all accounts. from home, as a private adventure of their own, in which the government had no immediate concern, and being unattended with any instructions from the Ministry, I did not think my duty required me to transmit your lordship an account of the Transaction. The King was pleased graciously to acquiesce in this apology. 4 July rec'd. Gov! Penn wrote Lord D. That as soon as the people of 31 May, 1774. Boston knew of the late Act of Parliament for shutting up that port an Express was dispatched from hence, with a proposal to concur with them in putting a total stop to the importing or exporting of any kind of goods untill the above Act should be repealed. 6 July, 1774. 5 July, 1774. 7 Sept. rec'd. In consequence of this a considerable number of Merchants and others had a meeting at a tavern in this City, where I understand the matter was taken into consideration. The only resolution they agreed on was a petition to me to call the assembly, which will be presented in a few days. Should so affrontive an application be made to me your lordship may be assured I shall treat it as it deI have however been informed that the mover of this extraordinary measure had not the most distant expectation of succeeding in it; but that their real scheme was to gain time to see what part the other Colonies will take in so critical a conjuncture. serves. Lord D. wrote for answer: The reception given to the proposal that came from the Town of Boston, there did not appear then to be any strong inclination to adopt; What has since passed in Virginia may perhaps as in other like instances, become an Example to the neighbouring Colonies. And should this be the case, it will be your duty to exert every power which the Constitution has placed in your hands to defeat any attempt to trample upon and insult the authority of this Kingdom. Gov! Penn wrote Lord D. That a petition had been presented to him by 851 persons which he had refused, because it did not appear to him that the peace of the of the province required it. The general temper of the people here & in all the Colonies is very warm. They look upon the Chastisement of Boston to be purposely rigorous and is therefore suffering in the common cause. The delinquency in destroying the Tea is lost in the attention which is given to what is here called the too severe punishment of shutting up the port, altering the Constitution, and making an Act as they term it screening the Soldiers for shedding American blood. The plan universally adopted is the procuring a general Congress, in order to state the rights and represent the grievances of America to the throne. — Collections are making for Boston. Since he had refused to call the Assembly on the petition of the people an unhappy incident (an Indian War, on the Western frontier,) had obliged him to call an Assembly tho' with reluctance, as it may give offence at home: Yet he is of opinion that the Assembly will be more moderate than the people are in their Town Meetings, which cannot be prevented. The Assembly are to choose the Delegates for Congress. The 16th of June 1774 was observed throughout the Synode of N. York and Philadelphia as a day of humiliation and prayer on account of the late invasion of the liberties of America [Pensyl. Gaz. 22 June 1774] 18th July the Assembly met. 19th July the Speaker laid before the House several letters & copies of Resolves from the Speakers of Massachusetts & Rd. Island: the 1st dated 17 June notifying the appointment of Deputies to Congress: the 24 dated the 20 June notifying also the appointment of Delegates. There was also laid before the House a letter from the Committee of Correspondence & inquiry of Virg (Randolph, Nicholas & Digges): stating the propriety of appointing Deputies from the several Colonies of British America to meet annually in general Congress as a Measure extremely important and extensively useful, as it tends so effectually to obtain the united wisdom of the whole in every case of general concern. 22 July Resolved N. C. D. That there is a necessity for a Congress of Deputies from the several Colonies to form. a plan for obtaining redress-ascertaining American rights on constitutional principles & for establishing harmony between G. Britain & the Colonies. A committee appointed to bring in instructions to the Deputies in Congress (Allen one). The instructions very short - particularly - you are to avoid doing any thing indecent or disrespectful to the Mother State. [A kind of Convention from Philadelphia & several Counties with Tho. Willing for their Chairman was then sitting at Carpenters Hall.] 5 Sept. 1774. 11 Oct. rec'd. 3d Oct. 1774. 10 Nov.rec'd. MEM'R. Sir J. Dalrymple told me, that he had sent to They presented on the 19 July their opinion of the necessity of a Congress and they informed the house that the Committee are employed in finishing their resolves & drawing up their sentiments on the present situation of public affairs, which when compleated will be laid before the House. [Printed proceedings of the House.] The Assembly voted £2000 to Employ Rangers against the Indians. The provincial meeting of Delegates chosen by the several Counties in Pensylvania assembled the 15 July 1774- Appointed a Committee to send their Resolves to all the Committees of Correspondence. Gov! Penn wrote Lord D. of the meeting of the Congress that morning. Impossible to say what will be the result of their deliberations. From the best intelligence the Resolution of opposing the Boston port Acts and the Parliamentary power of taxing America possesses all ranks of people & is universal. They persuade themselves there is a formed design to enslave America and tho the Act for regulating the Government of Canada does not immediately affect other provinces it is held up as an irrefragable argument of that intention. There is difference of opinion as to the modes of opposition. Gov Penn wrote Lord D. That the Congress having agreed to keep all their proceedings secret he had it not in his power to give any account of them but what had been published - had published such as may be seen in the N. papers. [So that on the 10th of Nov! 1774 the Ministry knew that the Congress had adopted the Suffolk Resolves (Massachu Lord North setts) which lighted the match.] a project of Conciliation; & the same coming from two other [These Resolves are dated the 6th of Sept: & approved by Congress on the 17 Sept: 1774.] tax the same time induced Ld. N. to think of no There were various extracts of letters said to be from quarters at London, asserting the designs of Ministry to be to America & recommending to stop all trade with Britain, published in Philadelphia N. papers during the Sitting of Congress, [Pensyl. Gaz. 21 Sept 1774.] thing but Lord M. op conciliation. posed it. In that of 28 Sept 1774 there is the following extract duct. of a letter said to be from London dated 23 July noon. D: Franklin was so obliging as to call on me this afterFrom what he communicated I find, that the intention of taxing ALL America is openly avowed by the Ministry:- They have already begun by high duties on Spirits in Canada and have ordered a Regiment to be raised there; determining as the D well expressed it, not only to rivet their chains but make them pay for the iron to do it with. Gov! Penn wrote Lord D. That the Congress had dis- 13 Det. 1774. solved themselves the 26th ins & have just published the principal part of their proceedings- but the petition to the King they have not published: I am entirely unacquainted with the contents of it; as I had not the least connexion or intercourse with any of the members. rec'd. 17 Dec. rec'd. Gov! Penn wrote Lord D. What tendency the Measures Nov. 1774. of Congress may have to compose the unhappy differences is a question which occasions a variety of opinions. I can only wish these transactions may not be viewed in such a light as to retard that union which all good men anxiously desire may be speedily established. [This is the last Despatch of 1774.] 89 |