pofited in a fecret corner of his house at Milton. If the reader wishes a further gratification of his curiofity in regard to the fubtil ftratagems of Mr. Hutchinson, he is referred to the whole collection, as published in England.

Names of the members of the American congrefs, in one thousand feven hundred and feventy-four.

PEYTON RANDOLPH, Prefident.

NEW HAMPSHIRE. John Sullivan, Nathaniel Folfom. MASSACHUSETTS BAY. Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine.

RHODE ISLAND. Stephen Hopkins, Samuel Ward. CONNECTICUT. Eliphalet Dyer, Roger Sherman, Silas Deane.

NEW YORK. Ifaac Low, John Alfop, John Jay, James Duane, William Floyd, Henry Weifner, Samuel Bocrum. NEW JERSEY. James Kinfey, William Livingston, Stephen Crane, Richard Smith.

PENNSYLVANIA. Jofeph Galloway, Charles Humphreys, John Dickenson, Thomas Mifflin, Edward Biddle, John Morton, George Rofs.

NEWCASTLE, &c. Cæfar Rodney, Thomas M'Kean, George Read.

MARYLAND. Matthew Tilghman, Thomas Johnfon, William Paca, Samuel Chase.

VIRGINIA. Richard Henry Lee, George Washington, Patrick Henry, jun. Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison, Edmund Pendleton.

NORTH CAROLINA. William Hooper, Jofeph Hewes, R. Cafwell.

SOUTH CAROLINA. Henry Middleton, Thomas Lynch, Chriftopher Gadfden, John Rutledge, Edward Rutledge.

"the news of the burning the Gafpee fchooner at Provi"dence. I hope if there fhould be another like attempt, "fome concerned in it may be taken prisoners and carried "directly to England. A few punished at Execution "Dock, would be the only effectual preventive of any "further attempts. *

On the fame subject, to secretary Pownal.

" DEAR SIR,

"Boston, August 29, 1772.

"I troubled you with a long letter the 21st of «July. Give me leave now only to add one or two things "which I then intended, but to avoid being too tedious, "omitted. People in this province, both friends and ene "mies to government, are in great expectations from the "late affair at Rhode Island of burning the king's schooner, "and they confider the manner in which the news of it will "be received in England, and the measures to be taken, as "decifive. If it is paffed over without a full inquiry and "due refentment, our liberty people will think they may "with impunity commit any acts of violence, be they ever "fo atrocious, and the friends to government will defpond, "and give up all hopes of being able to withstand the "faction. The perfons who were the immediate actors, "are men of estate and property in the colony. A profe"cution is impoffible. If ever the government of that

colony is to be reformed, this feems to be the time, and "it would have a happy effect in the colonies which adjoin 66 to it. Several perfons have been advised by letters from "their friends, that as the miniftry are united, and oppofi"tion at an end, there will certainly be an inquiry into the "state of America, the next feffion of parliament. The "denial of the fupremacy of parliament, and the contempt "with which its authority has been treated by the Lilli"putian affemblies of America, can never be justified or "excused by any one member of either house of parliament.

"Captain Linzee can inform you of the ftate of "Rhode Island colony better than I can. So daring an "infult as burning the king's fchooner, by people who are "as well known as any who were concerned in the last "rebellion, and yet cannot be profecuted, will certainly "rouse the British lion, which has been asleep these four or "five years. Admiral Montague fays, that lord Sandwich "will never leave pursuing the colony, until it is disfran"chifed. If it is paffed over, the other colonies will follow "the example."

NOTE NO. XII. Page 203.

The fufferings of the colony of Virginia, under lord Dunmore's administration, and the fpirit and magnanimity of the inhabitants, might claim a larger detail in this narrative; but fo distinguished have been many of their leading characters, through all the tranfactions of the great contest, from the introduction of the refolves by Patrick Henry, in the year one thousand feven hundred and fixty-five, to the

elevation of Mr. Jefferson to the prefidential chair in one thousand eight hundred and one, as to be fufficient to fur nish ample materials for a volume by itself. But every historical record of the American revolution and its confequences, must neceffarily introduce the names of many illustrious characters that have adorned and dignified the ftate of Virginia.

Mr. Hancock retained his popularity to the end of his life. His death did not take place until the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. He was chosen governor of the Maffachusetts in one thousand seven hundred and eighty, and though a remarkable debilitation of body rendered him to appearance little able to discharge the duties of the firft magiftrate, yet the fuffrages of the people kept him long in the chair, after he was reduced to fuch a state of weakness as to be lifted by his fervants into his carriage, and thence into the ftate houfe, to deliver his public fpeeches. In this he acquitted himself with a degree of elocution, pleafing and popular, though his health did not admit of his writing them previously, and feldom had he ftrength to add his fignature to the acts of the legiflaBut his mental faculties were not much impaired by the infirmities of his bodily constitution; they were not indeed compofed of thofe elementary sparks of genius that foon burn themselves out; nor were the energies of his mind blunted by induftry and application.

ture.

He had been fo long habituated to ideas of independence, that after they were thoroughly fixed in his mind, he uniformly retained his principles to the last. He was against the confolidation of the general government, and the monarchical views of many who had rifen to power before he had finished his career of life. He fupported his opinion of the fovereignty of the individual states, in a

manly manner, in one of his laft tranfactions of a public nature; this was his conduct relative to the fuability of the ftates. An experiment made by a procefs commenced against the Maffachusetts, in favor of William Vaffal, Efq., the governor of the ftate was fummoned by a writ to anfwer to the profecution. He declined the smallest conceffion that might leffen the independence and fovereignty of each state, and fupported his opinion with firmness and dignity equally popular and honorable to himself. Litigations of this nature were soon after barred, by an amendment in the conftitution of the United States.

An ample measure of gratitude was repaid to Mr. Hancock, both for public fervices and private benefits; a mantle of love was thrown over his foibles by his countrymen, and his memory was embalmed in the affections of his townfmen.

The state of Maffachusetts continued this mode of legiflation and government until the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, when a convention was called for the purpose, and a more stable form adopted: by this, a governor, lieutenant governor, fenate, and house of representatives were to be chosen by the free fuffrages of the people; a council of nine were to be chofen by the legislative, either from the fenate or the people at large.

Copy of general Montgomery's last letter to general Carleton.