My Lord,

I did myself the Honor of writing to Your Lordship by the Packet Boat the Le Despencer about the middle of last month;² and a safe opportunity by a private hand this day offering, I beg leave to acquaint Your Lordship that the Assembly met last Thursday the 1st instant, passed their Tax Bill, which they had ready prepared, and without sending it to the Council, or using any other ceremony; ordered Certificates to be issued for the amount of it, about 140,000 £ currency. They had just finished this business when the Lieutenant Governor farther adjourned them to the 19th instant, and then returned to the Country, from whence he had come the night before.

By a Vessel from New York that arrived here the 25th of last month, Mr. Bull received a letter from General [Thomas] Gage with an Account of the Action of the 19th of April; it was not published till this afternoon, when it appeared in the News paper I enclose, and Comments upon it in the same Column, so alert, and well informed are our people here.

The Provincial Congress met also on the 1st, and continue sitting: they have shut their doors against all but their own members, to whom they have strongly recommended strict Secrecy, but it is well known that the Objects of their present deliberation is framing a Test and Association; raising a large body of Troops, and throwing off the Mask at once, and taking the Government into their own hands, which in fact they have almost done already.

The Opulent and Sensible wish to avoid such desperate measures till they hear from the Continental Congress and have their Sanction; but they are powerfully opposed by a numerous body of the Low and Ignorant, led by a few desperate Incendarys, who have nothing to lose, and some hot headed Young Men of fortune whom it will be difficult to restrain. The Governor is expected every hour, and although he can do very little, yet I hope his presence with the King's ship under his Command may afford some countenance to the King's friends, and will I know embarrass the other party, who have at present a clear field: on this Account I presume His Lordship will detain the Scorpion, and never quit his Government till the last extremity.

I have had the strongest inclination for this fortnight past to give General Gage an Account of the State of this Province, but it was a liberty I could not presume to take, though my warm Zeal for the service of my Royal Master strongly promoted me. Two Frigates My Lord in this Harbour would have been (and still would be) the means of preventing much mischief, and [would] have been such a check on the Violent party here, that they never could have gone the lengths they have already done: The Tamer Sloop lies some miles below the Town, but Captain [Edward] Thornbrough, a very Old, Good Officer, has been confined to his Bed these two months and as the Lieutenant Governor is constantly at his country home waiting with anxious impatience for the Arrival of Lord William Campbell, was it in the Captain's power to be of use no proper requisition can be made him.

As we are in such a State here that it is not proper to write but by very safe hands, I shall take the opportunity of again writing Your Lordship by Captain Barbot, Commissary of Stores in West Florida, who is now here on his way to England, and who may be able to acquaint Your Lordship with many particulars relative to this place. I have the Honor to be with the most perfect Respect My Lord [&c.]