Honrd Sr.

Last Saturday Evening about Six oClock I arrived here, & was then informed that Capt Wallace had received his usual Supply of Beef, with the following Additions, viz, one Barrel of Apples, one Do of Sugar, two Boxes of Candles, one Do of Soap, a large Role of Tobacco, one Turky, one Goose, Onions & Other Things in a Bag & one Bunch of Fowls; And early on Sunday Morning a Committee consisting of the following Persons, was chosen by the Town of Newport to go on Board Capt Wallace, viz, Mess. John Malbone, George Gibbs, James Honyman & Wm Wanton, who accordingly went on Board immediately, & laid the late Act of the Genl Assembly before Capt Wallace relative to his Supplies, the Committee returning in the Afternoon brought a Letter from Capt Wallace to the Inhabitants of the Town of Newport, a Copy of which I now send You inclosed, also a Copy of the Proceedings of the Town thereon & the Copies of my Letters to the Town Council of Newport, & the Copy of theirs to me.

Since the Arrival of the King's Speech & the Melancholly news from Quebec, the Friend's to the Ministerial Forces, in Newport, appear more open & Bold than heretofore, by endeavouring to inflame the Minds of the Inhabitants of the Town against the Rest of the Government, in Particular, Jos Wanton, Richd Beale, Leechmore, Benja Brenton, Jas Honyman, James Clarke, Francis Malbone, Geo Gibbs & many others too tedious to enumerate; Their Conduct is not so much to be wondered at, when I consider the Polite Treatment, several of the most inveterate Enemies to the Liberty of this Country, Recd, after they were Taken & conducted to Providence, with several Hundred [blotted] the Colony, & permitted to return Home, when in my Opinion they ought to have been confined in some remote Part of the Colony until the Present Difficulties should come to an End. ー

Four Hundred Pounds L:M hath been granted by the General Assembly, for the Removal of the Poor & Helpless Inhabitants of the Town of Newport, which I think would have answered a much Better Purpose had they Ordered that Sum to be expended in the Removal of those Obnoxious Inhabitants of that Town, to the Liberties of their Country; Those Persons give us more Trouble than Wallaces whole Fleet, & as much Danger is to be expected from them ー

Early Yesterday Morning three Sail of Wallaces Fleet left this Harbour, bound for Boston, as we suppose, consisting of a Brig, an armed Schooner & a Sloop, I believe they had very Little Stock if any to carry there ー

One Slocum a Person belonging to Newport was set on Shore by some of Wallace's Hands Night before last, he has been on Board one of the Armed Sloops for three Months past, he was conducted to Head Quarters immediately & examined, he inform'd us Capt Wallace is very sick of his Voyage to Prudence, having lost fourteen Men kill'd & a Number Wounded ー They Buried Several on Hope Island, I'm informed Nine were found buried there in one Grave. Two of the Wounded are since dead, & were buried on Rose Island ー Slocum says they got no Cattle, & but very few Sheep ー I am Sir [&c.]

P S. I am inform'd the Town of Newport has chosen another Committee to wait uppon the Continental Congress ー In my Opinion their Scheme is rather to serve Capt Wallace by observing [blotted] Hopkins, than for the real Service of the Town of Newport

Therefore think it very Necessary that the Principles as well as th[ese] Circumstances of the Town of Newport be made known to the Continental Congress, from some other Quarter I am yours at Supra

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