As we thought it would be agreeable to our readers to know the particulars of what has passed in this city, since the seizure of arms, &c. lately made at this port, for want of Cockets; we have been at pains to collect the following facts which may be depended upon.

As soon as the seizure was made, the ten cases and three boxes were carried to the Custom-House,¹ and the barrel of powder ordered to the powder-house on the way, some people appeared and carried it off from the Waiter, who had it in charge; ー this being reported at the custom-house, the Collector immediately went to the Coffee-house, and informed the merchants present, of the rescue, which they highly disapproved of, ー proper steps were immediately taken, and in a few hours the powder was lodged in the powder-house: ー to prevent any such attempts in future that might disturb the city, the boxes and cases were sent on board the [Kingsfisher] man of war.

Some days after this removal of the arms, &c. the Collector received from the post-office the following Letter.

New-York, December 27th, 1774.

Mr. Elliot

SIR,  A Number of fire-arms of British manufacture, legally imported, having been lately seized by yo{ir orders and conveyed on board the man of war, by which arbitrary step you have declared yourself an inveterate enemy to the liberties of North-America; in this light we view you, and from you we shall demand those arms whenever they are wanted, which is probable will be soon. You will therefore, if you have the least regard to the safety of yourself or your servants, who seized them, be careful to prevent their being sent away, as you may depend upon answering for a contrary conduct with a vengeance. ー We thought that your former genteel conduct in your department, intitled you to this notice, otherwise we should have been silent till a proper opportunity had offered, in which we might have done our country justice, by wreaking our resentment on you in a private manner: Do not slight this admonition or treat it as a vain menace, for we have most solemnly sworn to effect it sooner or later, and you know that our nation are implacable, we would not have you imagine that it is in the power of any set of men, either civil or military to protect or shield you from our just revenge, which will be soon done; and in such manner as not to be known till it is fatally experienced by you.

From the Mohawks and River Indians.

The above was immediately copied and sent to the Coffee-house, where it was pasted up together with the Collectors answer, viz.

The original, of which the above is a copy, Mr. [Andrew] Elliot this morning received from the Post-office; he is obliged to answer it in this public manner, being entirely unacquainted with the author.

Mr. Elliot calls upon the person to appear, that can in any instance accuse him of having acted either arbitrarily or illegally in his office, that he may have an opportunity of answering him properly.

If the letter is wrote with a view to deter an officer from his duty, Mr. Elliot assures the writer, that as long as he has the honour to act as Collector, of the port of New-York, he will exert the same attention and firmness, that has for ten years past, enabled him to give satisfaction to his superiors in office; and to live happily among the inhabitants of this city.

ANDREW ELLIOT

At the Coffee-house the letter was by all disavowed, and greatly disapproved of: The Collectors manner of treating it, met with the highest approbation, notwithstanding which that very night the following printed hand-bill was secretly conveyed into almost every house in town.

To the INHABITANTS of NEW-YORK.

My Dear Friends and Fellow Citizens,

At a time when slavery is clanking her infernal chains, and tyranny stands ready with goads and whips to enforce obedience to her despotic and cruel mandates; when oppression, with gigantic strides is approaching your once happy retreats, and her tools and minions are eagerly grasping, to seize the cup from the lip of industry; will you supinely fold your arms; and calmly see your weapons of defence torn from you, by a band of ruffians? You, whose glorious and renowned ancestors, freely lavished their blood and treasure, to secure to you the full enjoyment of liberty, that greatest of all temporal blessings; forbid it, Heaven! forbid it gratitude and honour! ー How long will you patiently bear insult and wrong? Are you so callous and dead to every sense of honour, as to disregard your reputation; and the taunts and scoffs, of your fellow subjects in the neighbouring colonies? What is become of your former magnanimity and spirit; you who dared to degrade the Governor of the province, and exhibit his effigy, under the very muzzle of his cannon?² Are you dwindled to such dastards and poltroons, as to suffer yourselves to be insulted, and robbed of your arms, by a few petty Custom-house officers, with impunity? Methinks I hear you say, it cannot, it must not be: ー Rouze then, my friends and countrymen, rouze and play the men upon this occasion; convince the world that you are still possessed of the same noble spirit, by which you were actuated in former times, and that whoever injures you, shall not fail to feel the weight of your resentment; your country has been basely robbed (by the officers of the customs) of a considerable number of arms, which were legally exported from Great-Britain, and imported here, in the ship Lady Gage,³ and therefore not liable to a seizure, upon any pretence whatsoever, as they are actually the manufacture of England: ー Those arms (I am credibly informed) are now on board the man of war, and are in a few days to be sent to General [Thomas] Gage, and of consequence are to be used for your destruction: Can you bear such a thought? especially when you have it in your power to prevent it; does not the bare idea of it, harrow up your souls? In the name of Heaven, throw off your supineness; assemble together immediately, and go in a body to the Collector, insist upon the arms being relanded, and that he must see them forth-coming, or abide the consequences; delays are dangerous; there is no time to be lost: It is not a season to be mealymouthed, or to mince matters; the times are precarious and perilous, and we do not know but the arms may be wanted tomorrow.

PLAIN ENGLISH

Some people may endeavour to persuade you, that it would be improper to call upon the Collector in such a way, on account of his former polite behaviour to the mercantile body, but this objection has not the least weight in it, as he has shewn himself inimical to the liberties of America, and has therefore cancelled every obligation.

Early next morning a number of the principal merchants assembled, waited on the Collector the Customs House, and assured him of their intentions to support him in the legal execution of his duty.

They then accompanied him to the Coffee House, where he was met by numbers of the inhabitants of all ranks (among whom was a number of Masters of ships, with their men) who appeared, with readiness to shew how much they esteemed the Collector as a just and good officer.

Some gentlemen then called upon the authors of the letter or hand-bill to appear, or any other person, and accuse the Collector of having, in any instance acted either arbitrarily or illegally; that the writing such letters, or disturbing officers in their duty, must be abhorred by all men that wish the support of civil government and good order; that in the present case it appeared the Collector had done nothing but his duty, and that it was therefore incumbent on the inhabitants to support him.

The justness of this proposal, and the inclination of the people present to adopt it, was instantly testified by three cheers. ー The Collector then stepped forward, politely thanked the audience for their kind attention on this occasion; assuring them that nothing could be more pleasing to him than this public testimony of their approbation, both as a fellow-citizen, and as an officer of government; at the same time declaring his intention of steadily adhering to his former conduct.⁴