Sir

The alarming situation of public affairs in this country, & the late unfortunate transactions in the Province of the Massatts Bay, have induced the General Assembly of this Colony, now sitting in this place to appoint a Committee of their body to wait upon your Excellency to desire me, in their name to write to you relative to these very interesting mattersー

The inhabitants of this Colony are intimately connected with the people of your Province and esteem themselves bound by the strongest ties of friendship, as well as of common interest, to regard with attention whatever concerns them. You will not therefore be surprized that your first arrival at Boston with a body of His Majesty's troops for the declared purpose of carrying into execution certain Acts of Parliament, which in their apprehension were unconstitutional and oppressive should have given the good people of this Colony, a very just and general alarm.

Your subsequent proceedings in fortifying the town of Boston & other military preparations greatly encreased their apprehensions for the safety of their friends and brethern ー They could not be unconcerned spectators of their sufferings in that which they esteemed the common cause of this country, but the late hostile and secret inroads of some of the troops under your command into the heart of the country and the violences they have committed, have driven them almost into a state of desperation ー They feel now, not only for their friends, but for themselves and their dearest interests and connections ー We wish not to exaggerate; we are not sure of every part of our information, but by the best intelligence that we have yet been able to obtain the late transaction was a most unprovoked attack upon the lives and property of His Majesty's subjects, and it is represented to us, that such outrages have been committed as would be a disgrace even to barbarians; much more to Britons, so highly famed for humanity as well as bravery ー It is feared therefore that we are devoted to destruction and that you have it in command and intention to ravage and desolate the country ー If this is not the case, permit us to ask why have these outrages been committed? Why is the town of Boston now shut up & to what end are all these hostile preparations that are daily making & why do we continually hear of fresh destinations of troops for this country? The people of this Colony, you may rely upon it abhor the idea of taking arms against the troops of their sovereign and dread nothing so much as the horrors of civil war; but at the same time we beg leave to assure your Excellency that as they apprehend themselves justified by the principle of selfdefence they are most firmly resolved to defend their rights and privileges to the last extremity; nor will they be restrained from giving aid to their brethem if any unjustifiable attack is made upon them ー Be so good therefore as to explain yourself upon this most important subject as far as it is consistent with your duty to our common Sovereign ー Is there no way to prevent this unhappy dispute from coming to extremeties? Is there no alternative but absolute submission or the desolations of War? By that humanity which constitutes so aimable a part of your character as well as for the honour of your Sovereign and by the Glory of the British Empire we entreat you will prevent it if it be possible ー Surely it is to be hoped that the temperate wisdom of the Empire might even yet find expedients to restore peace, that so all parts of the Empire may enjoy their particular rights honours and immunities. Certainly it is an event most devoutly to be wished for And will it not be consistent with your duty to suspend the operations of war on your part, and enable us on ours to quiet the minds of the people at least until the result of some further deliberations may be known? The importance of the occasion will we doubt not sufficiently apologize for the earnestness with which we address you, and any seeming impropriety which may attend it, as well as induce you to give us the most explicit and favourable answer in your powerー

I am with great esteem and respect in behalf of the Genl Assembly Sir [&c.]²