No 51.
Sir Your Excellency will be pleased to inform Captain Squire, that the Time has been, when we should have thought it an Honor, and would with pleasure have supplied any of his Majesty's Ships with Provision; and are still not destitute of Hope, a Time may yet come, when we may enjoy that satisfaction.
We have always considered Captn Squire as a Man of Humanity, and a Gentleman, and as such cannot account for the burning of a Vessell in full View of the People of this City, as if meant to add Insult to Misfortune already too severely felt by the People of this Province, who were always attached to his Majesty and his Family. And who cannot be reprobated for defending themselves against any Invasion of their Native and Charter-Rights. We are willing to believe and shall be glad of being confirmed therein, that this Step was not in Consequence of any Order from him.
We are much obliged to your Excellency for the pains you have taken to preserve the Peace of this Province, and beg that you will still exert your Endeavours for the Restoration of those happy Days, that we enjoyed under a Constitutional Dependance on the Mother Country.
In Councl Annaps. March 10th, 1776
