[Extract]

The battle at Lexington unhappyly desolvd our Correspondence by Letter but Considering that our men Come of[f] Victorious in that Skirmish ー it may not be amiss to begin our Periodical Speculations upon the Scenes which are passing at this day . . . my mind much Confused with Reflections upon the unhappy state we are in who as an Individual must Suffer Equal to what small crum I have as those who have Great Possessions. my life is dear but however so I will Risque it in Opposition to the Measures of administration against this Insulted People ー Last Night in the Evening I had Intelligence that Orders was come over for the Troops to Destroy Plunder & burn as much as was possible they Could This is the Language of a British Parliament! May God in his Infinite Mercy Prevent their Rage from succeeding & may the Net they have spread for the Innocent Take their feet & the Councils of those men who are seeking the destruction of this People be Carried headlong. ー I am Informd that L--d Norths Fishery Bill as equally mercifull as his others has passd the two Houses of Parliament which will be very distressing to many of our New England men ー & Especially the Island of Nantucket who must Innevitably Perish without moving off for when at Newport often was Informd that their whole dependance for the Necessarys of Life was the Effects of their fishery ー there is not any favour to be Expected from that Parliament who have avowed the Desolution of a People who are as Loyal Subjects as any in Great Britain ー I am Informd that Mr Parsons of Amherst came in to Hadley to buy some shad but Could not Get any at all because he was a Tory Neither Could he get any at Northampton I believe if Lord N---h should hear of it he would be for a Bill to Restrain the fishery in Connecticutt River or to put a stop to the Shads Coming up the River which would Effect us who are short on for meat . . .