Copy of letters sent to Great-Britain, by His Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, the Hon. Andrew Oliver, and several other persons, born and educated among us. Which original letters have been returned to America, and laid before the Honorble [sic] House of Representatives of this province. : In which (notwithstanding His Excellency's declaration to the House, that the tendency and design of them was not to subvert the Constitution, but rather to preserve it entire) the judicious reader will discover the fatal source of the confusion and bloodshed in which this province especially has been involved, and which threatned [sic] total destruction to the liberties of all America.

Copy of some LETTERS signed Thomas Moffat, lately returned from England.

SIR,

NOtwithstanding of my having written to you very often, and at much length of late, and that I am upon the point of setting out for Boston with the first weather fit for travelling, yet I cannot refrain from troubling you with a few lines about the 8th and 9th letters of the Farmer, which I now inclose you. They are oracular here and make rapid deep impressions, and who is there at this time here, if ca|pable, that may undertake to contradict or expose these agreeable seasonable epistolary Sophisms? Relief, Support and Recompence so long and so much expected, hoped and wished for, seems too tardy and slow paid—vigour and reso|lution seems to be exhausted in Great-Britain, or bestowed up|on improper and more trivial objects, than the subjection or obedience of America. Excuse these out-pourings of melan|cholly and despondency in a very dreary day, when the wea|ther alters and the sun shines abroad, perhaps I may see through a brighter or more agreeable medium, but believe me the prospect is now bad and unpromising, but however it may prove, I desire and pray you to be assured that I am,

Sir,

your most obedient and most humble Servant, THOMAS MOFFAT.

N. London, February 7, 1768.

I will also trouble you from Boston.

SIR,

BY Mr. Byles I am favoured with your most obliging let|ter of the second of August last, for which together with your extraordinary civility to Mr. Byles I truly thank you: I could not really think of such a person going from hence without shewing him to you, as a Parson or Minister of his way and turn of thinking may be considered as of the comet kind here, which leads me to say somewhat abruptly if not improperly to you, that it seems to me here as if the Universi|ties of Scotland had conspired to distinguish all the firebrand incendiary preachers of this country with plumes of honorary degrees and titles, which in truth are only so many mortifica|tions to the friends of Great-Britain or lovers of letters, who cannot help being touched and chagrined at the too frequent profusion of honor and titles conferred from Scotland upon the leading preachers of sedition. I wish this affair of litera|ry prostitution from my native country may induce you to speak of it to some of that nation with whom I know you are intimate, that may think of preventing it for the future.

As to Boston, the great theatre of action, I have been silent for some time past only for want of certain intelligence, as every day generally produced new rumours without any or much foundation in truth—but since the arrival of the two regiments with Col. Dalrymple all has been quiet there. I now flatter myself that measures of vigour will be pursued and maintained here, and I impatiently wish to hear that

your friend is in power and confidence again, but that is in|deed a point I have much expectation, desire and faith in. As you have expressed heretofore to me inclination of know|ing the proceedings of the Rhode-Island Assembly respecting compensation to the sufferers in the riot of Newport, I now trouble you with a copy of my letter of this day to the Lords of the Treasury, which mutatis mutandis, is the same with that also to the Earl of Hilsborough of the same date with a copy of the narrative and letter to Lord Shelburne.

MY LORDS,

AGain I presume upon troubling your Lordships with as short an account as may be written of what has very lately passed in the General Assembly of Rhode Island colo|ny, in reference to their granting of a compensation to the sufferers from the riot of Newport 1765, as resolved on in the British Parliament and very graciously recommended from His Majesty to the Governor and Company of that colony by his principal Secretary of State.

Tired out and greatly mortified with a long course of fre|quent fruitless and a very expensive attendance upon the Ge|neral Assembly, I had resolved above a year ago to solicit them no more: but at the intercession of my fellow sufferer Mr. Howard, Chief Justice of North-Carolina, I was again prevailed upon to go to Newport in September last, where and when the Assembly then met and I had sufficient influ|ence to engage the Speaker of the House of Deputies to move several times for reading a petition of Mr. Howard's, with an estimate of his loss solemnly sworn to and authenticated by a Notary Public▪ with every necessary prescribed form. The Speaker also urged upon the House because of my attending from another colony upon that account only, but the Depu|ties would neither consent to hear Mr. Howard's petition nor receive his estimate.

Immediately after this refusal a message was sent from the Upper House of Magistrates requesting the Lower House to enter now upon the riot of Newport by immediately impow|ering the High Sheriff to impannel a Jury of Inquisition to ascertain and repair the loss of Dr. Moffat, Mr. Howard and Mr. Johnson, but the House of Deputies could not listen nor agree to any part of this proposal from the Upper House.

About the middle of last month I wrote a most respectful letter to the Governor of Rhode Island and inclosed to his Honor the estimate of my loss in the Newport riot sworn to before and attested by a Magistrate here requesting the favor of the Governor to lay the same before the ensuing Assembly, The Governor writes on the seventh of this month

that at the last session of Assembly he presented my estimate and read my letter in a great committee of both Houses of As|sembly but could not prevail to have it considered then;

and adds

that he will endeavour to bring it in again next February.

Under the strongest impressions of assurance the General As|sembly of Rhode Island never will recompence the sufferers

in the riot of Newport, may I again presume to implore your Lordships interposition and influence to obtain a recompence for the sufferers in Rhode Island from some more effectual and certain channel than that of depending any longer upon the duty or justice of the General Assembly in that colony. And my Lords may I yet rather presume in writing to your Lordships to add that by endeavouring to restore in some measure what I lost in that riot I am now sadly sensible that I have not overvalued the same in my estimate, as also that if I am not compensated by the interest, generosity and equity of your Lordships, I can never expect to be possessed of half the value I then lost as the Office of a Comptroler here I now hold, has but a very inconsiderable salary with small perqui|sites.

I am, my Lords, &c. &c. T. M.

N. London, Nov. 14th, 1768.

In my last letter which I hope you have received, as I ad|dressed it to the care of your brother, I then touched upon Sir William Johnson's being here some weeks in quest of health, and of the pleasure Mr. Stewart and I enjoyed with him; as also that Lord Charles Grenville Montague was here on passant with his Lady; and I also then intimated to you our happiness in Mr. Harrison the Collector of Boston having accepted Mr. Stewart's warm invitation to come here after the very flagrant riot at Boston, on which he had been so greatly insulted, abused and hurt, who came here with his lady, son and daughter, and staid a fortnight; when we planned and regulated all these colonies into a system which I could wish to see effected. Since which Mr. Stewart has vi|sited Mr. Harrison at Boston at the time when Mrs. Harrison with their son and daughter failed for London as a place of perfect safety and liberty. Mr. Harrison's son is capable and promising, but was cruelly used by the mob of Boston, which will I hope induce Mr. Harrison's friends or rather the friends of government to provide suitably for so young a sufferer. I could not easily within the compass of a letter to you say the pleasure I have felt in observing the strict union and friendship that subsists and is now rivetted between Mr. Har|rison and Mr. Stewart upon principles of the truest honor and virtue both of whom well understand and sincerely wish the true interest of Great-Britain and all her colonies, especially in the cardinal articles of legislation and government, as also in the subaltern or lesser points of taxation and revenue from which objects no attachments, connections or views will or ever can sway the one or the other. As I have been accus|tomed to write to you with a plainness and freedom which I flatter myself has not been disagreeable so therefore I would further say of Mr. Stewart that he ••••rried in an opulent, popular and commercial family, some of whom perhaps may be supposed to have more oblique interest than may be con|sistent with regulation or a due submission to the laws of Great-Britatn, so it is with a peculiar and very sensible satis|faction that I can assure you his spirit, address and conduct in so nice a situation deserves the greatest praise and commenda|tions,

as it has perhaps been or may be very influential on some of the best among them, even to a better way of think|ing and acting. By the inclosed you will know that Mr. Stew|art now writes to Mr. Grenville, and mention somewhat of his application for leave of absence from the Treasury Board, which I only wish him to succeed in because I think Mr. Har|rison and him really the most capable persons here to throw light upon many transactions here which cannot be commu|nicated in letters or any written representation to satisfaction or proper advantage. If Mr. Stewart obtains leave to return home I shall be unhappy enough by his absence. Two years are now elapsed since I came here, a great part of which has been spent in anxiously wishing for the Genius of Britain to awake and vindicate her supreme jurisdiction and authority impiously questioned and denied in colonies so very lately re|deemed from hostile incursions and encroachments, but I believe the time is now come, and I rejoice in its approach. I wish you every felicity with the preferment and employment you like best, and am, Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant, THOMAS MOFFAT.

N. London, Nov. 15, 1768.

SIR.

IN November last I wrote you from New London, and in|serted in that letter a copy of what I had written to the Lords of the Treasury and the Earl of Hilsborough, relative to the compensation of the sufferers in the riot of Newport 1765. I hope and very much wish that letter may have come to your hand, because in it you will see how stricly and soon I fol|low your counsel in making affidation to the estimate of my loss, which as I apprehended made not the least impression nor could make upon the General Assembly of Rhode-Island, because there was not I believe a Member in either House that did not think and believe my loss exceeded the estimate frequently laid before them to no purpose. I thank you therefore for the kind and good advice which I instantly fol|lowed, and which I think has finished this long and tedious transaction on this side of the Atlantic, which has not only been ineffectual but attended with much trouble and expence to me. How or in what light it may be now considered by Administration or Parliament I cannot at this time and dis|tance judge, far less determine. Sometimes I flatter myself that a resolve of the British Senate will not be allowed to be thus scorned and trampled upon; at other times I despond and think the object too small for attention; and as there were but three sufferers in Rhode-Island colony, two of whom to my great pleasure and triumph are now amply and very honorably provided for, I sometimes imagine that com|pensation may drop and be forgot, and indeed if it was not for the confidence which I have in you and some others in the House of Commons, I should certainly despair of any re|compence, and which upon recollection I must acknowledge as criminal in a very great degree, because of its having been

resolved on in the Parliament of Great-Britain that such suf|ferers should be compensated: And I am not conscious that I have omitted, delayed or neglected any part of my duty in the course of negotiating it here in America.

A few days ago I came here chiefly to see and enjoy my friend Collector Harrison, that we might open bosoms to one another upon the great scene and field of affairs in this coun|try, the face of which is only altered apparently here from the arrival of the King's troops and ships, which have indeed restored a very certain security and tranquility, and pre|vented if not put a final period to their most pestilent town-meetings. There is nor can be no real alteration in the senti|ment or disposition of the prime disturbers—This is but an interval or truce procured from the dread of a Bayonet—The specifical and catholic remedy derived from and founded in an acknowledgment of the British supremacy and legislation over America manifested under the exercise of a more firm, regu|lar and consistent plan of civil government, must come from the decrets of the British Parliament, otherwise the country, and particularly New-England, will soon and forever be in perpetual anarchy and disobedience. The anxiety and dis|tress of the few here that are well affected to government be|fore the arrival of the troops and ships was very great, and in my opinion will be greater if vigorous, salutary and proper measures are not adopted in Parliament.

All here seem anxious and impatient to know the com|plexion and temper of the British Parliament, and what is ve|ry unaccountable if not incredible, the sons of liberty here so called are elevated with hope and assurance that their claims and pretensions will be received and recognized as they affect to phrase it, but if I err not, this presumption of hope may have arisen or been cherished in a great measure by some visits of an officer of high military rank from New-York to some of the most popular and violent ringleaders here, and I wish that I could say to you that the most mischievous here had not been countenanced also by a person of another and very different station.

I and that in consequence of and under an apprehension of unsettled, unsafe times here, Mr. Harrison has thought it best that Mrs. Harrison, his son and daughter, should go to Lon|don, as a place of true liberty and safety, and as I hope they will be arrived before this reaches you, and as I formerly mentioned to you Mr. Harrison's son as a young sufferer very roughly handled upon the 10th of June, so if you incline to see and discourse him for intelligence or any other motive, Mr. Hallowell of this town can easily bring him to you.

If any thing remarkable occurs here during my stay I shall not fail to write to you again.

I am, Sir Your most obedient and most humble Servant, THOMAS MOFFAT.

Boston, December 15, 1768.