We cannot but express our most sincere acknowledgment of gratitude and thanks to the Right Honorable Mr. Pitt, that great patron of liberty, for the condescension he has shown in taking notice of our affairs ; and, so far as reasonable and just, we doubt not of his concurrence and assistance to procure us redress.
In answer to your remarks, that the quorum of sixteen is too large for the proposed number of twenty-two deputies for the whole Assembly, it is also our opinion, but it was the resolve of Council.
Our desire of having all placemen excluded from the Assembly, was owing to the circumstances of the colony under our present Governor. The voters are almost dependants, the officers are wholly so, it would therefore be the Governor’s Assembly and not the people’s. Laws would be made according to his pleasure, and no grievance would be redressed. But if a Governor who has the welfare of the colony and the interest of the people, was appointed, this would be an immaterial point.
The reason why triennial Assemblies was proposed, was intended only for the first Assembly, in order to settle the colony under an English Assembly ; otherwise, foreigners, being the most numerous, and the time when they will be naturalized by a seven-years’ residence near approaching, the future Assemblies might be mostly composed of foreigners, which might be dangerous to this frontier settlement.
As to the article of Judges, a good Governor will avail more for the advancement of justice, and then a good judge would be under no concern least he be displaced.
Another of the Governor’s acts, is to misrepresent and abuse all below him. He has publicly called his Council a pack of scoundrels, the merchants a parcel of villains and bankrupts, and has represented in England the whole as a people discontended and rebellious. We have authority of his saying and declaring this from his own mouth in the presence of many officers both of the army and navy. It is posible, sir, that people can be easy under such a Governor ? We dare appeal to our two former Governors for our behavior under their administration, whose conduct to us was the very reverse of Governor Lawrence.
Believe us, sir, we are not captious. We are not that turbulent people we have been represented ; our interest obliges us to be otherwise ; we desire nothing inconsistent with the prerogatives of the Crown ; we desire none other than the liberties enjoyed by the other colonies, which His Majesty has graciously been leased to promise by his Royal proclamation.
Our distresses have arisen from the malevolent disposition of Governor Lawrence and his creatures. Were they removed and a Governor of humanity appointed, one acquainted with the constitution of Englishmen and an Assembly settled, you would soon have the leasure of hearing of the increase and success of this settlement, for we are well assured that 500 families would
