OCR Text |
Show 332 [Az D.T.] [11131317in Council in 1773-4. Proceedings and EA'd/ihillfltlbfl, éyaf'é' Bay, in general court legally allcmbled, by virtue of your l‘vlajei‘ty's writ under the hand and feal of the Governor; beg leave to lay this our humble petition before Majefty. Nothing but the fenfe of duty we owe to our Sovereign, and the obligation we are under to confult the peace and fafety of the province; could induce us to remonflrate to your Maieity [concerning] the trial-conduct of perfons who have heretofore had the confidence and eitcem of this people; and whom your Majeity has been pleated, from the pureft motives of rendering your fubjee‘ts happy, to advance to the higbell places oftruft and authority in the province. Your lVIaiefty's humble petitioners, with the deepeit concern and anxiety, have feen the difcords and animofities which have too long fubfiftcd between your fubjeéts of the parent-Rate and thofe of the American colonies. And we have trembled with apprehenfions, that the con- fequences naturally arifing therefrom, would at length prove fatal to both countries. Permit us humbly to fuggeft to your Majcfty, that your fubjeéts here have been inclined to believe, that the grievances which they have fuffered, and {till continue to fuller; have been occafioned by your Majei‘ry's minitters and principal fetvants being, unfortunately for us, 721/:- z'Ig/‘brmed in certain faéts of very interei‘ting importance to us. It is for this reafon that former aflemblies have, from time to time, prepared a true itate of facts to be laid before your Maj"? 5 M 333 but their humble remonflrances and petitions, it is prefumcd, have by fomc means been prevented from reaching your royal hand. Your lVlajefty's petitioners have very lately had before them term/11fur/12m, from which they hum~ bly conceive, it is molt reaionable to nippofe, that there has been long a confpiracy of evil men, in this province; who have contemplated meaning and formed a plan to advance themfelves to power, and raife their own fortunes; by means deiti'uenve of the charter of the province, at the exptnce of the quiet of the nation, and to the annilnlating of the rights and liberties of the American colonie~ . And we do with all due fubmiiiion to your Niajefty beg leave particularly to complain of the conduct of his Excellency Thomas Hutchinfon, E111; Governor, and the Honourable Andrew Oliver, Efquire, Lieutenant Governor of this your Ma- jefty's province; as having a natural and efficacious tendency to interrupt and alienate the affections of your Majefty, our rightful Sovereign, from this your loyal province; to def'troy that harmony and good-Will between Great Britain and this colony, which every honeit fubjeét lhould ltrive to efta‘olilh; to excite the refentment oftheBritifh adminiftration againft this province; to defeat the endeavours ofour agents and friends to ferve us by a fair reprefentation of our Rate of facts ; to prevent our humble and repeated petitions from reaching the ear of your Majei'ty, or having their defired effect. And finally, that the faid Thomas Hutchinfon and Andrew Oliver have been among the $12in in u»- |