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King in his Parliament which your fathers acknowledged."

Bofton, June 25. The affemblies and town meetings of the following places in America, viz. Hartford, Preston, Farmington, Wethersfield, in Connecticut; Williamsburgh, in Virginia; Baltimore County, in Maryland; Annapolis; Rhode-Ifland, and Providence plantatitions, have each paffed votes or refolutions, expreffing their great deteftation of the Bolton Port-bill, recommending a congrefs to be held, to take measures for forming an affociation to break off all commercial connections with Great Britain, and with that colony, province or town, which fhall decline or refuse to come to fimilar refolutions with the majority of the colonies. Some of them alfo recommended contributions to be made for the poor fufferers in Boston, and fubscriptions have been raised for their fupport.

In confequence of the above-mentioned refolutions, the following folemn league and covenant has been subscribed by the refpective inhabitants of the feveral towns.

Solemn League and Covenant. "WE the fubfcribers, inhabitants of the town of, having taken into our ferious confideration the precarious state of the liberties of North America, and more especially the prefent diftreffed condition of this infulted province, embarraffed as it is by feveral acts of the British parliament, tending to the entire fubverfion of our natural and charter rights; among which is the act for blocking up the harbour of Bolton; and being fully fenfible of our indifpenfible duty, to lay hold on every means in our power to preserve and recover the much injured conftitution of our country, and confcious at the fame time of no alternative between the horrors of flavery, or the carnage and defolation of a civil war, but a fufpenfion of all commercial intercourse with the island of Great Britain; do, in the prefence of God, folemnly, and in a good faith, covenant and agree with each other,

"I. That from henceforth we will fufpend all commercial intercourse with the faid ifland of Great Britain, until the faid act for blocking up the faid harbour be repealed, and a full restoration of our charter rights be obtained.

"II. That there may be the lefs temptation to others to continue in the faid September, 1774.

now dangerous commerce, we do in like manner folemnly covenant, that we will not buy, purchase, or confume, in any manner whatever, any goods, wares, or merchandize, which shall arrive in America from Great Britain aforefaid, from and after the last day of August next enfuing. And in order, as much as in us lies, to prevent our being interrupted and defeated in this only peaceable meafure, entered into for the recovery and prefervation of our rights, we agree to break off all trade, commerce, and dealings whatever, with all perfons, who, preferring their own private interest to the falvation of their now perishing country, fhall ftill continue to import goods of Great Britain, or shall purchase of those who do import.

"III. That fuch perfons may not have it in their power to impose upon us by any pretence whatever, we further agree to purchase no article of merchandize from them, or any of them, who fhall not have figned this, or a fimilar covenant, or will not produce an oath, certified by a magiftrate to be by them taken, to the following purport, viz. I, of in the county

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of do folemnly fwear, that the goods I have now on hand, and propofe for fale, have not, to the best of my knowledge, been imported from Great Britain into any port of America, since the laft day of Auguft, 1774; and that I will not, contrary to the fpirit of an agreement entered into through this province, import, or purchase of any perfon fo importing, any goods as aforefaid, until the port or harbour of Boflon fhall be opened, and we are fairly restored to the free use of our conftitutional and charter-rights.

"Laftly, We agree, that after this, or a fimilar covenant, has been offered to any perfon, and they refufe to fign it, or produce the oath abovefaid, we will confider them as contumacious importers, and withdraw all commercial connections with them, fo far as not to purchase of them any articles whatever, and publish their names to the world, Witness our hands, &c."

The reception this league and covenant met with, fo much alarmed Gen. Gage, that on the 29th of June he published the following thundering proclamation.

"WHEREAS certain perfons, call ing themfelves a Committee of Corre pondence for the town of Boston, ha Bbbb

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lately prefumed to make, or caufe to be made, a certain unlawful inftrument, purporting to be a folemn league and covenant, intended to be figned by the inhabitants of this province; whereby they are most folemnly to covenant and engage, to fufpend all commercial intercourfe with the ifland of Great Britain, until certain acts of the British parliament fhall be repealed:

"And whereas printed copies of the said unlawful inftrument have been tranfmitted, by the aforefaid Committee of Correfpondence, fo called, to the feveral towns in this province, accompanied with a fcandalous, traiterous, and feditious letter, calculated to inflame the minds of the people, to disturb them with illgrounded fears and jealoufies, and to excite them to enter into an unwarrantable, hoftile, and traiterous combination, to diftrefs the British nation, by interrupting, obftructing, and deftroying her trade with the colonies, contrary to their allegiance due to the king, and to the form and effect of divers ftatutes made for fecuring, encouraging, protecting, and regulating the faid trade; and deftructive of the lawful authority of the British parliament, and of the peace, good order, and fafety of the community;

"And whereas the inhabitants of this province, not duly confidering the high criminality, and dangerous confequences to themselves, of fuch alarming and unprecedented combinations, may incautioufly be tempted to join in the aforefaid unlawful league and covenant, and thereby expofe themselves to the fatal confequences of being confidered as the declared and open enemies of the king,

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parliament, and kingdom of Great Britain:

"In obfervance therefore of my duty to the king, in tenderness to the inhabitants of this province, and to the end that none who may hereafter engage in fuch dangerous combinations, may plead, in excufe of their conduct, that they were ignorant of the crime in which they were involving themselves, I have thought fit to iffue this proclamation, hereby earnetily cautioning all perfons whatfoever within this province against figning the aforefaid, or a fimilar covenant, or in any manner entering into, or being concerned in fuch unlawful, ho ftile, and traiterous combinations, as they would avoid the pains and penalties due to fuch aggravated and dangerous offences.

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And I do hereby ftrictly enjoin and command all magistrates, and other officers, within the feveral counties in this province, that they take effectual care to apprehend and fecure for trial, all and every person who may hereafter prefume to publish, or offer to others to be fign ed, or fhall themselves fign the aforefaid, or a fimilar covenant, or be in any wife aiding, abetting, advifing, or affifting therein.

"And the respective sheriffs of the feveral counties within this province, are hereby required to caufe this proclamation forthwith to be pofted up in fome public place, in each town, within their refpective districts.

Giyen under my hand at Salem, the 29th of June, 1774. "Thomas Gage."

TRY.

If this be true, then worthy Ned
Is a wax light among the dead;
His fluted form ftill fheds perfume,
And scatters luftre round his tomb:
Then what is mortal life? Why, tufe,
This mortal's life's not worth a rush.

The Subject of the following Lines, full

of Health and Spirits, fell a Villim to a Fever in the Bloom of Life. This may caution young Men against overbeating themselves, and endangering their Lives to the great Anxiety and Pain of their Parents and Families.

To the memory of WILLIAM HATFIELD FERRAR, Who died at Limerick,

The 22d of July, 1774, In the 21st year of his age. Unblemished in his character, Uncorrupted by the world, Unappalled at the approach of death, But not unbewailed by a few companions, Innocent as himself;

He was taken by a merciful God, From a world of difappointment and trouble;

To a life of eternal happiness. "What art thou, life? What hast thou to bestow? [know; What are thy bleffings? For thy ills we Hid from mankind, (if any thou can'ft boast) [coaft:

They grow and flourish on fome unknown Thro' various climes we feek thy fweets

to share,

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[care; But ftill return with double freights of Then what avails?—This knowledge Yet

we've obtain❜d,

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Oh, I could tear your eyes out!

Juft as eagerly as thee,

IJ

Thought when I got a wife, My joy of course fo great would be, It needs muft laft for life; When the agreed to tie the knot, I thought of nothing else, Then all was glee "Twixt her and me; Nor did I grudge the king his lot, When ding-dong went the bells. But, ah! our joys were fleeting foon, Words that did sweetly fall, Ere we had pafs'd the honey-moon, To wormwood turn'd and gall, Whate'er of furies they invent, Broke out of flaming cells,

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I do what I can ;

furely papa and mamma are in

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NE'ER down,

That I am true, believe me;

Or next time that I row to town,
May wind and tide deceive me,
By this here breeze,
My heart's at ease,
Now dances at high-water ;
My labour's o'er,

I've gain'd the fhore,

And, free from fear,

Am landed here,

With my dear gardener's daughter.

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Mrs.

Mrs. BUNDLE.

I fee my dear, 'tis all in vain,
Since this you think expedient,
If of the past you'll not complain,
Henceforth I'll prove obedient,
Folks us'd to cry,

A tartar I had prov'd,
And you had caught her;
But now fhall raise
Each voice in praise,
Through all her life,
Of the gardener's wife,
As well as of his daughter.
Old BUNDLE.

My child, you've fairl won my heart,
You took no counsel from us;
But prizing love, and fcorning art,
Preferr'd your honeft Thomas.
"Twas wifely done,
Shake hands, my son,

T

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FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS.

HE Turks and Ruffians, after having facrificed near 60,000 of their fubjects in each campaign, have af last figned a peace, without any very material advantage to the victorious party. Let us not imagine, that motives of royal humanity have in any degree contri

buted to this measure. Ambitious fovereigns pay no greater regard to the lives of their fubjects, than they do to the horfes which drag their military baggage from poft to poft. If we dive below the furface, and penetrate the views of thefe divine governors of the world, we fhall be led to conjecture many things, among which the following are not perhaps very

far diftant from the truth.

The Pruffian eagle has long caft a jealous eye on the power of the Ruffians,

the recent fmart of whofe rod he has not

forgotten. He has, for fome time paft, beheld, with a fecret pleasure, that empire exhaufting its military ftrength in a contest, in which he artfully evaded engaging as a party. He feems to have confidered it as much more to his advantage to make himself master of the most fruitful parts of Poland, than to engage in an uncertain war, from which no profits can be reaped. It is probable, that the Ruffian emprefs began, at laft, to fee into the views of that enterprizing monarch, and was therefore defirous of concluding a treaty, as foon as poffible,

with the Turks.

Let us take a step further, and suppose, that the Grand Turk, who at his acceffion to the imperial dignity made fuch a rade of his military preparations, affuch repeated checks to his ambition.

was no way averfe to accept of thofe moderate terms offered him by a fucceffful but wearied conqueror. The Ottoman forces will probably never make any great figure in the field against the Ruffians, unless the manners of thofe two empires fhould materially change. At prefent, the Turks are luxurious and ener vated, and eafily difcouraged by misfor tunes. The Ruffians are born and bred in a climate, which by its feverity makes the fatigues of a campaign, under a milder meridian, in fome measure an agreeable change. Inured to hardfhips, accustomed to a fcanty fare, and utter ftrangers to modern refinements, they know nothing but what they are taught by their commanders, which confitts only in obedience to military difcipline, and at every opportunity to purchase glory at the hazard of their lives. Hence it is, that no dangers deter them, no misfor tunes difmay them, and their only purfuit is victory or death.

The emprefs of Ruffia, however, amidft all her fucceffes against the Turks, seems to have had more than one private view in the last accommodation of matters. A dangerous rebellion in her own territories, and perhaps fome jealoufies of a confpiracy against her in the very center of her capital, may have induced her to haften the period, in which the could fafely recal her troops from fo dif

tant a quarter.

The king of Pruffia's claim to the city of Dantzick feems founded on no other principle than that of royal affurance, which, when fupported by powerful ar mies muft aly 1ys aineer reafonable to

the weaker party. It is faid, that he intends to purchase the pretended claim upon the city of Hamburgh of Count Schomberg; and it is certain he has claimed a debt, amounting to an immenfe fum, of the states of Holland, which debt their High Mightineffes affert was discharged above feventy years ago. It is impoffible to fay where these alarming claims of this northern ravager will flop. The emperor of Germany is at peace with all the world, unless his affifting his mother, the emprefs-queen, to rob the king of Poland of his dominions, may be termed a declaration of war againit that unhappy prince; and yet this young fprig of the house of Auftria maintains feveral vast armies, who are continually marching on the borders of his dominions, as if ready for action. His imperial majefty himself is either conftantly at the head of one of his armies, or travelling from one to the other of them: he endures all the fatigues of a common foldier, and never makes any meal but at night, when he partakes of any fare though ever fo coarfe, and fuch as the place he ftops at will afford. In fhort, he feems determined, like Charles of Sweden, to acquire an iron conftitution by continual fatigue and abftinence. If the good of mankind in general, and the peace and welfare of his own fubjects, were the reasons of all this uncommon application, of all this ardour of military establishment, the emperor would be juftly admired as another Titus. But, alas! he that maintains immenfe forces must pay them by the fweat, labours and induftry, of his impoverished fubjects. Millions of people must be half starved to feed and cloath an army of three hundred thousand men. O pernicious thirft of glory, that entails mifery upon a whole nation.

It would require fome time to judge properly of his Most Christian Majefty. He is juft come to a throne, which has long been furrounded by the party cabals and intrigues of interefted men, who ftrain every political nerve to obtain the confidence of their prince, and then lead him as they pleafe. All the public papers pafs great encomiums on his majefty, and reprefent him as a prince born only for the happiness of his fubjects. The beginning of a reign is often very different from the fucceeding periods: in the former, nothing is talked of but the peace, profperity, and happiness of the

subject; in the latter, obedience to the will of the prince, and paffive fubmiffi on to the mandates of his minifters.

The king of Sweden, with a view to encourage the manufactures of his own country, has laid heavy duties on the importation of woollen cloaths, watches, and many othes articles: the profits from which duties are to be appropriated in giving premiums to the manufacturers of of the fame articles in Sweden. The king of Denmark has followed his example, and has forbidden the importation of foreign cloths into any part of his dominions, the manufactures in that kingdom being now fufficient to fupply them.

The fate of the Corficans seems now to be finally determined. The rebels, as they are called, are totally defeated, a few of them only having been able to efcape to the mountains, to linger out the remainder of a wretched life, which can be prolonged only by the spontaneous productions of an uncultivated foil. The French, like true politicians, seem to be convinced, that the only means of gaining an eafy fettlement on a conquered ifland, to which they are fenfible they can have no juft title, is to get rid of the old and unruly natives by breaking them alive on the wheel, putting them to the fword, or difpatching them by any other means which royal policy may fuggeft. Corfica, fo long renowned for wafting over every part of her island, to the utmoft extremity of her shores, the falubrious air of freedom, must from henceforth be confidered only as the den of Gallic slavery!

From the Lower Rhine, July 7. The vicar-general of the city of Cologne having again, on the 20th ult. made the Pope's brief of fuppreffion known to the Jefuits, he told them that it was the electors will that the faid brief should be ftrictly executed: accordingly, on the fame day, their schools were taken from them, and they were forbid to confefs, and the magiftrates appointed a fecular commiffary to occupy their college.

Warsaw, Auguft 3. A Ruffian officer is arrived here as courier from general Romanzow, with the important news of peace between Ruffia and the porte being concluded, to the great advantage of the former. This moft glorious peace, ever concluded by the Ruffians, was figned the 21ft of July, at Kout-chouce Kainardzi near Siliftri, by prince Repnin and the Turkish Plenipotentiaries, Niff

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