order to consider what should be done in the affair, and came into the following resolution, namely, That this Committee, being ignorant of the principles on which the said tea was imported, or whence it came, and not being able to get information thereof, by rea son of the importer's absence, do think it best to have it privately stored, and agree to meet at ten o'clock to-morrow, in order to take care of the same. Accordingly they met the next day agreeable to appointment, and found to their surprize that the tea had been destroyed, by persons unknown, the night before, at the time the committee were sitting at Bridgetown;' whereupon the committee further entered into the resolves following:

I. That we entirely disapprove of the destroying the abovementioned tea, it being entirely contrary to our resolves.

II. That we will not conceal, nor protect from justice, any of the perpetrators of the above fact.

Extract from the minutes of the Committee,
THOMAS EWING, Clerk.

reimbursed (out of the sales) the first cost and charges; the profit, if any, to be applied towards relieving and employing such poor inhabitants of the town of Boston, as are immediate sufferers by the Boston port bill; and a particular account of all goods so returned, stored or sold, to be inserted in the publick papers; and if any goods or merchandizes shall be imported after the said first day of February, the same ought forthwith to be sent back again, without breaking any of the packages thereof."

"Rev. Philip Vickers Fithian, who resided at Greenwich, and who is said to have been one of the party who destroyed the tea, gives us, in a few words recorded in his journal on the next day after the occurrence, a vivid picture of the affair, and of the feelings of the people concerning it. Under date of Friday, 23,' he says, 'Last night the Tea was, by a number of persons in disguise, taken out of the House & consumed with fire. Violent & different are the words about this uncommon manœuvre among the inhabitants. Some rave, some curse and condemn, some try to reason; many are glad the Tea is destroyed, but almost all disapprove the Manner of the Destruction.' Disguised as Indians, the party early in the evening broke open the store-house, took out the boxes of tea, and burned them on the open square."-Hist. Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland Counties, 536. By a misunderstanding, the date given in the Rev. Mr. Fithian's diary above was fur nished to Col. Robert G. Johnson as “Thursday, November 22," and he so gives it in his account of the Greenwich tea-party, in his History of Salem, p. 123. The error was repeated by Judge Elmer, in his History of Cumberland County, p. 15. The inhabitants of the vicinity accordingly celebrated the centennial of the occurrence in November (25-6), 1874. It might be noted that in 1774, December 2 did fall on a Thursday, while November 22 did not.-[W. N.]

Advertisement calling a meeting of the inhabitants of Shrewsbury for the 17th of January, to choose a Committee in accordance with the recommendations of the Continental Congress.

[From New Jersey Historical Society Manuscripts.]

Advertisement.

Agreeable to the Resolutions of the Late General Continental Congress-The Inhabitants of the town of Shrewsbury, more Especially Such as are properly Qualified for Choosing Representatives to Serve in General Assembly, are hereby Warned to meet at the House of Josiah Halstead, in said Shrewsbury, on Tuesday, the 17th of this Instant, January, at noon, in Order to Choose a Committee for the Several purposes as Directed By the Said Congress.

As the Method Ordered By the Congress Seems to Be the only peaceable Method the Case will admit of, on failure of which, Either Confirmed Slavery or a Civil War of Course Succeeds: the Bare mention of Either of the two Last is Shocking to human Nature, more particularly So to all true friends to the English Constitution. Therefore it Becomes the Indispensible Duty of all Such to Use their Utmost Endeavors in favor of the first or peaceable Method, and Suffer it not to miscarry or fail of its Salutary and much Desired Effects By means of any Sinister Views or Indolence of theirs. Surely Expecting on the one Hand to Be Loaded with the Curses arising from Slavery to the Latest posterity, or on the other hand the Guilt of Blood of thousands of their Brethren and fellow Christians to Lay at their Door and to Be Justly Required at their Hands. Think well of this Before it Be too Late and Let not the precious moment Pass.

SHREWSBURY, January 2d, 1775,

Circular Letter from the Earl of Dartmouth to the Governors in North America, directing them to prevent the choice of Deputies to attend the Continental Congress.

Sir

[From New York Colonial Documents, Vol. VIII., p. 527.]

WHITEHALL 4 January 1775

Certain persons styling themselves Delegates of several of His Majty's Colonies in America, having presumed, without His Majty's authority or Consent, to assemble together at Philadelphia, in the months of September and October last; and having thought fit, amongst other unwarrantable proceedings, to resolve that it will be necessary, that another Congress should be held, at the same place, on the 10th of May next, unless redress for certain pretended grievances be obtained before that time, and to recommend that all the Colonies in North America should chuse Deputies to attend such Congress, I am commanded by the King to signify to you His Majty's pleasure, that you do use your utmost endeavours to prevent any such appointment within the ce under your GovernCong Province ment; and that you do exhort all persons to desist from such an unjustifiable a proceeding, which cannot but be highly displeasing to the King.

I am ettc.

DARTMOUTH,

Letter from the Earl of Dartmouth to Gov. Franklin, relative to the proceedings and resolutions of the Congress.

[From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 177 (195).]

WHITEHALL 7th Jan! 1775.

Sir,

Governor Franklin.

By the New York Mail which arrived yesterday. I received your Dispatch of the 6th of December inclosing a Plan of a proposed Union between Great Britain & the Colonies, which I find by a Letter from L Governor Colden inclosing another Copy of it, was suggested & proposed in the general Congress by M Galloway.

The proceedings & Resolutions of that Congress & the phrenzy & Violence of the people in the New England Governments have brought the Dispute with America to such an issue as to make it absolutely necessary to come to some final decision, and the State of the Colonies will become the first object of Consideration upon the Meeting of Parliament after the Holydays.

The disapprobation of the proceedings of the Congress expressed so generally by Men of Rank & Condition in the Colonies of New York and New Jersey must have its Influence upon the Mind of every unprejudiced person who wished to have seen a foundation laid by more calm & dispassionate Measures for Peace & Union upon some reasonable and Constitutional Plan.

I am &ca

DARTMOUTH

Proceedings of the Elizabeth-Town Committee of Observation.

[From the New York Journal, or the General Advertiser, Monday, Jan. 26, 1775.]

At a full Meeting of the Committee of Observation for the Free Borough and Town of Elizabeth, at Elizabeth Town, New Jersey, January 16th 1775.

RESOLVED, That in order to increase the number of sheep, as recommended by the Seventh Article' of the Association, entered into by the Continental Congress, no Lambs be killed, or sold for the purpose of killing, before the first day of August next, and that no Ewes be killed or sold for that purpose, under four years old, within the district of the said borough of Elizabeth.

The same day were sold, (agreeable to the Resolves of the Congress) at public Vendue, under the inspection of said Committee, one hogshead and two casks of Goods, marked M. W. imported from Bristol, since the first of December last, by Matthias Williamson, Esq; in the ship Fair Lady, Capt. Sprainger, sent here by the Committee of New York.

"Seventh, We will use our utmost endeavours to improve the breed of sheep and increase their number to the greatest extent; and to that end, we will kill them as seldom as may be, especially those of the most profitable kind; nor will we export any to the West Indies or elsewhere; and those of us, who are or may be overstocked with, or can conveniently spare any sheep, will dispose of them to our neighbours, especially to the poorer sort, on moderate terms."