AT a time when degenerate Britons are with brutal rage, and the greateſt injuſtice, uſing every means in their power to wreſt from their American Brethren every thing that ought to be held dear and invaluable by any people; our Country may juſtly demand not only from thoſe who are more immediately concerned in the management of their public affairs, but from every individual his utmoſt exertions for its defence and ſecurity.

The faireſt proſpect we have that the deſigns of our Enemies will prove abortive, and the cauſe of truth and righteouſneſs, in the defence and eſtabliſhment of civil and religious Liberty, will finally prevail, ariſes from that Union of the Independent States of America, which in the favor of Providence has ſo remarkably taken place: Our Enemies are juſtly alarmed at this proſpect, and ſpare no pains, nor ſcruple any means, in order to break or weaken not only the general Union, but even the Unity and Harmony of a particular State.—For the accompliſhment of ſo baſe an intention, how many falſe Reports, relative to the Deſigns and Acts of Congreſs, a particular Government or Town have been induſtriouſly circulated—what wrong turns have been given to, and irritating remarks made upon their Reſolves and Tranſactions.—It may be as needleſs as it would prove tireſome to advert to particular Inſtances, our memories muſt be crouded with them.

Among the many happy conſequences which have been derived from the appointment of Committees of Correſpondence through this and the other States, it is not the leaſt of them, that our inveterate Enemies have hereby been defeated in their projects to deceive.

The Act of this and the other New England States to prevent Monopoly and Oppreſſion, by affixing Prices to the Neceſſaries of Life, has given a new opportunity to the Enemies of America for their inſidious Practices; and it is from intelligence received, that the Town of Boſton has been greatly miſrepreſented as a Town, that we have the honor to write and tranſmit you by their order "an account of their public tranſactions relative to ſaid Act," and reſpectfully to aſk "your interpoſition and kind offices to prevent any miſunderſtanding by falſe Reports ſpread daily by the Tory Party" to prejudice the People of the Country againſt a Town which has been long the butt of their calumny and vengeance.

On the 6th inſtant a Meeting of the Inhabitants was called, "to conſider and determine upon the moſt effectual Meaſures to have the Act of the General Court to prevent Monopoly and Oppreſſion ſtrictly complied with, not only from regard to the Authority and Laws of this State, but as abſolutely neceſſary for the effectual ſecurity of the eſſential Rights and Liberties of America."—At this Meeting, which was full and united, a Committee of 36 Perſons were choſen out of the ſeveral wards, of ſuch as were not in trade; "to aid and aſſiſt the Selectmen and Committee of Correſpondence, by information or other legal ways, in carrying into execution the ſaid Act."—At this meeting alſo a Committee of ſeven were appointed, "to conſider and report at the adjournment what they judge neceſſary for the Town to do, in order to procure a ſufficient ſupply of proviſions of all kind, and to promote the ſalutary intentions of the late Act."—

The aforeſaid Committee on the 12th current reported, and after obſerving that a number of our worthy Inhabitants were ſelling their Goods at the prices affixed in the late Act, and expreſſing their apprehenſion, that if all would do ſo the Town would ſoon have as full a ſupply of proviſions as is uſual at this ſeaſon of the year proceeded "moſt earneſtly to recommend to all the Inhabitants of this Town a ſtrict compliance with the Act, as they regarded the peace of the Town, the diſtreſſes of the poor, fixing our medium at a certain value, and ſtrengthning the hands of Government at this critical and important day — Alſo that the Committees of other Towns be informed, that the Inhabitants of this Town will exert themſelves to the utmoſt that the people in the Country Towns ſhall be ſupplied with any articles agreable to the prices affixed in the late act of this State for preventing monopolies, &c." This Report was accepted at a large meeting, Nem. Con.

In order for the carrying this Report into effect, the forementioned Committee of thirty-ſix were directed, "to apply to all thoſe perſons in this Town who are poſſeſſed of Flour, Weſt-India or other Goods enumerated in the late Act, and require of them a direct anſwer to the following queſtion, viz. Will you take the price ſet by this State? and to report the names and anſwers of ſaid perſons, that the ſame may be made public in the News-Papers, to ſhew the readineſs of the inhabitants of this Town to comply with ſaid Act."—Which Committee reported at the adjournment on the 19th inſtant, "That agreable to direction they had applied to the Merchants and Traders in their reſpective wards, who declared that they would conform to the Act, by ſelling their articles agreable to the prices fixed by the Act of this State."

The foregoing contains the ſubſtance of our tranſactions as a Town with reſpect to the late Act; ſince which the Selectmen of the Town and this Committee, together with many other Inhabitants, in their private capacity, have exerted themſelves with ſucceſs that our Brethren from the Country who bring us their produce, as well as the Inhabitants, might be ſupplied with the articles they wanted; but as ſuch is the imperfection even of the beſt laws for preventing monopoly and oppreſſion, that the avaricious and deſigning often find ways and methods to elude them, and to prevent that full benefit being derived to the People which good Legiſlators always intend, it ſo happens with reſpect to the preſent Act, that thoſe great clamourers againſt it, viz. Monopolizers and Foreſtallers, the bane of Town and Country, and who ought to be equally deteſted by both, apprehending a law of this ſort, did, previous to its taking place, export and remove a great part of their goods into the Country, and to other States, ſo that moſt of the ſhops and ſtores of this Town, to the diſappointment of the Inhabitants, are now almoſt bare of European and Weſt-India goods; and when the Selectmen have, purſuant to the Act, entered any warehouſe in behalf of ſuch as had made application, they could only obtain a ſupply for the wants of a particular family, or of individuals; the Seller ſuppoſing the Act would not juſtify the forcing away a ſupply for the Baker, Diſtiller, Retailer, Huckſter or ſmall Trader, it being left, as they conſtrue the Law, to the Owners option to ſell either by wholeſale or retail; and indeed in this latter way, the inhabitants of Town and Country are now generally ſupplied out of the Shops and Stores which contain the Goods ſtill left in Boſton.

But notwithſtanding the juſt and prudent meaſures of the Town, and zealous endeavors of Selectmen, Committees and Individuals, to bring the Monopoliſers and Engroſers to reaſon, by a compliance with this Act, it is with real concern that we acquaint you that our Brethren in the Country, from the falſe reports and inſinuations of the avaricious and ill-affected, are induced to withhold the uſual and common ſupplies of Proviſions and other Neceſſaries of Life, to the grief and injury of the Body of the Inhabitants, and the triumph of our Adverſaries.

It ſhould have been obſerved before, and it deſerves your particular attention, that ſoon after the Town was opened, Traders from all parts of this and the neighbouring States flocked to our Vendues, and until ſaid Act was paſſed, to our aſtoniſhment and damage much exceeded in their bids the uſual prices of ſuch articles in our Shops and Stalls.—Upon the Sale of Prizes brought into this Port, the Purchaſers were moſtly from the Country and other States, and by far the greateſt part of the Goods bought has been carried from us.—The Board of War and the Continental Agents have been purchaſing largely for the uſe of the Army, and ſuch Articles alſo as could be remitted to foreign Ports with leaſt loſs, for procuring Cloathing for the Army and Military Stores; which drains, with thoſe before mentioned, may account for the preſent ſcarcity in Town, and thoſe of you who dwell on our main Roads may obſerve to this Day a large number of Teams and other Carriages paſſing with Salt, Weſt India and other Goods to Places in this State for the uſe of the Inhabitants, the value whereof has been computed to exceed what is brought in to us from the Country as fifty to one.

Your candor will allow us to add, that the preſent ſituation and circumſtances of the Farmer and Merchant are very different from what they have been in a time of peace—the fleets of Britain ſeizing 〈◊〉 trade—inſurance and every material for ſhipping at the higheſt rates; and the little merchandize which fortunately eſcapes the enemy, together with what is brought in by our ſhips of war, falling into the hands of but few perſons, and the prices thereof continuouſly ſhifting, as they depend on contingencies: Whereas, on the other ſide, the Earth as formerly yields her increaſe;—the buſineſs of the Farmer is carried on nearly as uſual; and conſequently a more full and ſteady ſupply may be expected from the Country.

We therefore hope you will heartily join us in endeavours to prevent any thing's taking place, which may in the iſſue prove peculiarly detrimental to the People in general at this criſis of our affairs, and that your influence will not be wanting to remove unreaſonable prejudices againſt a Town, whoſe merits and ſufferings in the common cauſe of America are too numerous and recent to need recapitulation.

Permit us to congratulate you on the late great and glorious ſucceſs, with which the Supreme Ruler of the World has favour'd the aims of the United States, and to acquaint you that as we could not hope for ſuch future interpoſitions of Divine Providence in our behalf, in the neglect of any means within our own power, we have therefore under all our embarraſſments ſo exerted ourſelves for the raiſing a new army, as that many more than our proportion of the Continental Battalions, as ſtated by this Government, have been already inliſted in this Town.

We ſhall be 〈…〉 to co-operate with you in any thing which may prom ••• the general good, and are, with all due regard,