Page:Letters of John Andrews.djvu/52

 46 J.I.I 1 LIS OF JOHN ANDREWS.

s mber 12th. The Governor is to return an answer to-day to tlir Committee from the County of Suffolk, or rather our county, who •waited upon him on Saturday last. Among other matters in their remonstrance is, " th;it nothing less than an immediate removal of the cannon and artillery from Boston Neck will satisfie'em." Four of the refugee councillors lodge al y head of Quaker Line, and have

four soldiers lodge in y bouse every night to defend 'em if tested,

a1 3 bottom of which lane, or rather opposite Joy's buildings, are five or six shops, improv'd by a Chaisemaker, Taylor, Shoemaker, Barber, &ca., in each of which they have a bell ; and when either of 'em ob- serves ;i councellor or high Torey pass, he gives y" signal by ringing bis bell which takes through the whole, and thus they are compli- mented till out of sight.

The General has set about two hundred soldiers to work upon the fortifications this morning; 1 suppose with a view to be in readiness to give the county committee a negative answer. He is by no means satisfied with his disappointment at Charlestown, as he scut a number of officers and soldiers over there yesterday : who were employ'd, in Bervice time in particular, in traversing the streets and by-ways, and tampering with the children, to get out of them where the cannon were hid. .Many of the inhabitants are serious about leaving the town, as they arc in general apprehensive that when the Governor has sufficiently fortified it, military Law will be declar'd, and no one suffer'd to go out but by his permission, notwithstanding what lie may have said to the contrary. There is no knowing, Bill, what may take place with us. For my own part, I endeavor to make myself as easy as I can ; but if they should come to disarming the inhabitants, the matter is settled with the town at mice ; for blood and carnage must i i H ■ \ itably ensu( — which God forbid ! should e\ er take place

The County Committee waited upon the Governor this forenoon for his answer, when he express'd himself nearly as follows: — Good God! Gentlemen, make yourselves easy, and 1*11 be so. You have done all in your power to convince the world and me that you will not submit to the Acts, and I'll make representations home accordingly, for which I will embrace the earliest opportunity. You must he sensible it is as much for my benefit as yours', not to take any measures that may prevenl thi' country from bringing in their provisions, and in return should he glad to he answer'd in some questions I may ask, vizt. — What is the reason that the can- non were remov'd from Charlestown? — And why do the country

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