We have received your letter of this date, tendering to us the cargo of tea shipped on board the Nancy, under your command, by the Hon'ble East India Company, to our address, in reply to which we have only to observe that we some time ago acquainted the Hon'ble Court of Directors how violently opposed the inhabitants in general were to the landing or vending the tea in this Colony, while subject to the American duty, and that any attempts in us, either to effect one or the other would not only be fruitless, but expose so considerable a property to inevitable destruction. Under these circumstances it would be highly imprudent in us to take any steps to receive your cargo, and therefore we cannot take charge of the same, or any part thereof, under our case. We are, sir, Your most obed^t serv^ts, HENRY WHITE. ABR^M LOTT & CO. PIGOU & BOOTH. Cap^t. Benj^n Lockyer. _PHILADELPHIA._ AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE INHABITANTS OF PHILADELPHIA, _On the Measure of the Company's Exporting Tea to that Place._ [Taken from a Philadelphia news paper.] Monday Dec^r 27, 1773. Upon the first advice of this measure a general dissatisfaction was expressed, that at a time when we were struggling with this oppressive Act, and an agreement subsisting not to import tea while subject to the duty, our fellow subjects in England should form a measure so directly tending to enforce the Act, and again embroil us with our parent state. When it was also considered that the proposed mode of disposing of the tea tended to a monopoly, ever odious in a free country, a universal disapprobation shewed itself through the city. A public meeting of the inhabitants was held at the State House, on the 18^th October, at which great numbers attended, and the sense of the following resolves (which are entered in page 296, the people of Boston having formed the same resolutions). In consequence of these resolutions, a committee waited upon the gentlemen in this city who had been appointed consignees of the expected cargo. They represented to them the detestation and abhorrence in which this measure was held by their fellow citizens, the danger and difficulties which must attend the execution of so odious a task, and expressed the united desire of the city that they would renounce the commission, and engage not to intermeddle with the ship or cargo in any shape whatever. Some of the commissioners resigned in a manner that gave general satisfaction, others in such equivocal terms as desired further explanation. However, in a few days the resignation was complete. In this situation things remained for a few days.