The agent, Dr. _Franklin_, has by some means yet unknown, obtained and sent over to Mr. Bowdoin, a number of letters, to be communicated by him, after perusal, to a few trusty gentlemen, viz. the honorable James Pitts, Mr. Thomas Cushing, Mr. Samuel Adams, Dr. Winthrop, Dr. Chauncey, and Dr. Cooper: it is added, they are to be returned and put into the place whence they were taken. The letters are signed _Tho. Hutchinson_, _And. Oliver_, _Ch. Paxton_, _Thomas Moffat_, _Robert Achmuty_, _Nath. Rogers_, _George Rome_. Though they were partly private and confidential, they were designed to procure public coercive measures; and tended to incense the mother country against her colonies, and by the steps recommended, to widen the breach, which they have undoubtedly effected. Their contents were the subject of conversation and solicitous enquiry; till at length Mr. _Sam. Adams_ acquainted the assembly [June 2.] that he had perceived the minds of the people to be greatly agitated with a prevailing report, that letters of an extraordinary nature had been written and sent to England, greatly to the prejudice of this province—that he had obtained certain letters, which with the consent of the gentleman from whom he had received them, might be read in the house under certain restrictions, namely, that the said letters be neither printed nor copied in whole or in part; the proposal was considered, and they were read under the said restrictions. A committee of the whole house afterward reported, “that the tendency and design of said letters was to overthrow the constitution of this government, and to introduce arbitrary power into the province.”—Yeas 101—Nays 5.