their common Liberty is the ardent wish of this Committee. We are with the warmest affection for our Country, and a due regard to the Town of Hatfield Sir your assured friends & humble Servants, _________________________________________________________________ 1Town Clerk of Hatfield. [back] TO ARTHUR LEE. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a text with modifications is in R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 206, 207.] BOSTON June 21 1773 Sir I wrote in very great Haste a few days ago, and then inclosd a printed Copy of Letters signd Tho Hutchinson, Andw Oliver & others, with a Copy of certain Resolutions formd by a Committee and brot into the House of Representatives. Those Resolutions have been since considerd by the House and with little Variation adopted as youl see by the inclosd. Upon the last Resolve there was a Division 85 to 28 since which five of the minority alterd their minds, and two other members came into the House and desird to be counted so that finally there were 93 in favor & 22 against it. Many if not most of the latter voted for all the other resolves. A Petition & Remonstrance against Hutchinson & Oliver will be brot in I suppose this Week. I should think enough appears by these Letters to show that the plan for the ruin of American Liberty was laid by a few men born & educated amongst us, & governd by Avarice & a Lust of power. Could they be removed from his Majestys Service and Confidence here, effectual Measures might then be taken to restore, "placidam sub Libertate Quietam." Perhaps however you may think it necessary that some on your side the Water should be impeachd & brot to condign punishment. In this I shall not differ with you. I send you our last Election Sermon delivered by Mr Turner. The Bishop of St Asaphs I have read with singular pleasure. I remain sincerely your friend, PETITION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF MASSACHUSETTS TO THE KING. JUNE 23, 1773. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.] Province of Massachusetts Bay June 23 17731 To the Kings most Excellent Majesty Most Gracious Sovereign We your Majestys most loyal Subjects the Representatives of your ancient Colony, in General court legally assembled, by Virtue of your Majestys Writ under the Hand and Seal of the Governor beg leave to lay this our humble Petition before your Majesty; earnestly beseeching that in your Royal Clemency, your Majesty would . . . Nothing but a Sense of the Duty we owe to our Sovereign, and the Obligation we are under to consult the Peace and Safety of the Province, could induce us to remonstrate to your Majesty, the MalConduct of those, who, having been born & educated and constantly resident in the Province and who formerly have had ye Confidence & were loaded with ye honours of this People, your Majesty, we conceive, from the purest Motives of rendering the People most happy, was graciously pleasd to advance to the highest places of Trust and Authority in the province.