be in it more than a design to insult upon any specious pretence. We will endeavour by circumspection and sound prudence, to frustrate the diabolical designs of our enemies. I have written in haste, and am affectionately your friend, TO ELBRIDGE GERRY. [J. T. Austin, Life of Elbridge Gerry, vol. i., pp. 46, 47.] BOSTON, May 20, 1774. DEAR SIR, I have just time to acquaint you that yesterday our committee of correspondence received an express from New York, with a letter from thence, dated the 15th instant, informing that a ship arrived there after a passage of twenty-seven days from London, with the detested act for shutting up this port; that the citizens of New York resented the treatment of Boston, as a most violent and barbarous attack on the rights of all America; that the general cry was, let the port of New York voluntarily share the fate of Boston; that the merchants were to meet on Tuesday last, and it was the general opinion that they would entirely suspend all commercial connexion with Great Britain, and not supply the West Indies with hoops, staves, lumber, &c.; that they hoped the merchants in this and every colony would come into the measure, as it was of the last importance. Excuse me, I am in great haste, Your friend, THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF MARBLEHEAD. [MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.] BOSTON May 22 1774 DEAR SIR We have just receivd your favor of this Date by the Hands of Mr Foster. We cannot too highly applaud your Sollicitude & Zeal in the Common Cause. The News you mention as having been receivd here from New York by the Post is without Foundation. We have receivd a Letter from New York dated the Day before the Post came out from that City, advising us that there was to be a meeting of the merchants there on the Tuesday following (last Tuesday)--that by a Vessel which had arrivd there from London the Citizens had receivd the barbarous Act with Indignation--that no Language could express their Abhorrence of this additional Act of Tyranny to all America--that they were fully perswaded that America was attackd & intended to be enslavd by their distressing & subduing Boston--that a Compliance with the provision of the Act will only be a temporary Reliefe from a particular Evil, which must end in a general Calamity--that many timid People in that City who have interrested themselves but very little in the Controversy with Great Britain express the greatest resentment at the Conduct of the Ministry to this Town and consider the Treatment as if done to them--and that this is the general Sense of the Inhabitants-- that it was the general Talk that at the Meeting of the Merchants it would be agreed to suspend commercial Connection with Great Britain--also to stop the Exportation of Hoops Staves Heading & Lumber to the English Islands, & export no more of those Articles to foreign Islands than will be sufficient to bring home the