Boston Goal 6 July 1776

Honourable gentleman

I have the liberty to address my self
to you to make known my present situation, being an
Inhabitant of this Town and a Freeholder thought my self Intitled to Act anything therein I should
think proper (that was not repugnant to the law's) to the
settling the Unhappy differences subsisting between this
and the mother country

Upon Govr Hutchinson's being sent for from his
Government its well known he was well Acquainted with
the Constitution of this Country and as it was thought
he could be of service thereto upon his Arrivall in England,
an Address was set on foot by a number of respectable March to
and other's of this Town to Influence him to use his
Endeavour's thereto, among the number I also set my
name and upon no other motive

Upon Genl Gage's Arrival, he superseeding Govr
Hutchinson a respect was thought due to him, an Address
of Congratulations was drawn up and presented him
begging his Assistance to prevent the unhappiness that
was like to prevail in this Country which I also sing'd,
General Gage's leaving this Province the command being
in General How he isued a Proclamation for the Inhabitants
to Associate themselves and bear Arm's in defence of
the Town, being what I did not thing was my duty
I did not sing, sometime After he Isued another recom-
-mending to the Inhabitants to Associate themselves for
preserving the peace and good Order of the Town by
preventing any Riotous doings by the Soldier's or other's

which I thought Incumbent with every good Citizen to comply
with, these are the only matter's in the present Affair's that I have
had any concern's with an [d] can duely Affirm that I have never borne
Arm's nor done one single moments duty against this Country

General How's quiting this Town in so short a time as he did
must of Consequence be attended with the utmost Confusion and
gave no one time to settle his thoughts what to do with themselves
or property, but the past unhappy situation we had been in this
Town I finally concluded to take the Opportunity to go to Halifax
their to have tarried or gone from thence to England untill the
unhappy disputes whare settled leaving my Property behind,
but upon the proceedings of Mr. Brush takeing away the property
of the people of this Town as you will see by the copy of paper's
accompanying this which I have related to the Hon ble Councill
of this Province, I then alter'd my mind and concluded to carry
my Goods with me which I shipt on board the Brig Elizabeth
being Twenty-Six packages on the Passage was taken by three
of the United Colony Vessell's and brought in Portsmouth
New Hampshire

Upon my landing your agent Mr Wentworth Inform'd
me he must Examine my Baggage as also what Money and
Paper's I had, from the former he has detain'd about £35- [LMY?]
and from the latter five setts of Bills of Exchange amounting
to £100-stirlg payeable to my self Only, after he Examined
my Baggage had his leave to carry it with me but haveing
no Acquaintance in the Town accepted his Offer of his store,
and haveing tarried one day upon Parole the next morning
the Master and two other passenger's and my self haveing

provided Carriadge's at our own Expence and being
attended by a Man sent with us by Mr. Wentworth we
set of for head Quarter's, but upon our reaching Newbury
Port about 20 miles whare we stopt to refresh our
selves the popular Assembled and swore we should
not ride and threatened to destroy the Carriadge, we
sent for the Committe of safety to Appease them, but all
to no purpose, finding our selves in such a situation
we comply'd, the Committe not thinking it safe they
Appointed a Guard of five Men and Obliged us to pay
the Expence the rest of the Journey, as soon as we came
out of the Inn we received Blow's, mud, stones, Eggs,
and every other abuse and proceeded to Boston being
40 miles on foot, from whence we was again carried
to Wartertown 9 miles before the late Councill and
being each seperately ask'd a few Question's and not
properly Examined was sent back to Boston and
committed on a supposed Crime of being concern'd with
Crean Brush denied the Use of pen Ink and paper and
Candle light not suffer'd to speak to any one but in
presence of the keeper whare we have been ever since
13th April, after my Committment my brother wrote
Mr Wentworth for my Baggage who return'd for
Answer that he was not permitted to send it without
Order's of Councill which has depriv'd me of every
Nessecary.

A fortnight after my committment the former Councill
Expir'd and a new one Assembled upon the 10th June I

wrote them desiering that some Enquiery might be made into my
Affair on the 13th was waited upon in consequence thereof, of
by a Committe of whom I desier'd to know what charge they had
Against me, or if any person had lodg'd any Information against
me, who acquainted me that they had none or knew of any but
was sent to make an Enquiery, after I had acquainted them with
the whole and the Freindly part I have acted by my Townsmen
they requested I would committ it to writing to make their repor [t]
copy's and also Certificates from the Gentlemen of the Town of my
Conduct I take the freedom to transmitt you, I have heard nothing
since but transiently that in debate some of the Councill is for
liberating me and the rest of the passenger's and other's for putting
us under restiction's

Hon ble Gentn
I now make my Applications to you in regard to
my property which I had with me when taken desiering to be informed
by you weather my singing those Addresse's done purely out of
good motives to serve the Country (if they have not had the desie [r'd]
Effect I am sincerely sorry for it) or the going away shall Intitle
me to the safe of the same, when I left this I knew of no Man
on the Continent that had any demands against me and I also
left a Real Estate in this Town and a Number of outstanding
Debts,

In the last Thursday paper publish'd by John Gill of this Town
I find their find an Advertisment by the Agent Mr. Wentworth requiering all
person's legall Claimer to say in their Claims 24th Instt to which I beg
leave to [ . . . ] you, and as its not possible I can receive any Answer from
you before that time, if I shall not be releas'd by the Hon ble Councill
I shall by my Attorney lay in my Claims to my property and when I
shall be favour'd with your Answer to my request shall Esteem it as
a perticular favour and am gentn with great respect

To
The Hon ble United Congress
at Philadelphia

Your most Obet
Hum Servt
William Jackson