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Our dependance on New-York, and (under God) the preservation of that City and Colony from a very shameful defection, which has been fatal to the cause of freedom, has been greatly owing to the abilities, zeal, and assiduity of the worthy Mr˙ Holt. What pleasure is it for those whose chief enjoyment consists in the happiness and security of their fellow-creatures, to witness such exertions to save our Country, to annoy its insidious enemies, and carry into every corner of it the discoveries and advice of its friends.
The business is now to develop the schemes laying to deceive and divide the New-Yorkers, finding mere force like to answer no valuable end. They now talk of blocking up the ports, and thus distressing the trade, to make people quarrel with each other, which quarrels some are employed to foment. They have given out word that they will call Lord Chatham into office, but it is false; Chatham is old and very feeble, not able to bear the fatigues of business. Besides, he will not accept it without a total change of the Ministry, a dissolution of the present Parliament, and the calling of a new one by the free choice of the people.
The true state of the matter is, that the Ministry still intend to drive on, in hopes that you will in time submit, and all will be theirs. They use every means in their power to deceive the people, both here and in America, that they may get their plan established of keeping up a Standing Army in the Colonies, increased by degrees till they become masters of the Colonists and all their property, as they have done here.
The Lord Mayor is assiduous to the last. The Livery of London are now all alarmed, and have sent petitions
Extract of a Letter from London
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and remonstrances one after another. They have taken up the affair in such good earnest as will very probably excite a civil war in England. The ferment in the City is certainly prodigious. The land-holders also begin to be moved and aid the merchants, and the common people are all entering into associations, and consulting what is best to be done.