Message to the House of Representatives

v4:1252

The Secretary went down with the following Message to the House, from the major part of the Council, viz:

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

The danger that a correspondence would be caried on between a few disaffected inhabitants of this Colony, and the enemies of America, through the town of Hull, to the men-of-war, lying in and near Nantasket Road, and that our enemies might be supplied in that channel, induced the General, in July last, to cause the inhabitants of said town to be removed, and to place and constantly keep up a guard at the entrance of the beach leading into that town. The guards continued unlil the 1st of December past, at which time their inlistments expired, and they returned to their several homes in Connecticut; upon this, and Colonel Lincoln being told that several persons had been seen to go to Hull, but none being observed to return, he directed a small guard from the Militia, in the vicinity, to be placed at the entrance of said town, and to continue there until they should receive further orders; he immediately laid the whole matter before the Council; they sent a message to his Excellency General Washington, requesting that he would place a guard there, and relieve the Militia. He gave encouragement to our messenger that he would give orders for that purpose; but it hath been delayed, and now the Council are acquainted that the lines at Cambridge and Roxbury are so thin, that no men can be spared for the purpose aforesaid; the Council, therefore, thought it their duty to make this representation to the honourable House, and recommend to them that provision be immediately made, not only for guarding the passage into said town, but, also, that suitable guards be placed in the towns of Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham.

(Signed by fifteen of the Council.)