Address of the Borough of Burnt-Island

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Address of the Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of the Borough of Burnt-Island, in Common Council assembled, transmitted to the Earl of Suffolk, one of His Majesty' s principal Secretaries of State, and presented to His Majesty.

The humble Address of the Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of the Borough of BURNT-ISLAND, in Common Council assembled.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

We, your Majesty' s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of your Borough of Burnt-Island, humbly presume to approach your Majesty, acknowledging, with gratitude, the many blessings we have enjoyed since your auspicious accession to the throne of these Kingdoms.

Convinced, by our own happiness under your Majesty' s Government, that your paternal care and protection has been also extended to the whole of your Dominions, we view with astonishment the conduct of your subjects in America, now in arms, to oppose your Majesty' s authority and the legislative power of the British Parliament. We trust that, by the wisdom of your Majesty' s Councils, some speedy and effectual means will be devised for reducing your infatuated subjects to due obedience; and we hope that they themselves will soon perceive how much they have been deluded by the artful misrepresentations of factious and designing men.

Confident that such will be the effects of your Majesty' s deliberations, allow us, most gracious Sovereign, to increase the number of loyal subjects who have, at this time of tumult, expressed their warm attachment to your Majesty' s person and family; assuring your Majesty that we will, to the utmost of our power, join in supporting your lawful authority against all attempts, either foreign or domestick, to invade your Majesty' s rights, or those of the British Legislature.

That your Majesty' s reign may be long and prosperous, over a free, united, and grateful people, is the constant wish and prayer of, may it please your Majesty, your Majesty' s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of your Borough of Burnt-Island.

Signed in our name, and by our appointment, the common seal of the Borough being hereto affixed.

JAMES TOWNSEND OSWALD, Provost.

Burnt-Island, November 1, 1775.