Letter from General Gage to Governour Martin,

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The following is the copy of General Gage' s Letter:

"Boston, April 12, 1775.

"SIR: Your letter of the sixteenth March I have had the pleasure to receive, and am glad to hear that many of the people in your Province are beginning to find they have been misled, and that they seem inclined to disengage themselves from the arbitrary power of the Continental Congress and of their Committees. I wish I could say as much for the people of this Province, who are more cool than they were, but their leaders, by their arts and artifices, still keep up that seditious and licentious spirit that has led them on all occasions to oppose Government, and even to acts of rebellion. The late accounts from England have embarrassed their councils much. They have applied to the New-England Governments, and doubtless will to those to the southward, to assist them; but I hope the madness of the latter is wearing off, and that they will get no encouragement from thence. This Province has some time been, and now is, in the new-fangled Legislature Termed a Provincial Congress, who seems to have taken the Government into their hands. What they intend to do I can' t pretend to say, but they are much puzzled how to act. Fear in some, and want of inclination in others, will be a great bar to their coming to extremities, though the leaders use every measure to bring them into the field. I am very sorry it is not in my power to supply you with the number of arms you request. I have them not to spare in the present conjuncture of the service here. I may assist you with some powder, but can get no safe opportunity from this to send it to you. I shall order you a supply by way of New-York; and whatever may be in my power to assist you, to keep up the present good disposition of the loyal part of your Province, I shall be happy to do, and am sorry I cannot at present do more.

"I have the honour to be, with great esteem, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

"THOMOAS GAGE.

"His Excellency Governour Martin."

The above copy of the Letter from General Gage having been recommended by the Committee of Charlestown, South-Carolina, as necessary to be kept secret, the President recommended to the Members of this Congress that the subject-matter of the said copy of the said Letter be kept a profound secret.