Letter from General Haldimand

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New-York, May 15, 1774.

The accounts received before the arrival of the packet, as late as the 14th of April, had made known the plan of operation intended to bring Boston to a sense of order and decency, so that on the arrival of Lieutenant General Gage, the inhabitants of that place will not be at a loss what they are to expect if they will prove refractory. It is the opinion of many people here, that they will acknowledge their fault, pay for it, and endeavour to reinstate themselves into his Majesty' s favour by a proper submission.

I wish it may be the case, as there is no knowing how far the factious spirit of a few leading men may carry an inconsiderate multitude, who have imbibed the most romantic notions of independence and liberty; and there will not fail to be such papers propagated amongst them, in order to spirit them up. The Act of Parliament relative to the port of Boston is already reprinted here, with such representations, as may possibly answer that end. I take the liberty to enclose to your Lordship one of those papers handed about this town gratis.