USA > Rhode Island > A history of the destruction of His Britannic Majesty's schooner Gaspee, in Narragansett Bay, on the 10th June, 1772 > Part 14
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The great impatience of some people, in this colony, under any restraint of trade, however illicit : the check which Your Majesty's navy officers have put to such trade, by the necessary aid and assistance which they have afforded the revenue of- ficers ; the plundering and burning a sloop. called the Liberty, in this harbor. in July. 1769, then employed in Your Majesty's revenue service, and commanded by William Reid. liberating a vessel and cargo, then under seizure by said commander. and in a violent and outrageous manner assaulting and detaining him io this town, in duress. till the accomplishment of the above facts; the same night. dragging two boats, belonging to said sloop, through the streets, and burning them ; and the per- petrators of the above outrage, escaped with impunity ; not one person being so much as apprehended on this occasion.
It must be further, with humble submission to Your Majesty, remarked. that it does not appear to us, that any complaint or information was given to any peace officer or other magistrate, against any person, whatever, as concerned in the above transaction. excepting four depositious, taken before a single magistrate ; and which do not appear to have been laid before the Governor and Council. or to have had any effect.
Certain persons. principal inhabitants of the town of Providence, in March. pre- ceding the burning of the Gaspee, complained to the Deputy Governor, also au in- habitant of that place, against the conduct of Lieutenant Dudingston. for disturbing and obstructing their vessels and boats, firing at and searching them. without show- ing any commission for so doing ; and requested the Deputy Governor to inform the Governor thereof, that he might inquire into the said lieutenant's authority ; on which. the Deputy Governor laid the same before the Chief Justice, also an in- habitant of the town of Providence, for his opinion, how to conduct in the affair : to which, he soon returned an answer, to the following purpose : it was his opinion, " that for any person, whatever, to come into this colony, and in the body thereof. to exercise any authority by force of arms, or otherwise, without showing his commis- sion to the Governor, and if a custom house officer, without being sworn into his of- fice, was guilty of a trespass, if not piracy."
But what efeet such opinion might have on the minds of the perpetrators of the crime, we must most humbly submit. If Lieutenant Dudingston, on his first arrival in the harbor of' Newport, had waited on the Governor, acquainting him with his power and authority, and thereby early made his duty a matter of notoriety, he would. at least. have acted a prudent part : but whether his duty obliged him so to do, we do not presume to determine.
There is alo too much reason to believe, that in some instances Lieutenant Dud- ingston, from an intemperate, if not a reprehensible zeal to aid the revenue service, exceeded the bounds of his duty.
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After exerting ourselves to the utmost of our abilities, to collect evidence against the persons concerned in burning the Gaspee, and wounding the lieutenant, and judging that we had got all there was any probability of obtaining, we laid such be- fore the Deputy Governor, the Chief Justice of the colony, and three of his asso- ciates ; among which testimonies, was Aarou's, the negro : wherein, some persons are expressly named and charged as guilty ; and Mr. Dickinson's, late midshipman of the Gaspee. and on board at the time she was destroyed, very particularly de- seribed other -.
The justices were then informed, that the same witness was now present, and might be by them re-examined.
Soon afterwards, at the request of the judges, we also delivered them other depo- sitions, which had been laid before us by the Governor, and which tended to dis- credit the testimony of said Aaron. The day following, we received their report in the words following :
"The honorable the commissioners, appointed by royal commission, for examining into the attacking and destroying His Majesty's armed schooner, the Gaspee, commanded by Lieutenant Duding ton, and wounding the said lieutenant, having laid before us, justices of the Superior Court of Jud.cature, court of assize, &c., within and throughout the colony of Rhode Island, two examinations of Aaron Briggs, two examinations of Patrick Earle, the examination of Peter May, the examination ot William Dickinson, the depositions of Samuel Tompkins, Samuel Thurston, and of Somerset and Jack, indented servants, for our advise- ment thereon :
It sppeareth unto us, from due consideration had thereupon, that no particular person or persons are made mention of as being concerned in that atrecious crime, except in the cx- amination of Aaron Briggs, a negro, and of Peter May, one of the Gaspee's people.
The confession of the said Aaron, upon his first examination, was made in consequence of illegal threats from Capt. Linzee, of hanging him (the said Auron) at the yard arm, if he would not discover who the persons were, that destroyed the Gaspee ; and besides, most of the circumstances and facts related in both of his examinations, are contradictions repug- nant to each other, and many of them impossible in their nature.
It is evident from the depositions of Tompkins, Thurston, and Aaron's tvo fellow ser- vants, that he was at home the whole of that night on which the Gaspee was attacked ; es- pecially, as there was no boat on that part of the island, in which he could pass the bay in the manner by him described.
In short, another circumstance which renders the said Aaron's testimony extremely sus- picious, is Capt. Linzec's absolutely refusing to deliver him up to be examined by one of the justices of the said Superior Court, when legally demanded.
Peter May, io his deposition, mentions one person only, by the name of Greene, whom, he says, he saw before on board the Gaspee ; but the family of Greene being very numerous in this colony, and the said Peter not giving the Christian name, or describing him in such a maoner as he could be found out, it is impossible for us to know at present, the person referred to.
Upon the whole, we are all of opinion, that the several matters and things contained in said depositions, do not induce a probable suspicion, that the persons mentioned therein or either or any of them, are guilty of the crime, atoresaid.
It is, however, the fixed determination of the Superior Court, to exert every legal effort in detecting and bringing to condign punishment, the persons concerned in destroying the schooner Gaspee.
And if the honorable commissioners are of a different sentiment, we should be glad to re- ceive their opinion, for our better information."
To the latter part of which, we answered :
"That, by our instructions, we were commanded to lay before the civil magistrates all such information as we should receive; and as it was their proper office to act thereupon, in such manner as they conceive most likely to answer the ends of public justice, we declined giving any sentiment or opinion in the matter."
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Touching the depositions of Aaron, the negro, we humbly conceive it our duty to declare to Your Majesty, that the couduct of Capt. Liuzee tended too strongly to extort from a weak or wicked mind. declarations not strictly true ; that some parts of said depositions falsify others ; that allowing the account he gave of the time he left the island called Prudence. the place of his residence, on the night the Gaspee was burnt, and his return thither, to be true, or even near the truth, must render his being at the taking and destroying her. totally impossible ; the distance being so great between Namquit Point aud said island.
In addition to all which, there is full and satisfactory evidence, to prove hin, the whole of that night. to have been at home; and the request which he deposed was made him, to carry a person off said island that night, and which he declared was the occasion of his going from home, proved. on the examination of the very person, to be an absolute falsehood ; and therefore, we are most humbly of opinion, no credit is due to said Aaron's testimony.
May it please Your Majesty, the civil magistrates being entrusted with the power of apprehending and committing; and having determined against both, upon the evidence before them, and there being no probability of our procuring any further light on the subject, determines our inquiry.
All which, is submitted to Your Majesty's royal wisdom.
J. WANTON. DAN. HORSMANDEN, ROBET. AUCHMUTY,
FRED. SMYTIIE,
To His Majesty. Newport, Rhode Island, June 22, 1773.
Commissioners.
Chief Justice Horsmanden to the Earl of Dartmouth.
New York, 20th February, 1773.
My Lord :- On the 21st of January last, I had the honor of addressing Your Lordship, in conjunction with the rest of the commissioners, at Rhode Island, giving some account of our proceedings, and the reasous that induced us to adjourn to the 26th of May next.
On my arrival at that place, on the 31st of December, I was surprised to find that the main object of our errand was become public, which, in prudence, was to be kept secret ; nevertheless, Your Lordship's letter to Governor Wanton, was pub- lished in the Boston weekly paper, and spread industriously over all New England.
However amazing to us, upon inquiry, it came out, that the Governor had commu- nicated it to luis Assembly, who had got it printed ; upon expostnlating with the Governor upon it, he said, he by law was obliged to communicate all dispatches from the ministry to his corporation, and sworn so to do; that such dispatches were usually directed to the Governor and Company.
Upon inquiry how Your Lordship's packet was directed, neither he, nor his sec- retary could inform us ; the superscription, they said, was mislaid, and not to be found; but that this was not so directed, as the Governor said, I inferred from its being addressed to him (sir).
My Lord, as to the Government (if it deserves that name), it is a downright de- mocracy ; the Governor is a mere nominal one, and therefore a cipher, withou
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power or authority ; entirely controlled by the populace, elected annually. as all other magistrates aud officers whatsoever.
The Governor treated the commissioners with great decency and respect : and to do that gentleman justice, beliaved with great propriety. as a commissioner, except his communicating Your Lordship's letter to the corporation ; which, indeed, he seemed constrained to do, under the above circumstances.
To show that the Goverror has not the least power or authority. he could not command the sheriff or constable to attend us; he prevailed with them, indeed ; but in expectation of being paid their daily wages by the commissioners, so that they were hired for this service, at our expense ; and even for expresses sent to summon witnesses. the commissioners found it necessary to advance their own money : also for the very fire-wood expended for our accommodation in the eouneil chamber, on this occasion. This, My Lord, we readily disbursed, and all other contingences, relying upon the honor of government.
We found, My Lord, that the Governor, upon the first notice of this piece of vil- lainy, had issued a proclamation, offering £100 reward. for a discovery, but without effect.
My Lord. it is suggested in the commission, that the people assembled upon this adventure, in the town of Newport, and the places adjacent, by beat of drum, the which was intimated. doubtles., through misiuformation : for it comes out, that it was at Providenee. on the Narragansett River, about thirty miles from Newport, and seven or eight from the place where the Gaspee was aground. The news of which, was soon communicated to that town ; and there it is supposed, the people assembled and soon formed their scheme, to man six or seven boats on purpose to attack her at that disadvantage.
My Lord. the colony of Rhode Island is branched out into three divisions ; New- port, on Rhode Island ; Providenee and Warwick, more inland, adjoining to the Massachusetts colony. At these three places, the Assembly is held. alternately; but Newport is reputed the seat of government ; between the two fermer, there is an emulation. with respect to their trade, and a kind of enmity, likewise ; so that they do not generally correspond cordially. Providence is thirty miles distant from it, so that it seems most unlikely that the people of Newport could be concerned in so sudden and precipitate an enterprise : nor was the fact known at Rhode Island, till the day after the treason was committed.
My Lord, as to the negro evidence, which seems to be the foundation of this in- quiry, it is much to be suspected, though his story is told with much plausibility, and he pertinaeiously repeated it upon examination before the commissioners; and a sailor of the erew of the Gaspee, swore he was one of the negroes after the attack, that rowed the boat which landed part of the Gaspee's erew, near Providence.
But to countervail this information, it was asserted, that the master of this negro, from whom he had escaped on board the man-of-war, with intent to run away, who is a person of undoubted eredit, would swear that about 9 o'clock that night the Gaspee was destroyed, he ordered this negro to bed, and that he saw him go, ac- cordingly, with his two other negroes, with whom he usually slept; and it was said that these negroes would also depose, that he lay with them all night, till his master called him up in the morning, on business.
MI Lord, the commissioners did not enter upon counter evidence, though I, my- self, was inclined to do it, as we proceeded; and bring the witnesses face to face,
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considering tho commission required we should report all the circumstances attend- ing the affair.
Captain Dudingston had been plying upon his business in the Narragansett River, for some time ; he had not communicated his commission to the Governor, on his arrival, as Mr. Wanton informed us : Mr. Dudingston had made several seizures of prohibited goods on that station ; and on seizing their traffic, might probably have treated the boatmen with severity, roughness and senrrillons language, by which, the people of that place might be provoked to this daring insult and resentment; and not knowing Dudingston bore the King's commission of what he had done. they, as they gave out, looked upon him as pirate, and treated him as such. For, as the Governor informed us, upon complaint of his abuses, as they pretended, he expos- tulated with Mr. Dudingston, and demanded he would satisfy him as to the eommis- sion upon which he acted, which at length he did.
From these three different branches of government, My Lord, there arise three different factions ; their eleetion of the chief offieers being annual, sometimes one party prevails, perhaps the next year, a different.
I was told by a gentleman of the law there, he had known a land cause of eonsid- erable value that had julgment reversed different ways seven or eight times ; pro- perty being thus rendered wholly insecure, no wonder that persons of property and best sense and most sincerity, among them, have long wished for a change of gov- ernment, and to be under His Majesty's more immediate protection.
Though by their charter, they are inhibited from passing laws contrary to those of England, but to be near as may be, agreeable to them, yet they seem to have paid little regard to that injunction, as may sufficiently appear upon inspection of the printed book of them ; they have never transmitted them for the royal approbation nor indeed, by their charter were they obliged to do so.
Under these circumstanees, Your Lordship will not wonder that they are in a state of anarchy ; and I assure Your Lordship, that their sister colony Connecticut, is in the same condition in all respects ; justice has long sinee fled that coun- try. I have had an opportunity of being more intimately acquainted with the people of that colony for about thirty years past ; having had the honor of attending there twice, upon two royal commissions for determining a controversy between the cor- poration and a tribe of Indians and the family of the Masons.
Major Mason, a gallant officer of the army, a principal person among the first of the English, who first landed in these parts, fought their battles with the savages, conquered several tribes, became the foster father to the colony ; acted with so much generosity, humanity and prudence towards the natives, and so conciliated their friendship and esteem, that, after they had, through his persuasion, granted away great tracts of their lands, to form the newly proposed colony, and to make a sufficient plantation or settlement, the natives prudently thought of falling upon a method of reserving and seeuring for the future, a sufficiency for the subsistence of their tribe ; and putting entire confidence in Major Mason, as their patron and friend (who had treated them with great generosity and humanity), requested that corporation or government, that they might, with their approbation, invest the re- mainder of their lands in Major Mason and his heirs, as the guardians and trustees of the Mohegan tribe ; and that in future, they should be restrained from selling more of their lands without the advice and consent of that family.
Some were afterwards, from time to time, sold, with the consent of the Masons ;
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and to preserve the fidelity of the Masons, the family was to have an interest in the lands so to be conveyed, coupled with the trust.
For this purpose, My Lord, a deed was executed with solemnity, and by the de- elared approbation of the corporation, entered upon their records.
Notwithstanding this solemn engagement. so recorded. the heads of this corporation, did, from time to time afterwards, unknown to the Masons, inveigle the Indians to con- vey to them several tracts of very valuable reserved lands, without the consent of the Masons, and divided them among themselves ; and this was the ground ot their complaint, upon which those special commissions issued.
Upon the whole, My Lord. I was, and am still of opinion, that the deviees in con- sequence of them, in favor of the corporation, were unjust ; for it appeared to me, that the corporation had most shamefully prostituted the good faith and honor of government, by ungratefully and fraudulently wresting many large and valuable traets from that tribe, and the Masons: and becoming the instruments of impover- ishing that honest and worthy family (whose ancestors first founded the colony), in prosecuting and maintaining their rights, at their own expense, for thirty years past, and hitherto in vain ; for the matter still lies before His Majesty and Council, waiting a determination.
Those two colonies, My Lord, commeneed their settlements nearly at the same time ; their charters bear date one year after the other ; and they adjoin each other ; the charters are similar ; each has a grant of " all royal mines, minerals and precious stones," which may be thought a privilege of too much importance for a subject to enjoy.
My Lord, these colonies united, which as times are so alike in features, temper and disposition, that it were a pity they should remain separate. For, from my knowledge of the people, and credible information from many in each. I am fully persuaded, that the better sort of them have long groaned under their motley admin- istrations, and wish for a deliverance ; to be taken more inunediately under the protection of the crown. These two, consolidated. might become as respectable a royal government, as any on the continent. The country in both, has a rich soil, abounds in timber fit for ship-building ; the country, upon the whole, in my esteem, is superior to any I have seen in my travels, from Boston to Virginia.
But it must be confessed, as to the people, it would require a gentleman of very extraordinary qualifications and abilities, to adventure upon the first arduous task, for modelling them into due subordination and decorum.
I humbly entreat Your Lordship's pardon for trespassing thus mueh upon Your Lordship's time and patience. I flattered myself that some account of the present as well as former temper and circumstances of these two colonies, might not be un- acceptable to you, in Your Lordship's high department ; and conclude with the as- surance that I am, with the most profound respeet, My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient and obliged humble servant,
To the Earl of Dartmouth.
DAN. HORSMANDEN.
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The Earl of Dartmouth to the Governor of Rhode Island.
Whitehall. April 10, 1773.
Sir :- I have received your letters to me, of the 19th of October, and 30th of January last.
I am very much obliged to you, for the favorable sentiments you are pleased to express for me, in the first of those letters ; but I must not omit to observe to you. that the publication in the cominon newspapers, of parts of my secret and confiden- tial dispatch, of the 4th of September last, addressed personally to yourself, cannot, I fear, be considered as entirely corresponding with those assurances you give me, of paying the strictest attention and defference to such orders as you shall receive from me.
I am sensible, that you could not do otherwise than communicate the substance of that dispatch to the other parts of your corporation ; but I refer it to your candor, whether it was proper to give copies of it.
I sincerely hope that it will appear by the report of the commissioners for in- quiring into the atfair of the Gaspee schooner, that no part of the corporation of the colony of Rhode Island has failed in obedience due to the laws and authority of this kingdom ; in the meantime, the King is graciously pleased to approve of the respect shown to his royal commission, and the decency and order with which it was pro- claimed. I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, DARTMOUTHI.
To the Governor of Rhode Island.
Chief Justice Horsmanden to the Earl of Dartmouth .*
New York, 23d July, 1773.
My Lord :- Your Lordship's favor of the 10th of April last, I was honored with on my return hither. on the 13th inst. ; after the close of our commission, at Rhode Island, concerning the affair of the Gaspee.
It gives me great pleasure, that my representation of the 20th of February, has the honor of Your Lordship's approbation : and now beg leave to observe to Your Lordship, what has occurred to me, after finishing our report. For waiting some days at Newport, for a passage, wind and weather, I was accidentally informed of a piece of evidence, which, had it come to light sooner, would most probably have cut our business shorter.
An officer of a man-of-war, stationed at Newport, to whom the negro Aaron was turned over, informed me that upon his examining the fellow one day, before his master, and his two negroes who came on board, and interrogating face to face, the fellow prevaricated much ; but still persisted in the main of his story, notwithstand- ing confronted by the master, and his two negroes, who declare that he slept wthi them all that night, on which the Gaspee was destroyed.
The master and his negroes being dismissed, the officer, upon what he had heard, from the master and his negroes, and had observed from the conduct of Aaron, upon the occasion, concluded he was an impostor, and charged him home, as such, and
. New York Colonial Documents, Vol. VIII. ; from British State Paper Office, 165.
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told him he was convinced he was no more concerned in that atfair than he himself was ; and conjured him to tell the truth ; and at length, he confessed it was all a fiction, which he was constrained to, for saving himself from the punishment threat- ened him on board the other man-of-war, as they had charged him so positively with being one concerned; and therefore thought he must confess himself guilty, and name some principal people as accessories.
My Lord, a few days after the Gaspee was burnt, one of the ships stationed at Newport, went and anchored close by the island called Prudence, where the master of Aaron lived, about seven miles from where the Gaspee lay, and Aaron purposing to run away from his master, went on board in a small canoe; and they rightly guessed of his intention, and threatened to whip him; but on second thoughts, charged him as a confederate in destroying the Gaspce ; and if he did not confess and make discovery, they would whip him, and hang him up at the yard arm.
And thus, My Lord, this forced confession of the negro Aaron has been held up by the marine, as a hopeful and sure clue to unravel this mystery of iniquity. The fellow might probably have heard the names of the most noted and principal traders at Providence, and other trading towns in that neighborhood, though he might not know their persons ; and one Dr. Weeks, inserted in his list, he might know per- sonally, as an attendant upon his master's family.
But my sentiments upon the whole are, that this daring insult was committed by a number of bold, daring, rash enterprising sailors, collected suddenly from the neighborhood, who banded themselves together, upon this bold enterpriz : . by whom stimulated for the purpose, I cannot conjecture. They cunningly calculated the at- tack at a time of night, under the Gaspee's disadvantage, aground, when it was probable the crew would be below deck, and asleep ; as was the case, only one sen- try on deck ; and thus, by surprise, easily boarded and plundered her.
My Lord, I have been two voyages of four hundred miles each, upon this occasion, at great expense ; and no small fatigue, for a person of my age, viz. ; seventy-six ; and I assure Your Lordship, I am already upwards of' €200, out of pocket; and am still liable for my proportion with the other commissioners, for the pay of the clerks we found necessary to attend us upon the service ; and though we have not had the wished for success, we hope His Majesty will graciously accept our sincere endeavors.
My Lord, I have lately received advice that Ilis Majesty has been graciously pleased to sign a warrant for my salary, as chief justice, which further adds to the obligations Your Lordship bas conferred upon me, which I cannot but esteem with the utmost gratitude.
I am, with profound respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged and dutiful, humble servant,
DAN. HORSMANDEN.
To the Earl of Dartmouth.
The following letter, which is printed in the New York colo- nial documents, is here inserted to show that Chief Justice * Horsmanden, of New York, one of the royal commissioners, to inquire into the destruction of the Gaspee, had not, in 1777, or
J
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five years after the commission was held in Newport, been paid his expenses for that service.
Chief Justice Horsmanden to Governor Tryon.
New York, 19th April, 1777.
Honored Sir :- Your Excelleney well remembers what circumstances you found me in, on your arrival in this government ; that I was then chief justice of the pro- vince, and had been so for eight or ten years (as my memory serves me), and had no other allowance on the Assembly for the support of the dignity of that office, than a miserable pittanee of $300 a year, this currency, and the tees of the office, trifling and insignificant ; but upon Your Excellency's recommendation home, His Majesty was pleased to allow me {500, sterling, a year, which I was to receive half yearly, on the commissioners of trade at Boston ; which I did, to the time of their removal to Halifax; since which, has incurred one year and a half, the beginning of this month : but I am much at a loss how to apply for it ; but as the commissioners are now in London, I have written to them for information.
When the duties arisen by trade, fell, the commissioners had directions from the lords of the treasury, to give drafts upon them for the salaries of the officers of gov- ernment, of which I have had two, the salaries being payable half yearly.
Your Excellency well remembers that three or four years ago (I think), the King's special commission was sent over by Lord Dartmouth, then secretary of state, empowering the persons therein named (of which I was one), to inquire into the affair of the destruction of His Majesty's schooner, the Gaspee, at Rhode Island.
Your Excellency knew the state of health I was in, at the time I embarked for Newport, much enfeebled by the rheumatism, the time of year in December, when it is generally expected the river is full of ice. Myself unable to walk without help, and at a time of life drawing near to four-score ; but as Lord Dartmouth's directions were to proceed immediately to that place, in order to execute that commission, I did not hesitate to undertake it; but was obliged to take with me my wife, carriage and two horses, without which, I could have been of no use.
After passing several weeks there, and doing little to the purpose, the commis- sioners found it necessary to adjourn over to the next year, which occasioned a second voyage, under the like circumstances; and at length the commissioners were obliged to close the commission, having not been able to make any discovery, to an- swer the intent of the commission ; upon which occasion, I expended upwards of £200, of my own money, which remains ont of pocket to this day ; and hitherto, my trouble for nothing.
Upon the proceedings of the commissioners being sent home, Lord Dartmouth di- rected the commissioners to send home their accounts of the expenses they had been at, It was imagined with a view to compel Rhode Island government to discharge them; but if that was the intent, the alterations of the circumstances of that government in this time of confusion, that expectation is at an end; and in the anarchy and dis- traction which now surrounds us, and the great difficulty in getting money amongst us, which is our due, Your Excellency knows how needful it is to be solicitous for it, where it is due in other quarters.
Si
t
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by no means, Inke-warm in the service of Ilis Majesty. They were surrounded. too, at the time of their sessions, by the officers of the crown, and individuals high in rank and standing, who were eager in the chase of those who insulted their sover- tign, in the person of his representative. Lieut. Duding-ton.
Under these circumstances, it is pas-ing -trange, that no persons could be found, who could identify those engaged in the enterprise, or that the great reward offered on the occasion. should not have induced some one to have turned informer. That the enterprise was suddenly conceived, there can be no doubt : but every cirenm- stanee shows, that no great care was used to preserve secresy. They were called together by the beating of a drum in the streets. The collecting of the boats. the assembling at a public house, the embarking from a public wharf, all must have at- tracted the notice of the inhabitants. The parties assumed no disguise of any kind, bnt went in their usual dress.
Among them, were some, little conscions of the crime they were committing. and the penalty they were incurring. Mr. John Howland says, that on the morning after the affair, Justin Jacobs, a young man, was parading himself' on " the Great Bridge," then the usual place of resort, with Lieutenant Dudingston's gold laced beaver on his head, det iling to a circle around him, the particulars of the transae- tion, and the manner in which he obtained the hat from the cabin of the Gaspee. It required sharp words to induce him to retire and hold his peace. There were others, probably, equally indisereet; and yet not an individual conld be found, who knew anything about the atl'air."
The following song, composed at the time, on the occasion, is attributed to Capt. Swan, of Bristol.
" He richly deserves the thanks, not only of his cotempora- ries, but of posterity ; not so much for the sweet poetry of his song, as for the ballad shape in which he invested the transac- tion. Undoubtedly some tune was found, at the time, to match it, notwithstanding the limping gait of some of the stanzas ; and as it was sung in the circle of boon companions, they re- called the light of the burning Gaspee to their recollection, and hailed it as being, what subsequent events have shown it to be, the dawning light of freedom, whose mid-day effulgence now overspreads the land."
SONG.
"Twas in the reign of George the Third, Our publie peace was much disturbed By ships of war, that came and laid Within our ports, to stop our trade. Seventeen hundred and seventy-two, In Newport harbor lay a crew, That played the part of pirates there, The sons of freedom could not bear.
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Sometimes they weighed and gave them chas ..
Such actions, sure were very base. No honest coaster could pass by But what they would let some shot fly : And did provoke, to high degree, Those true born sons of liberty ; So that they could not longer bear Those sons of Belial staying there. But 'twas not long 'fore it fell out, That William Duding-ton, so stout. Commander of the Gaspee tender, Which he has reason to remember, Because, as people do assert,
He almost had his just desert :
Here, on the tenth day of last June,
Betwixt the hours of twelve and one,
Did chase the sloop. called the Hannah.
Of whom, one Lindsay, was commander. They dogged her up Providence Sound. And there the rascal got aground.
The news of it tlew that very day, That they on Namquit Point did lay.
That night, about halt after teu
Some Narragansett Indian men, Being sixty-four. if I remember,
Which made the stout coxcomb surrender :
And what was best of all their tricks,
They in his breech a ball did fix ; Then set the men upon the land,
And burnt her up, we understand ;
Which thing provoked the King so high
He said those men shall surely die ; So if he could but find them out. The hangman he'll employ, no doubt ; For he's declared. in his passion. He'll have them tried a new fashion. Now. for to find these people out,
King George has offered very stout : One thousand pounds to find out one That wounded William Dudingston. One thousand more, he says he'll spare, For those who say the sheriff, were ; One thousand more, there doth remain For to find out the leader's name ; Likewise, five hundred pounds per mant For any one of all the clan. But let him try his utmost skill, I'm apt to think he never will Find out any of those hearts of gold, Though he should offer fifty fold.
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