USA > Rhode Island > A history of the destruction of His Britannic Majesty's schooner Gaspee, in Narragansett Bay, on the 10th June, 1772 > Part 6
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It is His Majesty's intention, in consequence of the advice of his Privy Council, that the persons concerned in the burning the Gaspee schooner, and in the other violences which attended that daring insult, should be brought to England, to be tried ; and I am, therefore, to signify to you His Majesty's pleasure, that such of the said offenders as may have been, or shall be, arrested and committed within the colony of Rhode Island, be delivered to the care and custody of Rear Admiral Mon- tagu, or the commander in chief of Ilis Majesty's ships in North America, for the time being, or to such officers as he shall appoint to receive them; taking care that you do give notice to the persons accused, in order that they may procure such wit- nesses on their behalf, as they shall judge necessary ; which witnesses, together with all such as may be proper, to support the charge against them, will be received and sent hither with the prisoners.'"
At the August session of the General Assembly, the subject of the destruction of the Gaspee, was introduced by the fol- lowing communication from the Governor :
Governor Wanton to the House of Deputies of Rhode Island.
To the House of Deputies :
Gentlemen :- The measures which have been pursued for discovering the persons who were concerned in destroying the King's armed schooner, the Gaspee, as she lay aground on a point of land. ealled Namquit, in this colony, will appear from the several papers which I have delivered to Mr. Speaker, in order to be laid before you. for your information.
I have, in consequence of that unhappy transaction, addressed the Right IIonora- ble the Earl of Hillsborough ; a copy of which, and also what I wrote to the agent, upon the same occasion, I have delivered to Mr. Speaker.
I thought it my duty, during the recess of the Assembly, to aequaint the secretary of state with this affair, lest, by an entire silence, or from misinformation, any im- pressions might be made prejudicial to the colony.
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I hope my proceedings will meet your approbation : and submit to your determi- nation what is further necessary to be done, recommending the same to your serious and immediate consideration. I have the honor to be. &c .. &c ..
Council Chamber, J. WANTON.
Newport, August 18th, 1772. )
At the same session, Deputy Governor Sessions presented an account for expenses incurred by him in collecting evidence relating to the destruction of the Gaspee ; for subsisting her crew, while at Pawtuxet, and in sending them on board His Majesty's ship, the Beaver, which lay in the bay below.
Mr. Samuel Aborn, of Pawtuxet, also presented a bill for securing the stores, anchors, guns and other effects belonging to the burnt vessel ; all of which bills, were ordered to be paid.
The following additional proceedings are from the records of the session :
Proceedings of the General Assembly of Rhode Island, relative to the Gaspee.
Whereas, His Honor the Governor, hath laid before this As- sembly, a full and particular narrative of the measures he hath pursued, in consequence of the burning of His Majesty's schooner, the Gaspee ; and of the steps he hath taken to dis- cover the perpetrators of that atrocious piece of villainy ; upon due consideration whereof,-
It is voted and resolved, that the whole of His Honor's pro- ceedings be approved ; and that Ilis Honor be, and he is hereby, requested to transmit a copy thereof, to the agent of the colony, in Great Britain ; * and to pursue such further mea- sures respecting the said affair, during the recess of the General Assembly, as shall appear necessary.
And whereas, His Honor issued a proclamation, promising a reward of £100, sterling, to any person or persons who shall discover the persons guilty of the said crime ;-
* The letter to the agent, in London, is not preserved on the files in the secretary's office. It did not probably vary from the letter to the Earl of Hillsborough. before given.
-
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It is therefore further voted and resolved, that this As- sembly will make provision for paying the above mentioned reward, in case any person or persons shall be entitled thereto.
And it is further voted and resolved, that no copies of let- ters, or other proceedings, relating to the above mentioned affair, be delivered ont by the secretary, to any person or per- sons, whomsoever.
It is voted and resolved, that the letter from His Honor the Governor, to the Right Honorable the Earl of Hillsborough, of the 20th of May last, containing a narrative of the proceedings respecting His Honor's calling Lieut. Dudingston before him, &e., be, and the same is hereby, approved.
Whereas, Joseph Rhodes of Cranston, cooper, hath in his hands the sum of $79, belonging to Lieut. Dudingston, which he refuseth to deliver, -
It is therefore voted and resolved, that Ilis Honor the Deputy Governor and the Hon. Stephen Hopkins, Esq., be, and they are hereby, requested and empowered to make inquiry into that affair, and to settle all differences between the parties ; and that, if the said Rhodes will not comply therewith, they advise the said Dudingston to take the proper method for ob- taining his right.
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Proclamation of King George III., relative to the Destruction of the Gaspee.
GEORGE R. BY THE KING.
A PROCLAMATION:
For the discovering and apprehending the persons who phindered and burnt the Gaspee schooner, and barbarously wounded and ill-treated Lieutenant William Dndingston, commander of the said schooner.
Whereas, we have received information. that, upon the 10th day of June last, between the hours of twelve and one, in the morning. in the Providence or Narra- gansett River, in our colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, a great number of persons, armed with guns and other offensive weapons, and led by two persons, who were called the captain and head sheriff. in several armed boats, at- tacked and boarded our vessel called the Gaspee schooner, then lying at single an- chor in the said river, commanded by our Lieutenant William Dudingston, under the orders of our Rear Admiral John Montagu ; and having dangerously wounded and barbarously treated the said William Dudingston, took, plundered and burnt the said schooner.
We, to the intent that said outrageous and heinous offenders may be discovered, and brought to condign punishment, have thought fit, with the advice of our Privy Council, to issue this our royal proclamation.
And we are hereby graciously pleased to promise, that if any person or persons shall discover any person or persons concerned in the said daring and heinous of- fences above mentioned, so that he or they may be apprehended and brought to justice, such discoverer shall have and receive, as a reward. for such discovery, upon conviction of each of the said offenders, the sum of five hundred pounds.
And if any person or persons shall discover either of the said persons who acted as, or called themselves, or were called by their said accomplices, the head sheriff, or the captain, so that they, or either of them, may be apprehended and brought to punishment, such discoverer shall have and receive, as a reward for such discovery, upon conviction of either of the said persons, the further sum of five hundred pounds, over and above the sum of fice hundred pounds, herein before promised. for the dis- covery and apprehending any of the other eonunon offenders above mentioned.
And if any person or persons concerned therein, except the two persons who were called the head sheriff and captain, and the person or persons who wounded
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said Lieutenant William Dudingston, shall discover any one or more of the said ac- complices, so that he or they may be apprehended and brought to punishment, such discoverer shall have and receive the said reward or rewards of fire hundred pounds, or one thousand pounds, as the case may be; and also our gracious pardon for his said offence; and the commissioners for executing the office of treasurer of our exchequer, are hereby required to make payment accordingly, of the said rewards.
And we do hereby strictly charge and command all our governors, deputy gov- ernors. magistrates officers and all other our loving subjects, that they do use their utmost diligence, in their several places and capacities, to find out, discover and apprehend the said offenders, in order to their being brought to justice.
And we do hereby command that this our proclamation be printed and pub- lished, in the usual form, and affixed in the principal places of our town of New- port, and other towns in our said colony, that none may pretend ignorance.
Given at our Court, at St. James, the twenty-sixth day of August, 1772, in the twelfth year of our reign.
God save the King.
Royal Commission to the Commissioners of Inquiry, relative to the Destruction of the Gaspee.
GEORGE THE THIRD, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., to our trusty and well beloved Jo- seph Wanton, Esquire, Governor of our colony, called the English colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America ; our trusty and well beloved Daniel Horsmanden, Esquire, our chief justice of our province of New York ; our trusty and well beloved Frederick Smythe, Es- quire, our chief justice of our province of New Jersey ; our trusty and well be- loved Peter Oliver, Esquire, our chief justice of our Province of the Massachu- setts Bay, in New England; and our trusty and well beloved Robert Auch- muty, Esquire, our judge of our vice admiralty court, established at Boston, with jurisdiction in all causes arising within the limits of our colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Connecticut, greeting :
Whereas, our armed schooner, called the Gaspee schooner, commanded by Lieu- tenant William Dudingston, under the orders of Rear Admiral Montagu, was sta- tioned in Providence or Narragansett River, in, or near to our colony of Rhode Is- land and Providence Plantations, in New England, the said Lieutenant Dudingston, having proper commission and authority, to seize to our use, such prohibited and un- accustomed goods, as he should find carried in and on board any ship, bottom, boat or other vessels, contrary to law, whereby the same is forfeited.
And, whereas, we have been informed that very many ill-disposed persons have dared, from time to time, in defiance of our laws and authority, to insult and other- wise hinder and obstruct the said Lieutenant William Dudingston, in the perform-
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ance of his duty, and their boldness in that respect grew to so desperate an height, that on or about the 10th day of June last, great multitudes of people were assem. bled in our town of Newport .* and places adjacent. in our said colony. by beat of drum, armed with guns and other offensive weapons, and led on by two persons, whom they called the head sheriff and the captain, and so proceeded in warlike manner, with armed boats, to attack our said schooner : and having dangerously wounded the said lieutenant, overpowered the crew, took, plundered and burnt our said vessel.
We, being desirons to be perfectly informed how so daring an attempt could be concerted, prepared and carried into execution in the chuet town of our said colony, the residence of the Governor, and principal magistrates thereof, not only for the purpose of bringing the said offenders and their maintainers, aiders and abettors, to condign punishment, but al-o to the end, that fit and speedy order may be taken for securing the future peace, obedience, and well government of our said colony ; and placing much confidence in your wisdom. diligence, loyalty and integ- rity, do, by these presents, appoint you. the said Joseph Wanton. Daniel Ilors- manden. Frederick Smythe. Peter Oliver and Robert Auchmuty, our commissioners, to inquire into and report to us a full and true account of all the circumstances rela- tive to the attacking, taking. plrendering and burning our said schooner ; and to the assembling, arming. training and leading the people concerned therein ; and to the concerting and preparing the said attack, and of all other insults and obstructions which have been given to the said Lieutenant Dudingston, or to our service in gen- eral in our said colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and of the causes which have occasioned so daring a violation of our laws and authority; and also to inquire and report what measures have been taken or used by the magis- trates of our said colony, and other our good subjects therein, respeeting the same.
And for the better exvention of our royal will and pleasure therein, we do hereby give unto you, the said Joseph Wanton. Daniel Ilor manden. Frederick Smythe, Peter Oliver, and Robert Auchmuty, or any three of you, full power and authority to re- ceive all such informations and advertisements as shall be brought unto you, by or from any of our loving subjects or others, touching the premises ; and also, to inquire, by the examination of witnesses on oath, which oath we do hereby give you or any of you, full power, warrant and authority to administer, or by such other ways and means as you, or any three of you, shall, in your discretion, think fit, into the premises, or any of them.
And we do further give you, or any three of you, full power and authority to send for such persons, papers, and records, as shall be useful to you, for the better carry- ing on the service hereby intended, willing and requiring you, the said Governor, the Deputy Governor, and all other our magistrates, officers, and loving subjects within the said colony, to be in all things helpful, aiding and assisting to you, and every of you, in the execution of this, our royal commission.
And we do further strictly charge and command you, and every of yon, that, in the execution and performance of the powers and authorities to you hereby given,
* This is a mistake. It was not in Newport, but in Providence, where the party was organized.
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you, and every of you, do earefully observe and conform yourselves to such instrue- tions as shall be given and sent unto you, in writing, n.nler our sign manual, and to report to us a full and true account of your proceedings herein.
In witness whereof, we have eansed these our letters to be made patent. Witness ourself, at Westminster, the second day of September, in the twelfth year of our reign.
By the King himself.
YORKE.
Royal Instructions to the Commission of Inquiry, relative to the Destruction of the Gaspee.
GEORGE R.
L. S. Instructions to our trusty and well beloved Joseph Wanton, Daniel Hors- manden, Frederick Smythe, Peter Oliver and Robert Auchinnty, Esquires, our commissioners for inquiring into the circumstances relative to the attacking, plundering and burning our armed schooner, called the Gaspee schooner, withun our colony of Rhode Island, in America. on the 10th day of June last, and into the causes thereof, and of the violences and insults offered upon that occasion, to our officers em- ployed in our service.
Given at our eourt at St. James, the 4th day of September, 1772, in the twelfth year of our reign.
Article 1st. With these our instructions, you will receive our commissi .... .... . our great seal of Great Britain, constituting and appointing you our Mani. . ... for inquiring into and making report to us of all the circumstances relative to the at- tacking, plundering and burning the Gaspee schooner on the 10th of June last. in the Narragansett River, within our colony of Rhode Island; and to the assembling, arming, and leading on the persons who made the said attack, and to the concerting and preparing the same ; together with all such other powers and authorities as are judged necessary for that purpose. You are therefore, to take upon you, the execution of the trust reposed in you, and so soon as three or more of you shall have been assembled at Newport, within our said colony of Rhode Island, you are to eause our said commission to be read and published in such manner and form, and with snch solemnity as are due to the authority from which it proceeds, and the important occasion for which it is issued, using your own discretions as to all such other times and places of your meetings, according to what shall appear to you. or the major part of you, to be most fit and proper.
Art. 2d. You are to use your utmost eare and dilligence, pursuant to the au- thorities and directions contained in our said commission, in making a very full and particular inquiry into all the circumstances relative to the attacking, plundering
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and destroying our armed schooner. the Gaspee. on the 10th of June last, in the Narragansett River, within our said colony of Rhode Island, and to the assembling, arming and leading on the persons who made the said attack. as also into the causes and occasions thereof; and into all the steps that have been taken by the civil magistrates in their respective stations, for the discovery and punishment of the per- trators of those heinons offenees. And to those ends. you are to sunumnon before you, all such persons as you shall think may be able to give any information touching the said objects of inquiry; and likewise. to order all informations, depositions and examinations, which may have been taken and made in writing. touching those matters, or authentic copies thereof. to be laid before you, and to make a report to us, by one of our principal secretaries of state, of all your proceedings, and of what shall appear to yon, respecting the conduct of the magistrates and people of Rhode Island, on that occasion.
Art. 3d. And whereas, the eivil magistrates and officers within our said colony of Rhode Island, are entrusted with the power au- authority to arrest and commit to eustudy such of the persons concerned in the plundering and destroying the Gaspe schooner, and in the iuhuman treatment of our officer who commanded her, against whom any information shall be taken, in order to the said offenders being . sent to England to be tried for that offence ; it is therefore, our will and pleasure, that you do, from time to time, communicate to the said civil officers and magis- trates, such information as you shall be able to collect, touching the persons con- cerned in that daring attack upon our authority and commission. to the end that they may be accordingly arrested and delivered to the custody of the commander in chief of our ships and vessels in North America, pursuant to such directions as we have thought fit to give for that purpose.
Art. 4th. And whereas, it is of importanee with regard to the mode of proceed- ing against the said offenders, that they should be exactly informed of the place where the offenee was committed, it will, therefore, be your duty to take care in all your proceedings upon this inquiry, as well as in your reports thereof to ns, by one of our principal secretaries of state, to ascertain with the greatest precision. whether the offeuee was committed and done within the body of the colony ; and if so, within what county or district thereof; and if not so, in what other place the said offenee was committed and done.
Art. 5th. And whereas, there may be reason to apprehend, from the outrages which have been committed within our said colony of Rhode Island. by numbers of law- less persons, that insults may be offered to you, it is therefore our will and pleasure, that if any disturbance shall arise, with a view to obstruct you in the execution of your duty. and any violence should in consequence thereof, be offered to you, you do, in such case, give immediate notice thereof to the commander in chief of our forces in North America, and require of him to send such a military force into the colony. as you shall judge necessary for your protection, and for the aiding the civil magistrates in suppressing any tumults or riots, and preserving the public peace.
Lastly. It is our will and pleasure, that you do take an account. by way of journal, of all your aets and proceedings in the execution of the powers and diree- tions given to you, and that the reports which you are to make to us, by one of our
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principal secretaries of state, of those proceedings, be in writing. and signed by any three or more of you .* G. R.
* Extract from the Providence Gazette, of Saturday, December 26. 1772 :
"To be, or not to be, that's the question ; whether our unalienable rights and privileges are any longer worth contending fur, is now to be determined. Permit me, my countrymen, to beseech you to attend to your alarming situation.
The stamp act you opposed with a spirit and resolution becoming those who were truly solicitous to transmit to posterity those blessings which our forefathers purebased for us iu the wilds of America, at an immense expense of blood and treasure.
But behold, an evil infinitely worse, in its consequences, than all the revenue laws which have been passed from the reign of Charles the First, to this time, now threatens this dis- tressed, piratically plundered country.
A court of inquisition, more horrid than that of Spain or Portugal, is established within this colony, to inquire into the circumstances of destroying the Gaspee schooner ; and the persons who are the commissioners of this new-fangled court, are vested with most exer- bitant and unconstitutional power. They are directed to summon witnesses, apprehend persons not only impeached, but even suspected ! and them, and every of them, to deliver them to Admiral Montagu, who is ordered to have a ship in readiness to carry them to England, where they are to be tried.
Three of the commissioners are a quorum, who are directed to apply to General Gage, for troops to protect them in their offices, and preserve the colony from riots and disturbane 's. The royal commission for these gentlemeu, together with their instructions, is transmitted to Admiral Montagu, who, upou being notified that they are couvened in conformity to their appointment, is to attend them, and then deliver their commission and instructions, and to be aiding with his sage counsel and advice, whenever necessary.
So much has trauspired, respecting this alarming star-chamber inquisition. . And who among the natives of America, can hear it without emotion ? Is there an American, in whose breast there glows the smallest spark of public virtue, but who must be fired with indignation and reseutment, agaiust a measure so replete with the ruin of our free e mnsti- tutiou ? To be tried by one's peers, is the greatest privilege a subject cho wish for ; and so excellent is our constitution, that no subject shall be tried, but by his peers.
This establishment is the grand barrier of our lives, liberties and estates; and whoever attempts to alter or inva le this fundamental principle, by which the liberties of the people have been secured from time immemorial, is a declared enemy to the welfare and happiness of the King and state. The tools of despotism aud arbitrary power, have long wished that this important bulwark might be destroyed, and now have the impudence to triumph in our faces, because such of their fellow subjects in America, as are suspected of being guilty of a crime, are ordered to be transported to Great Britain for trial, in open violation of Magua Charta.
Thus are we robbed of our birth-rights, and treated with every mark of indigoity, insult and contempt ; aud can we possibly be so supine, as not to feel ourselves firmly disposed to treat the advocates for such horrid measures with a detestation and scorn, proportionate to their perfidy and baseness ?
Luxury and avarice, a more fatal and cruel scourge thin war, will ere long ravage Britain and ultimately bring on the dissolution of that ouee happy kingdom. Ambition, and a thirst for arbitrary sway, have already banished integrity, probity and every other virtue, from those who are cutrusted with the government of our mother country. Her colonies loudly com- pluin of the violences and vexations they suffer by having their moneys takeu from them, without their consent, by measures more unjustifiable than highway robbery ; and ap- plied to the basest purposes,-those of supporting tyrants and debatuchres. No private bouse is inaccessible to the avarice of custom-house officers ; no place so remote whither the injus- tice and extortion ot these miscreant tools in power, have not penetrated.
Upon the whole, it is more than probable, it is an aluost absolute certainty, that, ac- cording to the present appearances, the state of an American subject, instead of enjoying
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These papers were transmitted to Admiral Montagu, and sent by him to Governor Wanton, by express.
Admiral Montagu to the Governor of Rhode Island.
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