LETTERS OF JOHN ANDREWS. 23
dollars a load for about 28 or 30 miles, or 40/ lawful money at y; lowesl rate it is done for. It is do uncommon thing to hear the carriers and waggoners, when they pass a difficult place in y'. road. to whip their horses and damn Lord North alternately: — nor are
the coasters who bring wood and grain allowed to carry away any more provisions and stores than will suffice to last 'em to Salem. much less permitted to carry any sort of merchandize or utensils for farming, whereby I am depriv'd of the sale of at least two thirds of yl goods I usually us'd to vend, and of the other third I am in a manner totally depriv'd of, by the operation of the ill-judg'd policy of our committee, in promoting that bane to harmony, the solemn League and Covenant : — that really, Bill, I think myself well off to take Cash enough to supply the necessary demands of my family, and you may as well ask a man for the teeth out of his head as to request the payment of money that he owes you (either in town or country, as we are all alike affected) for you'll be as likely to get the one as the other: notwithstanding which, there seems to be ease, contentment, and perfect composure in the countenance of almost every person you meet in the streets, which conduct very much perplexes the Governor and Others, our lords and masters, that they are greatly puzzled, and know not what to do or how to act, as they expected very different behaviour from us. I hope we shall have resolution and virtue enough to observe a steady course, and not give them the /<'<st advan- tage by anv misconduct of our own, much more to quiet any dissen- sions among ourselves that may tend to disturb that harmony so necessary to the welfare of us all.
— 2nd Instant. Early this morning arriv'd in town eleven carts loaded with meat fish and one loaded with sweet oil, a donation from our sympathizing brethren of Marblehead, which the Committee of ways and means were oblig'd to get to town in this manner, as the Commissioners would not suffer it to come up by water, though it must be obvious to every one that it may be deem'd an article of pro- vision. Neither will they permit the two cargoes of rice, a generous donation from Smith Carolina, together with a thousand bushels grain from Weathersfield in Connecticutt, come up to us by water, and have gave out that they shall take upon 'em to say when we have fewell and provisions enough : after that, cease to let any come at all : more particularly any that may he sent lor the relief of the poor. Am told that we are indebted for these mini* uvers to two born among ourselves, they composing half the number of the Commissioners:
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