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freedom. We were apprehensive that the minds of the zealous friends 

 of that good cause, being warmly agitated in such a controversy, 

 would become thereby disaffected to each other, and that the advan- 

 tage which we have hitherto experienced from their united efforts 

 would cease. We are confirmed that our fears were not ill-grounded, 

 by your relinquishing a post, which in our opinions, and we dare say, 

 in the opinion of your fellow-townsmen you sustained with honor to 

 yourselves and advantage to your country. But, gentlemen, suffer us 

 to ask, whether you well considered, that although you derived your 

 being as a committee of correspondence from that particular town 

 which appointed you, yet in the nature of your office, while they 

 continued you in it you stood connected in a peculiar relation with 

 your country? If this be a just view of it, should the ill conduct of 

 the inhabitants of Marblehead towards you, influence you to decline 

 serving the public in this office any more than that of the inhabitants 

 of this or any other town? And would you not therefore have con- 

 tinued in that office, though you had been obliged to resign every 

 other office you held under the town, without injury to your own 

 reputation? Besides, will the misfortune end in this resignation? 

 Does not the step naturally lead you to withdraw yourselves totally 

 from the public meetings of the town, however important to the 

 common cause, by which the other ffrm friends to that honourable 

 cause may feel the want of your influence and aid, at a time when, as 

 you well express it, "a fatal thrust may be aimed at our rights and 

 liberties," and it may be necessary that all should appear, and " as 

 one body oppose the design and defeat the rebel intention?" Should 

 not the disorders that have prevailed and still prevail in the town of 

 Marblehead, have been a weighty motive rather for your taking meas- 

 ures to strengthen your connexions with the people than otherwise ; 

 that you might in conjunction with other prudent men, have employed 

 your influence and abilities in reducing to the exercise of reason 

 those who had been governed by prejudice and passion, and thus have 

 brought the contest to an equitable and amicable issue, which would 

 certainly have been to your own satisfaction? If difficulties stared 

 you in the face, it is a good maxim, nil desperandum ; and are you 

 sure that it was impracticable for you, by patience and assiduity, to 

 have restored "order and distinction," and rendered the public offices 

 of the town again respectable? 



It is difficult to enumerate all the instances in which our enemies, as 

 watchful as they are inveterate, will make an ill improvement of your 

 letter of resignation. And therefore we earnestly wish that a method 

 may yet be contrived for the recalling of it consistent with your own 

 sentiments. We assure ourselves that personal considerations will 

 not be suff"ered to have an undue weight in your minds, when the 



