| Citation |
NHG-P.766.060
26 Sep 1766:12,13,21,22 (521)
A letter from John Hughes, Esq; to the Commissioners of the
Stamp-Office in London. Philadelphia, October 12, 1765.
Gentlemen, . . . [27 lines about the Stamp Act]
However about the middle of September it was reported that
the stamps would arrive in Capt. Friend, who was then
expected and these riotous gentry began to threaten they
would destroy the stamps as soon as they arrived. I
therefore being desirous as far as in me lay, to preserve
the stamps, wrote, on the 17th, the letter (No. 1.) to his
honour the Gov. but received no answer, and as the Stamps
did not arrive in Captain Friend, matters rested until
October, and when I received the paper (No. 2) being a note
from Capt. William Dowel, a tool of the party, and therefore
I wrote my answer (No. 3) to Mr. Dickenson, the owner of the
ship, and on the next day I wrote my letter (No. 4) to his
honour the Governor but I received no answer, and here
matters rested until Saturday the 5th of October, when I
received information that the ship with the stamps was to
come up to town that day, and that a mob would be collected
by beating muffled drums through the streets, and ringing
the state house and church bells muffled, which was
accordingly done all the afternoon, but at 2 o'clock the
post arrived with the mail and packet, and among other
things my commission, this the party ventured to alledge,
because there was a large packet for me: accordingly the
mob collected, chiefly Presbyterians and proprietary
emissaries, with the Chief Justice's, Mr. William Allenson
at their head, animating and encouraging the lower class.
About 3 o'clock the following persons, viz. James Tilgham
Esq; Attorney at law, Messrs. Robert Morris, Charles
Thompson, Archibald M'Call, John Cox, and William Richards,
merchants, and Mr. William Bradford, printer, came to me on
a deputation from a great number collected at the
State-House, to request my resignation.
. . . [56 lines, 24 lines]
Perhaps their Lordships and you, gentlemen, may expect that
the Governor will exert himself on the occasion and
strengthen my hands, but this will not happen, for on the
day that the mob were collecting, and after the drums began
to beat, I am informed his honour left the city, and
presently after the Attorney General, who is recorder of the
city left it also; whether the Mayor and Chief Justice were
out of the city I cannot say, but this is certain, that no
one magistrate of public officer appeared aboard the whole
day to discourage the mob, or to give the least aid of
protection. . . [59 lines, 18 lines]
Since writing the above, I am inform'd that Benjamin
Shoemaker, Esq; who is one of the people call'd Quakers, and
also an alderman of the city, met with the drummers as they
were leaving the city, and took them to talk, requiring to
know by what authority they were endeavouring to raise a
mob? they answered, if he would go to the State House, he
might know. He then asked them who ordered them to beat
about the streets? they said they had their orders from the
Coffee-house. (N. B. kept by the before-mentioned Mr.
Bradford.) Mr. Shoemaker then forbid them to proceed any
farther, and said he could go immediately to the Mayor and
have them committed; they answer'd they could get the
Mayor's orders when they pleased. But Mr. Shoemaker could
not find the Mayor, nor any officer to assist him, and
therefore was obliged to desist, least he should draw the
mob upon himself and family, and so have his house pull'd
down. . . [38 lines, signed] Your most obedient, and most
humble servant, John Hughes
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