Essex Gazette, Feb. 9, 1773.
On the departure of Governor Hutchinson from the Province of Massachusetts in 1774, a hundred and twenty-three citizens of Boston, together with sundry citizens of Salem, Marblehead, and other places, signed a complimentary address to him, "lamenting the loss of so good a Governor," and praising him for his character and conduct. Most of these persons belonged to the better classes; but their action was judged to be, to say the least, hasty. Shortly after this, these "addressors" were "hauled over the coals" by the patriots and forced to retract. The following cards from some of these gentlemen we take from the "Essex Gazette," a newspaper circulating in Salem and Cambridge. From the known character and standing of many of these persons, it is believed that they were glad of an opportunity of thus expressing their patriotism. The first blood of the Revolution had not been shed when they signed this address to the Governor, who they had hoped would be able to influence the British ministry so that war could be averted. But after the battles of Lexington and Concord there was no longer any hope of a reconciliation, and the "Committee of Safety," naturally wishing to be sure as to who were friends and who were enemies, took this method of ascertaining the fact and thereby satisfying the community.
Salem, May 30, 1775.
Whereas we the Subſcribers did ſome time ſince ſign an Addreſs to Governor Hutchinſon, which, though prompted to by the beſt Intentions, has nevertheleſs given great Offence to our Country; We do now declare that we were ſo far from deſigning by that Action to ſhow our Acquieſcence in thoſe Acts of Parliament so univerſally and juſtly odious to all America, that on the contrary we hoped we might in that Way contribute to their Repeal, though now to our ſorrow we find ourſelves miſtaken.—And we do now further declare that we never intended the Offenſe which this Addreſs has occaſioned, that if we had foreſeen ſuch an Event, we ſhould never have ſigned it; as it always has been and now is our Wiſh to live in Harmony with our Neighbors, and our ſerious Determination to promote to the utmoſt of our Power, the Liberty, the Welfare and Happineſs of our Country, which is inſeparably connected with our own.
| John Nutting, | Andrew Dalgleish, | |
| N. Goodale, | Thomas Barnard, | |
| E.A. Holyoke, | Nath. Dabney, | |
| Wm. Pynchon, | William Pickman, | |
| Eben'r Putnam, | C. Gayton Pickman, | |
| Francis Cabot, | John Turner, | |
| N. Sparhawk. | ||
In Committee of Safety, Salem, 30th May, 1775.
The Declaration of which the above is a copy, being preſented and read, it was voted unanimouſly that the ſame was ſatisfactory, and that the ſaid Gentlemen ought to be received and treated as real Friends to this Country.
By order of the Committee,