Letter from Mrs. Elizabeth Bowdoin to the committee of safety, giving informa- tion of ravages on the Elizabeth Islands. June 4, 1775, Deposition of Elisha Nye, relating to the plundering of one of the Elizabeth JOURNAL OF THE FIRST PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF Massachusetts, Convened at Salem, Friday, October 7, 1774.—Adjourned on the same day. Convened at Concord, Tuesday, October 11.-Adjourned Friday, October 14. Convened at Cambridge, Monday, October 17.-Adjourned Saturday, October 29. Convened at Cambridge, Wednesday, November 23.—Dissolved Saturday, Dec. 10. 1 FIRST MEETING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. On the first day of September, 1774, his excellency Thomas Gage, governor of Massachusetts Bay, sent out precepts to the several towns and districts of the province, commanding the inhabitants to return representatives to the great and general court, ordered to be convened at Salem, on the fifth day of October then next. Alarmed by the preparations for resisting usurpations of chartered rights, by the bold spirit of the county resolves, and the patriotic instructions of the people to their delegates, it was determined by the royal council to countermand the summons for the meeting of the assembly, and to postpone its session. The following proclamation was issued, on the twenty-eighth day of September, by Governor Gage, announcing his view of the inexpediency of the meeting of the legislature at the time appointed, discharging the members from attendance, and declaring his intention not to be present at Salem. PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY. By the Governor. A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS, on the first day of September instant, I thought fit to issue writs for calling a great and general court, or assembly, to be convened and held at Salem, in the county of Essex, on the fifth day of October next; and whereas, from the many tumults and disorders which have since taken place, the extraordinary resolves which have been passed in many of the counties, the instructions given by the town of Boston, and some other towns, to their representatives, and |