625 | To the American Board of Customs

    Copy of a Letter from Governor Bernard to the Commissioners of the Customs.

    Council Chamber 13 June 1768.

    forenoon.

    Gentlemen,

    Having communicated your Letter of the 12th Instant1 to the Council, They observe with Concern, that you say, “That no immediate Measures were taken in Council for securing the Peace of the Town, Tho there was the strongest Reason to expect further Violences.” They cannot but be apprehensive that this Sentence if it should pass unnoticed must tend to charge them with a Neglect of their Duty, in not advising me to take proper Measures for preserving the Peace of the Town. They therefore have desired me to acquaint you that during the Sitting of the Council on Saturday Morning so far from their having the strongest Reason to expect further Violences, there was no Reason at all given for such Expectation, and there was no Apprehension either in the Governor or Council of an immediate danger of further Violences. It was therefore the general opinion that they might take time to ascertain, the facts of the Riot on Friday Evening before they proceeded to order the bringing the offenders to Justice or to prevent the like offences for the future. I have this morning informed them of the present Apprehensions of further Violences & they are now taking the same into Consideration,

    I am Gentlemen Your most obedient Humble Servant

    Signed Francis Bernard.

    To the Honble the Commrs of the Customs.

    L, Copy     T 1/465, ff 153-154.

    Docket: 14 Boston Council Chamber 13 June 1768 forenoon. Copy of a Letter from Governor Bernard to the Commissioners of the Customs. The RC is not extant, and this copy was enclosed in the memorial of the American Board of Customs, 16 Jun., (No. 14 on the list of enclosures to Appendix 6). Variants: CO 5/766, ff 207-209 (L, Copy); BL: Add 38340, f 279 (L, Copy); Coll. Mass. Papers, 1768 (L extract, Copy); Letters to the Ministry (1st ed.), 98-99; Letters to the Ministry (repr.), 132-133. Copies of the version enclosed with Appendix 6 were laid before both houses of Parliament on 28 Nov. 1768. HLL: American Colonies Box 1.