Appendix 4

    THE EARL OF HILLSBOROUGH TO THOMAS GAGE

    (No. 71)

    Secret and Confidential

    Whitehall 8th. June 1768

    Sir,

    I transmit to you, for your private Information, Copies of a Letter from His Majesty’s Commissioners of the Revenue to the Lords of the Treasury;1 of my Circular Letter to the several Governors upon the Continent in consequence of it,2 and of governor Bernard’s three last letters to my Office.3

    The Contents of these Papers will evince to you how necessary it is become that such measures should be taken as will strengthen the Hands of Government in the Province of Massachusetts Bay; enforce a due Obedience to the Laws, and protect and support the Civil Magistrates, and the Officers of the Crown in the Execution of their Duty.

    For these purposes, I am to signify to you His Majesty’s Pleasure that you do forthwith order one Regiment, or such Force as you shall think necessary, to Boston, to be Quartered in that Town, and give every legal Assistance to the Civil Magistrate in the preservation of the Public Peace and to the Officers of the Revenue in the Execution of the Laws of Trade & Revenue — and, as this appears to be a Service of a delicate Nature and possibly leading to Consequences not easily foreseen, I am directed by the King4 to recommend to you to make choice of an Officer for the Command of these Troops, upon whose Prudence & Resolution and Integrity you can entirely rely.

    The necessary measures for Quartering and providing for these Troops, must be entirely left to your Direction but I would submit to you whether, as Troops will probably continue in that Town, and a Place of some Strength may in case of Emergency be of great Service, it would not be adviseable to take Possession of, and Repair, if repairs be wanting, the little Castle or Fort of William and Mary, which belongs to the Crown.

    I am &ca

    Hillsborough

    ADft, Copy     CO 5/86, ff 80-81.

    Docket: Drat. to Major Genl. Gage 8th. June 1768 (No. 7) (Secret & Confidential). The original RC in MiU-C: Gage, vol. 77, enclosed copies of Appendix 1, Appendix 2, and the earl of Hillsborough, circular to the colonial governors, Whitehall, 21 Apr. 1768, and copies of three of FB’s letters to Shelburne (from Nos. 589, 591, 596, and 601). FB learned of Hillsborough’s orders to Gage on 3 Sept., when he received Gage’s letter of 31 Aug. (No. 669). The RC was not available for checking in situ at MiU-C or in facsimile before this volume of the Bernard Papers went to press. The transcript printed here is based on the draft author’s copy filed at TNA.