From the Massachusetts Provincial Congress
LS: Massachusetts Historical Society; draft: Massachusetts Archives; copies: National Archives and Connecticut State Library
In Provincial Congress. Watertown April 26th. 1775
Sir,

From the entire confidence we repose in your faithfulness and abilities, we consider it the happiness of this Colony that the important trust of Agency for it, in this day of unequalled distress, is devolved on your hands: We doubt not your attachment to the cause of the Liberties of Mankind will make every possible exertion in our behalf a pleasure to you; although our circumstances will compell us often to interrupt your repose by matters that will surely give you pain. A singular Instance hereof is the occasion of the present Letter. The contents of this packet will be our apology for troubling you with it: from these you will see how and by whom we are at last plunged into the horrors of a most unnatural War: Our Enemies, we are told, have dispatch’d to Great Britain a fallacious Account of the Tragedy they have begun: to prevent the operation of which, to the public Injury, we have engaged the Vessel that conveys this to you, as a Packet in the Service of this Colony. And we request your assistance in supplying Capt. Derby, who commands her, with such necessaries as he shall want, on the credit of your Constituents in Massachusetts Bay. But we most ardently wish that the several Papers herewith inclosed may be immediately printed and dispersed thro’ every Town in England, and especially communicated to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, that they may take such order thereon as they may think proper; and we are confident your fidelity will make such improvement of them as shall convince all who are not determin’d to be in everlasting blindness, that it is the united efforts of both Englands that must save either. But that whatever price our brethren in the one may be pleas’d to put on their constitutional Liberties we are authorized to assure you that the Inhabitants of the other, with the greatest unanimity, are inflexibly resolved to sell theirs only at the price of their Lives. Signed by order of Congress

Jos Warren Presdt pro tem

To Benjamin Franklin Esqr Agent for the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay now in London
Notation: Genl. Warren to Dr Franklin Watertown Congress
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