Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/157

DELAWARE COUNTY. 133 have all agreed to alFord England no succor, though pressingly demanded ; but on the contrary, have entered into a league of armed neutrality. They have invited England to join, but have yet received no answer. The ostensible object of this league is a free unlimited trade to all the world, even to towns besieged; but- the real object is to embarrass Great Britain, and make her sick of the war. " The aforesaid powers have agreed to fit out immediately, for their mutual defence, fifty-two ships of war, which are to defend their ships from being searched, and support their claim to an equal right to the sea. On the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of June last, there were the greatest disturbances in London known for one hundred years past. Lord George Gordon, at the head of fifty thousand men, marched through Westmin- ster six men deep, crossed over London bridge, and went to the Parliament house, about 12 o'clock on the 2nd of June, and handled all the members they could get at, who were our ene- mies, in the roughest manner, tearing off their bags, breaking their coaches, &c. They then went to burning their houses up and down throughout the city; they seized the Archbishop of York and several of the Lords, tore their gowns from their backs, and squeezed them almost to death. The King's Council have oifered a reward of £500 for the discovery of the ringleader, but I believe they are afraid to find him out, for Lord George Gordon publicly avowed what he had done, and we hear of no notice having been taken of him ; it seems that the mob also demolished several ambassador's houses, who belonged to some of the petty princes who are not our friends* This is a good beginning — may they go on and prosper. In Dublin, they have also been at the same work ; and in Drogheda, twenty-two miles from Dublin, the English soldiers have killed ten of the inhabitants in the street, upon which the Volunteer companies there have put the soldiers in jail, 12