With the fact before him, that the " large number ■' of the inhabitants" of the Town of Salem which was referred to, in that letter, was composed ol farmers, neighbors of the writer of it, and peacefully and industriously pursuing their usual vocations; and, with the additional fact before him, that none oi these were even pretended to have committed any other olfense, against either the King or the ('ongress, than the entertainment of political opinions which wore ditl'crciit from those entertained by Kzekiel llawley and his handful of " patriotic" confederates, thereader will be enabled to judge, with some degree of accuracy, concerning the really diabolical character of the letter and that of him who had written it.

The number of those who were thus proscribed and w hose properties were so eagerly hankered for, was said to have been " large;" the proposed victims were " inhabitants " of Salem, and neighbors of Hawley and bis confederates ; they were (juietly pursuing their usual ruial occu|)ations, doing no harm to any one, and violating no law, although their opinions, on

> Mr. Button said tliia Hawley was a grandson of Rev. Thomas llawl«y, I'listor of tli» Congregationul-clnirrli at Kiil{;t'l1i'IO, Cnnneoticnt ; tlial tic was Olio of tlio propi iclorF of tin' Oliliiiij; ; tliat lii' liolil a ('oiiiiiiiaisioii ill tlio Coiitiiiviital Army ; and that lie was latieii ulT liy duutli, Biiddunly, ill I7^^,S. (//iW-. /■;/•>/ ll'i«/<7ic»<ci'-<-i>nM/y, origiiiiil cdiliun, i., 174 ; xdik, Stccoiiil udiliiiii, i., 7:S8.)