at William Tailer, Samuel Sewell, and Penn Townsend,
Esqrs., with such as the Honourable House of Representatives
shall join, be a committee to consider and report what is proper
for the Court to do thereon."

The House of Representatives concurred, and the committee reported:--

"That James Franklin, the printer and publisher thereof (the
Courant), be strictly forbidden by this Court to print or publish
the New England Courant, or any other pamphlet or paper of the
like nature, except it be first supervised by the Secretary of
this Province; and the Justices of his Majesty's Sessions of the
Peace for the County of Suffolk, at their next adjournment, be
directed to take sufficient bonds of the said Franklin for twelve
months' time."

The result was, that James was arrested and confined four weeks in the
"stone gaol," from which he was released by his voluntary pledge to
regard the honour of the Court. Benjamin was arrested, also; but was
discharged on the ground that he acted as an apprentice, and was
obliged to do the bidding of his master.

It appears that there was considerable dissatisfaction in the Province
with the British government, under which the people lived. The
Courant espoused the cause of the dissatisfied party, and, perhaps
unwisely, attacked the government and its officers, together with the
ministers of the Gospel, whose sympathies seemed to be with the
dominant party. It was a time of considerable excitement, so that a
little firebrand thrown into the community was sure to make a great
fire. But the immediate cause of his arrest was the appearance of the
following article in his paper, which was a slur upon the government
for tardiness in fitting out a ship to cruise after a pirate seen off
Block Island. The article purported to be written by a correspondent
in Newport, R. I., and read thus:--

"We are advised from Boston, that the government of the
Massachusetts are fitting out a ship to go after the pirates, to
be commanded by Captain Peter Papillon, and _'tis thought he will
sail some time this month, wind and weather permitting_."

This well-pointed censure, in connection with the many flings and
attacks that had preceded it, aroused the General Court to act in
their defence without delay.

The club under whose auspices the Courant was conducted, assembled at
the office as soon as they knew the decision of the Court