wise, to be rebels and traitors, and as such to be by landing in different parts of the country, we treated. keep them in continual hot water; but as captain And whereas, during the continuance of the Leslie tells me he means to give you particulars present unnatural rebellion, justice cannot be ad- enough, I shall say no more on that subject. Among ministered by the common law of the land, the the prisoners, we have taken one Oliver, Porter course whereof has, for a long time past, been and Deane, two natives of Boston, bringing violently impeded, and wholly interrupted; from gunpowder to North Carolina. The latter was whence results a necessity for using and exercis-sent from Boston to influence the minds of the peoing the law martial; I have therefore thought fit, ple, in which he has been but too successful. He by the authority vested in me, by the royal char- was taken from on board a schooner going from ter to this province, to publish, and I do hereby this place to the Western Islands, to bring powder publish, proclaim and order the use and exercise to this colony; and the others have carried arms of the law martial, within and throughout this against his majesty in this province. I have sent province, for so long time as the present unhappy them more with a view of intimidating others than occasion shall necessarily require; whereof all to punish them, as they expect here that, so sure persons are hereby required to take notice, and as they are sent to Boston, they are to be hanged. govern themselves, as well to maintain order and Robinson is a delegate of our convention. Matthews regularity among the peaceable inhabitants of the province, as to resist, encounter and subdue the rebels and traitors above-described by such as shall be called upon for those purposes.

was a captain of their minute-men. Perhaps they may be of some use to you, in exchanging them for good men. The sloop not sailing so soon as I expected, I have to inform you that, on the 14th inst. I had information that a party of about a To these inevitable, but I trust salutary mea- hundred of the North Carolina rebels had marched sures, it is a far more pleasing part of my duty to the assistance of those in this colony, and were to add the assurances of protection and support, posted at a place called the Great-Bridge, a very to all who, in so trying a crisis, shall manifest essential pass in the country. I accordingly emtheir allegiance to the king, and affection to the barked our little corps in boats, in the night of parent state. So that such persons as may have the 14th, with between twenty and 30 volunteers been intimidated to quit their habitations in the from Norfolk. We landed within four miles of course of this alarm, may return to their respec- the bridge, and arrived there a little after daytive callings and professions, and stand distinct light; but, to our great mortification, found the and separate from the parricides of the constitu- birds had flown the evening before. But hearing tion, till Gov, in his mercy, shall restore to his that a body, between 2 and 300, of our rebels were creatures, in this distracted land, that system of within about ten miles of us, we determined to happiness from which they have been seduced, the religion of peace, and liberty founded upon law.

beat up their quarters, and accordingly proceeded about eight miles, when they fired on our advanced GIVEN at Boston, this twelfth day of June, in guards from the woods: on which I immediately the fifteenth year of the reign of his ma- ordered our people to rush in upon them, and at jesty GEORGE the third, by the grace of the same time sent a party of the regulars, with the GOD, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, volunteers, to out-flank them. KING, defender of the Faith, &c. Annoque Domini, 1775.

THOMAS GAGE.

By his excellency's command:

THO'S FLUCKER, secretary.
GOD SAVE THE KING.

The enemy im. mediately fled on all quarters, and our people pursued them for a mile or more, killed a few, drove others into a creek, where they were drowned, and took nine prisoners, among whom is one of their colonels. We only had one man wounded, who is recovering. I immediately upon this issued the enclosed proclamation; which has had a wonderLord Dunmore to General Howe. ful effect, as there are no less than 300 who have WILLIAMSBURGH, VIRGINIA, Jan. 25. taken and signed the enclosed oath. The blacks The folowing is an extract of a letter from lord Dun- are also flocking in from all quarters, which I hope more to general Howe, dated November 30, 1775. will obtig the rebels to disperse, to take care of "I must inform you, that with our little corps 1 their families and property, and had I but a few think we have done wonders. We have taken and more inen here, I would immediately march to destroyed above fourscore pieces of ordnance, and Williamsburgh, my former place of residence, by

Convention in Virginia.

which I should soon compel the whole colony to and I make no doubt we shall now be able to mainsubmit. We are in great want of small arms; and tain our ground there; but should we be obliged if two or three field pieces and their carriages to abandon it, we have thrown up an intrenchment could be spared, they would be of great service on the land side of Norfolk, which I hope they to us; also some cartridge paper, of which not a never will be able to force. Here we are contend. sheet is to be got in this country, and all our ing, with only a very small part of a regiment, cartridges are expended.-Since the 19th of May against the extensive colony of Virginia. If you last I have not received a single line from any one would but spare me, for a few months, the 64th in administration, though I have wrote volumes to regiment now in the castle, and the remaining part them, in each of which I have prayed to instruct. of the 14th, I really believe we should reduce this ed, but to no purpose. I am therefore determined colony to a proper sense of their duty." to go on doing the best of my power for his ma jesty's service. I have accordingly ordered a regi ment, called the Queen's own loyal regiment, of Resolved, unanimously, that this convention do 500 men, to be raised immediately, consisting of a highly approve of col. Woodford's conduct, manilieutenant-colonel commandant, major, and ten fested, as well in the success of the troops under companies, each of which is to consist of one his command, as in the humane treatment of, and captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, and fifty pri kind attention to, the unfortunate, though brave vates, with non-commissioned officers in propor-officers and soldiers, who were made prisoners in tion. You may observe, by my proclamation, that the late action near the Great Bridge, and that the I offer freedom to the blacks of all rebels that join me, president communicate to col. Woodford the sense in consequence of which there are between 2 and of his country on this occasion. 300 already come in, and those I form into corps as fast as they come in, giving them white officers and non-commissioners in proportion.-And from these two plans, I make no doubt of getting men enough to reduce this colony to a proper sense of their duty. My next distress will be the want of arms, accoutrements and money, all of which you may be able to relieve me from. The latter I am sure

Whereas lord Dunmore, by his proclamation, dated on board the ship William, the 7th day of November, 1775, hath presumed, in direct violation of the constitution, and the laws of this country,

to declare martial law in force, and to be executed throughout this colony, whereby our lives, our liberty, and our property, are arbitrarily subjected to his power and direction: and whereas the said lord Dunmore, assuming powers which the king himself cannot exercise, to intimidate the good people of this colony into a compliance with his arbitrary will, hath declared those who do not im mediately repair to his standard, and submit in all things to a government not warranted by the constitution, to be in actual rebellion, and thereby to have incurred the penalties inflicted by the laws I wish you for such offences; and hath offered freedom to the

you can, as there are many merchants here who
are ready to supply me, on my giving them bills
on you, which you will have to withdraw, and give
your own in their room. I hope this mode will be
agreeable to you; it is the same that general Gage
proposed. I have now, in order to carry on the
recruiting business, victualling, clothing, &c. drawn
on you for £5000 sterling, and have appointed a pay.
master, who will keep exact accounts.
would inform me, by the return of the sloop, what
bounty money may be given to those who enlist.—
Having heard that 1000 chosen men belonging to
the rebels, a great part of whom were riflemen, were
on their march to attack us here, or to cut off our
provisions, I determined to take possession of the
pass at the Great Bridge, which secures us the
greatest part of two counties, to supply us with
provisions. I accordingly ordered a stockade to
be erected there, which was done in a few days;
and I put an officer and 25 men to garrison it, with
some volunteers and, who have defended it
against all the efforts of the rebels for these eight
days past. We have killed several of their men,

servants and slaves of those he is pleased to term rebels, arming them against their masters, and destroying the peace and happiness of his majesty's good and faithful subjects, whose property is rendered insecure, and whose lives are exposed to the dangers of a general insurrection: We, as guardians of the lives and liberty of the people, our constituents, conceived it to be indispensably our duty to protect them against every species of despotism, and to endeavor to remove those fears with which they are so justly alarmed.

If it were possible the understandings of men could be so blinded, that every gleam of reason

might be lost, the hope, his lordship says, he hath seized and dragged to confinement, contrary to ever entertained of an accommodation between the principles of liberty, and the constitution of Great Britain and this colony, might now pass our country: yet have we borne this injurious treatunnoticed; but truth, justice, and common sense, ment with unexampled patience, unwilling to shed must ever prevail, when facts can be appealed to the blood of our fellow-subjects, who, prosecuting in their support. It is the peculiar happiness of the measures of a British parliament, would sacrithis colony, that his lordship can be traced as the fice our lives and property to a relentless fury and source of innumerable evils, and one of the princi- unabating avarice. If a governor can be authorised, pal causes of the misfortunes under which we now even by majesty itself, to annul the laws of the land, labor. A particular detail of his conduct, since his and to introduce the most execrable of all systems, arrival in this colony, can be considered only as a the law martial; if, by his single fiat, he can strip repetition, it having been already fully published us of our property, can give freedom to our serto the world by the proceedings of the general vants and slaves, and arm them for our destruction, assembly, and a former convention; but the un- let us bid adieu to every thing valuable in life; let remitting violence with which his lordship endea- us at once bend our necks to the galling yoke, and vors to involve this country in the most dreadful hug the chains prepared for us and our latest poscalamities, certainly affords new matter for the terity!

attention of the public, and will remove every It is with inexpressible concern we reflect upon

the distressed situation of some of our unhappy

countrymen, who had thought themselves too immediately within the power of lord Dunmore, and have been induced thereby to remain inactive. We lament the advantage he hath taken of their situation, and at present impute their inactivity, in the cause of freedom and the constitution, not to any defection or want of zeal, but to their defenceless state; and whilst we endeavor to afford them succour, and to support their rights, we expect they will contribute every thing in their power to effect their deliverance: yet if any of our people, in violation of their faith plighted to this colony, and the duty they owe to society, shall be found in arms, or continue to give assistance to our enemies, we shall think ourselves justified, by the necessity we are under, in executing upon them the

law of retaliation.

imputation of ingratitude to his lordship, or of injustice to his character. His lordship is pleased to ascribe the unworthy steps he hath taken against this colony to a necessity arising from the conduct of its inhabitants, whom he hath considered in a rebellious state, but who know nothing of rebellion except the name. Ever zealous in support of tyranny, he hath broken the bonds of society, and trampled justice under his feet, Had his lordship been desirous of affecting an accommodation of these disputes, he hath had the most ample occasion of exerting both his interest and abilities; but that he never had in view any such salutary end, most evideatly appears from the whole tenor of his conduct. The supposed design of the Canada bill having been to draw down upon us a merciless and savage enemy, the present manœuvres amongst the Roman Catholics in Ireland, and the schemes concerted with Doctor Connelly, and other vile instruments of tyranny, which have appeared by Impressed with a just and ardent zeal for the the examination of the said Connelly, justify the welfare and happiness of our countrymen, we trust supposition, and most fully evince his lordship's they will, on their part, exert themselves in defence of our common cause, and that we shall all inimical and cruel disposition towards us, and can best determine whether we have been wrong in acquit ourselves like freemen, being compelled by preparing to resist, even by arms, that system of a disagreeable, but absolute necessity, of repelling force by force, to maintain our just rights and tyranny adopted by the ministry and parliament of Great Britain, of which he is become the rigid privileges; and we appeal to God, who is the executioner in this colony. The many depreda. Sovereign Disposer of all events, for the justice tions committed also upon the inhabitants of this of our cause, trusting to his unerring wisdom to colony, by the tenders and other armed vessels direct our councils, and give success to our arms. employed by his lordship for such purposes; the Whereas lord Dunmore, by his proclamation, pilfering and plundering the property of the peo- dated on board the ship William, off Norfolk, the ple, and the actual seduction and seizure of their 7th day of November, 1775, hath offered freedom slaves, were truly alarming in their effects, and to such able bodied slaves as are willing to join called aloud for justice and resistance. The per- him, and take up arms against the good people of sons of many of our peaceable brethren have been this colony, giving thereby encouragement to a

general insurrection, which may induce a necessity this country, wherever born, ought to be exempted
of inflicting the severest punishments upon those from any of the burthens or dangers to which the
unhappy people already deluded by his base and colony is exposed; but that, as good citizens, it is
insidious arts, and whereas, by an act of the gene-incumbent on them to use every exertion of their
ral assembly now in force in this colony, it is power and abilities in the common defence; and
enacted, that all negro, or other slaves, conspiring should any persons of ability decline or shrink from
to rebel or make insurrection, shall suffer death, so necessary a duty to the community, that all such,
and be excluded all benefit of clergy-we think except those who have taken up arms against our
it proper to declare, that al! slaves who have been, inhabitants, or shewn themselves to us, may be
or shall be, seduced by his lordship's proclama- permitted, under a license of the committee of
tion, or other arts, to desert their master's service, safety, to leave the country.
and take up arms against the inhabitants of this
colony, shall be liable to such punishment as shall
hereafter be directed by the convention. And to
the end that all such, who have taken this unlaw
ful and wicked step, may return in safety to their
duty, and escape the punishment due to their
crimes, we hereby promise pardon to them, they
surrendering themselves to colonel William Wood-
ford, or any other commander of our troops, and
not appearing in arms after the publication hereof.
And we do further earnestly recommend it to all
humane and benevolent persons in this colony, to
explain and make known this our offer of mercy to
those unfortunate people.

One of ld. Dunmore's tenders went to a place
called Mulberry-island, in Warwick county, and
landed her men, who went to Mr. Benjamin Wells's
house, with their faces blacked like negroes, whose
companions they are, and robbed the house of all
the furniture, four negroes, a watch, and stock-
buckle. The inhuman wretches even took the bed
on which lay two sick infants.

A copy of the oath extorted from the people of Nor-
folk and Princess Anne, by lord Dunmore.
"We the inhabitants of being fully sensible.
of the errors and guilt into which this colony hath
been misled, under color of seeking redress of
grievances, and that a set of factious men styling
themselves committees, conventions, and con-
gresses, have violently, and under various pre-

And whereas, notwithstanding the favorable and kind dispositions shewn by the convention and the natives of this colony, and the extraordinary and unexampled indulgence by them held out to tences, usurped the legislative and executive pow. the natives of Great Britain, residing in this colony, ers of government, and are thereby endeavoring (the Scotch who gave themselves this title in their to overturn our most happy constitution, and have petition) many of these have lately become strict incurred the guilt of actual rebellion against our adherents to the d Dunmore and the most active most gracious sovereign: We have therefore taken promoters of all his cruel and arbitrary persecu- an oath abjuring their authority, and solemnly tions of the good people of this colony, not only promising, in the presence of Almighty God, to by violating the continental association, to which bear faith and true allegiance to his sacred mathey had solemnly subscribed, in many the most jesty George the third; and that we will, to the flagrant instances; not merely by giving intelligence utmost of our power and ability, support, mainto our enemies and furnishing them with provisions. tain, and defend his crown and dignity, against all but by propagating, as well in Great Britain as in traitorous attempts and conspiracies whatsoever. this colony, many of the most mischievous false. And whereas armed bodies of men are collected hoods, to the great prejudice and dishonor of this in various parts of this colony, without any legal country: And moreover, many of these natives of authority, we wish them to be informed, that how. Great Britain, instead of giving their assistance in ever unwilling we should be to shed the blood of suppressing insurrections, have contrary to all faith, our countrymen, we must, in discharge of our duty solemnly plighted in their petition, excited our to God and the king, and in support of the conslaves to rebellion, and some of them have daringly stitution and laws of our country, oppose their led those slaves in arms against our inhabitants; the marching into this county, where their coming committee having these things in full proof, and can answer no good end, but, one the contrary, must considering their alarming and dangerous tendency, expose us to the ravages and horrors of a civil war; do give it as their opinion, and it is accordingly and, for that purpose, we are determined to take resolved, that the former resolution in their favor advantage of our happy situation, and will defend ought from henceforth to be totally abrogated and the passes into our county, and neighborhood, to rescinded; that none of the freemen, inhabitants of the last drop of our blood."

J

contempt; and at length, open war of the most atrocious, cruel and sanguinary kind, has been commenced against them. To this an open, manly and successful resistance has hitherto been made; thirteen colonies are now firmly united in the con

The frailty of human nature, the wants of individuct of this most just and necessary war, under the duals, and the numerous dangers which surround wise councils of their congress.

them, through the course of life, have, in all ages, and in every country, impelled them to form societies and establish governments.

It is the will of Providence for wise, righteous, and gracious ends, that this colony should have been singled out, by the enemies of America, as the As the happiness of the people is the sole end first object, both of their envy and their revenge; of government, so the consent of the people is the and after having been made the subject of several only foundation of it, in reason, morality, and the merciless and vindictive statutes, one of which was natural fitness of things. And therefore every intended to subvert our constitution by charter, is act of government, every exercise of sovereignty, made the seat of war: against, or without, the consent of the people, is injustice, usurpation, and tyranny.

No effectual resistance to the system of tyranny prepared for us, could be made without either It is a maxim that in every government, there instant recourse to arms, or a temporary suspenmust exist, somewhere, a supreme, sovereign, sion of the ordinary powers of government, and absolute, and uncontrolable power; but this power tribunals of justice. To the last of which evils, in resides always in the body of the people; and it hopes of a speedy reconciliation with Great Brinever was, or can be delegated to one man, or a tain, upon equitable terms, the congress advised us few; the great Creator having never given to men to submit:-And mankind has seen a phenomenon, a right to vest others with authority over them, unlimited either in duration or degree.

without example in the political world, a large and populous colony, subsisting in great decency and order, for more than a year, under such a suspension of government.

When kings, ministers, governors, or legislators, therefore, instead of exercising the powers entrustBut as our enemies have proceeded to such bared with them, according to the principles, forms and proportions stated by the constitution, and barous extremities, commencing hostilities upon established by the original compact, prostitute the good people of this colony, and with unprethose powers to the purposes of oppression-to cedented malice exerting their power to spread subvert, instead of supporting a free constitution; the calamities of fire, sword and famine through ➡to destroy, instead of preserving the lives, liber. the land, and no reasonable prospect remains of a ties and properties of the people; they are no speedy reconciliation with Great Britain, the conlonger to be deemed magistrates vested with a gress have resolved:

sacred character, but become public enemies, and ought to be resisted.

The administration of Great Britain, despising equally the justice, humanity and magnanimity of their ancestors; and the rights, liberties and courage of AMERICANS, have, for a course of years, labored to establish a sovereignty in America, not founded in the consent of the people, but| in the mere will of persons, a thousand leagues from us, whom we know not, and have endeavored to establish this sovereignty over us, against our consent, in all cases whatsoever.

"That no obedience being due to the act of parliament for altering the charter of the colony of Massachusetts-Bay, nor to a governor or lieutenantgovernor, who will not observe the directions of, but endeavor to subvert that charter, the governor and lieutenant-governor of that colony are to be considered as absent, and their offices vacant. And as there is no council there, and inconveniencies arising from the suspension of the powers of government are intolerable, especially at a time when general Gage hath actually levied war, and is carrying on hostilities against his majesty's peaceable and loyal subjects of that colony: that, The colonies, during this period, have recurred in order to conform as near as may be to the spirit to every peaceable resource in a free constitution, and substance of the charter, it be recommended by petitions and remonstrances, to obtain justice; to the provincial convention to write letters to the which has been not only denied to them, but they inhabitants of the several places which are entitled have been treated with unexampled indignity and to representation in assembly, requesting them to