least connection or intercourse with any of the Members of the Congress, I am entirely unacquainted with its contents, or with any other part of their transactions which they have not thought fit to make publick.

I am, &c.

JOHN PENN.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN AT BLADENSBURG, MD., TO HIS BROTHER IN GLASGOW, DATED NOVEMBER 1, 1774.

I wrote you by the Clyde three days ago, and now send you what news I have heard since. The Province of Virginia is raising one Company in every County, which will make a body of six thousand men. They are all independent; and so great is the ambition to get among them, that men who served as commanding officers last war, and have large fortunes, have offered themselves as private men. This Province has taken the hint, and has begun to raise men in every County also; and to the Northward they have large bodies, capable of acquitting themselves with honour in the field. Since the burning the ship at Annapolis, the common sort seem to think they may now commit any outrage they please; some of them told the Merchants yesterday, that if they would not sell them Goods, they would soon find a way to help themselves. A certain Merchant at Georgetown, ten miles from this, imported from London, on his own account, a large cargo of Goods this Fail, and thought to sell them higher than common. We understand that on Saturday a Committee is to examine them, and should they find the advance too much, they say, he shall, and must sell them lower. What think you of this land of Liberty, when a man's property is at the mercy of any one that will lead the mob!

EARL OF DARTMOUTH TO THE GOVERNOURS OF THE COLONIES.

[Circular.]

Whitehall, November 2, 1774.

SIR: The Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations having complained that they are frequently put under great difficulties from the Governours of his Majesty's Colonies neglecting to transmit, at regular periods, Returns of the state of their respective Councils, I am commanded by the King to signify to you his Majesty's pleasure that you do regularly, every three months, or oftener, transmit to their Lordships a list of the names of the Council of the Province under your Government, noting such as are absent, for what time they have been absent, and with what license.

I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

DARTMOUTH.

EARL OF DARTMOUTH TO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOUR COLDEN.

Whitehall, November 2, 1774.

SIR: I have received your letter of the 7th of September, and have laid it before the King.

From the accounts you give of the characters and tempers of the five gentlemen appointed by the City of New-York to be their Delegates to the General Congress, I should suppose they would not be likely either to advise or support rash and violent measures; but there is but too much reason to fear that the majority of Delegates are of a different complexion.

In my letter to you of the 7th September, I acquainted you with the information I had received of large quantities of Gunpowder, exported from Holland to North America, and I mentioned to you a particular instance of that dangerous commerce; I make no doubt that you have, in consequence thereof, done every thing in your power to detect and punish such practices; but I am nevertheless again called upon to exhort you to be more than commonly attentive to that object, as every day almost furnishes some fresh intelligence of the Americans purchasing large quantities of Arms and Ammunition in the different Ports of Europe.

I am, sir, &c.,

DARTMOUTH.

Lieutenant Governour Colden.

PENNSYLVANIA COUNCIL.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Wednesday, 2d November 1774:

Present: The Honourable John Penn, Esquire, Governour, Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Benjam. Chew, Andrew Allen, Esquires.

Whereas on the Petition of sundry Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Northampton, an Order of Council was issued on the 6th of April, 1771, directing six persons therein named, or any five of them, to view and lay out a Road from the North side of the Blue Mountain, in the said County of Northampton, to Wyoming, in the most convenient and direct courses; and to make a return of the courses and distances, with a draught of the said Road, into the Provincial Secretary's Office within six months from the date thereof: And whereas another Petition from the Inhabitants of the said County of Northampton hath this day been presented to this Board, setting forth that the six persons named in the Order above mentioned, have neglected to view and lay out the Road therein directed, and therefore praying that six other persons may be appointed to view and lay out the aforesaid Road from the North side of the Blue Mountain, in the said County of Northampton; it is therefore ordered that Simon Heller, Casper Dull, Jonas Hartzall, Adam Hubler, Abraham Labar, and Adam Joke, do view and lay out a publick Road, or King's highway from the North side of the Blue Mountain, at a place called the Wind Gap, in the most direct and convenient courses, to Wyoming, so that the communication between the said places may be rendered as safe, easy, and convenient for carriages to pass as the nature of the country will admit, and to make a return of the courses and distances, with a draught of the said Road, into the Provincial Secretary's Office, in order to be confirmed if the same shall be approved.

The Governour laid before the Board a Letter which he received yesterday, by the Packet, from the Right Honourable the Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, which was read, and follows in these words, viz:

Whitehall, August 26, 1774.

SIR: It having been represented to the King that the Government of Pennsylvania has taken a resolution to extend its jurisdiction up to the line settled by Commissioners between that Province and Maryland, although the Guardians of the heir of Lord Baltimore have declared their Incapacity, in point of law, to concur in a ratification of that line, and, consequently their inability to take the like step on their part; and it being apprehended that such a partial extension of jurisdiction may have the effect to disturb the peace of the King's subjects settled on the Frontiers of both Provinces, and may occasion violence and bloodshed, I am commanded by the King to signify to you his Majesty's pleasure, that you do desist from issuing any orders for extending the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania beyond those places where it has been hitherto usually exercised until the present difficulty on the part of Maryland shall be removed, or until his Majesty's further pleasure be known.

I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

DARTMOUTH.

Deputy Governour Penn.

Which Letter being duly considered, the Governour, in compliance with his Majesty's pleasure therein signified, issued be following Proclamation, viz:

By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governour and Commander-in-chief of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA, and Counties of NEW-CASTLE, KENT, and SUSSEX, on DELAWARE:

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas I have just received a letter from the Right Honourable the Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, informing me that "it had been represented to his Majesty that the Government of Pennsylvania had taken a resolution to extend its jurisdiction up to the line settled by Commissioners between that Province and Maryland, although the Guardians of the heir of Lord Baltimore had declared their incapacity, in point of law, to concur in a ratification of