RICHMOND COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

December 5, 1774.

The Freeholders convening on this day, to elect a new Committee for the said County, according to the recommendation of the late Continental Congress, for the carrying into execution the American Association, proceeded to make choice of twenty-eight gentlemen convenient in their situation to inspect the attention paid to the Association through the whole County; who, forming themselves into a meeting, chose Colonel Landon Carter, Chairman, and requested the favour of Mr. Leroy Peachey, to act as Clerk: At which meeting it was then resolved that the Committee should sit on the next Court day, if nothing required an earlier attendance; at which time the Freeholders were likewise desired to attend, in order to appoint Deputies to repair to a Colony Congress of Delegates to choose Deputies to attend a Continental Congress, to be held in Philadelphia, on the tenth day of May next, agreeable to the recommendation of the last Congress, if America, should not, before that day, be redressed in her grievances, and restored to her just rights and liberties.

January 2, 1775.

At a meeting of the Freeholders this day, for the above purpose, the following Instruction and Appointment was voted and directed to Robert Wormeley Carter, and Francis Lightfoot Lee, Esquires, their Representatives in Assembly:

To ROBERT WORMELEY CARTER, and FRANCIS LIGHT-FOOT LEE, Esquires:

GENTLEMEN: From a persuasion that the Assembly is to meet in February next, and that the recommendation of the Continental Congress to the several Colonies, for appointing Delegates to form another Continental Congress on the tenth day of May next, may be duly complied with, we your constituents desire of you, as our Representatives in Assembly, to promote the same with your utmost abilities; but if, by any means, it should happen that the Assembly shall be dissolved, either constitutionally or by prerogative, we do, in that case, constitute and appoint you, our late elected Representatives, to meet in Colony Congress, for the purpose of appointing Delegates as aforesaid. We hope we need not inform you, gentlemen, that we cannot but look upon ourselves as induced to publish this our instruction and appointment, from a full conviction of the present alarming crisis to American Rights; and as the united wisdom of North America, on such an occasion is certainly necessary to be obtained, we cannot but desire that no unforeseen casualty may prevent this Colony from being represented in such a Congress, on whose deliberations the liberties of America do so eminently depend. Therefore, we cannot suppress our wishes that these important considerations may prevail with our countrymen in the other Counties to provide against any possible disappointment in a delegation as aforesaid by every similar precaution. And farther, gentlemen, we recommend it to you to give the sincere thanks of this County to the worthy Delegates who attended the late Continental Congress, for their prudent and spirited conduct in support of the freedom and liberties of America. We are, gentlemen, you obliged constituents.

On the same day the Chairman communicated to the gentlemen of the Committee then met, that, in order to get fully informed of a report that a monopolizing or engrossing of Goods was carrying on, to the prejudice of the poorer sort of people, he had considered it as an object within the sphere of Association, and taken upon himself to write to the two gentlemen who kept the Stores in the County, in which the said engrossing or monopolizing was suggested to be in agitation; because such a practice could not be the intention of associating, nor indeed a thing to be suspected of any patriotick Associator, where certainly every one ought to be heartily inclined to bear an equal proportion of every difficulty, and, in consequence, that could or might attend associating against commerce of any kind, without taking any advantage, with at best, but a mere unsocial calidity; and that he had obtained letters from the gentlemen keeping those Stores, which he believed, on examination, would be found entirely convincing that there was not the least foundation for so scandalous a report. Upon which the Committee directed the reporter to be called in, before whom the letters were read, and, as an incontestable truth, the whole turned out a mere groundless fallacy; therefore it was directed to be published, in order to discourage and stifle such ungenerous, as well as unjust accusations against any individual of a community so sacredly engaged to preserve its liberties.

LEROY PEACHEY, Clerk

NEW-CASTLE COUNTY (DELAWARE) COMMITTEE.

December 5, 1774.

The Committee chosen in the several Hundreds of this County, on the 28th of last month, in pursuance of notice for that purpose given, this day assembled at the Court House, in the Town of New-Castle, and unanimously chose

JOHN M'KINLEY, Esquire, Chairman, and
DAVID THOMPSON, Clerk.

On motion, by order, the Association entered into by the Continental Congress, at the City of Philadelphia, on the fifth day of September last, was read, and the Committee taking the same into consideration,

Resolved, That this Committee highly approve the said Association, and earnestly recommend to their constituents a strict and due observance thereof.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Thanks of this Committee be given to the gentlemen who represented this Government as Deputies in the said Continental Congress, for their faithful discharge of that important trust.

Resolved, unanimously, That, to increase the number of Sheep, the Committee will use their utmost endeavours to prevent the killing of any Ewe Mutton or Lamb, from this day until the first day of May next; and any Ewe Lamb from the first day of May next till the first day of October next; and this Committee do particularly recommend to their constituents a full and faithful compliance with the eighth, ninth, and thirteenth Articles of the said Association.

Then the Committee adjourned till Wednesday, the 21st instant, at ten o'clock.

Wednesday, December 21, A. M.

The Committee met according to adjournment.

Resolved, unanimously, That pursuant to an intimation given by the said Continental Congress, as well as from a full persuasion that a well regulated Militia, composed of the gentlemen, freeholders, and other freemen, is the natural strength and stable security of a free Government; therefore it is recommended by this Committee to such of the inhabitants of this County as are from sixteen to fifty years of age, that they assemble themselves on the second Tuesday in January next, at such places as shall be appointed by the Committees of their respective Hundreds, and then and there associate and enroll themselves into Companies of not less than fifty, nor more than seventy-five men, according as the several Districts will admit, and choose a Captain, two Lieutenants, an Ensign, four Sergeants, two Corporals, and one Drummer, for each Company; and use their utmost endeavours to make themselves masters of the military exercise. That each man be provided with a well fixed Firelock and Bayonet, half a pound of Powder, two pounds of Lead, and a Cartouch-Box or Powder-Horn, and Bag for Ball, and be in readiness to act on any emergency.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Committees of the respective Hundreds do divide the same into suitable Districts, as they severally will admit thereof.

Resolved, unanimously, That contributions from this County, for supplying the necessities and alleviating the distresses of our brethren in Boston ought to be continued in such manner and so long as their occasions may require; and that it is the duty of the Committee of Correspondence of the said County to collect and transmit the same as soon as possible.

Extract from the minutes of the Committee,

DAVID THOMPSON, Clerk.

Reading, Berks County, Pa., December 5, 1774.

Pursuant to advertisements dispersed through the County, a respectable number of the Inhabitants met this day at