the same to Henry Gardner, Esq.? Passed in the negative.

4th Question, Whether the Town will come into any method to purchase a number of Small Arms for the use of the Town? Passed in the negative.

5th Question, Whether they will order any new supply of Ammunition for said Town's use? Passed in the negative.

6th Question, Whether the Town will take any method to encourage Minute-Men, agreeable to the recommendation of the Provincial Congress? Passed in the negative.

7th Question, Whether the Town will choose a Committee of Inspection, to see the Association of the Continental Congress carried into execution? Voted that a Committee be appointed for said purpose, so far as it relates to Imports and Exports only.

8th Question, Whether the Town does approve of the Resolves of the County Congress? Voted the same to be referred to the March meeting.

The last Question is said warrant, Whether the Town will choose one or more persons to attend a Provincial Congress, recommended to be held at Cambridge, in February next, and to give them instructions, &c., passed in the negative, by a very great majority.

The Moderator then declared the business of the day to be over.

Fifth Day of the first Month, (January,) 1775.

The Quakers of Pennsylvania, much alarmed at the present distracted proceedings of the Colonies, in the apposition making to the authority of the Parliament of Great Britain, foresee the most fatal conseqences both to themselves and the parent country, have thought it necessary to address, their brethren in the adjacent Provinces, and have published the following Epistle, declaring their disapprobation the measures prosecuting for obtaining redress, and earnestly requesting all of their communion to avoid joining in such measures as are totally inconsistent with their religious principles.

An Epistle from the Meeting for Sufferings, held in PHILADELPHIA, for PENNSYLVANIA and NEW-JERSEY, fifth day of the first Month, 1775.

To our Friends and Brethren in these and the adjacent Provinces:

DEAR FRIENDS: During the troubles and commotions which have prevailed, and still continue in this once peaceful land, ranch seasonable and weighty advice hath been frequently communicated, and particularly by our late yearly meeting, exhorting Friends in every part of their conduct, to act agreeable to the peaceable principles and testimony we profess; which we fervently desire may be duly attended to, and put in practice; yet as some publick Resolves have been lately entered into, with the concurrence and approbation of some members of our religious society, the nature and tendency of which are evidently contrary to our religious principles, our minds have been deeply affected with affliction and sorrow, and we have in much affection and brotherly love, been engaged to use our endeavours to convincer these our brethren of their deviation; in the discharge of which duty, so far as we have proceeded, we have had the evidence of peace.

And, dear friends, we are now constrained in the renewings of true love, to entreat and exhort all, with humility and reverence, to bear in mind that our real welfare and preservation on the foundation of our religious fellowship and communion, depends on one faithfully adhering to the doctrines and precepts of our Lord Jesus Christ, who expressly declared, "my Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my Kingdom not from hence,"—John xviii. 36, which ever since we were a people, we have publickly professed should be religiously observed by us as the rule of our conduct.

As divers members of our religious society, some of them witbout their consent or knowledge, have been lately nominated to attend on and engage in some publick affairs, which they cannot undertake, without deviating from these our religions principles, we therefore earnestly beseech and adviser Them, and all others, to consider the end and purpose of every measure to which they are desired to become parties, and with great circumspection and care to guard against joining in any for the asserting and maintaining our rights and liberties, which on mature deliberation, appear not to he dictated by that "wisdom, which is from above; which is pure, peaceable, gentle, and full of mercy and good fruits."—James iii 16.

"Every instance of conduct, inconsistent with our Christian profession, tends to violate the testimony we ought to maintain of the sufficiency of that divine principle of light and grace, by a steady attention to which, our ancestors were led, in times of great commotion and difficulty, to an humble, patient waiting for that relief and liberty, which, after a time of deep suffering, was granted them."

And as they were often engaged with Christian fortitude and freedom to remonstrate to those who were in power, whenever under sufferings, they could safely do it, without fear of being reproached for any part of their conduct having ministered just occasion of offence; or for having ever been concerned in any kind of conspiracies or combinations against the Government under which they lived.

"Should any now so far deviate from their example, and the practice of faithful Friends at all times since, as manifest a disposition to contend for liberty by any methods or agreements, contrary to the peaceable spirit and temper of the Gospel, which ever breathes peace on earth, and good will to all men," as it is the duty, we desire it may be the care of Friends in every meeting where there are any such, speedily to treat with them, agreeable to our Christian discipline, and endeavour to convince them of their errour; in which labour, let all be done in true charity and brotherly love, and the effect will be happy to those who receive it in the same spirit. This religious care, steadily maintained, will certainly testify the sincerity of our desires to "guard against being drawn into measures, which may minister occasion to any to represent us as a people departing from the principles we profess; and will likewise excite such who have been so incautious as to enter into engagements, the terms and tendency of which they had not duly considered, to avoid doing any thing inconsistent with our principles;" and constantly to remember, that to fear God, honour the King, and do good to all men, is our indispensable duty.

And dear Friends in a degree of that divine love which unites in Christian communion and fellowship, we tenderly salute you, desiring that we may more diligently press after, and seek for an establishment on that rock against which the gates of hell shall never prevail, that we may be supported steadfast, when storms and tempests, which for the trial of our faith, and the more thoroughly purging us from those things which are of defiling nature, are permitted; for the Lord, whom we desire to serve, tenderly regards his depending children, and all his chastisements are in mercy directed to redeem and preserve them from evil.

Signed in, and on behalf of, said Meeting by

JOHN PEMBERTON, Clerk.

TO MESSRS S CRANE, JOHN DE HART WILLIAM LIVINGSTON, W. P. SMITH, ELIAS BOUDINOT, AND JO. RIGGS, JUN., &C:

GENTLEMEN: Your notice to the Freeholders of Essex, of the 28th of November, was conveyed to me by Holt's Paper of the 1st of December, and as your motive for convening us is declared to be in conformity to the wise, and prudent Resolves of the Congress, of which I had before heard, I determined to read their Resolves with the greatest attention, and therefore sent Tom with my best horse, who soon brought me the extracts of the Proceedings of the Congress; I eagerly sat down to read them, but, alas! how was I disappointed; instead of wise and prudent, I found nothing but rude, insolent, and absurd Resolves, calculated to answer no end but to stir up strife, and increase confusion among us, and to unite every spirited Briton against us. Even Burke and Barre, if they have the least regard for national honour, must be roused by the humiliating terms this Congress make as a preliminary to Great Britain. When I voted for you, gentlemen, last