sition to the Laws and Government, and against all Combinations, Insurrections, Conspiracies, and Illegal Assemblies; and as we are restrained from them by the conscientious discharge of our duty to Almighty God, "by whom Kings reign, and Princes decree justice," we hope, through his assistance and favour, to be enabled to maintain our testimony against any requisitions which may be made of us, inconsistent with our religious principles, and the fidelity we owe to the King and his Government, as by law established; earnestly desiring the restoration of that harmony and concord which have heretofore united the people of these Provinces, and been attended by the divine blessing on their labours.

Signed in, and on behalf of the said Meeting,

JAMES PEMBERTON, Clerk at this time.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN CONNECTICUT, TO HIS FRIEND IN NEW-YORK, DATED JANUARY 24, 1775.

Our Governour has lately called together his Council; nothing however, as yet, hath publickly transpired, saving that they have appointed a day of humiliation and prayer on account of the present alarming state of affairs between the mother country and Colonies. But I have it from good authority that letters have been received from our Agent at the Court of Great Britain, advising that Mr. Penn has cited him to answer before King and Council, in behalf of this Colony, for their encroachments on the Susquehannah Lands, and that the matter is now lying before the Board of Trade; and that he should shortly transmit to the Governour copies of Mr. Penn's Petition, &c., which, as soon as received, I am told our General Assembly will be convened. Some are ready to conjecture, why this intelligence is kept so very secret, may possibly be, lest the Western Members of our Assembly should be induced more generally to attend the session than they otherwise would do. I am likewise told that our Colony Stores of Ammunition are very deficient, and that by a law of this Colony, the Governour and Council are empowered at any time to supply the same, and that in consequence thereof, they have given orders for procuring a large quantity of Gunpowder, Lead, Flints, &c., and that a Vessel actually sailed a few days ago for Holland, in order to procure the same.

This cannot by supposed to be any infringement on the order of King and Council, which our Governour lately received from the Secretary of State, to prevent the importation of Arms, Ammunition, &c., as it is ordered by authority, it must be supposed to be for his Majesty's service only. However, when our Farmers come to pay the reckoning, I believe we shall hear a more particular story about these arcani imperii, for it is supposed that only the costs arising from our new Militia Act, will amount to near fifty thousand Pounds, besides the expenditure for Colony Stores, Powder, &c., and the sending and maintaining an Agent Extraordinary at the Court of Great Britain, together with other incidental charges arising on the trial of the Susquehannah affair; all which will amount to a pretty round sum.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MARSHPIELD, TO A GENTLEMAN IN BOSTON, DATED JANUARY 24, 1775.

Two hundred of the principal inhabitants of this loyal Town, insulted and intimidated by the licentious spirit that unhappily has been prevalent amongst the lower ranks, of people in the Massachusetts Government, having applied to the Governour for a detachment of his Majesty's Troops to assist in preserving the peace, and to check the insupportable insolence of the disaffected and turbulent, were happily relieved by the appearance of Captain Balfour's party, consisting of one hundred Soldiers, who were joyfully received by the Loyalists. Upon their arrival, the valour of the Minute-Men was called forth by Adams's crew; they were accordingly mustered, and to the unspeakable confusion of the enemies of our happy Constitution, no more than twelve persons presented themselves to bear Arms against the Lord's anointed. It was necessary that some apology should be made for the scanty appearance of their volunteers, and they coloured it over with a declaration that "had the party sent to Marshfield consisted of half a dozen Battalions, it might have been worth their attention to meet and engage them; but a day would come when the courage of their Minute host would be able to clear the country of all their enemies, howsoever formidable in numbers." The King's Troops are very comfortably accommodated, and preserve the most exact discipline; and now every faithful subject to his King dare freely utter his thoughts, drink his Tea, and kill his Sheep as profusely as he pleases.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM BOSTON, TO A GENTLEMAN IN NEW-YORK, DATED JANUARY 26, 1775.

About a week ago, one hundred and fifty of the principal inhabitants of the Town of Marshfield entered into General Ruggles's Association against the Liberty plan. When this was known at Plymouth, the faction there threatened to come down in a body and make them recant, or drive them off their farms; on this the Marshfield Associators sent an express to General Gage, to acquaint him with their situation and determination, and to beg his support. This was readily granted them, and a Captain, three Subalterns, and a hundred private men, were immediately detached on board two small Vessels to Marshfield, where they landed very quietly last Monday, and when the last accounts came away there was no appearance of the Plymouth Rebels.

The detachment carried with them three hundred stand of Arms for the use of the gentlemen of Marshfield; one hundred and fifty more having joined the first Associators, on advice of the Plymouth threatenings; the whole three hundred have solemnly engaged themselves to turn out in case of an attack.

That the Liberty Rebels in this Town might save their own credit, and that of their adherents in Plymouth, and that they might have something to say for not opposing the detachment, they, on the first hearing where the Soldiers were going, wisely sent off an express to their Plymouth confederates, begging them to desist from doing what they really had no mind to do; and now they are praising themselves for their peaceable disposition, which they always do when their outrages have raised any opposition against them, and are execrating the Government for wanting to massacre them.

Our only news in this Town is a trifling affray which happened between some Officers and the Town Watch, occasioned by the Watchmen abusing them. The quarrel, I hear, has been inquired into, and the Selectmen have turned off some of the Watchmen; notwithstanding which, the Watchmen, supported by some of the Rebels with money, have commenced an action of damages against the Officers, on purpose to harass them, and to raise a clamour against military insolence and oppression; and there is no doubt the Rebels will bring witnesses enough to swear any thing they are desired.

A gentleman who signed the Address to General Gage, who happened to be present, and who did all in his power to prevent mischief, was complained of, against next day, before a Justice of the Peace, by four affidavit mongers, for having encouraged the Officers. These villains have sworn that this gentleman repeatedly called to the Officers to run the Watchmen through, damned their blood, and hoped to see the street run with it. By this you will see our Rebels have resorted to their old deceitful plan of first quarrelling with the Troops, and then swearing the Troops were the aggressors. This is a fairer plan than their fighting, and more suitable to their genius, and is well calculated to inflame all their adherents at a distance, who will undoubtedly believe their string of affidavits.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a Meeting of the Committee of Northumberland County, on Wednesday, the 25th of January, 1775, present, Thomas Jones, Chairman, Peter Presley Thornton, Spencer M. Ball, David Boyd, John Cralle, Junior, Lindsy Opie, Pemberton Claughton, William Thomas, John Christopher, Charles Downing, Daniel Muse, and John Shearman Woodcock.

The Chairman acquainted the Committee, that an infor-