DEPOSITION OF JAMES MEYERS.

WESTMORELAND County, ss:

Came before me, Devereux Smith, Esquire, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for said County, James Meyers, and being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth, that upon the 9th instant, a man who said he was one of the Militia, came to my house, and remained there till after night, and then produced a green Indian scalp, which he said he had taken off an Indian that he had killed the day before; he said he was then on his way down the country; and further this deponent saith not.

JAMES MEYERS, Turtle Creek.

Sworn and subscribed before me, this 13th day of February, T775.

DEVEREUX SMITH.

DEPOSITION OF DR. SAMUEL M'KENZIE.

WESTMORELAND County, ss:

Came before me, Devereux Smith, Esquire, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for said County, Doctor Samuel M'Kenzie, and being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth, that on the night of the 8th instant, as he was sitting in the house of Mr. Butler, in Pittsburgh, they heard a noise, and on going to the door of said house, a number of men, armed with bayonets, run at Mr. Richard, Butler and deponent; that they were obliged to retreat into the house, and there remain: about three hours, till the mob dispersed. That on the 9th instant, a party again surrounded Butler's house, not less than twelve in number, armed with bayonets and large bludgeons, and threatened the life of Mr. Butler and deponent; that about three o'clock on said day, while one of the Militia officers was at Butler's, a man came in who belonged to the Garrison, and said that a party of then men had gone out that morning to commit murder; and further this deponent saith not.

SAML. M'KENZIE.

Sworn and subscribed before me, the l4th of February, 1775.

DEVEREUX SMITH.

DEPOSITION OF JAMES SMITH.

WESTMORELAND County, ss:

Personally appeared before me, Robert Hanna, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace of the County aforesaid, Captain James Smith, who, on his solemn oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and saith, that he, this deponent, was bound over to answer the Court of Virginia, before Dorsey Penticost, one of their Justices; and at same time said Penticost granted precepts for Robert Hanna, Esq., William Lochey, Esq., and John Carnaghan, Sheriff; and at same time this deponent said to Penticost, What do you mean by these precepts. Penticost said they were impostors on the Government and Dominion of Virginia, and he would have them confined, and then he said he was sure he had the others forced to a compliance to their laws. This deponent further said, your proceedings are illegal and irregular; and one day or another I think you will repent your conduct. Penticost said Lord Baltimore's heirs was not of age, and there was a dispute between the heirs of Lord Baltimore and Penn, which cannot be settled fox some years, and for that time he liked to keep them in suspense; and let them do what they would until then, there would be an oblivion act made before the matters, would be settled and compromised.

David Vance present, said, if he did not expect such an act, he would not have done what he had done; and further this deponent saith not.

JAMES SMITH,

Sworn and subscribed before me the 14th of February, 1775.

ROBT. HANNA.

March 1, 1775.

The Governour, this day, wrote a Letter to his Excellency the Earl of Dunmore, Governour of Virginia, enclosing copies of several Depositions which he lately received relative to the Disturbances in Westmoreland County, and despatched the same by express, which Letter follows in these words, viz:

Philadelphia, March 1, 1775.

MY LORD: When you reflect how many of my letters to your Lordship on publick affairs remain unanswered, you must be sensible it cannot be very agreeable to me to write to you on the present occasion; yet I find myself under a necessity of troubling you once more on the subject of the disturbances in the Western parts of this Province. The enclosed copies of several Depositions will inform your Lordship what recent outrages have been committed in the County of Westmoreland, under the sanction of your Government, as those who have been active in them publickly declare; and my intelligence informs me that your Lordship has set up an office for granting lands far within the limits of this Province, and that lands already patented by me have been granted by your Lordship, which cannot fail to produce the utmost confusion.

The justice due to myself and the other proprietor, and the protection I owe to the people who have taken up lands under this Province and settled there long before your Lordship thought fit to disturb its peace by extending the Government of Virginia within our Charter bounds, oblige me to apply to your Lordship to know if these violent proceedings are the effect of your orders, or have your countenance, that in case they have I may take the proper measures for redress; or if they have not that they may receive your discouragement. Your Lordship well knows that a Petition is depending before the Crown, for settling the bounds and running the lines of this Province, which, when done, will put an end to the unhappy disputes between the two Governments. You must remember that you have engaged to forward that good work, rather than throw impediments in its way; and I would fain hope that your Lordship, in the mean time, will use your power and influence in composing rather than inflaming the differences amongst his Majesty's subjects of the two Colonies, occasioned by our clashing jurisdictions, especially when you consider that the County which is the seat of the present disturbances, was first settled under this Province, and that our jurisdiction was extended there in the time of your predecessor, Lord Botetourt, and recognized by his Lordship, in his sending hither for trial a person who had committed a murder at Stewart's Crossings, which is Westward of the Laurel Hill. I shall forbear to take any steps in, this disagreeable affair, till I have the honour of an answer to this Letter, which I hope your Lordship will favour me with by the return of the express. I have the Honour to be your Lordship's most obedient humble servant,

JOHN PENN.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Dunmore, Govern our and Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's Province of Virginia, Williamsburg.

PENNSYLVANIA ASSEMBLY.

Monday, February 20, 1775.

The House met pursuant to their adjournment. Ordered, That Mr. Rodman and Mr. Humphreys wait on the Governour and acquaint him that the House having met pursuant to their adjournment, are ready to receive any business he may be pleased to lay before them.

Mr. Speaker communicated to the House a Letter received in their recess from the Honourable Cortland Skinner, Esquire, Speaker of the Assembly of the Province of East and West Jersey, enclosing certain: Resolves lately passed by that Assembly, which were read by order, and are as they severally follow, viz:

Perth Amboy, January 25, 1775.

SIR: By order of the House of Assembly, I enclose you the Resolutions of this House, approving of the Proceedings of the Continental Congress, and am, sir, your very humble servant,

CORTLAND SKINNER, Speaker.

To the Honourable Edward Biddle, Esq., Speaker of the Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, January 25, 1775.

Mr. Crane and Mr. Kinsey laid before the House the Proceedings of the Continental Congress, held at Philadelphia in September last, which were read.

On the question, Whether the House approve of the said Proceedings? It passed in the affirmative.