to sign, he likewise refused, alleging that the way of proceeding was illegal; of which the Committee for the County being informed, they, at a meeting held the 5th day of January, 1775, considering that the said Saunders was a young man, and might be better advised, appointed a Sub-Committee to wait on the said Saunders, who, agreeable thereto, waited on him at his own house, expostulated with him on his conduct, and desired him to retract these words, viz: “that the way of proceeding was illegal,” which he spoke to Mr. Lemuel Thorowgood, who was appointed by the Committee to offer the said Association; upon which he replied, “that he did not intend such a return should have been made by Mr. Thorowgood;” and being asked whether those words were inadvertently uttered, he answered, “they were not.” Mr. Saunders likewise acquainted them that he told Mr. Thorowgood, “it was his opinion he had no right to call upon him.” They then desired him to give his reasons for not signing the Association: to which he answered, “if they had come as private gentlemen, he would have given them his reasons, but as they came in the capacity they did, he chose not to do so.” A few days after being greatly pressed by Mr. Hunter, one of his most intimate acquaintances, he signed it; but, behold! at the end of his name he added the negative no, with a capital N! The Committee being informed of this additional mark of contempt, they then appointed a Sub-Committee, to summon the said Saunders to appear this day before them, who failed so to do.

On the same day, the Committee having maturely deliberated on the behaviour of one Benjamin Dingly Gray, concluded that his conduct ought to be inserted in the Gazette, and exposed to publick animadversion, of which the following is an exact detail:

On the 5th day of January last, in Committee, it was resolved that a list of the Non-Associators in this County, of whom the said Benjamin Dingly Gray was one, be entered in the Minute-Book, and a true copy thereof delivered to each Merchant residing in this County, and other copies fixed up at several publick places, and likewise in Norfolk County and Borough; and further, it was recommended to all persons not to have any dealings, or commercial intercourse with the said Non-Associators. The said Gray being apprized of this, and hearing that a list of the Non-Associators in this County was fixed up at the Market-House in Norfolk Borough, and that he was included in the said list, uttered the following disrespectful, scurrilous, and abusive words, to wit: “That he looked upon this Committe as a pack of damn’d rascals, for advertising him in the manner they had done, and that they ought to have advertised him in the publick papers, alleging in that case he would have had an opportunity of vindicating himself.” The Committee being informed of the invectives thrown out, did, on Thursday, the 2d day of March, appoint three of their body to summon him to appear before them this day, who, when summoned, declared it was uncertain whether he could attend or not, being at that time indisposed, but added, that his sentiments were still the same with regard to this Committee.

Also, on the same day, the Committee being acquainted that Captain Mitchell Phillips had refused to appear before them, agreeable to an order made last meeting, that he might give his reasons for his late very extraordinary behaviour touching the Association, it was thought proper that such his behaviour should be made publick. The said Mitchell Phillips being always averse to the measures adopted by the Americans to preserve their just rights and privileges inviolate, and being Captain of a Company of Militia, over whom he has great influence, has exerted every effort to deter the men under his command from acceding to the Association, and represented all the American proceedings in the light of absolute rebellion, which, it is feared, may have a bad tendency.

And thereupon the Committee came to the following Resolve, to wit: That the aforesaid John Saunders, Benjamin Dingly Gray, and Mitchell Phillips, be looked upon as inimical to the liberties of this Country, and the means entered into by the American Continental Congress for the restoration of them, and that no person ought to have any commercial intercourse or dealing with them.

By order of the Committee,

THOMAS ABBOTT, Clerk.

ACCOUNT OF AN OUTRAGE COMMITTED BY CAPT. GRAVES.

Philadelphia, March 15, 1775.

On the 7th instant, as George Taylor, of Wilmington, in his own Shallop, was on his passage from thence to this City, he was boarded by a party of ruffians from the King’s armed Schooner the Diana, commanded by Captain Graves, (nephew to Admiral Graves, now at Boston,) who brought Taylor to, and on boarding him, demanded what he had on board; to which he answered, only Rum and Limes; but civilly told them they might go down and look. They then demanded his papers, which were pronounced authentick; but this not satisfying them, they entered the cabin, wherein was several Hundred Pounds cash, which Taylor, no doubt justly thinking proper to have his eye toward, went after them to the cabin door, without going down; whereupon he was immediately menaced and insulted, as suspecting the honour of the King’s men; and although he made no other than a moderate civil reply, as several passengers on board can testify, he was immediately furiously attacked and knocked down, where he was beaten in a most inhuman manner till the deck was besmeared with blood, and at the same time shamefully insulted with the infernal language common to such crews, (and which, but for offending the civilized ear, might be repeated.) They then threatened to throw him overboard and drown him, took the command of his boat, and after gratifying their malice by towing her about in the river, took her along-side the Schooner, where the illustrious Captain detained her a considerable time, insulting and abusing the Skipper, and justifying and applauding the conduct of his heroick men, who had thus brought him a common Shallop, with two or three men on board, without the least appearance of clandestine conduct. After the gallant Captain, with his crew, had somewhat glutted their rancour, they dismissed the Shallop; but Taylor was so wounded and abused, that he was not able to conduct her; yet, by the assistance of those on board, she was got up to this City, and he afterwards conveyed home to Wilmington, where he lay dangerously ill.

TO THE PRINTERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE.

GENTLEMEN: Seeing in your Paper of Wednesday, March 15th, a most scandalous, false, and base representation of the conduct of a gentleman and boat’s crew belonging to the King’s armed Schooner Diana, I must, as a lover of truth, and being privy to the whole matter respecting George Taylor, of Wilmington, beg leave to assure the publick, that he was not struck, or in any manner molested, (though he used many provoking speeches,) till he took hold of the gentleman on duty by the collar, who then struck Taylor one blow, the matter there ending, as Taylor did not return it; neither was he taken along-side the Schooner, having produced the proper papers.

DASHWOOD BACON.

We, whose names are here under mentioned, from our personal knowledge of Mr. Bacon, as a gentleman and man of honour, are convinced he would not sign to any thing that was not strictly true. And we do further aver, on our honour, that the Shallop was not brought alongside, or detained longer than is usual in examining vessels.

TO THE PUBLICK.

You have, no doubt, generally seen an attempt made, in a late number of the Pennsylvania Packet, by Dashwood Bacon and others, (probably confederates,) in order to exculpate the perpetrators of the atrocious fact committed upon the body of George Taylor, in his own vessel, in the King’s-Road, by some of the Diana’s crew, under the command of Captain Graves. That they should attempt to clear themselves in the manner they have, is not much to be admired, since it commonly happens that the most daring murderers plead “not guilty;” but when those who are called men, are grown so callous as to be insensible of the compunctions of conscience, and hardened as to deny the voice of truth, even in the face of the sun, it then becomes necessary more methodically to arraign them, and investigate their conduct before the tribunal of the people, that