that when your Memorial was presented, we had no idea that such restraining bill was intended; on the other hand, should this exemption be received favourably, give us no credit for it; for, had it not been for a tenderness we had for the reputation of your Assembly, as having been long members of it, your Petition, exceptionable as it is, should have been presented. I do not know whether you ever perused it, but my objections to it were, first, that a memorial from us was as good as it; and next, that you generally address the King as the people of New-England do each other, in the third person; for instance, you say, in more places than one, “Your Majesty, in his great goodness, in his great wisdom,” &c, instead of “your goodness,” &c.; this might have passed from a poor ignorant criminal, begging his life, but surely better things would have been expected from your Assembly. Besides this objection, there was another: You say you have been taught to expect redress from the Throne alone, i.e. you expect none from the Ministry or the Parliament. How far you are well grounded, I do not know; but as I well know that none of these petitions ever reach the Throne but through the hands of the Ministry, to whom they are left as an ordinary piece of business, I thought, and I still think, it would have been preposterous to have presented a petition, which, amongst other things, sets forth that the petitioner, from past experience, did not doubt of having his petition rejected. This objection, however, alone, would not have had much weight, at least not enough to have prevented our presenting the Petition; but on account of both together, it was agreed to suppress it, and to substitute a Memorial in its room, and keep the whole a secret; and I am not sure whether Mr. Barker would not be dissatisfied if he knew that this matter had been communicated even to you; therefore, pray say nothing about it. With respect to the success of your Memorial, we can at present form no judgment of it, but are told that by next packet the matter will be settled; and if no bad news arrives from Carolina in the mean time, we hope it will be in part settled to your satisfaction.

You ask Mr. Barker to let you know who it was that first moved, here, against your Court laws. Neither he nor I know certainly; but when old Mr. McCulloh, as your agent, first received an account of your Court Bill miscarrying, on account of an instruction to your Governour against attachments, he hinted that Lord Hillsborough, then Secretary of State for America, and Lord Hertford, then and now Lord Chamberlain, and both Members of the Privy Council, and North-of-Ireland men, and friends and neighbours of your Dobbi’s, might probably, at their solicitation, have been the means of sending out the instruction. You know Nash had an attachment depending against their estate; this is only conjecture, but I think it probable; because, had the measure originated amongst the merchants, we certainly should have heard of it long ago; as you say, however, it is not of much consequence now, as the new laws have taken place, whether the old ones are restored or not.

Old Franklin is gone to Philadelphia, some people say to second Lord North’s plan of your taxing yourselves; but I know nothing of the matter.

There is an account received that the Transports are sailed from Cork, and next week, the Generals Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, follow them from hence in a Man-of-War; some of these troops are destined for New-York, and two companies, with a sloop, are to be sent to Georgia.

Should your Assemblies refuse to adopt Lord North’s plan, and our Parliament persevere, you will have another new set of laws soon established. They say your seaports are to be turned into garrison Towns, and the people of the Country left at liberty to form any establishment they think proper. Should this regulation take place, I hope you will have no occasion to turn soldier. Your Governour, I suppose, will take up his residence amongst the musquetoes at Breacok, and you will be a Congress or Committee-man, instead of a military man. I like neither character, but hope you will never have occasion to take upon you the latter especially.

Mrs. Elmsly joins me in compliments and best wishes to you and yours.

I am, dear sir, your affectionate friend and humble servant,

ALEXANDER ELMSLY.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee for Chesterfield County, held on the 7th of April, 1775, the proceedings of the Convention were read and unanimously approved of.

Resolved, That we will, as soon as possible, promote and further the establishment of Manufactories for the making of Linen, Cotton, and Woollen Cloth; and that we will give encouragement to such persons as shall excel in the preparation of materials necessary for carrying on such manufactories; and also that subscriptions be opened in this County by the several members of this Committee, for raising a fund to support such Manufactories as may be determined on in consequence of the foregoing Resolution.

Mr. John Brown, of Norfolk, having, by his behaviour, incurred the censure of the people of this Colony;

Resolved, That we will not hereafter transact any business, or have any connexion with the said John Brown.

Captain Sampson, of the Ship Elizabeth, from Bristol, having, by his conduct, incurred the general contempt and resentment of the good people of this Colony;

Resolved, That we will not hereafter have any intercourse with the said Sampson, nor contribute to or, as far as in us lies, permit the loading of any Ship which he may now or hereafter be concerned with; and it is recommended to the inhabitants of this County to adopt these Resolutions.

Ordered, That these, and the Resolutions relative to the Manufactories, be printed.

JERMAN BAKER, Clerk.

ULSTER COUNTY (NEW-YORK) COMMITTEE.

Kingston, Ulster County, April 7, 1775.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Kingston, in Ulster County, a Committee of Observation was chosen agreeable to, and for the purpose mentioned in the Eleventh Article of the Association of the Continental Congress, held at Philadelphia in September last.

The persons nominated and appointed for said Committee were, Oke Sudam, John Beekman, Johannes Perse, Johannes Sleght, Hendrick Schoonmaker, Christian Fiero, and Egbert Schoonmaker, who at their meeting the 6th instant, chose Johannes Sleght for Chairman.

Information being then made to said Committee, that the merchants and venders of East-India Tea had entered into an association not to sell any East-India Tea, and that if any person or persons should be guilty of selling or vending any of that commodity, that they should be published in the publick newspapers as enemies to the liberties and privileges of American subjects; which Articles were signed by all the merchants and skippers who were possessed of any East-India Tea, (Mr. Jacobus Low excepted,) who, notwithstanding all the friendly admonitions and entreaties to the contrary, declared he had, and would sell Tea. Upon which information, this Committee resolved to send for Mr. Low, thinking that time and mature deliberation, together with their friendly advice, might be able to alter Mr. Low’s determination; but all in vain: for he declared he was determined to sell Tea as formerly he had done, and absolutely refused to comply with the Articles agreed to by the other merchants and skippers in said Town.

We, therefore, in faithfulness to the trust reposed in us, and agreeable to the recommendation of the Congress, do publish, and he, the said Jacobus Low, is hereby published as an enemy to the rights and liberties of America; and we do hereby declare, that we will henceforth abstain from (and recommend it to others to abstain from) all kind of connections and commerce with him, until such time as a change in his conduct shall induce us to alter our determination.

Signed by order of the Committee:

JOHANNES SLEGHT , Chairman

PORTSMOUTH (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) VOLUNTEERS.

We, the subscribers, being desirous of attaining the Military Art, do agree on the following Rules and Regulations, viz.:

1st. That we will meet at some place that shall be agreed on by the Company, every Monday and Thursday evening, for the purpose aforesaid.

2d. That on the first Monday evening of every month,