that if any number of men at any time, and in any manner, may collect together, and attack any thing, or any person they please, every body may be in danger. Sat verbum sapienti.

We are also concerned lest a good deal of confusion should arise from a number of our young men in the country possessing themselves of the enlisting papers lately printed, some calling themselves Colonels, some Majors, appointing their own officers, Adjutants, Chaplains, Chirurgeons, &c., &c., without having, as we can learn, any written orders for so doing; for they seem to contend already who shall be chief officers, and they are uncertain whether the men they enlist are to be stationed here for defence, or to march to Cambridge to make up the Standing Army.

Enlisting papers, we understand, were sent to General Preble, but he not having any written orders did not act in the affair. If the Army can be completed without drawing men from hence, as we have all along been made to understand was the case, we cannot help thinking it would be most prudent; however, we shall not be backward if there is real occasion for men; and in that case we humbly submit whether it would not be best some person or persons should be appointed to conduct the affair according to orders. We hope we shall be excused for thus troubling your Honours, as we were solicited to do it by a number of gentlemen. We are, with great veneration, your Honours’ most obedient humble servant,

ENOCH FREEMAN, per order.

To the Honourable the Committee of Safety for the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Cambridge.

Ordered, That Colonel Thompson have the following Letter sent him.

“SIR: This Congress has received information that the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Falmouth, on hearing that you were about making an attack on the Canceaux man-of-war, lying in the harbour of that Town, desired you to forbear any proceedings of that kind, which you promised to do, but that you afterwards took the Captain of said ship-of-war, and detained the Honourable Jedediah Preble and Enoch Freeman, Esquire, as hostages for the return of the said Captain, and that you levied contributions of money and other things from the subjects there, and took a boat belonging to the said Canceaux.

“Though this Congress approves of your general zeal for this Country, yet it appears that your conduct in taking the Captain of the ship against your promise, and your levying money, or other things of the people, is by no means justifiable, and it is therefore expected that you attend the next Congress that shall be held in this Colony, and do your character justice in this matter, and that you return said boat, and stay all further proceedings of this kind in the mean time.”

Williamsburgh, Va., May 19, 1775.

On Monday last, May 15, 1775, Captain Montague’s detachment of Marines took their departure from this City, and are returned on board the Fowey.

The same day a Council was held at the Capitol, after the breaking up of which, the following Address was made publick:

“To all the good People of VIRGINIA:

“We, His Majesty’s faithful subjects, the Council of this Colony, deeply impressed with the most sincere regard for the prosperity of our Country, and the welfare of all its inhabitants, and being desirous, by our example, and by every means in our power, to preserve the peace and good order of the community, can no longer forbear to express our abhorrence and detestation of that licentious and ungovernable spirit that is gone forth, and misleads the once happy people of this Country.

“The Council recommend it to all orders of men to consider seriously what will be the probable consequence of such a conduct as hath been lately pursued, and whether a redress of the grievances complained of will not be more likely to be obtained by gentle, mild, and constitutional methods, than by such intemperate behaviour, which must tend to exasperate and inflame, rather than reconcile the differences that now unhappily subsist.

“The Council wish, upon this occasion, that all odious distinctions may be laid aside, and that they may be considered not as a separate body of men, and having a distinct interest from the rest of their countrymen and fellow-subjects, but, in the light in which they have always regarded themselves, as the watchful guardians of the rights of the people, as well as of the prerogative of the Crown. They are most of them natives of this Country, they have families, they have property, and they trust they have integrity too, which are the best securities men can give to any society for the faithful discharge of their duty.

“Let, then, their exhortations have proper weight and influence among the people; and they plight their faith that they will join heartily with them in the use of such means as shall be judged most salutary and conducive for enforcing obedience to the laws, and supporting the Constitution of their Country, under which it has flourished from its infancy, and for obtaining a happy and speedy conclusion to all our troubles.

“As his Excellency the Governour hath issued his Proclamation for the speedy meeting of the General Assembly, the Council are happy in finding an opportunity will be given the people of representing their grievances in the manner prescribed by the Constitution.

“Signed by order of the Members of the Council:

JOHN BLAIR, Clerk of the Council.”;

CHESTER COUNTY (PENNSYLVANIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee for the County of Chester, at the Borough of Chester, May 15, 1775, Anthony Wayne, Esquire, in the chair, the following Resolves were made, viz:

Whereas the British Parliament, instead of hearing our just complaints or showing the least regard to the dutiful and loyal Petition of the late Continental Congress in behalf of America, have proceeded to fresh acts of tyranny and oppression, which, added to an Address of both Lords and Commons to His Majesty, declaring the inhabitants of the Province of Massachusetts-Bay to be in a state of open rebellion, and several of the other Colonies encouragers of the same, have induced the soldiery under the command of General Gage, at Boston, to commence a civil war, by wantonly firing upon and murdering a number of the inhabitants of that Province: And whereas the said Address militates equally against all the inhabitants of the other Colonies, who have the virtue to refuse obedience to laws and measures destructive to the best rights and liberties of America, which, if suffered to take effect, must inevitably reduce these Colonies to a state of abject slavery, from which, in all probability, no human efforts would ever be able to rescue them; and although we will not yield to any of our fellow-subjects in point of duty and loyalty to our most gracious Sovereign, yet we cannot be so far negligent of our own happiness as totally to neglect providing for our common safety:

Therefore resolved unanimously, 1st. That it is the indispensable duty of all the freemen of this County immediately to form and enter into Associations for the purpose of learning the military art; and that they provide themselves with proper Arms and Ammunition, to be ready in case of emergency to defend our liberty, property, and lives, against all attempts to deprive us of them. And we solemnly engage to promote such Associations to the utmost of our power.

2d. Resolved, nem. con., That no Powder be expended in this County, except on emergent occasions, and the store and shop-keepers are requested not to dispose of any, except to some one or more of this Committee, who are ordered to purchase the same.

3d. Resolved, nem. con., That this Committee, confiding in the wisdom and virtue of the Continental Congress now sitting in Philadelphia, will adopt, and use their utmost endeavours to carry into execution, all such measures as the said Congress shall recommend for the preservation of American liberty.

4th. Resolved, nem. con., It is earnestly recommended to every subscriber in this County for the relief of the poor