NEWCASTLE (DELAWARE) COMMITTEE.

Newcastle, on Delaware, ss:

Whereas, the Committee chosen in the several Hundreds of the County of Newcastle, did, at their meeting on the third day of May instant, take “into consideration the present distressed and defenceless situation of the inhabitants of this County, and the unhappy circumstances of their brethren in the other Colonies;” and did therefore “resolve unanimously, that a sum of Money be immediately raised for establishing a fund for procuring and providing the necessary means for our and their protection and support;” and further, “that the sum of one shilling and six pence in the Pound, be collected from each taxable inhabitant in the County, according to the County rates, as well estates as those resident, for the purposes aforesaid,” to be collected by the members of the said Committee:

And whereas the said Committee have found a difficulty in collecting the said Money: We, the subscribers, Justices of the Peace and Grand Jurymen for the County aforesaid, do hereby engage, under the solemn ties of virtue, honour, and love of our Country, that, in order to remedy the inconvenience which the Committee aforesaid have met with in the collection of the said Money, we and each of us will, at the Levy Court next to be held for this County, vote for, and to the utmost of our power promote the laying a Tax of one shilling and six pence in the Pound, upon the “taxables, as well estates as those resident,” in this County, for the purposes aforesaid, in addition to the tax which may be necessary for the current expenses of the County; out of which additional tax all sums of money already, or which may hereafter be paid in compliance with the said Resolves of the Committee, are to be deducted, and credit given for them to the persons who have paid or may pay the same, respectively.

Witness our hands, this 18th day of May, 1775.

JOHN MCKINLEY, Chairman.

It being found quite impracticable to raise the sums of money that were necessary for the purposes aforementioned, in so short a time as the urgency required, in the usual legal ways, therefore the Committee were obliged to adopt the aforegoing method, as appearing the most speedy, effectual, and equitable manner of raising the same; and it is hoped that all lovers of their Country will readily pay their several quotas to the Committee-men of their respective Hundreds, who have undertaken to collect the same without any fees or commissions, as the money is immediately wanted.

Each of the Committee, of Correspondence are required to be diligent in collecting, as speedily as possible, what money has been subscribed and not paid towards the relief of our suffering brethren at Boston, and to apply to such as have not before contributed to their support, as their situation is at present most deplorable.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR TO JOSEPH SHIPPEN, JUN.

Ligonier, May 18, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I yesterday received the enclosed letter from Mr. Cavet, with the contents of which I request you will make the Governour acquainted. You see Hanna and he are very uneasy, which is really not to be wondered at, as they have been now upwards of three months in confinement, for paying obedience to his Honour’s Proclamation, and have not had a single line from any person about Government, or any directions how to conduct themselves. The Governour in these times must be occupied by objects of much greater magnitude; but I wish he could spare a few minutes for their affairs, which is truly a business of the last consequence to them, threatening them with no less than absolute ruin.

We have an account that Lord Dunmore has been obliged to abandon his Government; it is the only piece of good news has reached us since the disputes with Great Britain took so serious a turn; but I doubt the truth of it.

The Pittsburgh Court is now sitting; whether they do business or not, I have not heard. The proposition for the relief of Cavet and Hanna, though I believe it practicable enough, I would do nothing in without the Governour’s concurrence, as it might be attended with serious consequences.

Yesterday we had a County meeting, and have come to resolutions to arm and discipline, and have formed an Association, which I suppose you will soon see in the papers. God grant an end may be speedily put to any necessity for such proceedings. I doubt their utility, and am almost as much afraid of success in this contest, as of being vanquished. I am, with much respect, dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

AR. ST. CLAIR.

Joseph Shippen, Junior, Philadelphia.

NEWARK (NEW-JERSEY) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the General Committee of Association for the Township of Newark, in New-Jersey, on Thursday, the 18th day of May, 1775:

The Committee taking into consideration the Resolutions of the Committees of New-York and other Provinces, relative to the suspension of all exportation to Quebeck, Nova-Scotia, Georgia, and Newfoundland, or any part of the Fishing Coasts and Fishing Islands; and highly approving the same, do resolve that it be recommended to the gentlemen Traders of this Town, that they stop all exportations to, the said places; and also to our constituents in general, that they do not supply any person whatsoever with any kind of Exports, which they have reason to believe are designed for either of those places, nor any of the King’s ships or boats with provisions clandestinely; nor in any manner whatsoever that may counteract any Resolutions that have been made by the Committee of New-York. By order of the Committee:

LEWIS OGDEN, Chairman.

INSTRUCTIONS TO DELEGATES FROM NEWARK IN CONGRESS OF NEW-JERSEY.

At a meeting of the General Committee of. Association held at Newark, the 18th day of May, 1775:

The following Instructions to Isaac Ogden and Philip Van Cortlandt, Esquires, Messrs. Bethuel Pierson and Caleb Camp, the Deputies elected to represent said Town in Provincial Congress, were unanimously agreed on:

GENTLEMEN: The great, the important crisis which will determine the fate of America, seems hastily approaching; a crisis in which not only you, the fond wives of your bosoms, the infants of your tenderest solicitude; but millions of your posterity yet unborn, and every thing that is near and dear to you, worthy your wish, or meriting your care, are deeply interested; a crisis which will decide whether this Continent shall be governed by the unlimited will of a Senate in which it has no voice; by a power without the right, over which it can have no influence or control; whether it shall be forever bound in wretched, relentless chains of slavery, or whether the glorious sun of constitutional liberty shall still enlighten this horizon, and permanently shine, unclouded with the tainted breath of despotism.

To you, gentlemen, is delegated by the inhabitants of this Town one of the most important trusts in their power, which nothing less than tyrant necessity could have urged them to grant, or you to accept; a necessity which, with hearts glowing with affection, overflowing with loyalty to our Sovereign, we unfeignedly lament.

We need not, we mean not, gentlemen, to wish you additional firmness in the common cause; your being chosen to this trust sufficiently approves your principles and steady regard to the duties, the great interests of your delegation; nor need we advise that you carry with you that spirit of