carry them past. ’Tis a shocking thing that people should be obliged to such shift, and the trade of the Province be destroyed, by the obstinacy and caprice of one man. I flatter myself, however, it will not be of long continuance, Lord Dunmore’s seizing the magazine has raised such a ferment that he will not probably visit the frontiers soon, and by the prorogation of his Assembly, the invasion law, under which it seems the garrison of the fort was kept up, will expire; I think the ninth of next month is its period, and I am informed Connolly is preparing to decamp.

We have nothing but masters and Committees all over the country, and every thing seems to be running into the greatest confusion. If some conciliating plan is not adopted by the Congress, America has seen her golden days; they may return, but will be preceded by scenes of horrour. An Association is formed in this County for defence of American liberty. I got a clause added, by which they bind themselves to assist the civil Magistrates in the execution of the laws they have been accustomed to be governed by.

Hanna and Cavet are still pressing me to do something for their relief, and are very desirous they should be brought off by force; their project was, that writs should be issued against them, and that the Sheriff should take a posse with him and bring them away, and make prisoners at the same time of their persecutors. I believe ’tis very practicable, but I gave them to know that without positive directions from your Honour I would advise no such step, and that I thought you would not direct any that might have a tendency to embroil the Provinces. However, it is no wonder that they are uneasy; they have been long confined, and must have suffered considerably by it.

Lord Dunmore has issued a Proclamation, disclaiming the proceedings of the Surveyors in taking entries of lands, and ordering them to return the money received for them, but has spared their names; but I have seen none of them; they were spirited away, it seems, as fast as they appeared.

If the Fort should be evacuated next month, pray, Sir, would it be proper to endeavour to get possession of it, or to raze it? That may possibly be done by themselves.

Mr. Connolly has sent out for some of the principal men of the Indians to come and receive the prisoners, and the Pittsburgh Committee have petitioned the General Congress to hold a treaty with the Western Tribes. I have the honour to be, Sir, your Honour’s most obedient and most humble servant,

ARTHUR ST CLAIR.

To the Honourable the Governour and Company of the ENGLISH Colony of CONNECTICUT:

BRETHREN: By a minute of the Grand Continental Congress, of the eighteenth of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, a copy of which we do herewith transmit you, we are informed that Ticonderoga hath been taken by sundry inhabitants of the Northern Colonies; and from the minute aforesaid we are assured that this measure was for the common safety of the American Colonies.

In pursuance of the directions contained in that minute, we have given the necessary orders for removing the cannon and stores taken at that important fortress to the south end of Lake George, and for securing them there; and we have appointed Messrs. John N. Bleeker, Henry I. Bogart, George Palmer, Dirk Swart, and Peter Lansing, superintendents of this business.

There is no doubt but that our brethren of Connecticut will feel great reluctance at the idea of ordering any of their troops to march within the bounds of this Colony, for the purpose of defending the fort of Ticonderoga and the cannon and stores above-mentioned at Fort George. But we pray you to cast away all fears of offending us upon this occasion. We shall be happy to hear that you have placed a part of your forces in these posts, with intent to defend them, until they shall be relieved by troops from this Colony.

In further pursuance of the directions of the Grand Congress, we have ordered provisions to be conveyed to Ticonderoga and Lake George, and we shall continue to furnish such supplies as we shall deem necessary.

You will be pleased, gentlemen, to appoint trusty commanders over your forces destined for the purposes above-mentioned; and we do assure you of our willingness that they shall take the command at those places while garrisoned by your troops. We beg leave to assure you that in this and all other matters we will pay the highest attention to every recommendation of the Grand Continental Congress, and that we have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servants,

P. V. B. LIVINGSTON, President.

By order of the Congress:

P. S. We pray you to use every effort to preserve and improve the present peaceable disposition of the Canadians and Indians, for which purpose we think it will be necessary to keep up the strictest vigilance to prevent any incursions from being made into the Province of Quebeck.

In Congress, Thursday, May 18, 1775.

Whereas, there is indubitable evidence that a design is formed by the British Ministry of making a cruel invasion from the Province of Quebeck upon these Colonies, for the purpose of destroying our lives and liberties, and some steps have actually been taken to carry the said design into execution: and whereas several inhabitants of the Northern Colonies, residing in the vicinity of Ticonderoga, immediately exposed to incursions, impelled by a just regard for the defence and preservation of themselves and their countrymen from such imminent danger and calamities, have taken possession of that post in which was lodged a quantity of cannon and military stores that would certainly have been used in the intended invasion of these Colonies: this Congress earnestly recommend it to the Committees of the Cities and Counties of New-York and Albany, immediately to cause the said cannon and stores to be removed from Ticonderoga to the south end of Lake George; and, if necessary, to apply to the Colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, and Connecticut, for such an additional body of forces as will be sufficient to establish a strong post at that place, effectually to secure the said cannon and stores, or so many of them, as it may be judged proper to keep there, and that an exact inventory be taken of all such cannon and stores, in order that they may be safely returned when the restoration of the former harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies, so ardently wished for by the latter, shall render it prudent and consistent with the overruling law of self-preservation.

A true copy from the Minutes:

CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.

New-York, May 20, 1775.—A true copy:

HENRY REMSEN, Dep. Chairman.

COLONEL SPENCER TO THE ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTICUT.

Hartford, May 25, 1775.

Colonel Spencer returns his hearty thanks to the Honourable General Assembly now sitting at Hartford, for the undeserved honours that have been conferred upon him from time to time, and particularly that he has had the honour for some time to command the Twelfth Regiment of Militia in this Colony. And he begs leave to assure your Honours that he always has been and still is ready to serve your Honours, according to his ability, in any place to which he has been appointed, so far as may be in his power; but as his late appointment in the Colony service forbids that attendance to the duty of a Colonel as aforesaid, as the circumstances of the times require, he humbly begs leave to lay down his said office of Colonel; and subscribes himself your Honours’ most obedient and most humble servant,

JOSEPH SPENCER.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Hartford, May 25, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Your letter of the 17th instant, with the enclosed Resolve of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts-Bay, was delivered to me by Colonel Easton, and communicated to the General Assembly, who have desired me to return their congratulations on the reduction of Ticonderoga, a fortress truly important, and to assure