continual accounts received from Canada, by scouts sent from our frontiers, and otherwise, keep them under the most terrible apprehensions of being ravaged by the Canadians and Indians. The late determination of your Congress has much increased it, as the destroying that fortress leaves such an opening to the excursions of our enemies. We desire your vigilance in a critical review of that matter.

Our circumstances appear daily more and more alarming. The men-of-war stop all provision vessels coming into our harbour, and send them to Boston; and the Captain of the Scarborough has shewn his orders to a Committee who waited upon him, to stop all provisions, salt, molasses, &c., coming to us. Since which several hundred armed men, in the day time, went down to the entrance of our harbour, in open sight of the men-of-war, and brought from a point of land there a number of large cannon, and deposited them at Portsmouth for the present, where preparations are making for mounting and fitting them for action. A number of men are now making a battery on Kittery Point; and if we had a sufficiency of ammunition, should hope soon to be able to command our harbour.

We would desire you, if any arms or gunpowder can be procured in the Southern Governments, to procure them, if possible, on such terms as you can make, with which the Colony will endeavour punctually to comply. The difficulty of land-carriage we would surmount, as the want thereof must exclude every other difficulty. We have wrote to you on the pressing occasion we have for a paper currency, or some other, to answer our urgent necessity; and still must desire that you do all in your power that some plan be formed, or directions given us by your Congress for that purpose.

Enclosed we send you a copy of a vote of Council, relative to stopping provisions, &c. We would have you endeavour to keep a constant correspondence with the Congress or Committee of Safety, at Exeter, and inform us of every thing you think essential.

In behalf of the Provincial Congress:

MATTHEW THORNTON, President.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE CONGRESS TO CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

[Read in Congress, June 21, 1775.]

GENTLEMEN: A late order of your very respectable Congress, for the demolition of the fortress at Ticonderoga, and removal of the artillery from thence, has very much damped the expectation of the people in this Colony, arising from the security our frontiers hoped to receive by the check the Canadians and savages might receive in any incursions on us, by a good garrison there. We are heartily disposed to, and shall readily obey all the orders and directions you give us; and on this occasion would not presume to complain or dictate, but most humbly to suggest, that all the land and waters between the south end of Lake George and Crown Point, together with all Lake Champlain, will be left open for Canadians and savages (if they should be disposed, which we very much fear) to ravage all the country east. Our new settlements, extended on Connecticut River for a hundred miles, are very defenceless in every respect, and under terrible apprehensions, from the accounts of the warlike preparations making in Canada against the Colony.

The reasons which directed your order in this matter, we are unacquainted with, but would wish a review thereof; and if you should then think it best that the former order be countermanded, we hope it will be a service to the common cause; otherwise, shall concur in your determination of that as well as all other matters that concern the welfare of America.

In behalf of the Provincial Congress aforesaid, I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

MATTHEW THORNTON, President.

To the Honourable Continental Congress.

CONGRESS OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Exeter, New-Hampshire, June 2, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: I am directed by the Provincial Congress now convened in this Town, to advise you that the Resolution of the Continental Congress, respecting the demolition of the fortress at Ticonderoga, is just come to hand; that we have taken the same into consideration, and as we esteem that fortress to be at a place truly important to the welfare of all these Northern Colonies in general, and to this Colony in particular, the thoughts of its demolition casts a damp on the spirits of our people, as we apprehend our western frontiers will be thereby greatly exposed to the depredations of the Canadians and Indians, if (as we have reason to fear) they should incline to annoy us. And not being acquainted with the reasons for passing that order, we have thought it our duty to entreat that respectable body again to take that matter into their consideration, And, if they shall think proper, to order that the said fortress may be kept in possession of the Colonies; and we would earnestly entreat your concurrence with us in said request. At the same time you may be assured that no Colony on this Continent is, or can be more determined than we are, to abide by the determination of that respectable body.

In behalf of the Provincial Congress aforesaid, I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

MATTHEW THORNTON, President,

To the President of the Congress at New-York.

P. S. By an enclosed Resolve of this body, you will find we are providing against any attempt from Canada on our adjacent frontier. We earnestly desire your approbation of this measure, and concurrence with it, by adding such numbers of troops from your Colony, as in your wisdom and concern for the general good, you may think proper.

M. T.

COMMITTEE OF PORTSMOUTH TO NEW-HAMPSHIRE CONGRESS.

Portsmouth, June 2, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: On the preservation of the peace and good order of this Town, is the only security that this Committee have, whereby they expect to carry into execution any measures which the Provincial Congress may resolve upon; therefore find ourselves necessitated to desire you would be pleased to regulate all future movements of any bodies of armed men from one Town to another, as many inconveniences and losses to the publick are sustained thereby, especially at this time, when so many idle and false reports are spread, by which the good people of this Province are alarmed, and assemble together for the defence of the grand cause in which we are all embarked. We are fearful our enemies will improve every opportunity to increase these alarms, and make them so familiar to us as to put us off our guard, and then may strike some fatal blow.

We find this Town labours under many difficulties peculiar to seaports, and which our friends in the country are free from. The stagnation of trade, and the return of our shipping, increases the number of our people, who, for want of employment, readily fall into disorders, and when numbers are once collected, it is very difficult to persuade them to disperse, until they exceed the bounds of reason. We have great reason to believe that our invaders are endeavouring to promote alarms to harass the country, and to prevent our agriculture, by calling off and diverting our attention from that great, and, at this time, particularly necessary duty.

Any resolves Congress may pass upon our request, it is desired that copies of the same be sent to every Committee in every Town, besides being published in the publick prints, as it is necessary it should be known in the most publick manner, and as soon as possible. We submit our request to your wisdom, wishing you Divine assistance in your consultations for the publick weal.

I am, gentlemen, your most humble servant.

By order of the Committee:

H. WENTWORTH, Chairman.

To the Honourable Congress at Exeter.

SOUTH-CAROLINA PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.

Charlestown, Saturday, June 3, 1775.

Resolved, That this Congress do earnestly recommend to all their constituents, the promotion of union and harmony by all means in their power. That to this purpose