or even my connivance in such a delivery, unless accompanied with His Majesty’s supersedeas, or my not being resident in this Province.

Gentlemen, the difficulties, I may say the distresses in the Province, and indeed of the whole Continent, are such that every additional cause of perplexity should be avoided. I have, gentlemen, no thoughts of attempting to maintain the security of the records in my custody by force. This I know would have no good effect. My aim is only to remove any grounds of complaint that may be against me for either neglect or malepractice in the execution of my said office.

I am, Gentlemen, with proper regard, your humble servant,

THEODORE ATKINSON.

To Major William Weeks, and the rest of the Committee.

SECRETARY ATKINSON TO GOVERNOUR WENTWORTH.

Portsmouth, New-Hampshire, July 7, 1775.

SIR: Your Excellency will give me leave to acquaint you, that on the fourth instant I had, as Secretary, a visit from a Committee appointed by the Provincial Congress of this Colony held at Exeter. They showed me their appointment, and requested the delivery of all the records and files in the Secretary’s office. I told them it would be against my honour and my oath of office to be a volunteer in such delivery. After an hour’s moderate conversation, and without any heat, the Committee left me, and I was in hopes I should not have any farther visit from them; but on the sixth instant they came again and urged the delivery. I still refused as before, and told them they well knew it was not in my power to defend the office by force of arms; if they took the records, &c., or any of them, they must be answerable. They then entered the office and took all the files and records belonging to the Secretary’s office, except those books in which were recorded the several charter grants of land, which were with your Excellency to take some minutes from. The Committee offered me their receipt, agreeable to their orders from the Congress, but I refused, being no otherwise concerned than barely as a spectator. They then cleared the offices of all the books and papers, and transported them to Exeter, where they are (I am informed) to remain till further order. Thus I have stated the facts as they occurred; and I am, may it please your Excellency, your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant,

THEODORE ATKINSON.

Governour Wentworth.

SECRETARY ATKINSON TO GOVERNOUR WENTWORTH.

In Provincial Congress, Exeter, July 7, 1775.

Whereas this Congress have resolved it as their opinion, that all the publick Records of the Colony were at this time unsafe in the Town of Portsmouth, and that the same should be removed to the Town of Exeter, all which Records have in consequence thereof been removed by a Committee appointed for that purpose as far as came to their knowledge, except the books of Charters of the several Townships in this Colony: Therefore, it is now Resolved, That the Honourable Theodore Atkinson, Esquire, Secretary of the Colony, is accountable to the people for said Records, and that he ought without delay to deliver the same to the Committee.

Extract from the Minutes:

Attest:

NOAH EMERY, Deputy Secretary.

Monday, July 10, 1775.

SIR: The above is a copy of what I received from Major Weeks of the Committee that required the Records, &c., the other day. I made the same answer to him that I did to the Committee the other day, viz: that I could make no delivery: if they took them, they must be answerable. Major Weeks seemed sorrowful that he was appointed, &c.

To his Excellency the Governour.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL, LONDON.

Friday, July 7, 1775.

A Court of Common Council was held this day at Guildhall, when the Court re-assumed the consideration of the letter from the Committee of New-York, addressed to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of London; when a motion was made by Mr. Stavely, that an humble Address, Remonstrance, and Petition, relative to the distressed situation of the American Colonies, should be presented by the City, in their corporate capacity, to His Majesty. This caused warm debates, it being strongly opposed by several of the members. Mr. Hunt then made the following motion:

“That an humble Address and Petition be presented to His Majesty, praying that he will be pleased to cause hostilities to cease between Great Britain and America, and to adopt such measures as will restore union, confidence, and peace over the British Empire.”

This motion, (leaving out the word “Remonstrance,” after several debates, was carried in the affirmative.

The number for the motion were: six Aldermen, sixty-six Commoners, and two Tellers.—Total 74.

Against the motion: six Aldermen, fifty-one Commoners, and two Tellers.—Total 59.

Majority for the motion 15.

Mr. Hunt then moved, that a Committee of six Aldermen and twelve Commoners might be directly appointed to draw up the Petition and Address, which passed in the affirmative. The Committee withdrew, and in a short time returned with a most respectful Petition and Address, which met the approbation of the whole Court, except one dissenting Alderman.

The Sheriffs are directed to attend His Majesty at St. James’s next Wednesday, in order to know when he will be pleased to receive the above Address, which will be presented by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, in their gowns.

On Wednesday, July 12th, the two Sheriffs and City Remembrancer, waited on His Majesty at St. James’s to know when he would be graciously pleased to receive the City Petition and Address; when he was pleased to appoint Friday at two o’clock.

On Friday, July 14th, the following humble Address and Petition was presented to the King, by the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the Aldermen Bull, Lewes, Hayley, Lee, Plomer, Hart, and several of the Common Council:

To the King’s most Excellent Majesty.

The humble Address and Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commons of the City of LONDON, in Common Council assembled:

Most gracious Sovereign:

Your Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled, with all humility beg leave to lay themselves at your Royal feet, humbly imploring your benign attention towards the grievous distraction of their fellow-subjects in America.

The characteristick of the people, Sire, over whom you reign has ever been equally remarked for an unparalleled loyalty to their Sovereign, whilst the principles of the Constitution have been the rule of his Government; as well as a firm opposition, whenever their rights have been invaded.

Your American subjects, Royal Sire, descended from the same ancestors with ourselves, appear equally jealous of their prerogatives of freemen, without which they cannot deem themselves happy.

Their cheerful and unasked-for contributions, as well as willing services to the Mother Country, whilst they remained free from the clog of compulsory laws, will, we are sure, plead powerfully with the humanity of your disposition, for graciously granting them every reasonable opportunity of giving, as freemen, what they seem resolutely determined to refuse, under the injunction of laws made independent of their own consent.

The abhorrence we entertain of civil bloodshed and confusion will, we trust, Sire, if not wholly exculpate us in your Royal mind, yet plead powerfully in our favour for the warmth with which we lament those measures whose destructive principles have driven our American brethren to acts of desperation.

Convinced of the earnest disposition of the Colonists to remain firm in all duteous obedience to the constitutional