ALBANY COMMITTEE TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Albany Committee Chamber, August 17, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Yesterday came down here from Ticonderoga, under a guard consisting of a sergeant and thirteen men, Alexander White, Esquire, Sheriff of Tryon County, John Connor, Peter Boon, and Lewis Clement, who had been taken prisoners by a party of General Schuyler’s men at one Gilliland’s, on Lake Champlain, accompanied by three Indians, who were also taken and brought before the General at Ticonderoga. On their arrival the Indians were by us forwarded in a wagon to Schenectady, on their way home, after receiving a present, in conformity to the General’s letter, a copy of which we enclose you. We send down under guard, White and Conner; the other two, viz, Clement and Boon, we have thought most prudent to detain here until we hear from you on the subject, as we were apprehensive that sending them down might create some jealousy and discontent among the Indians, (among whom they have some influence,) whose friendship we most ardently wish to cultivate.

That you may be able to judge of the matter with the more precision, we enclose a state of the case which occasioned Mr. White’s flying from Tryon County, and a copy of the examination taken by General Schuyler of the party who took White’s party, as also copies of two letters from Sir John Johnson to Mr. White.

We are, Gentlemen, your very humble servants. By order of the Committee:

ABRAHAM YATES, JUN., Chairman.

COLONEL HUNTINGTON TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Roxbury Camp, August 17, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: I have your esteemed favour of the fourteenth August. I could wish to have my companies join the regiment, but submit willingly their disposition to the publick service. If the Ministerial Troops do not leave us before some works are finished, which are near completed, and a supply of powder is in, I expect We shall be, ordered to begin the salute. There is not proper and sufficient provision made for our sick, and some other necessary matters. I could wish the Governour and Council would order Gen. Spencer to see that it be done. Many of our sick are in a suffering condition for want of house-room, &c. Many of our soldiers might as well be at home as here, whose arms are out of order, no armourers established. I have made frequent applications for iron, but I cannot obtain any. If the officers here had authority to procure such things as the publick service absolutely requires, it would, I trust, be quickly and prudently done; but we are not willing to do much of our own heads. Brother John will be in my mess. The post calls, The enemy are now endeavouring to molest our people at work near Lamb’s Dam, by cannon and bombs.

I conclude with that I am, most respectfully, your dutiful and affectionate son,

JED. HUNTINGTON.

Governour Trumbull.

COMMITTEE OF INSPECTION OF POWNALBOROUGH, EAST PRECINCT (NEW-YORK.)

To deprive a man of the benefits of society, by holding him up to the world as an enemy to his Country, is a task that must be disagreeable to humanity; but the duty incumbent on every person who is intrusted with power, to prevent the violation of the American Association, makes it necessary to publish the following facts:

At a meeting of the Committee of Inspection for the East Precinct of Pownalborough, on the 20th day of May last, they sent for Abiel Wood, against whom some complaints were made, and the following facts were proved against him, viz:

1. That when the result of the Continental Congress was made publick, the said Wood declared his disapprobation of the same in every respect, and reported that the Members of said Congress drank thirty bumpers of wine a piece before they passed their Resolves, and added, if said Resolves were adhered to, the Country would be ruined; and said Wood declared he would not abide by said Resolves.

2. That said Wood did order out Cordage, Sail-Cloth, and Salt, after he had read the Continental Association.

3. That the said Wood spoke disrespectfully of the method recommended by the Provincial Congress for choosing Officers, and said the Officers were rebels and traitors, and discouraged the men in this Parish from exercising under said Officers, saying they would be hanged if they should learn to exercise.

4. That the said Wood brought from Boston certain pamphlets, entitled “An Address to all reasonable Americans,” and spread the same, and extolled the pamphlet, saying it contained nothing but the truth, and was the best book that was ever wrote; and the said Wood, speaking of a pamphlet wrote in England, entitled “Considerations on Measures now carrying on in America,” said it began with a lie and ended with the same.

5. That the said Wood was a Selectman in 1774, and being applied to, to call a Town-Meeting in order to choose a Committee of Inspection, he would not grant a warrant for so doing, saying it was against law, and there was an Act of Parliament against Town-Meetings.

6. That said Wood reported for truth, that the Province of New-York, and twelve Towns in this and Connecticut Provinces, had voted not to abide by the result of the Continental Congress, and thereby endeavoured to discourage the people of this Parish from approving of the same.

7. That the said Wood declared the Acts of Parliament for raising a revenue in America were not grievances, but ought to be submitted to; and that the Act for blocking up the Port of Boston was a just punishment; and said that John Hancock, Esquire, Samuel Adams, and Josiah Quincy, were the cause of all the disturbances and difficulties we are involved in.

8. That the said Wood declared the Provincial Congress of this Province ought not to be minded, for the greatest part of said Congress were damned villains, and that they destroyed the tea, and acted only to deceive the people and stir up rebellion; and that the Resolves recommending the choosing the Officers in this Province was high treason.

9. That the said Wood commended the coasters for carrying timber to the Troops.

10. That the said Wood being asked why he did not carry timber to the Troops, said, because he was afraid of the people; and added, it was time now to throw off fear, for he had lost thousands by fearing to supply the Troops; and on being informed the Provincial Congress had forbid supplying the Regular Troops, said Wood declared most of the Congress were damned villains, saying there was Hancock, Adams, and others, acted out of selfish views in destroying the tea; and being informed Mr. Hancock did not destroy the tea, the said Wood offered to give his oath before any Justice of the Peace, that Mr. Hancock was the first man that went on board the vessel to destroy the tea, and that the devil had made them believe that one of them should be a King, another a Governour, and that they should be in some great places of honour and profit, and their views were to stir up the people to sedition, in order to accomplish their designs. This was spoke concerning Mr. Hancock and the Provincial Congress, in April, 1775.*

* Ebenezer Whittier, of lawful ago, testifies and declares, that some time in April last, Abiel Wood, merchant, commended the coasters for carrying up boards and timber for the Troops; that the said Wood being asked why he did not carry timber to the Troops; he, the said Wood, said it was because he was afraid of the people; and added, it was time now to throw off fear, for he had lost thousands by fearing to supply the Troops; and on being informed by the deponent the Provincial Congress had forbid the supplying the Regular Troops, he, the said Wood, said the most of the Congress wore damned villains, saying there was Hancock, Adams, &c., acted out of selfish views in destroying the tea; and being told by the deponent Mr. Hancock did not destroy the tea, the said Wood offered to give his oath before any Justice of the Peace, that Mr. Hancock was the first man that went on board the vessel to destroy the tea, and that the devil had made them believe that one of them should be a King, another a Governour, and that they should be in some great places of honour and profit, and their views were to stir up the people to sedition, in order to accomplish their designs. This was spoken concerning Mr. Hancock and the Provincial Congress, in April, 1775. That the said Wood spoke disrespectfully of the method recommended by the Provincial Congress for choosing officers; and that the said Wood reported for truth, that the Province of New-York, and twelve Towns in this and Connecticut Province, had voted not to abide by the result of the Continental Congress, and thereby endeavoured to discourage the people of this Province from approving the same.

EBENEZER WHITTIER.

LINCOLN, ss., June 9, 1775:

The said Ebenezer Whittier made oath to the above writing by him subscribed, before me,

THOMAS RICE, Justice of Peace.