connected with the preceding paragraph. But what must be your Excellency’s surprise and astonishment when I assure you that in the original letter from Mr. Pettit to me, now in my possession, the word “further” is not to be found. We will next examine the importance of the words “in Council.” Whether your Excellency was in Council, or out of it, when you gave the command, it was equally your command; and if the command was improper or im polite out of Council, it is not the advice of your whole Council which can sanctify it, or make it proper or polite in Council. Can your Excellency, therefore, be justified in using the language you have done on this occasion? Your Excellency next intimates that I have made frequent “publick as well as private declarations, that a man ought to be damned who would take up arms against his Sovereign on the present occasion.” Your Excellency cannot assert this of your own knowledge, for I have never been in your company since the present occasion occurred. Since the rejection of the most humble, dutiful, and respectful petitions to the Throne has been known in America, since the battles of Lexington and Bunker’s Hill, since the wanton and cruel destruction of Charlestown, and since the design of the Ministry to bring indiscriminate ruin on the Colonies on this Continent has been publickly avowed, I have not had the honour of seeing your Excellency, and therefore I may, without offence to you, Sir, say that the assertion, so far as it relates to the present occasion, is false. To retort the rest of this extraordinary postscript would be descending to the language of a certain place in the environs of the Tower of London, with which I am but little acquainted. I shall only observe, that gentlemen who feel themselves intrenched in such exalted offices as that of Governour of a Province, should be extremely cautious how they make use of bad language, either in speaking or writing. The world is very censorious, and will be raising suspicions to their disadvantage. On this very occasion there may be some who will suspect that this postscript, as well as part of the letter, would not have been framed in the style it is, had we been in any other Province than New-Jersey.

I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

STIRLING.

To Governour Franklin.

NEW-YORK COMMITTEE.

Thursday, September 7, 1775.

The Committee met. Present: Henry Remsen, Chairman; and thirty-three Members.

Mr. Duer applied to take the sense of the Committee, whether he might charter the Sloop, late the property of Mr. Drewidtz, now mortgaged to Mr. Simpson.

Ordered, That the Chairman, John Broome, and Eleazer Miller, be a Committee to determine on this application.

Ordered, That Mr. G. Roorback be desired to deliver the keys of their respective vessels to the Captains Hawley and Hazard, and to detain their sails till further orders from the Committee of Safety.

Ordered, That John Sneydar be forwarded on his way to Lancaster, being a sick Rifleman, and that Messrs. Burling and Janeway be a Committee to see it done.

Ordered, That Messrs. Bancker, Duryee, Ray, W. Walton, Low, and Clopper, be a Committee to wait on the Committee of Safety, to represent to them the necessity of an arrangement for the issuing a part of the Soldiers’ Pay, now in the publick service, to their wives and families here.

COMMISSIONERS FOR BUILDING FORTS TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, September 7, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: It appears to us, the Commissioners appointed to erect the batteries recommended by the Continental Congress, necessary that we should be informed whether any fixed sum is allotted for erecting the said batteries, or whether it is left to the discretion of the Commissioners. We beg leave to observe, that as this Province is the centre of America, it is very probable that Administration may endeavour to get possession of it, and thereby prevent any assistance being sent from the southern Provinces to the New-England Governments. It is our opinion that, as it will be a Continental expense, the fortification ought to be rendered respectable.

An Engineer is expected in town to-morrow. We shall be glad to know whether the Committee of Safety propose agreeing with him, or Whether the agreement is to be left to the Commissioners.

As our reputation is at stake in the erecting these fortifications, and as we are desirous of acquitting ourselves consistent with the safety of the Province, we request that you will be pleased to give us your full instructions.

We are, very respectfully, Gentlemen, your most obedient servants,

COMMITTEES OF HUNTINGTON, ETC., IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW-YORK.

At a meeting of the several Committees of Huntington, Smithtown, Brookhaven, the Manor of St. George’s, and the Patentship of Meriches, held at Smithtown, September 7, 1775, for the purpose of nominating Field-Officers for the West Regiment, in Suffolk County, Present:

FROM HUNTINGTON: John Sloss Hobart, Esq., Thomas Wickes, Esq., Dr. Gilbert Potter, Captain Timothy Carll, Henry Scudder, Stephen Ketcham, Thomas Brush, Jun., John Squier, Ebenezer Platt.

FROM SMITHTOWN: Thomas Tredwell, Esquire, Jeffery Smith, Jacob Mills, Jonas Mills, Samuel Phillips, Philetus Smith, Edmund Smith, Daniel Smith.

FROM BROOKHAVEN, &c.: William Smith, Thomas Fanning, Noah Hallock, William Brewster, Jonathan Baker, John Woodhull, Joseph Brown, Samuel Thompson, Daniel Roe, Nathaniel Roe.

Mr. William Smith chosen Chairman.

By a verbal message from Colonel Platt Conkling, by Captain Carll, and by information from several other people, it appears to this meeting that he declines accepting of a commission. The meeting then proceeded to the business of nominating Field-Officers for the abovementioned Regiment, which nomination is as follows, viz:

For Colonel, William Floyd, Esq., living in the Manor of St. George’s; Lieutenant-Colonel, Doctor Gilbert Potter, of Huntington; First Major, Captain Nathan Woodhull, of Brookhaven; Second Major, Edmund Smith, Jun., of Smithtown; Adjutant, Philip Roe, of Brookhaven; Quartermaster, John Roe, Jun., of Brookhaven,

The question being put, whether this meeting would proceed to recommend or nominate to our Deputies in Provincial Congress a person for a Brigadier-General, was carried in the affirmative; and Colonel Nathaniel Woodhull being proposed, was unanimously agreed to.

By order of the Committee:

WM. SMITH.

TRYON COUNTY COMMITTEE TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Tryon County Committee Chamber, September 7, 1775.

HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN: By the affidavits against the Sheriff, Alexander White, now prisoner in the Albany jail, sent to you the 26th of August last, you will be much convinced of his inimical behaviour against the common cause, and in particular against our County; and as the said Sheriff is undoubtedly unworthy of his office, which commission shall be expired this instant month, we, the Committee, upon the motion of the whole County, (the Tories only excepted,) granted a publick voting of a new Sheriff for our County, to the freeholders and inhabitants therein residing, by which John Frey, Esq., of Palatine District, got the majority of votes. The dangerous circumstances of our County, by such a traitorous ruler as this White, give us great reason to protest against him; and fearing that either himself, or another one equal to him, might be intrusted again by the Governour in New-York, for the future service in the Sheriff’s office of our County, we resolved unanimously to apply to you for the directions of our present proceedings, begging that you will please to represent the same to his Excellency the Governour, and request his plenary grant of our chosen Sheriff above named, whom we can commend as a real friend to our American cause, a well-proved member of our Committee, and especially a