of the Congress of this Colony, or authorities derived from that body, but proceeded only from a desire to abide in their usual peace and tranquillity.

2d. That the said part of the people never did mean to aid, assist, or join the British Troops as aforesaid; and hereby it is declared, that if at any time during the present unhappy disputes between Great Britain and North-America, any British Troops shall or may arrive in this Colony, the Deputies aforesaid, for themselves and the part of the people aforesaid, by whom they the said Deputies are authorized, and whom they do represent, declare, that if any British Troops as aforesaid, shall arrive as aforesaid, they, the said Deputies, and the part of the people aforesaid, shall not and will not give, yield, or afford, directly or indirectly, to or for the use, advantage, or comfort of the said British Troops, or any part of them, any aid or assistance whatsoever, or hold with them, the said Troops, or any part of them, any communication or correspondence.

3d. That if at any time during the unhappy disputes as aforesaid, any person or persons, of the part of the people aforesaid, shall, by discourses or words, reflect upon, censure, or condemn, or by any conduct oppose the proceedings of the Congress of this Colony, or authorities derived from them, the said Congress, the Council of Safety, or General Committee, as the case may be, shall, without being deemed to give umbrage to the part of the people aforesaid, send to any of the Deputies aforesaid, to make requisition that any and every such person or persons as aforesaid, offending in any of the premises aforesaid, against the proceedings of the Congress or authorities aforesaid, may and shall be delivered up to the authority of the Congress, or the tribunals under that authority, to be questioned and tried, and proceeded against, according to the mode of proceedings by authority of Congress; and if such person or persons as aforesaid, be not delivered up as aforesaid, within fourteen days after requisition as aforesaid, then, in such case, the Congress, or Council of Safety, or General Committee, may and shall be at liberty to use every means to apprehend any and every such person or persons as last aforesaid, and question, try, and proceed against as aforesaid, every such person or persons as aforesaid.

4th. That if any person or persons who has or have signed, or shall sign the Association aforesaid, shall, without authority of Congress, molest any person or persons of the part of the people aforesaid, in such case application shall be made to the said Congress, or Council of Safety, or General Committee, in order that such person or persons, so molested, be punished for and restrained from molesting as aforesaid.

And it is hereby declared that all and every person of the part of the people as aforesaid, not offending in or against any of the premises aforesaid, shall and may continue to dwell and remain at home as usual, safe in their lives, persons, and. properties: such being no more than what has been and is the aim, intention, and inclination of the Congress of this Colony, and the authorities under that body. All persons who shall not consider themselves as bound by this treaty, must abide by the consequences.

Done at the camp near Ninety-Six, this 16th day of September 1775.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM WILLIAM H. DRAYTON TO THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY FOR SOUTH-CAROLINA, DATED SEPTEMBER 17, 1775.

After all, I assure you our situation is utterly precarious while the Governour is at liberty. He animates these men; he tempts them; and although they are now recovered, yet their fidelity is precarious, if he is at liberty to jog them again, and lay new toils for them. Gentlemen, allow me in the strongest terras to recommend that you make hostages of the Governour and the officers. To do this is not more dangerous to us than what we have done; it will secure our safety, which otherwise will be in danger. I would also recommend that, the trade with the country be opened; it will give infinite satisfaction. It will convince every person of the rectitude of our designs. It will obliterate a distinction which, if now permitted to remain, will give Fletchall’s people room to sell their patriotism, &c., to King’s Troops, and thus renew a communication. And, indeed, if we will not trade with them, we cannot in conscience blame them for trading with those who will trade with them. And this seems to correspond with the spirit of the resolution of the General Committee, August 23d, “but also to give such assurances,” &c. I am clearly of opinion that upon the instrument of the 16th of September, such a relaxation might be grounded. I am persuaded it will be attended with the most salutary consequences, and therefore I do most heartily recommend that it may be done. But above all things I think it is my duty most strongly to represent that the Governour should be taken into custody.

I beg leave also to represent that the declaration of the 13th, and the instrument of the 16th instant, be not only printed generally in the Gazettes and in sheets, to be immediately, by the Committee of Intelligence, circulated throughout the Colony, to give general notification thereof, (which is greedily desired,) and to prevent erroneous copies, but that they be published in England, for this reason: They will show that no part of the people of this Colony are even unfriendly to the designs of Congress; that none of the people will encourage any person, even by word, to condemn our proceedings; that all offenders shall be delivered up to punishment; that no part of the people will even hold communication with the King’s Troops. All this will be in direct contradiction to the Governour’s representation of the meritorious conduct and zeal of Fletchall ’s people for the King’s service. And for all this to appear is of infinite importance, and infinitely preferable to our having put a part of those people to the sword, which would not only have lain the foundation for lasting animosities, but would convince Administration that the Govenour’s representations were true, that there was a strong party here against the Congress; all which would invite them to send a strong body of Troops here, and that very early.

HAMPTON (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE TO CAPTAIN SQUIRE.

Hampton, September 16, 1775.

SIR: Yours of the 10th instant, directed to the Committee of the Town of Hampton, reciting “that a sloop tender in His Majesty’s service was, on the 2d instant, cast on shore near this place, having on board some, of the King’s stores,” which you say were seized by the inhabitants, and demanding an immediate return of the same or that the people of Hampton must answer the consequences of such outrage, was this day laid before them, who, knowing the above recital to be injurious and untrue, think proper here to mention the facts relative to this matter. The sloop, we apprehend, was not in His Majesty’s service, as we are well assured that you were on a pillaging or pleasuring party; and although it gives us pain to use indelicate expressions, yet the treatment received from you calls for a state of the facts in the simple language of truth, however harsh it may sound. To your own heart we appeal, for the candour with which we have stated them; to that heart which drove you into the woods in the most tempestuous weather, in one of the darkest nights, to avoid the much injured and innocent inhabitants of this County, who had never threatened or ill-used you, and who would, at that time, have received you, we are assured, with humanity and civility, had you made yourself and situation known to them. Neither the vessels nor stores were seized by the inhabitants of Hampton; the gunner, one Mr. Gray, and the pilot, one Mr. Ruth, who were employed by you on this party, are men, we hope, who will still assert the truth. From them, divers of our members were informed that the vessel and stores, together with a good seine, (which you without cause so hastily deserted,) were given up as irrecoverably lost, by the officers and some of the proprietors, to one Finn, near whose house you were drove on shore, as a reward for his entertaining you, &c., with respect and decency.

The threats of a person whose conduct hath evinced that he was not only capable but desirous of doing us, in our then defenceless state, the greatest injustice, we confess,