for they have suffered it. Well, says a third, I would not have such a disgrace upon my Colony for the whole world. Can you conceive a more unhappy state for a man of feelings? A man who has the honour of his Country at heart? I tell them that the chief of the inhabitants are Tories: Then why do you suffer such wretches to stay among you?

Ah, why do we suffer them, indeed ! It would not be permitted in any other Colony on the Continent, I am convinced; but what are we to do? The bulk of the inhabitants of Norfolk is composed of natives of North Britain; and all the world knows that the late Virginia Convention have expressly exempted those men from the service of defending their Country, or, rather, they have granted them a privilege of doing all the mischief imaginable to the common cause of America. They say it is inhuman, it is cruel, it is barbarous, to make them take arms against their countrymen. Poor, mean tools of despotism ! Brutus condemned his sons to death, because they supported tyranny; and Timoleon slew his brother, because he was a tyrant; but if these examples of patriotism are of too old a date for them to follow, let them look at many brave men, both English and Scotchmen, now on the Continent, who have most ardently embarked in the common cause of freedom and mankind. They feel no shocks to humanity, but, warmed with the spirit of liberty, are ready to plunge the dagger into a tyrant brother.

It is high time for the Test Act to make its appearance among us. It is highly proper that the worthy natives of Britain should be distinguished from the others, and that every man should have the choice of joining us or not; but it is also reasonable, that those who will not join us should be forthwith sent out of the Country; for who can trust a man in his neighbourhood whose principles are avowedly against the liberties of the people? It requires no great gift of prophecy to foretell, that if such men are sufferred to live among us, whether natives of North or of South Britain, or of our own Country, our plans and operations must forever be betrayed, which, in all probability, will prove the downfall of Virginia. But there is another reason for the rapid progress which Lord Dunmore makes in and about Norfolk. Without regular forces to support them, without Minute-Men, and the Militia but badly armed, what are the poor, wretched inhabitants to do? They must either submit to the military government of Lord Dunmore, or suffer the miseries of imprisonment and the loss of property. Five thousand regular forces, with a few horse, would have prevented the disgrace of Norfolk and Princess Anne, and, perhaps, of the whole lower country. Those men are weak politicians who would sacrifice a wide extended coast to the mean consideration of saving a little publick money.

Philadelphia, October 25, 1775.

On Monday morning, the 16th instant, the transport ship, Captain Hastings, of London, bound from Boston for New-York, with seventeen seamen, a Captain Duncan Campbell, a Lieutenant Sims, a recruiting Sergeant and fifteen or twenty ragamuffin fellows, that had ran from New-York and listed, who acted as marines on board, ran ashore on Brigantine Beach, near Egg Harbour where she is lost. The seamen and marines were secured soon after their coming on shore, and conducted to this City, where the seamen are set at liberty, but the marines are properly secured. Captain Campbell, Lieutenant Sims, and one Cameron, (who it appears were to land at New-York, to list what men they could, by large promises of confiscated land, which he never could fulfil, get them on board the Asia, and then transport them to Boston,) left the ship in a small boat, put into a place called Cranberry Inlet, but being pursued, were seized on board a sloop in which they had taken then passage for New-York. It is said, before they quitted the ship, they threw overboard several pieces of cannon belonging to the vessel, sixty muskets, and two and a half barrels of powder. The vessel left Boston the 5th of October, in company with a twenty gun ship and one transport, with some troops, bound for Halifax. No other ship of war or troops had sailed. General Gage was to sail in a day or two, in a merchant ship of sixteen guns. The Forty-Eighth and Fiftieth Regiments being greatly reduced, the privates are incorporated into other Regiments, and their officers going home. The object of Colonel Arnold’s expedition was not known at Boston, but supposed to be destined against Halifax. Beef at Boston was nine pence sterling per pound, mutton a quarter of a dollar, and bills of exchange sold at twenty per cent discount.

JOSEPH SOOY’S AFFIDAVIT.

County of BURLINGTON, NEW-JERSEY, SS.

The examination of Joseph Sooy, Jun., of Little Egg Harbour, of the County aforesaid, taken on oath, this 23d day of October, 1775, is as follows, viz:

That on the 16th of this instant October, he was going up the Little Egg Harbour River to engage a craft to bring him some fire wood, and he perceived a vessel on shore on Brigantine Beach; upon which he immediately went down to her, and went on board her, inquired of the people on board where she came from; and was told by a person (who he since understands is one Captain Campbell, that the ship was from Newcastle-on-Tyne, had very little lading in, except ballast; that the said Campbell told him they were bound to New-York, and that the day before they came on shore, they were by their reckoning seventy leagues distant from the land, and upon that account were careless about sounding. That he perceived a great many people on board, and inquired what they were; and was told they were passengers, coming to settle in America. That as none of the people had any regimentals on, and he did not perceive any arms or ammunition, he bad no suspicion they were officers or soldiers. And that the said Campbell told him he was a part owner of the vessel, and wanted to go to New-York, where he had a considerable tract of land, and pressed this deponent to assist him in procuring a small vessel or vessels, to take what they could save out of the wreck; and he promised to do it, and signed a letter to one Captain Grant, (which was wrote by a person who he since understands to be Lieutenant Sims,) desiring the assistance of Grant and his vessel, to help the said Campbell to secure his effects, and convey them to New-York, firmly believing him to be a distressed merchant, and not an enemy to this Country. That the said Campbell, Sims, and a person who he is informed is named Cameron, went in his boat away from the inlet, with William Stibbs and Thomas Skinner, without his, the deponent’s, knowledge, privity, or consent, and that he hath not received any bribe, hire, or reward, nor hath he the promise of any reward whatsoever, from any person or persons, to convey away the said Campbell, Sims, and Cameron, in a private or clandestine manner.

JOSEPH SOOY, JUN.

Sworn before

JOSEPH REED, Justice of Peace.

J. YOUNG TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Albany, October 16, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: Some time about the 28th or 30th of July last, General Montgomery gave orders to Captain Elisha Phelps, to take care of the sick belonging to the Northern forces, and furnish them with such articles as the Doctor who attended them might judge necessary; and as all that had fallen sick were put under my care, he sent them to me as they came, and I have taken care of them since that time; and as no hospital had been provided, Mr. Phelps put them into private houses and taverns, where he could get them in, at the rate of twelve Shillings per week. After some time, I made application to Col. Van Schaick for a place for the sick, who ordered me to take possession of the fort for an hospital, which I did upon the 16th of August, and have since kept the greatest number of them there. Upon the 23d of September I received an order, which came from General Schuyler, to make a return of all the sick that were in a situation to be removed, to Colonel Van Schaick, that they might be sent home; after which time many have returned from the posts above, some discharged, and some not, unable to pass on, being quite sick, and destitute of money. I have advised with Colonel Van Schaick, (who is a very worthy gentleman,) and with the Commissaries, who were all of opinion that they should be taken care of; which I have done. Notwithstanding all, our conduct is found fault with. Mr. Phelps is blamed for agreeing with the wagoners for three Pounds ten Shillings, to take a load from Albany to the lake, and twelve Shillings