declared their willingness to manifest every token of humanity and affection to your families, when you are forced to quit your habitations. We sincerely join with them, and do hereby, for ourselves and constituents, assure our friends in the lower Counties, who find it necessary to leave their habitations, that our minds are disposed to receive them with sincere affection; and we do hereby invite such, who think themselves in danger, to come and dwell among us, we being willing to afford to as many of their families as we can every comfort and conveniency in our power. And we sincerely exhort our suffering countrymen to put their trust and confidence in the Supreme Being, whose arm is mighty to save, and who will, in due time, defend the cause of the oppressed; and not to be deterred, by the threats of their enemies, to renounce their birthright. What though they should insultingly say, with Rabshakeh of old, “I will come up to Lebanon, and cut down the tall cedais thereof and the choice fir trees thereof; I will enter into the height of his border and the forest of his Carmel” —yet let us, with good Hezekiah, spread their reproachful words before the Lord, let us lift up our hearts unto God, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and whose sovereign power and dominion is over all creatures.

Resolved, That the preceding Address be published in the Virginia Gazette.

GEORGE UNDERWOOD, Clerk.

JOHN HANCOCK AND THOMAS CUSHING TO COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Philadelphia, November 29, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: We wrote you, on the 24th instant, that we thought the matter in dispute between the two Houses ought to be laid before the Congress, and their sentiments taken upon it; but, for various reasons, too many now to enumerate, this has not as yet been done. However, we have consulted the members of the Congress individually, and, upon conversing with them, we find that, in general, they are extremely desirous we should conform, in all Governmental matters, as near as possible to the spirit and substance of our charter; and it is their opinion that, when the resolutions of the 18th July last were passed, it was the intention of the Congress not to supersede the resolve of the 8th of June last, but to leave such Governments as were competent to the business to model and regulate their militia agreeable to their several constitutions, as prescribed by their respective charters. However, they said, as it appeared, from pur representation of matters, that our House of Representatives had conceived otherwise of this matter, and had claimed a right to a voice with the Council in the choice of militia officers; and that, if the dispute was continued, it would throw the Colony into a ferment; and considering, also, that at this critical juncture our militia might be suddenly wanted, and it was therefore highly expedient and necessary it should be immediately settled and regulated, it was their opinion that it would be advisable for the Council, during the present exigency of our affairs, to gratify the House of Representatives in this claim, but not by any means any further to deviate from the charter.

Thus we have collected and advised you of the sentiments of the members of the Congress in general, which we doubt not will be some aid to you, in your deliberations and determinations upon this important subject, and, were we present, we should vote agreeable to this advice.

We conclude, with great respect, your Honours’ most obedient humble servants,

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Council of Massachusetts-Bay.

YORK COUNTY (PENNSYLVANIA) COMMITTEE.

On the 3d of November, 1775, the returns of twenty-six Townships were received at York, whereby the following gentlemen appear to be chosen as a Committee for York County, to continue for the space of one year, unless they shall think it expedient to dissolve themselves sooner.

On the same day the Committee met at the Court-House in York, when James Smith was chosen President, Thomas Hartly, Vice-President of the Committee.

The following gentlemen were unanimously elected as a Committee of Correspondence for York County, viz: James Smith, Michael Swoope, Thomas Hartly, Joseph Donaldson, George Eichelberger, Charles Lukens, David Grier, George Irwin, Thomas Armor, William Lease, George Clingen, John Nesbit, James Leeper, Francis Crezart, Peter Wolf, and David McConaughy; and five or more of them are empowered to act.

The Committee-men in Yorktown, or any two or more of them, were appointed to carry into execution the orders of the Committee of Safety, relating to the person of Doctor John Kearsley, now confined in the jail of this County, and were fully empowered to act in this matter.

THOMAS ARMOR, Clerk.

The Committee adjourned to the first Thursday in December next, to meet at the Court-House in Yorktown.

THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JOHN RANDOLPH.

Philadelphia, November 29, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I am to give you the melancholy intelligence of the death of our most worthy Speaker, which happened here on the 22d of the last month. He was struck with an apoplexy, and expired within five hours.

I have it in my power to acquaint you, that the success of our arms has corresponded with the justice of our cause. Chambly and St. John’s were taken some weeks ago, and in them the whole regular Army in Canada, except about forty or fifty men. This day, certain intelligence has reached us, that our General, Montgomery, is received into Montreal; and we expect, every hour, to be informed that Quebeck has opened its arms to Colonel Arnold, who, with eleven hundred men, was sent from Boston up the Kennebeck, and down the Chaudiere River to that place. He expected to be there early this month. Montreal acceded to us on the 13th, and Carleton set out, With the shattered remains of his little Army, for Quebeck, where we hope he will be taken up by Arnold. In a short time, we have reason to hope, the Delegates of Canada will join us in Congress, and complete the American union, as far as we wish to have it completed. We hear that one of the British transports has arrived at Boston; the rest are beating off the coast in very bad weather.

You will have heard, before this reaches you, that Lord Dunmore has commenced hostilities in Virginia. That people bore with every thing, till he attempted to burn the Town of Hampton. They opposed and repelled him, with considerable loss on his side, and none on ours. It has raised our countrymen into a perfect phrensy.

It is an immense misfortune to the whole Empire, to have a King of such a disposition at such a time. We are told, and every thing proves it true, that he is. the bitterest enemy we have. His Minister is able, and that satisfies me that ignorance or wickedness somewhere controls him. In an earlier part of this contest, our petitions told him, that from our King there was but one appeal. The admonition was despised, and that appeal forced on us. To undo his Empire, he has but one more truth to learn; that, after Colonies have drawn the sword, there is but one step more