the persons therein mentioned from confinement. His Excellency leaves the matter entirely with you, either to do it generally, or to give them a permit to work and keep within certain limits; he thinks before either is granted, that something more than bare assertion should be had, to prove that they were pressed into the service, and their friendly disposition towards us. There must not be too many instances of such indulgence, or we shall have no security for the good treatment of our soldiers and citizens that may fall into the hands of the Ministerial troops, nor shall we have any to give in exchange for them.

His Excellency, also, received your favour of the 17th instant, in answer to which I am to inform you, that it is his pleasure, that the gentlemen of the navy under your care, should be confined to Northampton, and not to be permitted to go out of its limits. When he granted them permission to go five miles from thence, he did not advert to the extent of the towns in these Governments.

I am, &c.

To the Committee of Safety for Northampton.

GENERAL GATES TO CAPTAIN STANHOPE.

Head-Quarters, January 24, 1776.

SIR: I am directed by his Excellency General Washington, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant, requesting leave to go into the town of Boston, to solicit the Admiral for your exchange. The Admiral has already declined every negotiation for exchange of prisoners, and has not permitted any money to be sent to those gentlemen now in the hands of the United Colonies, though frequently acquainted with their necessities, and pressed to relieve them. Certain prisoners, taken by a Frigate, have been, by the Admiral's order, sent to England; so that it is not now in his power to give any exchange for those in their hands; and from the Admiral's behaviour in other matters, it very clearly appears you would not be permitted to come back to your parole, should his Excellency even allow you to go into the town of Boston. These reasons, you must allow, are sufficiently convincing, to oblige the General, at present, to decline complying with your request.

I am sir, &c.,

HORATIO GATES.

To Mr. Stanhope.

GENERAL GATES TO LIEUTENANT KNIGHT.

Head-Quarters, January 24, 1776.

SIR: I have this moment wrote to Captain Stanhope, and given him, by his Excellency's command, such reasons for not immediately granting his request, as cannot but be satisfactory; the same reasons, you will clearly see, hold good with respect to you. The General is truly concerned it is not at present in his power to grant you leave to go to Nova-Scotia to your family; the first moment that it can be done with propriety, you may be assured that indulgence will be granted.

When his Excellency granted you the district of the town of Northampton, and five miles around, for your place of confinement, he understood that Northampton and Hadley were towns like those to the southward, of moderate extent; since, upon better information, he finds that each of those towns contain a district of a very large extent of country. He directs me to acquaint you, and desires you will acquaint all the gentlemen upon their parole at either of those towns, that they must keep themselves within the legal limits of the town they live in. The Committee of Safety at Northampton and Hadley have, by this conveyance, received his orders upon this head. I have regularly forwarded all letters to and from Boston, that you or any of the gentlemen have sent to Head-Quarters.

I am, sir, &c.,

H. GATES.

To Mr. John Knight.

HANOVER COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a Committee appointed and held for Hanover County, at the Court-House, on Thursday, the 25th of January, 1776.

Bennet White appeared before the Committee, agreeable to a summons, to answer sundry charges lodged against him, which are as follows: "That he had been guilty of having a subscription ball; that he assured his subscribers, that if the Committee should notice it he would take the whole blame on himself; and that he had allowed gaming in his house."Which charges being examined into, were sufficiently proved; but the said Bennet White declaring his uneasiness for having done any thing that had caused the displeasure of the Committee, begged that they would pass it over as the first offence, and that he would pay the strictest regard to the Association in future, as well as demean himself in every respect, a firm friend to the rights of America. These concessions being deemed satisfactory, Mr. White was discharged from further prosecution.

Extract from the Proceedings:

WILLIAM BENTLEY, Clerk.

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee for the County of Prince Edward, January 25, 1776.

John Hamblin, an inhabitant of this County, having been summoned to appear before this Committee in consequence of an information lodged against the said Hamblin, as having acted as an enemy to the American cause, appeared, and acknowledged that once he was unfriendly to the measures adopted in America; but, that since he had been convinced of his error, and would, for the future, conduct himself, on every occasion, as a friend to his country, as far as his abilities would permit him, and hoped for the forgiveness of this Committee and his countrymen in general; and promised willingly, to sign the Association of the honourable the Continental Congress, which he had, hitherto, refused.

Resolved, That from the contrition of the said Hamblin, he be, for the future, considered as a friend to his country, and he is recommended to the publick for their forgiveness.

JOHN NASH, JUN., Chairman pro tempore.

BENJAMIN LAWSON, Clerk.

PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE.

In Committee, Philadelphia, January 25, 1776.

The present Committee, having been chosen to serve till the 16th day of February, and no longer, recommend to the Freeholders and Electors of the City and Liberties, to meet at the State-House on that day, at ten o'clock, before noon, to proceed to the election by ballot of a new Committee, to consist of one hundred members, viz: For the City, seventy-six; for the Northern-Liberties, twelve; and for Southwark, twelve; who are to serve for six months.

And that the election may be conducted agreeable to the intention of the Congress, in their resolution directing a Committee to be chosen in every city, &c., "by persons having a right to vote for Representatives in Assembly,"the Committee recommend to the electors in the several Wards and Districts, that they meet on the 15th of said month, between the hours of two and four o'clock in the afternoon, in their respective Wards and Districts, to choose an Inspector from each, to superintend the General Election.

And the following gentlemen are appointed to attend, and conduct the proceedings, at the houses herein mentioned, in the different Wards and Liberties, and to notify the persons chosen thereof, viz:

NORTHERN LIBERTIES: At Jeremiah Baker's; Major Coats, Captain Williams.

MULBERRY WARD: At Peter Hayes's; G. Schlosser,J. Shreiner.

UPPER DELAWARE: At the New Ferry; Captain Furman, S. Massey.

NORTH WARD: At Razers's; Captain Wilcocks,B. Harbeson.

HIGH STREET: At Whitebread's; Major Bayard, W.Ball.

MIDDLE WARD: At . . . .; B. Marshall, J. Cresson.

SOUTH WARD: At M. Duff's; S. Delaney, J. Reed.

LOWER DELAWARE: At Robert Turner's; Captain Pryor C. Masley.