P. S. There is accounts come to Philadelphia From the West-Indies, that there is a number of our vessels seized. Mr. Neill's schooner from this place is said to be one of that number. I tremble for such vessels as is destined for St. Eusiatia and Martinico, on account of their vicinity with St.Christopher and Dominiico. If you should have any thing to add to my captain's orders, I will attend you with him. The time of his sailing is very uncertain, as our navigation is entirely stopped by the ice.

WILLIAM SPEAR.

PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE TO MARYLAND COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

In Committee of Safely, February 7, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The manufacturing of Saltpetre, so peculiarly favoured by the great quantities of nitre with which the earth in and about tobacco houses and works is so plentifully impregnated, is a subject too plainly pointed out by this circumstance, that we should deem it impertinent to hint the necessity of increasing so important an article to our Southern brethren, so distinguished for their zeal in the opposition to the unjust encroachments on our liberties, but that we fear the vigorous endeavours for the increase of Saltpetre through tills city and Province may encourage an undue dependance on this or any other Colony, which has erected Publick Works, to the injury of the publick cause; and desirous to diffuse the spirit of making so necessary and profitable an article, permit us to offer you our service in instructing any persons, at our Publick Works in this city, that you or any Committee through your Province may recommend to us for that purpose, whereby the knowledge of this so necessary branch may be spread through your Colony.

We are, gentlemen, your obedient and very humble servants,

By order of the Committee:

JOHN NIXON, Chairman.

To the Committee of Safety, Maryland.

AMOS WILKINSON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia Barracks, February 7, 1776.

SIR: In consequence of your orders to the commanding officer of this garrison, I was ordered, with a party of men, to convey General Prescott from the jail of this city to some private lodgings, which orders I accordingly executed to the best of my abilities, and had him lodged this night at Smith's tavern. Nothing material occurred to the guard until about twelve o'clock the same night, when a certain Air. Richeson, (one of the British prisoners,) came in the guard-room, at Mr. Smith's, and tantalized the guard, in the following manner: Pray, gentlemen, what are you bearing arms for? The Sergeant of the guard made answer, To defend our rights and properties. Mr. Richeson then said, What do you think of getting a good whipping in the Spring? The Sergeant made answer, He supposed they would, if it laid in their power to give it. Before the discourse between them, I laid down by the stove, and took no notice of him, the said Richeson, until he showed a quantity of gold to the men, and said, Here is the right coin, damn your Continental money, and the first promoters of it; or words to that effect. With that, I jumped up, seized hold of him, and pitched him out of the room, and ordered him to be taken to his room. He immediately after sent me word by the Sergeant, that he was a gentleman, and expected I would show myself as one, by calling on him in the morning, and give him satisfaction. Accordingly, I waited on him, (first sending him word by the landlord, I should wait on him, with either a good horse-whip or ratan,) with a whip, but on my entering his room, he immediately asked my pardon, and begged I would take no notice of what had passed, as he had been in liquor.

AMOS WILKINSON. Lieutenant.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq.

TO THE PEOPLE IN GENERAL.

Philadelphia, February 7, 1776.

When the Prophet Samuel was sent to Bethlehem to anoint a King out of the house of Jesse, and had the eldest son of the family brought before him, his lofty stature and goodly appearance made the Prophet cry out, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him." But he received this gentle reproof from his Divine conductor: "Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

Were man to set about the destruction or dissolution of a great empire, he would begin with making choice of one of the mightiest Powers upon earth to effect it. Then vast warlike preparations would succeed; nor would he enter upon the grand design until his armies were so numerous, and his instruments of war so terrible and destructive, that they might well be styled the Invincible. All would now begin to move, and the whole world would tremble at his approach; but a few months would convince him that without God he could do nothing. On the other hand, he who sets up and pulls down, confines, or extends empires at his pleasure, generally, if not always, carries on his great work with instruments apparently unfit for the great purpose, but which in his hands are always effectual. By this means the part he takes appears visible, and the glory of success is given to whom it is due.

It always gives me sensible delight when I see publick calamities affect mankind with a sense of religion, and earnest desire of reformation; and I most heartily concur in sentiment with the Representatives of a certain people "that our minds ought to be affected with the most awful consideration of the dispensations of Divine Providence to mankind in general in former ages," that we know how to conduct ourselves in like circumstances, and avoid as much as possible the appearance of resisting the Divine Will, as publickly declared in His providential proceedings, lest we should be found to fight against God.

The Assyrian, one of the first and greatest empires recorded in antiquity, arose to such an height as nearly to command the then inhabited world; the consequence was that her rulers became corrupted and arbitrary, and forgetting the Divine designs in appointing them, they forsook the paths of justice and equity, and looked upon their people as made for their pleasure. This brought down the Divine vengeance upon her, which was executed by the Medes and Persians, two nations at that time of small consideration. On the ruins of the Assyrian arose the Persian empire, which grew to equal, if not superior height and iniquity. It too was destroyed by the Macedonians, a people of no political signification a few years before they were called by Divine Providence to effect this great work. The next great empire we read of was the Roman, which, having arrived at the height of luxury, pride, and arbitrariness, fell by the hands of savages, who to this day have scarcely any historical existence. The Turks and the Saracens, of all the people at that day the least in the opinions of mankind, divided the Eastern and Western Empire between them. Thus, most if not all of the great empires in the world have successively been overthrown by nations, which, in their time, were of no political consequence. And there are few if any examples of one great empire being employed in the overthrow of another. The contest between Rome and Carthage was that of two great cities aiming at universal dominion, neither having at that time arisen into empire. Thus deals the Divine Providence, always taking steps which appear strange and wonderful, that the whole may bear the evident marks of his hand.

To apply this to our present circumstances, and receive instruction thereby, let us take a view of the present state of Great Britain, and the conduct of Divine Providence towards this country, and it will enable us to discover the designs of Providence, and what measures we ought to pursue, that we might effectually cooperate with the Divine intentions.

It must be allowed by every one who has the least knowledge of the English nation, that there is no degree of vice, folly, or corruption, now wanting to fill up any measure of iniquity necessary for the downfall of a state. From the King on the throne, to the meanest freeman in the nation, all is corrupt. The Crown, far from regarding its duty in the political world, only uses the publick money to bribe the publick officer. The legislator grants the money