wise and virtuous, and will leave upon our minds the most grateful impression.

Although retired from the immediate concerns of war, we solicit the continuance of your kindly attention. We know your attachment to the best of causes; we have the fullest confidence in your abilities, and in the rectitude of your views, and, however willing the envious may be to undermine an established reputation, we trust the day will come when justice shall prevail, and thereby secure you an honourable and happy return to the glorious employment of conducting our councils and hazarding your life in the defence of your country.

With the most grateful sentiments of regard and esteem, we are, sir, very respectfully, your most obliged and obedient, humble servants.

Signed by upwards of ninety Officers, at KEMP'S

LANDING, SUFFOLK, and WILLIAMSBURGH.

Williamsburgh, March 9, 1776.

The following is an exact copy of the Commission sent from the General Congress to the Committee of Safety, appointing Colonel Henry to the command of the First Regiment or Battalion in this Colony taken upon the Continental establishment, agreeable to the requisition of the last Convention.

IN CONGRESS.

The Delegates of the UNITED COLONIES of NEW-HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, RHODE-ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW-YORK, NEW-JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, the Counties of NEW-CASTLE, KENT, and SUSSEX, on DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, NORTH-CAROLINA, SOUTH-CAROLINA, and GEORGIA, to PATRICK HENRY, Esquire.

We, reposing especial trust and confidence in your patriotism, valour, conduct, and fidelity, do by these presents constitute and appoint you to be Colonel of the First Battalion of Virginia Forces, in the Army of the United Colonies, raised for the defence of American liberty, and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof. You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of Colonel, by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under your command to be obedient to your orders as Colonel, and you are to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the United Colonies, or Committee of Congress for that purpose appointed, or Commander-in-chief (for the time being) of the Army of the United Colonies, or any other superior officer, according to the rules and discipline of war, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you. This commission to continue in force until revoked by this or a future Congress.

By order of the Congress:

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

Attest:

CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

Philadelphia, February 13, 1776.

Williamsburgh, March 15, 1776.

I am informed a report is prevailing throughout the Colony that the Committee of Safety were the cause of Colonel Henry's resigning the command of his battalion, which it is supposed hath received confirmation from the Address of the Officers to that gentleman, in which they speak of a glaring indignity having been offered him, if it was not wholly derived from that source. That the good people of the country may be truly informed in this matter, the following state of facts is submitted, without comment, to the impartial judgment of the publick:

As soon as the last Convention had voted the raising seven new battalions of troops, besides augmenting the old ones, the Committee of Safety informed our Delegates to Congress of that vote, desiring they would use their best endeavours to have the whole supported at Continental expense; in answer to which a letter was received from the Delegates, dated the 30th of December, of which the following is an extract:

" The resolutions of Congress for taking our six additional (they would not agree to take the other two) battalions into Continental pay, and for permitting any exportation for supplying our countrymen with salt, are enclosed."

It was supposed, from hence, an intention prevailed in Congress to pass by the two old battalions and take six of the new ones into Continental pay, which, as it was said those officers would take precedency of Provincial ones of equal rank, was generally thought wrong, since it would degrade the officers of the first two battalions; and, to avoid this, the Convention came to a Resolution the 10th January, of which the following is part:

" Should the Congress adhere to their resolution of taking into Continental pay no more than six battalions, let it be earnestly recommended to them to suffer our two present battalions (to be completed as before-mentioned) to stand first in the arrangement, since otherwise the officers first appointed by this Convention, most of whom have already gone through a laborious and painful service, will be degraded in their ranks, and there is too much reason to apprehend that great confusion will ensue."

The worthy gentleman (not a member of the Committee of Safety) who proposed this Resolution, informed the Convention he had consulted some of the officers of the First Regiment, who wished to have their rank preserved, though it was foreseen the pay would be reduced.

The Committee of Safety, in a letter to the Delegates, dated the 25th of January, enclosing this Resolution, thus write:

" You have a list of the Field-Officers, as they stand recommended, and we doubt not receiving their commissions in the like order, with blanks for the proper number of Captains and Subalterns. If, however, the resolution of Congress should be unalterably fixed to allow us but six battalions, you will please to attend to that part of the resolve which recommends their being the first six, as a point of great consequence to our harmony, which may be involved in the good of the common cause."

The Committee of Safety afterwards received the commissions (wholly filled up) for the Field-Officers of six battalions, in the rank they stood recommended by the Convention, beginning with Colonel Henry, and ending with Colonel Buckner, of the Sixth Battalion, with directions to deliver them. Colonel Henry was accordingly offered his commission, which he declined accepting, and retired without assigning any reasons.

As to die General Officers, the Convention left them entirely to the choice of the Congress, without recommendation, nor did the Committee of Safety at all intermeddle in that choice.

A FRIENDTO TRUTH.

The Address of the Officers to Colonel Henry, and the Colonel's reply, has led some of our enemies to hope there would be a great discontent in the Army, by which our military operations would be retarded, and that there would be a considerable murmuring against the Congress; but they are much mistaken. It is true, the officers and soldiers were very unhappy at parting with so amiable a commander as Colonel Henry, and might be a little imprudent in some expressions on the occasion; but there is not a man of them who is not so warmly attached to the glorious cause he is engaged in, as to serve with alacrity under any commander, rather than it should suffer; and Colonel Henry, himself, is a gentleman of so much honour, and so true a patriot, that he never will countenance a murmur against the Congress; nay, so far from it, that it is highly probable he will soon be found in that august assembly, urging, with his powerful eloquence, the necessity of prosecuting the war with redoubled vigour.

I am a sincere friend to the Congress and Colonel Henry.

AN HONEST FARMER TO MR. PURDIE.

I was not surprised to see, in your last week's Gazette, the resignation of P. Henry, Esq., late Commander-in-chief of all the Virginia Forces, and Colonel of the First Regiment. From that great man's amiable disposition, his invariable perseverance in the cause of liberty, we apprehend that envy strove to bury in obscurity his martial talents, fettered and confined, with only an empty title, the mere echo of authority, his superior abilities lay inactive, nor could be exerted for his honour or his country's good.

Virginia may truly boast, that in him she finds the able statesman, the soldier's father, the best of citizens, and