of disagreeable circumstances. I am the unfortunate father of a wrong-headed and deluded, though only son, who made an elopement from me the latter end of January last, and got on board the Phenix ship-of-war without my knowledge, and have not yet been able to reclaim him to the duty he owes his country. I am now informed that he is fortunately a prisoner in New-York, having been on board the ship that was cast away on Long-Island, going, as I am informed, with recommendatory letters from Governour Tryon to General Howe. This is, therefore, to implore you, with the honourable Congress, to permit him to be a prisoner on the parole of a gentleman, at the late estate of his grandfather, Dr. Greame, twenty miles north of this city, or where else it may be thought proper near this place; which will lay me under a deep sense of gratitude to the honourable Congress.

Being, with the utmost respect, honourable sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

JAMES YOUNG.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq.

P. S. The youth is but eighteen years of age, and an apprentice to Messrs. Chevalier, of this city. His name is John Young.

JOHN CHATFIELD TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Easthampton, March 22, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: This day, about ten o’clock in the forenoon, our guard, stationed at Montauk, saw twenty sail of square-rigged vessels (five of them appeared to be large) and two sloops, bearing about south-southeast from the point of Montauk, about nine or ten miles to sea, (the wind south-southeast, the weather something thick and hazy,) steering about northeast by north, and sailed to the eastward of Block-Island;and suppose, by the course they steered, that they were going into Rhode-Island. This, gentlemen, is all the information we can give you concerning them, as at about one o’clock they disappeared behind Block-Island, and they saw them no more.

As we are a frontier at the east end of Long-Island, and are destitute of men to defend us, and have but little ammunition, should be very glad if the honourable House would use their endeavours that we may have some assistance.

We are, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servants.

Signed by order of the Committee of Easthampton.

JOHN CHATFIELD, Chairman.

To the New-York Committee of Safety.

PETER S. VAN ALSTYNE TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Kinderhook, Albany County, March 22, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: A difficulty has arisen in the execution of my office of Justice of the Peace, under the Five Pound Act, which induces me to apply to your Board. I have hitherto issued precepts as usual, when applied to for the recovery of debts within my limited jurisdiction, though I have always, since the commencement of our publick distresses, endeavoured to dissuade parties from a prosecution where the debtor’s default arose from inability; but where I have been assured that the demand of process by the plaintiff has not proceeded from litigiousness, but as a means of obtaining a just debt, which was not detained from inability, I have readily exercised the powers of my office. Notwithstanding these my principles, I have given offence, and on Saturday last, I was visited by sundry persons, who said they were a Committee from a larger number in the northeastern part of this District, who had come to a resolution that the law for recovery of debts before Magistrates should cease in this District; and yesterday, when I happened to be from home, about thirty or forty men came with a design to compel me to a promise of desisting from the further exercise of my office in civil suits. The objections they make are of a general nature, and by no means confined to me; for no peculiar hardship or any oppression is complained of, nor has any resentment been shown against the plaintiffs; but they say that, in the present situation of the country, they ought not to be compelled by law to pay debts; and that while we are fighting against the King, (I state their objection,) it is absurd to use his name or authority to enforce the payment of debts. Your Board will at once perceive the dilemma to which myself, and, indeed, all who are concerned in the administration of justice, are reduced by these principles, and the compulsory methods threatened of carrying them into execution. For my part, I have remonstrated that no order of the Continental Congress, the Provincial Congress, or the General County Committee, has passed for a cessation of law, and that when either interferes, I shall doubtless be freed from further application. They, on the other hand, argue that the silence of the Congresses must be taken to be in their favour, from the evident reasonableness of their objection, (which I have already stated,) and, therefore, that it is incumbent on those who are advocates for the law’s going on, to get an express declaration to destroy what they suppose to be the implied sense of the Congresses. At present, while the one party complains of the hardship of paying debts, the other thinks it equally hard to be restrained from the only effectual means of enforcing their just demands.

Upon the whole, it would be of publick benefit that your Board (which, except the Grand Continental Congress, is the only competent power to decide these differences) should express its sentiments on this important subject, for it is that by which all sides profess themselves ready to govern themselves.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

PETER S. VAN ALSTYNE.

To the President of the Provincial Congress, New-York.

Although we have not experienced the inconveniences above set forth, yet, being exposed thereto from the nature of our offices as Magistrates, we beg leave to join in the above representation.

PETER VOSBURGH, H. V. SCHAICK, ANDRIES WITBECK.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress for the Province of NEW-YORK.

The Petition of ROBERT ROBINSON and MICHAEL PRICE, humbly showeth:

That your Petitioners have unhappily fallen under the censure of the Committee of New-York, for having been concerned in selling goods at higher prices than for twelve months last past. That your Petitioners have suffered, and do daily suffer, many hardships and inconveniences from this censure. That your Petitioners are extremely sorry that any part of their conduct should have given offence to their fellow-citizens, as they have always had the sincerest regard for the welfare and prosperity of the Province of New-York, and of America in general. That your Petitioners did early sign the General Association, and, in all cases except the above, have strictly observed all orders and recommendations of the Continental and Provincial Congresses and General Committee of this City, and that they sincerely promise to abide by all such orders and recommendations for the future, and that it shall be their earnest endeavour so to demean themselves as to avoid giving any just cause of offence. That your Petitioners, therefore, humbly request this honourable Congress will be pleased to take the singular hardship of their case into consideration, and grant them relief from the present embarrassments under which they labour from said censure. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

ROBINSON & PRICE.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Lebanon, March 22, 1776.

SIR: Eliphalet Dyer and William Williams, Esquires, are authorized and empowered by the Governour and Council appointed to assist him in the recess of the General Assembly, to move your body to grant this Colony for its use the loan of such a number and sizes of cannon as you can spare without detriment, which, if granted, the return of them, or their value, shall be secured. The reason of this application is, that we have undertaken to set the furnace