been some time residents in the country, and have wives and children, or unless they can bring a strong and sufficient recommendation. As this, sir, is a matter of no small importance, a Colonel will be appointed to examine and pass all the fresh recruits; and whoever does not come under this predicament, will be thrown on the officer’s hands.

By the General’s orders:

THOMAS BULLITT, Dep’y Adjutant-General.

VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Ralph Wormeley, Jun., Esq., appearing before this Committee in custody, and being examined touching his Letter to Mr. John Grymes, of the 4th of April, 1776, lately intercepted from the said John Grymes, on his way to Lord Dunmore; the Committee hearing what he alleged in his defence, also examining Charles Neilson on oath, are of opinion that nothing appears to us in his conduct, or in the said Letter, to be within the offences denned by the late Ordinance for establishing a mode of punishment for the enemies to America in this Colony; but the said Letter being, in the opinion of this Committee, a full proof of the inimical disposition of the said Ralph Wormeley, Jun., Esq., against the rights of America, and showing a readiness to join the enemies of this Colony, provided he should be called and enabled so to do, this Committee do resolve, that the said Ralph Wormeley, Jun., Esq., be discharged out of custody, upon entering into bond, with approved security, in the penalty of ten thousand Pounds, conditioned that he do not correspond with the enemies of America, join, or in any manner aid or assist them; that he do not depart this Colony without leave of the Convention or Committee of Safety; and further, that he appear before the said Convention at any time during their next meeting, if he shall be required so to do.

JOHNPAGE, Vice-President.

Ordered, That the Letter from Ralph Wormeley, Jun., Esq., to John Grymes, Esq., lately intercepted, together with the Resolution of this Board thereupon, be published in the Virginia Gazette.

JOHNBECKLEY, Assistant Clerk.

Rosegill, April 4, 1776.

DEARSIR: When you and Mr. Neilson returned from Norfolk, you informed me that Lord Dunmore either wished or expected, or thought it my duty, that I should immediately, in person, repair to his Lordship; that some such ostensible marks of my attachment to Government and loyalty to my King were looked for from me; and that, notwithstanding my unequivocal, steady, and invariable conduct, if I still continue at home, I may be exposed to the indiscriminating ravages of war, without any chance of reparation. Whether this opinion is founded on the last Proclamation of the King, on the late advices from the Minister, or from his Lordship’s conjectures, I do not know. As to the Proclamation and the late advices from the Minister, I have an easy answer. First. I have never seen the Proclamation, never heard it either read or repeated; it cannot, then, be expected of me to pay respect to any instrument of that sort, whose contents I can have no cognizance of before they are submitted to my senses. Second. As to the advices of the Minister which may lead his Lordship to conclude it to be the duty of every man now, when the friends of Government are in such a state of impotency, or rather are under such complete dominion, to repair to his Lordship, without the probability of advancing any practical scheme of utility, of concerting any effectual plan of operations, and without regard to circumstances; I say, sir, such advices are repugnant to the words and meaning of the King. In the true knowledge of our present situation, his Majesty thus expresses himself: “And although many of these unhappy people may still retain their loyalty, and may be too wise not to see the fatal consequences of this usurpation, and wish to resist it, yet the torrent of violence has been strong enough to compel their acquiescence, until a sufficient force shall appear to support them.”

A few observations on the above quoted passage will prove the repugnancy. “Unhappy people.” In what? In being overpowered by these usurpers; so overpowered that they cannot even hope, they can only wish to resist it. This being the case, what are these unhappy people to do? What does his Majesty expect? Not their fruitless, vain endeavours, which prejudice every cause; he knows that the torrent of violence is strong enough to retain them in their compulsive acquiescence, “till a sufficient force shall appear to support them.” He expects, then, they will wait the event. They will have, they have a right to protection. Every effort and endeavour now, on their part, would only issue in ruin to themselves, and in ruin to their cause. No man bears the accursed tyranny that is erected with more impatient mortification than I do; and if there were a corner on the face of the earth that I could support myself in, and enjoy that freedom which I am now violently deprived of, I would, for the gratification of my own happiness, fly to it. I have too much feeling not to be exquisitely sensible of my slavish condition.

I have made no reply as to his Lordship’s conjectures. As he must be furnished with intelligence that I am ignorant of, it must be supposed that he can form a better judgment than I can. In a matter of such weight I wish he had extracted the paragraph, if he drew his opinion from his late advices, or had given the reasons on which he formed it. To convey myself, together with the absolute necessaries of life, without my intention being discovered, is almost impossible. Besides, I am only an inferior member of the family, have not the command of furniture, bedding, &c., nor provisions; and exportation being prohibited, if I could afford, I could not command money for my support. Add to this the probability of all resources being cut off whereby wheat, flour, or corn, are now furnished, as the army of the Provincials increases, unless one of equal or superior force should soon arrive from Britain. Numbers, in such a case, will add to the difficulties that the fleet, army, and people at Norfolk, labour under. Hundreds will only multiply these inconveniences; thousands alone can remove them. These reasons weigh with me at present, and restrain me from taking the step Mr. Neilson advises with so much urgency. But, after all, what beneficial consequence could my personal attendance operate in favour of that cause whose success I have at heart? My example is not efficacious enough to influence others to follow it. What exertions of mine could now avail? And are not ineffectual exertions capitally erroneous in policy? Would not, or might not, the departure of a person of my insignificance quicken the jealousy of the present rulers, give fresh vigour to the persecution, and make them lash our few party friends, not with that rod of iron which we have experienced severe enough for the most criminal atrocity, but with a red-hot one, fresh from the infernal forge of tyranny. If, though, the Governour should think my presence necessary, and that I can, in any degree, be assistant to his Lordship, Government, or my country, he will give me an official summons, and afford me proper facilities to reach him, I will, at the hazard of that precarious, negative quiet that is now indulged to me— I will, to the prejudice of my health, which is, as you know, at present interrupted, by a most inveterate disorder, and which disorder would certainly be aggravated by a diet exclusive of vegetables, at the risk of my life, of every thing, obey it.

Will you be so obliging as to communicate this where you think it necessary? And, under all vicissitudes of fortune, believe me to be, with the most unalterable sincerity, your most affectionate friend,

RALPHWORMERLY, JUN.

To John Grymes, Esq.

CAPTAIN NICHOLSON TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Baltimore, April 22, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: I have now to inform you of the armed Schooner Resolution being equipped, agreeable to your directions. She wants principally the commissions for her officers, who refuse acting out of the harbour until their commissions are confirmed, After which, should be glad of your permission to go down the bay as far as you think proper, in order to exercise our men, and consult with Captain Boucher. The schooner has about forty hands now shipped, but is capable of carrying seventy with great conveniency.