indispensable duty of every individual to unite in every measure which will give force and energy to an opposition thereto; that it is with great concern that this Court find so many of the inhabitants of that County endeavouring to break the union of this Colony, by suggestions that this Court are disposed to deprive the inhabitants of this Colony of any of the rights they are entitled to as freemen, but that they look more favourably upon their conduct from consideration of their local circumstances; and to assure them that this Court is disposed to remove every real grievance which, by any of the laws of this Colony, it may hereafter be made to appear that the inhabitants labour under; and, in general, that you will take such measures to restore quiet and harmony in that County as shall appear to you most proper after you have heard their complaints. In all which you will regard the honour of Government, and the rights and privileges of the people. Finally, you are to make report of your proceeding herein to the Great and General Court, as your opportunity directs.

ELDAD TAYLOR, per order.

APPOINTMENT OF PIERCE LONG, NAVAL OFFICER OF PORTSMOUTH.

To PIERCE LONG, Esquire:

Pursuant to a recommendation from the honourable Continental Congress for regulating trade, and permitting the inhabitants of these Colonies to trade with some of the European nations, under certain limitations:

You are hereby appointed an officer for the Port of Piscataqua, and fully authorized and empowered to procure registers, signed by the President of the Council, for all vessels outward-bound belonging to this Colony; enter and clear all vessels coming in and going out of said port; having a strict regard and obedience to the regulations and directions of the Continental Congress, but by no means to counteract the same; taking such reasonable fees as may be an adequate reward for your service, and no more; and to continue in said office until the determination of the Council and Assembly thereon.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM LORD GEORGE GERMAINE TO GENERAL HOWE, DATED WHITEHALL, APRIL 27, 1776.

SIR: Enclosed I have the honour to send you the embarcation returns of the first division of the Hessian troops, which division, or the greatest part of it, being arrived at Spithead, and the detachment of guards being embarked, the whole have orders to proceed to sea immediately, under the instructions contained in the enclosed copies of my letters to Lieutenant-General Heister, and to the Lords of the Admiralty.

It was hoped and expected that Lord Howe would have proceeded with this embarcation; but the necessary arrangements respecting the very important commission of offer of pardon and negotiation, in which he and you are joined, make that very doubtful; and therefore the transports will probably proceed under convoy of the Preston, on board which Commodore Hotham hoists his broad pendant.

Lord Howe will, it is hoped, not be detained many days here, and, therefore, there is the greatest probability that, if the embarcation should proceed without him, his Lordship, being in a single ship, will arrive before the troops, and in time to settle all the arrangements that may be necessary to be made in consequence of their destination.

I have already acquainted you (in my letter of the 28th March, of which I now enclose a duplicate) that the Forty Second and Seventy-First Regiments would probably embark about the 20th instant. They are certainly by this time all on board, and, I hope, ready to sail from the Clyde; and, enclosed, I send you a copy of my letter of orders to Sir William Erskine, the commanding officer of those corps. His Majesty has been pleased to give the rank of Colonel in America to him, that he may be employed by you as commanding the Brigade of Highlanders. You can be no stranger to his character as an officer, though you may not have served in the Army with him. You may depend upon his answering your expectations, in whatever service you may employ him.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO JOHN ROGERS.

[No.133]

Annapolis, April 27, 1776.

SIR: We this moment received the original, of which the enclosed is a copy; and as matters of a very interesting nature have lately been discussed in Congress relative to our Province, which will be laid before the next Convention, it will be very proper that as many of our Deputies should be here as can be spared from Congress, to represent what passed there. We request you will comply with the within requisition, if possible.

We are, &c.

To John Rogers, Esq., Philadelphia.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO BENJAMIN HARRISON, JUN.

Philadelphia, April 27, 1776.

SIR: The Congress having ordered two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to be sent to you for the use of the Continental troops, I do myself the pleasure of forwarding the same herewith.

By the enclosed receipt you will perceive I have paid Messrs. Willing & Morris, of this city, forty thousand dollars, which you will consider as part of the two hundred and fifty thousand. The money is packed up in three boxes and committed to the charge of Captain West.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To Benjamin Harrison, Jun., Esq., of Berkeley, Charles City County, Virginia.

P. S. I have also forwarded, by this opportunity, to the Committee of Safety of your Colony, fifty thousand dollars, to be exchanged for specie. Should they be so successful as to get more than that sum in specie, I have requested them, by order of Congress, to draw on you for all they can procure above it; in which case, you will take care that their drafts are duly honoured.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Philadelphia, April 27, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: You will receive herewith the sum of fifty thousand dollars, which I am commanded by Congress to request you will use your utmost endeavours to exchange into specie, in order to remit it to the Continental Treasurers.

I beg, however, you will not confine yourselves to that sum, but exert yourselves to procure all the specie in your power. Should you be so successful as to get more than fifty thousand dollars in specie, you will please to draw for all such sums on the Paymaster in Virginia, who has orders to pay such drafts. Your zealous and uniform attachment to the cause of America makes it unnecessary to use any arguments to call your particular attention to this request of Congress.

I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To the Committee of Safety of Virginia.

P. S. Please to deliver the enclosed commissions to the Commissary and Mustermaster.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, April 27, 1776.

SIR: The enclosed resolve of Congress, respecting the Rifle Battalions and Independent Rifle Companies, would have been transmitted sooner, had it not been omitted through a mistake.

I do myself the pleasure of forwarding at this time several resolves of Congress, relative to such parts of your letters as have hitherto come under consideration. I propose writing more fully by Mr. Palfrey, who will set out for NewYork on Monday. In the mean time, I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To His Excellency General Washington, at New-York.