I shall defer my return to Philadelphia till that is over. I am, sir, your very humble servant,

FRANCIS LEWIS.

To Roger Sherman, Esquire, at Philadelphia.

ISAAC SEARS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

New-Haven, May 2, 1776.

SIR: Your Excellency will please excuse my writing to you on a subject that it is most probable you will have taken up before this comes to hand; but as it is the business of the Provincial Congress at New-York to first see that the resolves of the Continental Congress are carried into execution, I must suppose your Excellency would not interfere with them, unless you should see an absolute necessity for it; and it is a duty 1 owe to my country to use my utmost endeavours to preserve and keep inviolate the laws of the Continental Congress.

I must now acquaint your Excellency that, before I left New-York, I heard many of the tea holders say they would have a dollar the pound for their tea, (if it should get to that, would it stop there?) and since I have been here, information has been given me that some of the tea holders have begun to sell their tea at eight shillings, which has induced the tea holders in this Colony to refuse selling their tea till they see what New-York intends to do. I think it would be a very dangerous consequence to sell the tea higher than the Congress has limited it; for it would lay a foundation for violating every law the Continental Congress has made, and may hereafter make, whenever it suits the mercenary merchant to line his pocket with cash; and it is scandalous to the highest degree for the merchant to sell the tea higher than the limited price; for the Continental Congress has limited it to one shilling and six-pence per pound higher than the tea holders asked for it last fall, which pays them a very large interest; and as to my part, I am entirely satisfied with the price; although I have as much tea by me as would advance my estate largely, were the tea holders to violate the resolves of the Congress; for I make not the least doubt but they would soon get twenty shillings a pound for it. I had thirty-nine chests in this Government; and since I returned from New-York have opened the sale by the small quantity, at six shillings, New-York currency, and sold about ten chests; but shall now stop till I see the event of what will be done in New-York respecting that article, as, if there is not a stop put to the use of it, the tea that I sell at the limited price may be sold by others at twenty shillings per pound.

I am, your Excellency’s most obedient, and very humble servant,

ISAAC SEARS.

To His Excellency General Washington, at New-York.

CAPTAIN DELAPLACE TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read May 8, 1776 ]

Weathersfield, Connecticut, May 2, 1776.

Captain Delaplace, of his Majesty’s Twenty-Sixth Regiment, begs leave to acquaint the honourable the Continental Congress that, by their late resolves respecting the prisoners in their custody, he, as an individual, lies under many particular and severe hardships, to wit: his private stock at Ticonderoga, consisting of forty-five sheep, eleven horned cattle, household and kitchen furniture, besides many other articles, such as three fusils, a silver-hilted sword, a silver mounted hanger, —the whole amounting to two hundred pounds sterling and upwards; for which no account has ever been made him, though assured by Colonels Allen and Arnold that he should be no loser by the leaving such property behind him. As to the second particular wherein he is a sufferer, that he must refund, from the time of his arrival at Hartford as a prisoner, being the 21st of May last, (1775,) what has been allowed from the General Assembly for the maintaining him, his wife, two children, and a servant, amounting weekly to seven dollars per week.

Having thus laid before their Honours the particulars of his sufferings, begs their assistance, for which he shall esteem himself highly honoured; and is, with the greatest respect, their most obedient servant,

WILLIAM DELAPLACE, Captain 26th Regiment.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., President of the Continental Congress.

N. B. Captain Delaplace begs leave to acquaint the honourable the Continental Congress, that he wrote to his Excellency General Schuyler concerning the within mentioned particulars, but has not, as yet, obtained any assistance from him.

NATHANIEL SHAW, JUN., TO ADMIRAL HOPKINS.

New-London, May 2, 1776.

DEAR SIR: I received a line from Captain Hopkins to put as much provision on board the Andrew Doria as will serve them for three months; which I shall comply with, and imagine she will be ready to sail by Saturday next.

I received a line from Bedford, and my friend writes me that he has delivered the five hundred weight of powder to Governour Cooke’s order; so I shall take that quantity out of the powder you landed here.

We have two deserters here that came from the brig that is at Block-Island, they say the ship Cerberus has thirty-two eighteen-pounders, and two hundred men; and that the people at Block-Island tell them all they know. The ship sails very fast. I am, sir, your humble servant,

NATHANIEL SHAW, JUN.

To Eseek Hopkins, Esquire, Commander-in-Chief of the American Fleet, at Providence.

COMMISSIONERS FOR RESTORING PEACE IN THE COLONIES.

Whitehall, May 3, 1776.

The King has been pleased to order letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of Great Britain, constituting and appointing Richard Lord Viscount Howe, of the Kingdom of Ireland, and the Honourable William Howe, Esq., Major-General of his Majesty’s forces, and General of his Majesty’s forces in North-America, only, to be his Majesty’s Commissioners for restoring peace to his Majesty’s Colonies and Plantations in North-America, and for granting pardons to such of his Majesty’s subjects there, now in rebellion, as shall deserve the Royal mercy.

His Majesty hath also been pleased to appoint Henry Strachy, Esquire, to be Secretary of the said Commission.

WORCESTER COUNTY (MARYLAND) COMMITTEE.

In pursuance of the Resolves of the Convention, Mr. Elijah Shockley made return of his Company of Militia, consisting of eight Non-Commissioned Officers and fifty Privates; by which return it appears that the said Elijah Shockley is duly elected as Captain, James Johnson as First Lieutenant, Stephen Bacham as Second Lieutenant, and Elijah Carey as Ensign, of said Company.

To the Maryland Council of Safety.

SAMUEL PURVIANCE, JUN., TO THE MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Baltimore, May 3, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: I forgot to get from you a copy of the letter which I wrote by Captain Smith to the gentlemen of the Baltimore Committee when at Annapolis. Please to order your clerk to furnish me a copy thereof per return of Captain Smith; which will oblige, gentlemen, your humble servant,

SAMUEL PURVIANCE, JUN.

To the Council of Safety.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO HENRY YOST.

SIR: In November last you contracted with the Council of Safety for the delivery of seventy-five muskets, with worms, steel ramrods, bayonets with steel blades, &c., on or before the 1st of May, to the Council of Safety, at the city of Annapolis, and received one hundred and fifty pounds currency per advance. We are now in great want of the guns, and the time being past, we request you would let us have them as soon as possible, or at least as many as you have ready; they may be delivered to the order of Major Price, at Fredericktown. We also expect you will comply with your further contract for the delivery of twenty-five