which Governour Cuff gave him, appointing him Governour, which was at home in his coat pocket, and was willing to show it.

One of the Committee kept Governour Skene’s room all night. Next morning, Colonel Wadsworth and Captain Wadsworth went over with him, unlocked his door, and found his trunk of papers gone; of which said Skene seemed to be ignorant. Upon which they searched the other rooms, and the garret, and did not find it. Presently Williams searched a hole in the garret, behind the chimney, and there found the trunk; brought and gave it to Governour Skene, who made strange of it, and said he supposed that his negro, upon the alarm they had the other day, thinking that his papers were about to be searched, had hid the trunk. The Committee searched the papers, which Governour Skene very frankly offered, and no letters were found, except one found among his clothes from Hugh Wallace, of New-York, dated August 2, 1775; also found one lying on the table, from said Wallace, dated December 21, 1775, superscribed To Mr. Joseph Webb, Weathersfield, which we herewith lay before your Honours, with the paper appointing his negro Governour,* which was written by Nearn, a Regular sergeant, that keeps at William Lord’s.

We examined Skene’s negro further: how many trunks his master had that he kept papers in. He said one. Asked him of what colour it was, and which he described rightly. We asked him how he came to hide it. He constantly denied he ever did. We asked him how his master came by the paper Cuff gave him. He declared he left it in his pocket, and knew not how he came by it.

We examined Nearn, the sergeant, who declared that he wrote it at Cuff’s desire; had no design, but thought of it as a piece of fun. We examined Cuff, who gave the same account with Nearn. We asked Cuff who advised him to resign his Governourship to Skene’s negro. He said a good many people—some of our own and some of the Regulars; but remembered none in particular by name.

We had sundry of our own negroes under examination. It appeared that there was no election of Skene’s negro but by Cuff’s appointment aforesaid; and that they spoke against it, and declared they would not have a Tory for a Governour. It appears that the negroes had an entertainment and a dance at Mr. Knox’s, on Friday night, after the election, and that the reckoning was about fifty shillings, which our negroes were not allowed to pay any part. Major French told us that the day before the election, he dined with Governour Skene, when it was mentioned that Jack was to be chosen Governour. Governour Skene told him he would give him a half-joe, and Major French he would give him two dollars; and Mr. Dermott told us that he gave him two dollars to make a treat with; and that when the reckoning was called for, they, (viz: Major French and Mr. Dermott) interposed, and would not suffer our negroes to pay anything; told Jack to pay it, and accordingly the reckoning was paid, and our negroes excused from paying anything.

All which is humbly submitted to your Honours, by your Honours’ most obedient, humble servants, the Committee.

Per Order:

JESSE ROOT, Chairman

May 22, A. D. 1776.

New-York, August 2, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I have been told you met some very unexpected difficulties in fixing your residence in Connecticut; have to be obliged to go to a place, and not allowed to stay there. I hope, before this, your quarters are settled to your mind, and that you have the pleasure of Major Skene’s company. We are here much in the state you left us, and I see no hopes of any settlement of matters, and think affairs look worse daily. Many faults on both sides, though they are both too proud and stout to acknowledge them; but they must both come down before matters can be fixed on a just and permanent footing—an event most sincerely to be wished. You know I am no politician, having other matters to attend to; but it is a severe trial on me to see a country that was thriving beyond the most sanguine hopes of its best friends, and to which our trade has helped not a little to contribute; ourselves getting good and profitable business, by exporting our produce; in our trade, bringing in large quantities of gold, which we have done for four years past, more than ever was done by private traders in America, and a good prospect of the same business continuing,—now, to see all overturned and stopped, and the country going to destruction; for though I hope and believe we shall mend our Constitution (indeed, we had none before) by this dispute, yet it will put the country ten years back, and load us with taxes. But no more of this dismal tale. I have nothing new to write you. The June mail is hourly expected; but we cannot expect anything by that way, the Parliament not sitting, and the Ministry will not move without them of late. From Boston, I fear bad news from that quarter.

I shall be glad to hear from you; and am, dear sir, your affectionate friend and servant,

HUGH WALLACE.

To Governour Skene, Hartford.

New-York, December 21, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I received the favour of yours of the 18th. I am extremely obliged to you for your attention to G. S. Your humanity and good disposition must fix you high in the esteem of all good men. Yours W. S.——I have not seen lately his friend; he sailed for Boston a few days ago, and was in good health.

Be so good as to make my compliments to G. S., and any gentleman of my acquaintance that comes within your knowledge. We have no news here. The October packet has not yet arrived. I find that is the last regular packet we are to expect.

I am, dear sir, your most obedient servant,

HUGH WALLACE.

To J. Webb, Weathersfield, Connecticut.

To the Sheriff of the County of FAIRFIELD, his Deputy, or either Constable of READING, in said County, greeting:

Whereas the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, at their present sessions in Hartford, the second Thursday of May, 1776, and now sitting, made and passed the following order and resolve, viz:

“Whereas information has been given to this Assembly that Captain Daniel Hill, Lieutenant Peter Lyon, and Ensign Samuel Hawley, all of the Eleventh Company in the Fourth Regiment in this Colony, under the command of Gold Selleck Silliman, Esquire, Colonel of said regiment, have, instead of forwarding, as it was their duty to do, endeavoured to obstruct and embarrass, and have, in fact, neglected and refused to obey certain orders given out to said officers by said Colonel, in pursuance of orders from his Honour the Governour, the Captain-General, sometime in March last, for the purpose of inlisting or detaching a certain number in said company to march for New-York; which orders said officers have severally contemptuously disobeyed, and greatly obstructed the execution thereof. Whereupon this Assembly order and direct that a precept be issued forth by the Secretary of this Colony immediately, to arrest the bodies of them, the said Daniel Hill, Peter Lyon, and Samuel Hawley, respectively, and them have before this Assembly, to answer to the said information, and further dealt with as to justice appertains; and that Colonel Silliman, with other proper evidences, be also cited to appear, as of record appears.”

These are, therefore, to require you forthwith to apprehend the said Daniel Hill, Peter Lyon, and Samuel Hawley, and them have before this Assembly, to answer in the premises, and be dealt with as to justice appertains; and you are to summon Colonel Gold Selleck Silliman, of said Fairfield, in the said County of Fairfield, and to evidence

*HARTFORD, May 11, 1776.—I, Governour Cuff, of the negroes, in the Province of Connecticut, do resine my Governmentship to John Anderson, niegor-man to Governour Skene; and I hop that you will obeye him as you have done me for this teen years past. When Colonel Willis niegor died, I was the next; but being weak and unfit for that office, do resine the said Governourship to John Anderson.

I, John Anderson, having the honour to be apointed Governour over you, I will do my utmost endevere to serve you in every respect; and I hope you will obey me accordingly.

JOHN ANDERSON,
Governour over the Niegors in Connecticut.

Witnesses present:

*