Newburyport, May 30, 1776.

Yesterday arrived in this port the frigate Belleisle, from St. Malocs. She has on board ninety barrels of gunpowder, some artillery, and a great number of bombs and shells, for the use of the Provincial Army.

The day before yesterday, the Ranger, a snow of fourteen guns, commanded by Patrick Dennis, in the service of the Congress, brought into this place a ship, burden two hundred and eighty tons, and another vessel of two hundred and sixty tons. They were both from England, and are laden with clothing and military stores for the British troops. The above vessels have upwards of eleven thousand pair of shoes on board.

TO THE PEOPLE OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED COLONIES.

BROTHERS: The grand, the alarming, though necessary crisis, is at length arrived, for a publick declaration of Independency. Are there any of you so deficient in principles of virtue as not to approve of it? Can any man whatever, after taking a retrospective view of our proceedings, and the vengeance displayed in the aspect of the Ministerial measures, wish to delay it a single moment, through vain hopes (for as such I must term them) that an accommodation will one day or other take place? What ideas of a reconciliation must such a man have? Will Great Britain relinquish her claim of taxation, and suffer us to extend our commerce to any part of the globe? Will she refund the expenses of this unnatural war? Will she pay us for the destruction of our towns, and the numberless depredations committed on our coasts? These are interrogatories that cannot be answered in the affirmative. Then, have we such narrow-minded souls among us that would wish a connection upon any other terms? Pusillanimity must, indeed, be the principal ingredient of their compositions. Consult wisdom and heroism for the decision. They point out the immediate necessity of such a declaration, and the vigorous exertion of our military force, as the only effective measure to secure our liberty, peace, and happiness. Nine months ago, the name of Independence was as alarming to me as any man in America; but necessity, self-preservation, (the first law of nature,) simple reason—everything cries aloud, It must be so, or we perish. Dreadful alternative!

The two Carolinas have agreed to concur in all measures that may be approved of by Congress for the general welfare of the American empire. Virginia alone stands up, and gives the great example, with positive orders to their Delegates to vote for Independency at all events. As she has ever been foremost in our publick measures, and the wisdom of her councils acknowledged by all parties, she surely deserves imitation in this important affair; and let it be handed down to future ages, that the Congress of the thirteen United Colonies had the spirit and virtue to declare it nemine contradicente.

ARISTIDES.

Williamsburgh, May 31, 1776.

RESOLUTIONS OF VIRGINIA CONVENTION.

In Convention, Friday, May 31, 1776.

Resolved unanimously, That the Committee of Safety be directed to write a Letter to the President of the Convention of Maryland, in answer to his Letter of the 25th instant, expressing the deepest concern at the proceedings of that Convention respecting Governour Eden, and our reasons for not becoming accessory thereto, by giving him a passport through this Colony or the Bay adjoining. That we would with reluctance, in any case, intermeddle in the affairs of a sister Colony; but in this matter we are much interested; and the Convention of Maryland, by sending their proceedings to the Committee of Safety here, have made it the duty of the Convention to declare their sentiments thereon. That, considering the intercepted letter from Lord George Germaine to Governour Eden, in which his whole conduct and confidential letters are approved, and he is directed to give facility and assistance to the operations of Lord Dun-more against Virginia, we are at a loss to account for the Council of Safety of Maryland having neglected to seize him according to the recommendation of the General Congress; and more so for the Convention’s having promoted his passage to assist in our destruction, under a pretence of his retiring to England, which we conceive, from the above letter, he is not at liberty to do. That, supposing he was to gain Britain, it appears to us that such voyage, with the address presented to him, will enable him to assume the character of a publick agent, and, by promoting division and disunion among the Colonies, produce consequences the most fatal to the American cause. That as the reasons assigned for his departure, that he must obey the Ministerial mandates while remaining in his Government, are very unsatisfactory, when the Convention declare that, in his absence, the Government, in its old form, will devolve on the President of the Council of State, who will be under equal obligation to perform such mandates, we cannot avoid imputing those proceedings to some undue influence of Governour Eden, under the mask of friendship to America, and of the Proprietary interest in Maryland, whereby the members of that Convention were betrayed into a vote of fatal tendency to the common cause, and we fear to this country in particular; and feel it an indispensable duty to warn the good people of that Province to guard against the Proprietary influence.

Resolved, That the foregoing Resolution be forthwith published in the Virginia Gazette.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO CAPTAIN HILL.

SIR: You are immediately to return to your vessel, and convey, at the expense and risk of this Province, across the country to the first inlet to the northward of Cape-Charles such of your cargo as you may find necessary, and proceed round with the residue in your said vessel, between Smith’s Island and Cape-Charles. Upon your arrival in that inlet, you are to take on board what you send across by land, and with the utmost diligence proceed on your voyage, agreeable to former instructions. We are, &c.

To Captain Duncan Hill.

FRANCIS WARE TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Baltimore, May 31, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The bearer will produce to the Board three gun-locks, sent by Mr. Messersmith for your inspection, who tells me he has now twenty-five more finished off, and if the publick will encourage him properly, he can finish ten or twelve per week. I believe the encouragement he expects is three dollars per lock. If you approve of the work and price, please to let me know by a line, and I will order him to employ all his hands in that business.

I am under the necessity of soliciting a sum of publick money, to be lodged in the hands of some gentlemen in or near this place, to discharge contingencies, as I find it impossible to furnish our Hospitals with proper necessaries for the like, such as milk, vegetables, &c., without ready money. There are also blankets wanting for the sick, which cannot be got without the money. I have been obliged to borrow twenty odd pounds since I came here, to pay the people who are at work on our tents, tent-poles, beds for the sick, &c., &c., who are chiefly needy, and must have a little money to go to market.

I am, gentlemen, very respectfully, your obedient, humble servant,

FRANCIS WARE.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

J. HALL AND OTHERS TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Anne Arundel County, May 31, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: We take the liberty of informing you that the Severn Battalion is, from the local situation of the country, greatly exposed to the depredations and attacks of our cruel and inveterate enemies; and as we may daily expect them, we request that you will be pleased to furnish the said battalion with two hundred cartouch-boxes, with twenty-three rounds of powder and ball to each, and also two hundred gun-flints. We also inform your Honours, that we will be responsible for the above, unless lost by unavoidable accident, and will return the same to the next Convention, if they will not pay for the same.

We are, gentlemen, in expectation of the above reasonable

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