bar. As the sail we saw was well in with the land, and at the same time the large tender near the ship, which we then judged to be a ship of war, I then thought it proper to come to anchor, and at the same time I went to view the fleet at Sandy-Hook, where we found the ships of war, viz: the Phenix, Mercury, and Lively, with three other small ships, a brig, one schooner, one sloop, and four tenders. By the time I was coming away the above-mentioned ship came to anchor, which I plainly perceived to be a large frigate of thirty-six guns. This intelligence you may depend on. I am resolved to sail from this the first opportunity.

I am your kind friend,

THOMAS CREGIER

To Thomas Randall, Esq.

GEORGE TOWNSEND TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

In Committee, Jamaica, June 5, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: As we stand, and may further stand in need of a small sum of money, for the necessity of our County, therefore beg you will please to lend to this Committee the sum of one hundred Pounds, for which sum we will be answerable to the Province.

We are, with respect, gentlemen, your humble servants.

By order:

GEORGE TOWNSEND, Chairman.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress.

To the Honourable Sub-Committee of the City and County of ALBANY: The Petition of the Inhabitants of the City of ALBANY humbly showeth:

That your Petitioners, alarmed at the avowed design of a tyrannizing Ministry in carrying into execution certain oppressive acts of Parliament, calculated to deprive us of privileges dearer to every generous soul than life itself, and their formidable preparations for that purpose; yet we dread not the force they can send against us; those we can guard against; but, gentlemen, our internal, our bosom enemies, even those who live in society with us, are the enemy we dread; and if ever America is conquered it will be by their secret wounds. It is not our intention, gentlemen, to wrest out of your hands the power which we have already delegated, but on the contrary to support you in every measure which you may take for our safety.

Yet your Petitioners humbly beg that every person in this City who is known to be notoriously disaffected to the measures now pursued by America in her struggles to support her freedom, may be laid under such restrictions as you shall think sufficient to divest them of the power of doing us that injury which we think their inclinations lead them to, whenever an opportunity shall offer; and your Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

By order of the Committee:

HENRY J. BOGERT, Chairman.

Albany, June 5, 1776.

ALBANY COMMITTEE TO DELEGATES IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS

Albany Committee-Chamber, June 5, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: We have taken into consideration the necessity of powder in this County; we have but twenty hundred weight in the whole, whereas four tons more will scarcely supply the inhabitants thereof in case of any emergency. We therefore beg you will not fail to send up four tons for the use of this County by the first opportunity. Tryon County is in a still worse situation for the want of the same article.

We are, gentlemen, your very humble servants.

By order:

JOHN BARCLAY, Chairman pro tem.

To Jacob Cuyler, John Ten Broeck, Henry Glenn, and others, the Delegates of the County of Albany, at New-York.

JOSEPH GREENLEAF TO MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL.

Boston, June 5, 1776.

SIR: You would very much oblige me if you would, on my behalf, pray the honourable Court to excuse me from my further attendance upon the Court of Justice appointed to examine persons inimical to the interests of the United Colonies. I am sufficiently sensible of the honour done me by the appointment, but as every male in my family, (my only son not excepted) is in the service of my country, and I left alone, I doubt not but what the honourable Court will deem my request reasonable.

I am, sir, your humble servant,

JOSHEPH GREENLEAF.

P. S. I wish the Court would order every suspected person and every prisoner to be removed at least ten miles from the sea-shore. There is great danger to the publick in suffering them to be here.

TO THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS-BAY.

FRIEDNS AND COUNTRYMEN: The King of Kings hath been pleased to bring us into the most critical situation that this or any other nation ever knew. We have to oppose a powerful and enraged enemy on the one hand, and on the other to settle the foundations of our Constitution. The business is of the utmost importance, not only to ourselves, but posterity. Future millions will bless or curse the measures we pursue. It requires the greatest dexterity so to conduct present affairs as that, while we attend to the defence of the Colony, we suffer not evils to creep into or remain in the Constitution, which, though they may not affect this or the next generation anything considerably, being no more than specks for a while, may, in length of time, occasion a rot among all the pleasant fruits of that glorious struggle wherein we are engaged; and, on the contrary, that while we are clearing or defending the Constitution of and against such evils, we do not neglect the defence of the Colony, and thereby suffer the immediate loss of the Constitution. It would be the height of folly, or the effect of treachery, to waste time in disputing which part of this great business is to be first regarded. Common sense tells us that the safety of the Colony against any attempts of the enemy is not, at this season of the year, to be postponed or languidly prosecuted upon any account; I shall therefore make that the subject of this letter.

The British Ministry, supported by a venal and slavish Parliament, aided in the American Department by a noted coward, (the Minden hero, whose fears push him on to the basest and most vigorous exertions,) and headed by an obstinate and callous Sovereign, propose the speedy reduction of America to a servile dependance. German mercenaries, besides English, Scotch, and Irish, are to be employed, making in the whole a most formidable power, exclusive of naval armaments. It is pretty generally known that the plan of operations for the campaign of ’76 was to attack the Southern Colonies, to divide these from the Northern, by penetrating the continent at New-York and Quebeck, to recover the possession of all the territories between these two cities, and thereby to gain the assistance of the Indians and Canadians, and to strengthen the garrison of Boston by a large reinforcement, so as to enable it to act offensively against the country. Through the blessing of Heaven upon our endeavours, a capital part of this plan has been set aside. General Howe with his troops has been driven off. An opportunity has been gained for fortifying New-York; and it is highly probable that the armament destined to that quarter will be repulsed. But something great must be attempted by the British and German commanders. An impression must be made somewhere, and another place for rendezvous and retreat, besides Halifax, be procured, or the chief part of the Army and Navy must return to Europe at the approach of winter. The continent should therefore be defended at every point, so that the enemy may be baffled which way soever they may steer. We have villains among us ready enough to inform them where they may attack with the greatest likelihood of succeeding. Places the least defended, if they have a back country of consequence, will be in the most danger. The enemy will be looking out for them. Let no commodious harbour, nor any landing-place upon the coast be neglected; but a line of defence be drawn from one end of the Colony to the other. While this is doing upon the sea-shore, let inquiry be made through what passes the country may be penetrated by the way of Canada, should the enemy succeed in that quarter, and let all those places