danger to the inhabitants of the capital city, in the month of September, 1774. In April, 1775, a foolish military excursion to the town of Concord brought on the present warlike proceedings of America. In the week after that rupture the inhabitants of my native town were called upon to deliver up their arms, on condition of being at liberty to depart with all their effects, or to tarry under the General’s protection.

The papers enclosed to you herewith will discover the series of treatment which I experienced from that time. General Gage left Boston October 10th last year, at which time I sent copies of all my letters and petitions whereby I had aimed to regain freedom by trial, with a copy of General Howe’s evasive answer. I wrote also to the Lord Mayor of London, to the Printer of the London Mercury, and to General Gage. I suspect the bearer, Mr. William Powell, deceived me, and did not deliver the packet to Mr. Thomas Broomfield, merchant, or that the latter, through timidity, suppressed the papers.

When I was hurried from Boston jail in March last, I left my pocket-book with my wife, but I recollected the most material passages in my petitions for the information of my friends here, and afterwards gave them in charge to Mr. Michael Joy, who sailed from hence the 12th May. This worthy young man having been the protector of my family after my arrest, can give you a very minute description of its miseries.

General Gage threw me into prison, and left General Howe with only the power of a jailor, as he pretended, in October, though at the same time he offered to exchange me for two military officers.

The present commander, General Massie, declares that his hands are tied, He sent his chaplain to tell the prisoners that he would take upon himself to release us for an equal number, if our friends would discharge such a number. He directed us to write letters to that purport, and said he would forward them immediately: but in two days after, he acquainted a person who offered a vessel for a flag of truce, that if prisoners were actually to arrive here under a flag, he should be obliged to seize them till General Howe’s orders. Such is the duplicity with which British heroes conduct, after undertaking the task of kidnapping freeborn citizens!

I have not obtained a sight of General Massie, nor even one of his aids-de-camp. I have no prospect of release from jail, but through your sagacity and humane and generous spirit.

Hancock and Adams are the only names excepted in the lying act of grace of June 12th. But there is a deep rancour against me for having publickly repeated, after Judge Blackstone, what the murderers have now taught me by experience, “that slaves envy the freedom of others, and take a malicious pleasure in contributing to destroy it.”

I must not omit to tell you that, on the 2d of February, the General got possession of a billet which I had given that morning to one going to Point Shirley. He thereupon ordered me to be closely locked up, and be debarred the use of pen, ink, and paper. They will plead this as a proof of my just imprisonment; but surely, sir, it cannot have such a retrospective force. I was as innocent as an unborn infant as to the forbidden correspondence, until I had been unjustly distressed in prison. The promised protection of June 12th being taken from me, I slighted the wretches and all their military edicts; and I continue to do it most cordially.

Should you recover the papers referred to as sent in October and May, I am satisfied you will judge that I have maintained a manly spirit under all my past oppressions. I hope you will be induced to believe that no fresh exertions of the scientifick barbarity of those who hold me in duress shall bring me to any conduct that can be disgraceful to the patronage which I promise myself you will afford to, sir, your sincere admirer and suffering humble servant,

JAMES LOVELL.

NORTH-CAROLINA COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read July 24, 1776.]

North-Carolina Council of Safety, June 24, 1776.

SIR: We take the liberty through you to represent to your honourable body the distressed and defenceless state of this Colony. The great want of fire-arms, ammunition, and other warlike stores, renders our situation truly alarming: an Army hourly expected to land on our coasts, and apprehensions well founded of an immediate war with the Southern tribe of Indians, and a large body of people disaffected to the American cause, residing in the very heart of our country, ready (although once subdued) to make use of a more favourable opportunity again to throw this country into a scene of blood and confusion.

You will, through our Delegates, be informed of many other circumstances relative to this Colony; to them we beg leave to refer you.

We take the liberty to observe that, by the exertions of this Colony in assisting its neighbours, the fitting armed vessels for the protection of trade, keeping up a number of independent companies to secure the inhabitants from depredations of the enemy on a very extensive sea-coast, the establishing manufactures of arms and gunpowder, salt, saltpetre, iron, and many others, we have involved this Colony in such a load of debt as the inhabitants cannot possibly bear, unless they receive immediate assistance. We cannot help trespassing further on your patience by observing on the immense loss, fatigue, and disappointment suffered by our people who turned out from all quarters of the country, with the greatest alacrity, in the late expedition against the Highlanders and other forces, and upon repeated alarms ever since, fifteen hundred of whom we are now, in the absence of the regular troops, obliged to keep on duty at a season of the year when their presence was absolutely necessary to procure bread for their families.

From these considerations we have, therefore, every reason to expect that your honourable body will grant every assistance to the Colony which has so spiritedly and effectually supported the glorious cause contended for, and grant such necessary requisitions as may be made by our Delegates to enable us to persevere.

We shall, as soon as possible, lay before your honourable body the expense of the late expedition against the Tories; and have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, sir, your most obedient, humble servant.

By order of the Committee of Safety:

CORNELIDS HARNETT, President.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM COLONEL HENDRICKS TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL LEWIS, DATED HAMPTON, JUNE 26, 1776.

I send you four men, under guard, who were taken on Monday on board a brig from Barbadoes bound for Dun-more. Early on Monday morning we had information that a brig was aground off Willoughby’s Point. Major Leitch immediately made all possible haste, with twelve men, on board a small pilot-boat which was in the basin, loaded with tobacco for the West-Indies, in order to examine what she was. On coming on board he found she was from Barbadoes, bound for Norfolk, with the supercargo on board, loaded with three hundred and eleven puncheons of rum and a few barrels of limes. On examination the Major found she had got aground about twelve o’clock the preceding night; that she was very fast, and consequently that he had no other way to proceed than to leave his people on board, and come to Hampton for assistance to lighten her. A sloop bound up James River was pitched on for this purpose, being the only vessel in our harbour. Unluckily, however, both wind and tide seemed to conspire against the measure, by putting it out of our power to get her down before a tender of ten carriage-guns appeared in sight of the brig, on which Lieutenant Herbert (of Captain Lilly’s armed vessel) thought prudent to send the pilot-boat off, in order to. know whether the vessel in sight was an enemy or friend, which was soon discovered to be the former. In the mean time Mr. Herbert threw overboard five hogsheads of rum, and luckily got the people off in a boat from the other shore, (except one, who happened to be down in the hold,) the pilot-boat refusing to come on board to take them off. They got all safe ashore, although the tender kept up a constant fire upon them; two of the brig’s crew being on board the pilot-boat, and other two before brought on shore by Major Leitch. The brig belongs to a Mr. Walsh, of Barbadoes, and the whole of the people on board seemed much chagrined at the appearance of our boat, and no doubt as much

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