Honour would be pleased to order that the said one hundred and twenty-five men may be employed, in actual service, as scouting parties, &c., to defend our frontier towns, which are this moment exposed to be destroyed, ravaged, and burnt, by a merciless and inveterate enemy, and to make and repair the roads from hence to Head-Quarters.

Your petitioners humbly conceive that your Honour will be forward to grant us this our request, when we acquaint you that we have never, as yet, understood that either the Continental or Provincial Congress have made any provision for these purposes.

Confiding in your Honour's humanity, and not doubting in the least but that you will readily grant us this our petition, we are, with respect, your most obedient, humble servants, &c.

Signed by order of the County Committee:

JAMES CLAY, Chairman.

Westminster, Cumberland County, July 24, 1776.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.

Extract of the Votes and Proceedings of a General Convention of fifty-nine Delegates on the west side of the range of Green-Mountains, on the New-Hampshire Grants, held at Dorset, the 24th day of July, A. D. 1776: said numbers represented the Inhabitants of thirty-five Townships on said Grants.

Captain Joseph Woodward Chairman, Doctor Jonas Fay Clerk, of said Convention.

This Convention being of opinion that the business which occasions their meeting at this time requires the most serious deliberation, are disposed to pass the following Votes, viz:

1st. That not more than one person be permitted to speak at a time in this Convention, and only by leave of the Chairman.

2dly. That the business of the meeting be closely adhered to, and that the several articles in the warrant for this meeting be considered in due order, except otherwise overruled.

After receiving the Report from the honourable the Continental Congress, by Captain Heman Allen, voted to pass over the 4th, 5th, and 6th articles of the warrant, till nine o'clock to-morrow, for consideration.

Adjourned to six o'clock to-morrow morning.

Meeting opened at time and place.

Proceeded to the consideration of the fourth article of the warrant, and the same is objected to. Proceeded to the consideration of the fifth article of the warrant, and voted, that suitable application be made to form the district of land commonly called and known by the name of the New-Hampshire Grants into a separate district. Dissentient, only one.

Proceeded to the consideration of the sixth article of the warrant, and voted to recommend it accordingly.

Voted, To choose a Committee to treat with the inhabitants on the east side of the range of Green Mountains relative to their associating with this body.

Voted, That Captain Heman Allen, Colonel William Marsh, and Doctor Jonas Fay, in conjunction with Captain Samuel Fletcher and Mr. Joshua Fish, together with such other gentlemen on the east side of the range of Green Mountains on said Grants as they may hereafter appoint to join them, be, and are hereby, appointed a Committee for the above purpose.

Adjourned one hour.

Meeting opened at time and place.

Proceeded to the consideration of the following Association, viz:

This Convention being fully sensible that it is the will and pleasure of the honourable Continental Congress that every honest friend to the liberties of America, in the several United States thereof, should subscribe an Association, binding themselves, as members of some body or community, to stand in the defence of those liberties; and whereas it has been the usual custom of individuals to associate with the Colony or State which they are reputed to be members of: Yet, nevertheless, the long and spirited conflict which has for many years subsisted between the Colony or State of New-York and the inhabitants of that district of land commonly called and known by the name of New-Hampshire Grants, relative to the title of the land on said district, renders it inconvenient in many respects to associate with that Colony, which has hitherto been the sole reason of our not subscribing an Association before this.

The better, therefore, to convince the publick of our readiness to join in the common defence of the aforesaid liberties, we do publish and subscribe the following Association, viz:

"We, the subscribers, inhabitants of that district of lands commonly called and known by the name of the New-Hampshire Grants, do voluntarily and solemnly engage, under all the ties held sacred among mankind, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, to defend by arms the United American Colonies against the hostile attempts of the British fleets and armies until the present unhappy controversy between the two countries shall be settled."

The foregoing Association being approved, is accordingly signed by fifty of the members of this Convention; and voted, that each inhabited Town on the New-Hampshire Grants be served with a copy thereof, and that it be, and is hereby, recommended to each of said inhabitants who are friends to their country, that they severally subscribe the same as soon as may be, and make return by the Delegate or Delegates which they are hereby directed to appoint to join this Convention at their next sitting at Dorset, the 25th day of September next, at eight o'clock forenoon, to which time and place this Convention stands adjourned.

Per order:

JONAS FAY, Clerk of said Convention.

Extract from Minutes of General Convention of NEW-HAMPSHIRE GRANTS, 24th JULY, 1776.

New-Hampshire Grants, in General Convention,

Dorset, July 24, 1776.

Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby, recommended to the several inhabitants on the New-Hampshire Grants who are friends to the liberties of the United States of America, that they subscribe the Association agreed on and signed by the several members of this Convention, and return the same to the Clerk thereof as soon as may be.

Resolved, unanimously, That any person or persons, inhabitants on the New-Hampshire Grants, who shall in future subscribe and return an Association to any of the Committee or Committees of Safety for either of the Counties in the Province of New-York or to the Provincial Congress thereof, otherwise than the Association contained in these records, and subscribed by the several Delegates of this Convention, shall be deemed enemies to the common cause of the New-Hampshire Grants.

Resolved, That nine persons be chosen as a Committee of Appeals, who are to hear and determine such matters as may be properly exhibited to them in writing by any of the inhabitants of the New-Hampshire Grants, relative to the cause of American liberty, by way of proper appeal from either of the Committees of Safety on said Grants; any five of which Committee to make a quorum.

Extract from the Minutes:

JONAS FAY, Clerk.

KILLINGWORTH COMMITTEE.

Killing worth, July 24, 1776.

Whereas Benjamin Griffith, of Killingworth, hath for some time been suspected of being unfriendly to the common cause, and an enemy to his country; said Griffith was cited to appear before the Civil Authority, Selectmen, and Committee of Inspection of said Killingworth, for examination, on the 11th day of July instant, and adjourned to the 15th, who, upon examination, pleaded not guilty. After taking a number of evidences in the case, this meeting, considering the evidences, and the late Act of this Colony in the premises, and question being put by the chairman of said meeting, whether the said Griffith was inimical to his country, or to these United Colonies? Voted in the affirmative by a very clear vote. And it was ordered by said meeting or court of inquiry, that said Griffith be disarmed of all fire-arms of what kind soever, and not allowed to keep arms any more in his house, until he make it appear to said meeting, or the major part of them, according to the late act of this Colony, that he is friendly to the United Colonies, and to the common cause.

The doings of this meeting desired to be made publick. Signed by order:

ELNATHAN STEVENS, Chairman of said meeting.