I was

be thrown open, & the Mob let in upon me. secretly advertised of, this Design, & had spoke to a Number of Friends to be there in Case the Motion should succeed, being determined it should have no other Effect, but to prepare myself better & to speak with more Firmness & more fully upon the Measures of the Congress. However upon debating the Motion, we carried it in the Negative 24 to 14. This was an humiliating Blow to my Opponents. I had hitherto carried every Question, & constantly by an increased Majority And yet altho' I had brought a number of the Members (not less than 16 out of 39) to petition upon proper Grounds, I found it impossible, as there were very little hopes of gaining four more. I therefore resolved to change my Ground & to prevail on the House to adjourn to some Day between this & the 10th of May, the Time of Meeting of the next Congress; In Expectation that by the Change of the Peoples Sentiments out of Doors, which had already undergone an amazing Alteration, and the Intelligence of Firm Measures being determined on by Parliament, that I might at that Time succeed in more rational & Salutary measures. Under this resolution, I went to the House on the Day appointed for the Debate; & proposed 4 Heads as the substance of an Answer to the Governor's Message. The 3 first, after violent Opposition, were at length unanimously agreed to-The fourth, in which I had mentioned the Adjournment, produced a warm & long debate, the Independents opposing any Adjournment till after the sitting of the Congress. Upon this a Question was put, & we carried it in the Affirmative, 24 to 14. Thus my great Point was gained which did not a little distress the other Party-And upon this a Committee was appointed to bring in an Answer to the Governor's Message founded on my Propositions, with only an Amendment proposed by M: Dickinson to the Fourth.

When the House adjourned Dickinson came to me and agreed that I should reduce the Answer to Form & bring it in the next morning. This I engaged to do. But I should here inform you, that the Speaker acted the most shamefull & particular Part in the Appointment of the Committee-taking 12 of the 14 Negatives & only 2 of the 24 Affirmatives for the Adjournment-i. e. 12 of one side & only 2 of the otherI saw the partiality, but as things seem'd to be settled, & not Suspecting the dirty Manoeuvre which followed, I disregarded it—

At this unlucky Moment a Ship from Bristol arrived, & bro't those partial & fictitious Accounts published in the Papers-The Independents sounded it thro' all the Streets in the City that all the Acts must be repealed, That the Measures of the Congress were the Measures of Consummate Wisdom &c. &c.-This gave rise to one of the most dirty & scandalous measures which ever was transacted in public Life. In my Absence, & while I was engaged in drawing up the Answer, The Committee met-Thompson & Ross, & I suspect with the privity of Dickenson, had previously drawn up the Message you see published-This was laid before the Com'ittee of Independents, where it was resolved that that Message should be considered without sending for me. It was agreed to, carried into the House read the first Time-& moved to have a second & final reading-This was opposed by my Friends, but they had not Brass enough to insist upon it. In the Evening I was informed that a Member of the Committee had bragged how the Committee had deceived, or, to use his own Expression, flung Galloway.

On the next morning I moved that the Answer should be recommitted;-and, after giving a short acco of the Facts,-I assigned as reasons-1st That the Committee had acted a dishonourable, disingen

uous, dirty & fraudulent Part, one unbecoming men in public Character-That they had by Art & Fraud deprived me of the priviledge of voting in Committee: That they knew I was absent on my Duty to the House on the very Business before them, And that if they did not choose I should do it, they should at least have sent for me &c. 2dly That they had treated the House with insolent Disregard & Disobedience; for that they had not inserted in the Answer either Sentiment or Word of what was Yesterday unanimously agreed upon-3dly That it contained palpable Untruths -To these I added many other Arguments, but all was in vain-This was not a Time when reason was to prevail-The great News of Yesterday had altered the Minds of some of the weak & irresolute of the Chester & Philad Members & upon the Question they carried it against the Commitment 20 to 16-The answer went thro' the House, I opposed it in every stage-And upon the Question whether it should be transcribed it was carried 22 to 14-And in Order to show that the House was divided-which they much dreaded-I insisted upon the Yeas & Nays to be taken down & published as you have seen-The House stands adjourned to the first of May

I intimated before, that I had met with Insults during my Stay in the City Shortly after the two first Days Debates-late in the Evening a Box was left at my Lodgings nail'd & directed to me. Upon opening it next Morning I found in it a Halter, with a threatening Letter I read the Letter & nail'd up the Boxlock'd it carefully in my Charriott Box, determined not to mention it to any Body-as I knew it would be impossible that the Person sending it should keep it long a Secret & hoping by that means to discover them. I waited a Fortnight & nothing transpired; At length it came out from two of the Persons whom I verily believe sent it-And from the Clue, so far as

I have traced it, it comes from two Members of Assembly, a discarded Assembly Officer & a Head of the White Oaks. However it had no other Effect on me than to fix me in my former resolutions to oppose those lawless Measures at all Events

I am happy in your Approbation of my Pamphlet -I find from all Quarters it is universally applauded by Men of Candor & Abilities. Your Sentiments & mine are not different respecting the proper Union with G. Britain, nor respecting the Addition to my proposed Plan. I thought of it at the Time, but omitted it because I knew the Plan would be less exceptionable to those Democratic Spirits to whom it was to be proposed, & by whom it was to be adopted in the first Instance, & because I thought it might be added in the Negotiation. The great End I had in View in offering the Plan, I have often before told you was to prevail on the Congress to take the Ground of Negotiation & Proposition.

You may be assured that the following is a true Complexion of the People of this Province. The Presbyterians almost universally down from the Gov's Father in Law to the Pauper on the Parish, are truly Independents, and for having no political Connection with G. Britain. The G-r and C-1 (three of the latter excepted) & every Subordinate Officer under them (not more than half a Dozen excepted) throughout the Province, either join with or do not discourage their Measures, nor yield the least Countenance or Protection to those who are in Opposition to them.And a very few of the Church may be added to this Class. The rest of the Church & all the QuakersMenonists German Lutherans, Calvinists Dumplers & other Sectaries among the Germans-All the low Dutch reform'd Calvinists-Baptists (a very few indiscreet Men of no Significance among them excepted) are aware of the Designs of the Independents, & wish

to be united with G. Britain, are loyal subjects in their hearts & are ready to shew that Loyalty, could they be assured of the Protection of Government or even its Countenance; they complain of the Want of it & dare not Stir in support of their Principles without it—

I am Confident no Endeavours will be used by Gov ernment here, only "to save Appearances," to prevent the Appointment of Deputies for the intended Congress. When I refused to accept of the Appointment in December I could not prevail on Judge Morton to join me in the refusal-However, I am determined to oppose the appointment in our sitting in May, & exert every Nerve to prevent it

Circular Letter from the Earl of Dartmouth to the several Governors in North America, relative to the order of the Commander in Chief of the forces in America.

[From New York Colonial Documents, Vol. VIII., p. 569.]

To the Governors of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland.

I am Commanded by the King to acquaint You, that it is His Majesty's pleasure that the orders of the Commander in Chief of His Majty's forces in North America, and under him of the Major Generals and Brigadier Generals shall be supreme in all cases relative to the operations of the said Troops, and be obeyed accordingly. I am Ette

WHITEHALL, 15 April 1775.

DARTMOUTH