How the News of the Affairs at Lexington and Concord was carried through New Jersey. [One dispatch giving an account of the affairs at Lexington and Concord was sent from' Watertown, Mass., on April 19, at 10 a. m., and was carried by express riders through various towns to New York, where it was received on Sunday, April 23, at 4 p. m., by the New York Committee, who forwarded it with the endorsement given below, and it was endorsed by the committees in the various towns as the messenger galoped through the State.'] NEW YORK, April 23, 4 p. m. Rec'd the within Account by Express and forwarded by express to New Brunswick with Directions to stop at Elizabeth Town and acquaint the committee there with the following Particulars. By order of the Committee, New Brunswick, Ap. 24, 1775, 2 o'clock in the morning rec'd the above express and forwarded to Princeton. WM. OAKE JAS. NEILSON Az. DUNHAM, Com'e. Princeton, Monday, April 24, 6 o'clock, and for❜d to Trenton. THO. WIGGINS JON. BALDWIN, Com. Members Trenton, Monday, Apl. 24, 9 o'clock in the morning rec'd the above per express and forwarded the same to the Committee of Philadelphia. SAM. TUCKER ISAAC SMITH, Com'e. 1 History of Union and Middlesex Counties, 454, n. [Another dispatch was sent from Wallingford, Conn., Monday morning, April 24, 1775, and reached New York, Tuesday, April 25, at 2 p. m., and was forwarded through New Jersey, as appears by the following endorsements:'] A true copy, received at Eliz-Town, 7 o'clock in the evening; Tuesday, April 25, 1775. JONA. HAMPTON, Chairman of the Committee. JOHN BLANCHARD. A true copy, received at Woodbridge, 10 of the clock, in the evening, Tuesday, April 25, 1775. NATHANIEL HEARN, SAMUEL PARKER, JONATHAN CLAWSON, Three of a Committee. The above received at New Brunswick, the 25th April, 1775, 12 o'clock at night. WM. OAKE, JAS. NEILSON, Az. DUNHAM, Committee. A true copy. Received at Princetown, April 26, 1775, half-past 3 o'clock, in the morning. THOMAS WIGGIN, JONA. BALDWIN, Members of Committee. The above received at Trenton, on Wednesday morning, about half after 6 o'clock, and forwarded at 7 o'clock. SAM'L. TUCKER, ISAAC SMITH, Three of the Committee. 1 Documentary History of the American Revolution.. Chiefly in South Carolina, 1764-1776, by R. W. Gibbes, M. D., New York, 1855, 845; 1 American Archives, II., 365-6. Draft of an agreement among the lawyers of New Jersey that in consequence of the state of the Colonies requiring every one to give his time and attention to the public service, they would do all in their power to prevent unnecessary litigation. [From the Skinner Papers among Manuscripts of W. A. Whitehead, Vol. II, No. 52. ] MAY TERM 1775. Whereas from the present unhappy State of the Colonies the Aid and Assistance of each Individual in every Department has become absolutely Necessary and particularly many of the Gentlemen of the Law in this Province are daily Called upon and engaged in different Services for the publick weal, whereby it is rendered Impracticable for them to attend to the particular Duties of their Profession without great Perplexity and Confusion; And Whereas many ill Consequences might arise to the great Injury of the publick from the total Shutting up of the Courts of Justice in this'Province while more moderate Measures are capable of Answering all the good Purposes hoped for thereupon, Therefore the Subscribers Practitioners of the Law in the Province of New Jersey being deeply Impressed with a sense of the great Difficulties attending our publick Affairs, and willing to do all in our power to promote the Common Cause and to preserve Order, Decency and Good Government as far as in our Power, Do Solemniy and Mutually promise and agree to and with each other that from and after the present Term we will not carry on or prosecute any Action or Actions in any Court of Law or Equity in this Province in which Action or Actions any Attor ney at Law party to these presents is concerned to prosecute defend or litigate the same without the Consent of such Attorney (but will henceforth suspend such Action or Actions without taking any Advantage on either Side of any Cessation or Delay but that the same shall remain and be taken at the End of this Agreement to be exactly in the same State as it was at the Execution of these Presents). And we and each of us do further promise and agree upon the Principles of Honour and Reputation that in all future Applications to us to defend any Suit that shall hereafter be brought we will Carefully Examine into the Merits of the Defence proposed to be set up by the Persons so applying, And that if we find the same not to be well founded we will not undertake the same but will do all in our power to prevent any unnecessary Litigation for the sake of Delay; And further we do agree that these Presents and everything herein Contained shall be in force from the Last Day of this Term untill the Last Day of the next Term. Letter from Gov. Franklin to the Earl of Dartmouth, giving an account of the proceedings of the King's troops at Concord, and the immediate consequences thereof. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 177 (195).] PERTH AMBOY, May 6th 1775 To the Right Honble the Earl of Dartmouth. My Lord, A few Days ago I was honoured with your Lordship's several Dispatches of the 22 of February and 3d of March. The Resolution of the House of Commons on the 20th of February, declaratory of the Sense of Parlia ment upon the Subject of Taxation, especially as explained by your Lordship's Circular Dispatch, afforded me very particular Pleasure, as it gave me Strong Hopes that it would be productive of a thorough Reconciliation between the two Countries. This likewise was the Sentiment of such of His Majesty's Council in this Province as I had an Opportunity of communicating it to, who immediately advised the Calling of the General Assembly, that no Time might be lost in accomplishing so desirable a Purpose. But an Event has since occurred which has, in some Degree, checked those flattering Hopes, and given me Reason to apprehend that an amicable Accommodation will be with Difficulty, if at all, effected at this Time. The Accounts we have from Massachusetts Bay respecting the Proceedings of the King's Troops, and the late Engagement between them and the Inhabitants of that Province, have occasioned such an Alarm and excited so much Uneasiness among the People throughout this and the other Colonies, that there is Danger of their committing some outrageous Violences before the present Heats can subside. They are arming themselves, forming into Companies, and taking uncommon Pains to perfect themselves in Military Discipline. Every Day new Alarms are spread, which have a Tendency to keep the Minds of the People in a continual Ferment, make them suspicious, and prevent their paying any Attention to the Dictates of sober Reason and common Sense. A great Number of the Inhabitants of Freehold in Monmouth County were persuaded to believe that Hostilities were ordered to be commenced against all the Colonies, and that a Man of War was lying in the Bay near Sandy-hook with a Design to send up a Boat in the Night to carry off the Money in the Treasury, and the Records in the Secretary's Office at Amboy. In Consequence of this Report, some of the Committee of Freehold with up |