The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-06-04 00:00:00, page 3

Moved, That the protest of divers of. the inhabitants of
this province, in behalf of themselves and others, lately pre
sented to the Honorable House of Assembly, be read, and it
was read accordingly.
Moved, That the address and remonstrance of divers of
the inhabitants of the city and liberties of Philadelphia,
lately presented to Assembly against the above protest, be
read, which was read accordingly.
After having maturely considered the letter and papers
above mentioned, it was moved and resolved unanimously,
That a number of the Committee be nominated to meet De
puties from all the other Committees in the several counties
in this province, at Philadelphia, on Tuesday the 18th day of
June next, in order to agree upon, and direct.the mode of
electing members for a Provincial Convention, and to deter
mine upon the number of.which the said Convention Ihall
be composed, .which Convention to be held at such time and
place as the said conference of Committees may appoint for
the express purpose of forming and ellablifhing anew go
vernment, under the authority of the people only, for the
preservation of internal peace,, virtue, and good order, as
well as for the defence of their lives, liberties and proper
ties, according to the express declaration of the Honorable
the Congress, preceding and.immediately connected with the.
recommendation mentioned in the said resolve.
On motion, Resolved unanimously. That fix members of
the Committee be nominated for the above purpose.
On motion, Resolved, That Robert Levers, John Wetzel,
Nicholas Dupui, Neigal Gray, David Delhler, and Benjamin
Dupui, be a Committee appointed, in behalf of this county,
to meet at Philadelphia, on Tuesday the 18th day of June
next, with the above mentioned conference of Committee
for the above purpose. Signed,
By order ' of the Committee,,
ROBERT LEVERS, Chairman
Sir,, York, 28th May, 17765.
ON Saturday last we were favored with the company of seve
ral of your refpedable body, joinedby others the worthy
citizens of Philadelphia, who laid before our Town Committee
immediately & ~--d for that purpose, the letters, votes and
proceedings of the city and liberties of the.capital. The joy
we felt upon this interesting occasion,. may be more easily
conceived than expreffed —Towards evening a certain Charles
Stedman, attorney at law, came into town, and opened to his
haft his having certain papers tending to the confirmation pf
the powersof government in the hands of the present Assem
bly. This good citizen loft no time, till he made the Com-,
mittee acquainted with the important discovery, orders were
thereupon issued forthwith for securing Mr, Stedman's port
manteau, and keeping an eye on his pegfon, till he might be
examined. On. our, Secretary's application he readily confeffed
his having three copies of the remonstrance, issued by the
party too notoriously the enemies of the rights of freemen,
to find much countenance here. These copies he delivered to
the Secretary, and. then,, as well as upon, his examination,
declared that he found them at his father's house in Philadel
phia, and was there told they had been left by Mr. Andrew
Robinson, with a verbal request to carry them to William
M'C'lea, Esq; at Sunbury. Nothing farther appearing
amongst the packages of Mr. Stedman, he was fuffered to pass,
after he had regained, opened and read a letter he had been
seen conveying to one of the prisoners servants, which only
discovered his great affection for the worthy family of Dr.
Kearfly, as he was plealed to stile them, and force other wor
thies of the fame political complexion.
Mr. Stedman's departure from town was attended with such
279
circumstances, as caused two young men who came with ano--
ther large packet of these treasonable papers directed to Messrs.
Johnston and Lukens here, to decamp with precipitation.
These carriers told the "landlord, they had received their
charge from Doctor Smith and Phineas Bond at Lancaster.
Our Committee being early assembled, Messrs. Lukens and
Johnston Shewed an anonymous letter directed to them both a
requesting them to forward the letters and remonstrances,
without loss of time, and the Evening Posts, and to request
their defpatch in procuring the Signing of those papers in their
several diftri&s. On the delivery of the bundle to the Com
mittee, it appeared filled with remonstrances and Evening
Posts, and sundry sealed letters, .one of which, directed ta
Henry Wolf of York Town, was opened by his consent and
read, a copy of which is enclosed.
By this discovery the Committee judged it proper to retain-!
all the other letters till Friday next, when a meeting of the
County Committee is warned, to take all these important
matters into consideration.., You may depend upon the event
of this meeting to be favorable to the cause of liberty, as the
sense of the town militia was taken yesterday, and I am happy
in being able to assure you that not a single diffentient, or.
even cool person, appeared in four large companies.
By order of the Committee,
lam, Sir, jour most humble servant,
JAMES SMITH, Chairman.
The Honorable Committee of Infpedion and Observation,,
of the city and liberties of Philadelphia.
In COMMITTEE for York County, May 31, 1776.
Present fifty-four Members.
Colonel ROBERT, MCPHERSON in the Chair.
The Resolve of the Honorable Continental Congress of the
!§th inflant being read, was most cordially agreed to, and
thankfully accepted;, and Resolved, That a delegation
from this body, of nine members, be ordered to attend the
conference of Committees at Philadelphia, the 18th day of
June next,, to confider of the bed and most effectual measure&
for carrying the said resolve of Congress into execution, andl
fettling the preliminary Steps for the election of a Provincial.
Convention, to form .a constitution founded on " the authority
of the people.'!
Resolved, That as the 7 former legislative powers of this•
province cannot aft without being under oaths or affirmations
of allegiance to the King of Great-Britain, and dependant on
him, which by the cruel and wicked proceedings of that
King and Parliament of Great-Britain, more especially by a
late Ad of Parliament declaring the colonies rebels, and cut
ting them off from the protection of that crown, the fame
is become incapable of legislation, and in that refpett totally
extind. But Resolved never.thelefs, That the executive pow
ers of government ought,to proceed in the ulual channel, and
that the laws heretofore made be put in due execution, until
a government formed on the authority of the people only takes
place, agreeable to the resolves of Congress of the 15th inst.
Resolved, That Mr. James Ranken, lately chosen a mem
ber to represent this county in Assembly, in fending seven let
ters, and a bundle of remonstrances, to seven inhabitants of
this county, for the express purpose of getting those remon
strances signed by the people here, and transmitted to Phila
delphia, which remonstrances can be calculated for no other
purpose than to draw this province off from the present Union
with the other colonies, or to divide the people so as to fall an
easy prey to our inveterate enemies, has violated the trust re
posed in him by the good people of this county,.
Resolved, That Should any person or persons be so loft to
all fenle cf duty to the public, as to attempt to procure Sign
ers to said poifonoua and destructive remonstrance. in this.s