The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-19 00:00:00, page 1

The C'ongrefs therefore, considering the warlike prepara
tions of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights
and privileges, and to reduce us, by fire and sword, by the
savages of the wilderness, and our own domestics, to the most
abjed and ignominious bondage; desirous, at the fame time,
to have people of all ranks and degrees, duly impressed with
a solemn sense of God's superintending providence, and of
their duty devoutly to rely in all their lawful enterprizes on
his aid and direction; do earnestly recommend that FRIDAY
the SEVENTEENH day of MAY next be observed by the
said Colonies as a day of HUMILIATION, FASTING, and
PRAYER ; that we may with united hearts confefs and be
wail our manifold fins and transgressions, and by a sincere re
pentance and amendment of life appease his righteous dis
pleasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus
Christ, obtain his pardon and forgivenefs. Humbly imploring
his assistance to fruftrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural ene
mies ; and by inclining their hearts tojuftice and benevolence,
prevent the farther effufion of kindred blood. But if continuing
deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly benton
desolation and war,they constrain us to repel their hostile inva
sions by open refinance, that it may please the Lord of Hofs, the
Godof Armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invin
cible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of bat
tle, and to crown the Continental arms by sea and land with
victory and success : earnestly beseeching him to bless our
civil rulers and the representatives of the people in their seve
ral Assemblies and Conventions ; to preserve and strengthen
their union ; to inspire them with an ardent disinterested love
of their country ; to give wisdom and stability to their councils ;
and direct them to the most efficacious measures for establish
ing the rights of America on the most honorable and perma
nent basis—that he would be graciously pleased to bless all
the people in these Colonies with health and plenty, and
grant that a spirit of incoruptible patriotism, and of pure un
defiled religion, may universally prevail ; and this continent
be speedily restored to the blessings of peace and liberty, and
enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest porterity.
And it is recommended to Christians of all denominations to
aflemble for public worship, and abstain from feivile labor
®n the said day.
By order of Congress,
JOHN HANCOCK, President
Attest. Charles Thomson, Secretary.
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST.
duty of these hitherto free and happy Colonies, with true
penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publicly
to acknowledge the over-ruling providence of God ; to con
fefs and deplore our offences against him; and to lupplicate
his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prof
perinp our strenuous efforts in the caule of FREEDOM,
VIRTUE, and POSTERITY.
In CONGRESS, Saturday, March 16, 1776.
IN times of impending calamity and distress, when the
liberties of America are imminently endangered by the
secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and
vindictive Administration, it becomes the indifpenfible
Vol. IL]
Price only T^o Cappers.
TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1776.
Published every Puefday, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings.
139
WILL IA MSB UR G, March 8.
WE have intelligence that the jail distemper rages with
great violence on board Dunmore's fleet, particularly
among the Negro forces, upwards of one hundred and fifty of
whom, it is positively affirmed, have died within a short time,
and who, as faft as they expire, are tumbled into the deep,
to regale the sharks, which it seems fivarm thereabouts, and
no doubt keep as sharp a look-out, for all foch forts of pro
vision, as the land animals do for frelh pork, good mutton,
poultry, &c.
Twelve deserters have come into Suffolk within these few
days, from the fleet at Norfolk, viz. a ferjeant and corporal,
with five marines, and five common sailors, who all confirm
the miserable situation of the people on board, occasioned by
the jail fever breaking out among them ; and one of the
marines declared, that he firmly believed his Captain would
come on fhOre likewise, had he a good opportunity.
Last Tuesday fe'nnight, Captain William Deane (some
time ago sent prisoner to Boston by Lord Dunmore, but re
taken by Captain Manly of the Lee privateer) had the mif
fortune to have his vessel seized, the iloop John, from Cape
Anne, about fix miles below York, by one of the ministerial
tenders. She was loaded with three thousand bushels of salt,
one thousand weight of raisins, five hundred ditto of choco
late, a few boxes of lemons and candles, &c. &c. The Cap
tain, with his people, escaped in their boat ; and, had it not
been calm, and the tide against him, he would have saved his
vessel likewise.
At this time, the faltpetre works at Warwick, Pcterfburg,
and Blandford, produce full two hundred weight per day ;
and two other works now erecting on James river, will increase
the quantity to upwards of three hundred and fifty weight per
day. A powder mill is also erecting, which, when completed,
will amply supply this colony with that necessary article.—
N. B. The above intelligence is from undoubted authority,
and may be depended upon.
Yesterday thirty-two members of the Assembly met at the
Capitol, pursuant to adjournment ; which not being a fuf
ficient number to proceed on business,, and no representative
of the King appearing, they thought proper farther to adjourn
to the firft Thursday in May next, when that Honorable Body
will meet, as well as the General Convention, for the difeuf
fion of sundry important matters, tending to the fafety and
well being of the colony, and of America in general.
On Wednesday last Patrick Henry, Esq; Colonel of the firft
regiment, resigned his commission. Previous to his departure
from this city, the following address was presented to him
by the officers and soldiers of that corps.
To PATRICK HENRY, junior, Esquire.,
" Deeply impressed with a grateful sense of the obligations
we lay under to you, for the polite humane, and tender
treatment manifefted to us throughout the whole of your con
duft, while we had the honor of being under your com
mand, permit us to offer you our sincere thanks, as the only
tribute we have in our power to pay to your real merit. Not
withstanding your withdrawing yourfelf from the service fills
us with the most poignant sorrow, as it at gnee deprives us of
[Num. 181.