The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-06-29 00:00:00, page 2

fonpref againf toe tyranny attested to be cfablifbed
In rbe, colonies b'y the Court of Great-Britain."
Ordered, That the committee of the whole have
leave to fit this afternoon at 3 o'clock.
Adjourned to 3 o'clock this afternoon..
sane 20, P. M. Conference met.
On motion RefrWed, That whereas the county of
'Wefkuorehmd hath been exempted from taxes for
thr _ -rears hill past; and thereby many persons may
be excluded from a vote at the entiling eleclion, in
ronfeqqence of the foregoing regulations contrary
to the intention thereof; therefore every person of
I v%;nwof are, being a Free man, refilling in laid
county Shall Readmitted to vote, he being an atio
ciator, and b wing hv d one year in this province
next proceeding the election, and taking the tell
aiorefaid, if thereunto required, Shall be admitted
to vote.
Refloed, That thc ? ele<Stion Shall be made by bal
lot in the manner heretofore used in this province at
the general election.
Ref,Red, That no person who has been published
bv any committee of impcclion, or the committee
0? Safety in this province, as an enemy to the liber
des of America; and lias not been removed by them
to the favour of his country, Shall be permitted to
vote at the election of members for said convention.
Adjourned to 8 o'clock to-morrow morning.)
Friday, June 21, 1776.
The conference met, present committees.
On motion Revolved unanimously, That every voter
at tiie proposed election shall be a free man, and if
thereunto requeued by any of the judges or infpec
.tors, Ihall, before the vote is received take the fore
going tell,
Refereed unanimoufy, That any person qualified
to vote for members of affcmbly by the laws of this
province, may be elected a member of convention,
provided that he shall have resided at lead one year
•immediately proceeding the laid election in the city
or county for which he (hall be chosen, and shall
before he takes his feat in convention, take the fol
lowing oath or affirmation, viz.
c c)„ do declare that I do not bold
-nnfelf bound to bear allegiance to George the Third,
Kino of Great Britain, ^c. and that I mill fleadily
and*firmly at all times, promote the mo, effectual
means according to 'the be, of my fill and knowledge
to oppose the tyrannical proceedings of the King and
Parliament of Great- Britain again, the American
Colonies, and io efablifo and support a government
in this province, on the authority of the people only,
#. that I will eppofe any measure that,call or may
in the lea,' interfere with, or" obfruß the religions
-/ rinciples or practices of any of the good people of this'
province as heretofore enjoyed.” Allo,
Refolded, That no person elected to lerve as a
member of convention, shall take his feat, or give
his vote, until he shall have made and fubferibed
the following declaration.
<< / do profefs faith in God the Father,
and in Jesus Chri, his eternal Son, the true God, and
in the Holy Spirit, one God, blessed for evermore; and
do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and
New Refament to be given by Divine Inspiration."
An address and petition from the Commanders
of the thirteen armed Row-Gallies in the service of
this,province, praying to be heard, on a difference
with the committee of fafety was presented at the
table and read.
• Refolded, That Messrs. Moulder, Lollar, Wallace,
Hockley, Lowry, Eachard, B. Dupue, M'Pherfon,
Clarke, Davidson, Cook and Parry, be a committee
to confider of the proper time, place and manner
of holding and regulating the entiling election, and
to fix a day for the meeting of the representatives of
the people so chosen.
A Memorial from the Patriotic society of the city
of Philadelphia was delivered at the table by a
committee of said society, and read by their' clerk
on special request
'Adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M.
June 21, 1776. P. M. Conference met.
The committee appointed to afeertain the num
ber and proportion of members to represent the
province and each particular city and county in
convention, made their report in the words fol-
lowing, viz.
The committee appointed for &c. report;
That your committee having conferred together,
and endeavoured to obtain the bell intelligence that
can be had, find, that full information refpeding
the number of taxables in each county cannot now
be had; and therefore cannot be adopted as a rule
in fixing the number of representatives for the city
and counties respectively;—your committee, how
ever, are finished, that the number of taxables in
the counties respectively does not differ so much as
to make it of any probable disadvantage to allow
an equal representation from each county; Specially
as the convention will probably vote by city and
counties (as in the preceeding conventions) upon
: the questions which shall come before them.
We therefore recommend. That it be resolved,
that eight Representatives be sent by the city of
^Philadelphia, and eight by each county in the pro
vince to the convention.
On motion, That the inhabitants of the city be
divided from the county of Philadelphia, and that
they be not admitted to vote or he voted for in the
election of the county member, for the convention.
Whereupon it was movec, that the previous
question be put, viz. Whetherthis question shall be
now put, and it was put accordingly, and carried
in the negative.
Resolved, That the conference approve of the
report of the committee.
Adjourned to 8 o'clock to-morrow, A. M.
Saturday, June 22, 1776. Conference met.
On motion Resolved, That the determinations of
this conference on the representation of the city
and of the county of Philadelphia shall 110 c be
drawn into precedent in future.
(To be continued)
WILLIAMSBURG, June 1.
In CONVENTION, Friday, May 31, 1776.
Refolded unanimously, That the Committee of
Safety be directed to write a letter to the president
of the Convention of Maryland, in answer to his
letter of the 25th inst. expressing the deepest concern
At the proceedings of that Convention relpeding
Governor Eden, and our reasons for not becoming
accessory thereto, by giving him a passport through
this colony, or the bay adjoining; that we would,
with reluctance, in any case, intermeddle in the af
fairs of a Sifter colony, but in this matter we are
much interested, and the Convention of Maryland,
by fending their proceedings to the Committee of
Safety here, have made it the duty of the Conven
tion to declare their sentiments thereon.
That, considering the intercepted letter from lord
George Germain, to Governor Eden, in which his
whole conduct and confidential letters are approved,
and he is directed to give facility and affidance to
the operations of Lord Dunmore againlt Virginia,
we are at a lots to account for the Council of Safety
of Maryland their having neglected to seize him,
according to the recommendation of the General
Congiels andanore io, for the Convention's having
promoted his pal Age to assist in our deftruCtion, un
der a pretence of his retiring to England, which ' we
conceive, from the above letter, he is not at liberty'
to do; that, supposing he was to go to Britain, it
appears to us that such voyage, with the address
presented to him will enable him to assume the cha
ra&er of a public agent, and, by promoting divi
sion and disunion amongst the colonies, produce
consequences the mod fatal to the American cause;
that as the reasons assigned for his departure, that
he mutt obey the ministerial mandates while remain
ing in his government, are very unsatisfactory, when
the Convention declare, that in his abfenee the go
vernment, in its old form, -will devolve on the pre
fideht of the council of date, who will be under equal
obligation to perform such mandates. We cannot
avoid imputing thole proceedings to Some undue in
fluence of Gov. Eden, under the mask of friendship
to America, and of the proprietary interest in Ma
ryland, whereby the members of that Convention
were betrayed into h vote of fatal tendency to the
common cause, and we fear to this country in par
ticular, and feel it an indifpenfible duty to warn the
good people of that province to guard againlt the
proprietary influence,
Resolved, That the foregoing refoltition be forth
with published in the Virginia Gazette.
EDMUND PENDLETON, President.
John Tazewell, Clerk of Convention.
Copy of a letter addressed to the frontier inhabitants,
by Mr. S TUART, the Britijh fuperintendant of
Indian affairs in the southern diflrift, which was
delivered the 18th 0/ May last, by a messenger sent
by him exprefl, for that purpose.
" Some time ago, Mr. Cameron and myfelf wrote
you a letter by Mr. Thomas, and inclofed you the
talk we had with the Indians reSpeCting the purchase
which it is reported tyou lately made of them, for
the rivers Wattaugah and Nolachucky, &c. We
are since informed, that you are under great appre
hensions of the Indians doing milchief; but it is not
the design of his Majesty to Set his friends and allies,
the Indians, on his liege fubjeds. Therefore, who
ever of you are wiling to join his Majesty's forces
as soon as they arrive at the Cherokee nation, by
repairing to the King's Standard, Shall find protec
tion, and their families and estates be Secure from
all danger whatever. Yet, that his Majesty's officers
may be certain which of you are willing to take up
arms in defence of the King's just rights, I have
thought fit to recommend it to you, every one that
is desirous of preventing inevitable ruin co himfelf
and family, immediately to fubferibe a written pa
per, acknowledging their allegiance to his Majesty
King George, and that they Are ready and willing,
whenever called upon, to appear in arms in defence
of the Britilli rights in America; which paper, as
soon as it is aligned, fend to me by some Safe hand.
Should any of the inhabitants be desirous of know
ing how they are to be kept free from every kind of
insult or danger, inform them that his Majesty will
immediately land an army in Wed-Florida, and
march them through the Creek nation to the Chi
ca'ah's, where 500 warriors from each nation are to
join them and then come by the Cherokees (who
have allo promised their assistance) then take pof
leffioir of the frontiers of Norih-Carolina and Vir
ginia, at the fame time his Majesty's forces make a
diversion on the sea coasts of these provinces. If
any of the inhabitants have cattle, pack-horses, or
flour, to spare, by applying to us, they shall have a
good price For them, as soon as his Majesty's troops
are embodied. I am, gentlemen, &c.
HENRY STUART, deputy fuperintendant
Wattaugah fc.
This day came Nathaniel Read before me, one of
the trustees assigned to keep the peace for the district
aforefaid, and made oath, on the Holy Evangelists
of Almighty God, that a Stranger rode up to Mr.
Robertson's gate yesterday, in the evening (but who
he was he did not know) and delivered a letter, a
true copy of which is above.—Given under my hand
this 19th day of May, ! 77 6. JOHN CARTER.
Test. James Smith.
We learn from Gloucester, that Lord Dunmore
has eroded holpitals upon Gwyn's island; that his
old friend Andrew Sprowle is dead, and that they
are inoculating the blacks for the small-pox. His
Lordfliip, before the departure of the fleet from
Norfolk harbour, had two of those wretches inocu
lated and font afliore, in order to spread the infedi,
on, but it was happily prevented.
The men of war have made prize of a Spanish
brig that was bound to Philadelphia, reported to
have on board 12,800 dollars. Some deserters from
the Fowey, it is said give this account; likewise,
that they are very weak upon the island as to num
ber, fearful of being attacked, and chiefly depend
upon the fleet for their protection.
Mr. Robinson late of York town, who-has been
a prisoner on board the fleet for some time paft>
but escaped from Gwyn's island, confirms the above
accounts with refped to Andrew Sprowle's death,
and file capture of the Spanish brig, which was
from the Havannah, taken off the capes of Dela
ware, and sent in by the Liverpool ; but that Capt.
Bellew had retained the dollars. This Gendeman
further fays, that there arc not above 200 blacks
now alive, 75 at lead having died within fix days
after they left Norfolk, and that the number of
whites on shore is very inconsiderable.
One day this week a small velßl belonging to the
enemy, with five hands on board ran aground on the
Gloucester shore, within musket shot and was taken.
The crew jumped overboard, two fivam to Gwyn's
island, one was shot, and the other two drowned.
WATERTOW N, June 17.
Last Thursday the inhabitants of the town of
Boston. were made acquainted, by beat of drum,
that an expedition was to be undertaken against our
enemy's Ihips in Nantafket road, and for erecting
proper fortifications in the lower harbour. Accord
ingly detachments from the colonial regiments com
manded by the Cols. Marshal and Whitney, and
battalion of train commanded by Lieut. Col. Crafts
were embarked on board boats at the Long wharfs
together with cannon, ammunition, provision, in
trenching tools, and every necessary implement,
and proceeded for Pettick's island and Hull, where
they were joined by some continental troops and
sea coast companies, so as to make near 600 men
at each place; a like number of the militia from the
towns in the vicinity of Boston harbour, with a de
tachment from the train, and some field pieces, took
post at Moon-island, Hoff's neck, and Point Alder
ton. —At the fame time a detachment from the con
tinental army under the command of Col. Whit
comb, witli two 18 pounders, one 13 inch mortar,
with the necessary apparatus, intrenching tools,&c.
were embarked for Long lfland, to take post there.
The troops did not arrive at their several places of
destination till near morning, occasioned by a flat
calm ; notwithstanding such was the activity and
alertness of our men, that they had the cannon
planted, and a line of defence hove up on Long-
Ifland'and Nantafket-Hili in a few hours, when a
cannon shot from Long-Island anounced to the
enemy our design: upon which a signal was imme
diately made for the whole fleet, consisting of 8
ihips, 2 Ihows, 2 brigs, and one schooner, to re
move and get under way. The Commodore (Banks)
bore our fire, and returned it with spirit, till a shot
from Long-Island pierced the upper works of his
fliip, when he immediately unmoored or cut his ca
bles and got under fail, and happy for him that he
did so, for in a small space of time afterwards a
shell irom our works fell into the very ipot he had
just before quitted. Unhappily our cannon did not
arrive at Pettick's-lfland and Nantafket as soon as
might have been wished, but the fire from the lat
ter place behig properly pointed against the Com
modore's ship, who came to in the Light-house
channel, is apprehended to have done considerable
execution. —In short, the epemy were compelled
once more to make a disgraceful precipitate flight;
and we have it now in our power to congratulate
our readers on our being in full possession of the
lower harbour of Boston; and had the wind been
to the eastward, we are confident we Should have
had the much greater plealure of giving them joy
on our being in the possession of many of their Ships.
Through Divine Providence, not one of our men
were hurt.
The ministerial fleet, on Friday last, before they
quitted the harbour of Boston, blew up the Light-
House, which entirely destroyed the fame.
N E W-Y O R K, June 24.
We hear that one of our cruizers has taken a
large Ship on the South fide of Long Ifl.md, and
carried her fafe into port. It is laid ihe is a very
valuable prize.