The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-04-26 00:00:00, page 5

sisstsssisizsctlxsiz s U P P L- E-siM E fctN Tsssisssisictctctsisi
In co MAIITTEE of SAFETY', a:
Williamsburg, Apri124, 1776.
RDERED, thsilt the lcttcr srom
Ralph Wormc-ley, jun. esq; to
.]ohn Grymes, csq; lately intercepted,
together with the resolution of this hoard
thereupon, bc published in the Virginia
Gazcue. (A copy)
jonx BECKLEY, affistant clerk.
:"
Koszotuct, April 4, 1776
Dear Sir,
WHEN you and mr. Neilson returned
from Norsoik, you informed me that
lord Dunmore either wished or expected,
or thought it my duty, that ] should im
mediately, in person, repair to hislordship;
that some such osteniibie marks of my
attachmeut to government, and loyalty
to my king, were looked for from me;
and that, notwithstsimding my unequivocal,
steady, and invzu'iablc conduct, is] still
cominne at home, ] may be exposed to
the indiscr' innting mvages of war, with
outjmy ;mce ot' reparutinn. Whether
this opinion is sonnrlcd on the last procla
mation of the kin<r's, on the ].ttc ad
vices From the minister, or from his lord
ship's conjectures, ] do not know. As to
the prochmsittion, and the late advices
from the minister, I have an easy answer:
tst. ] have never seen the proclamation,
never heard it either read or repeated; it.
cannot then be expected of me to pa
respect to any instrument of that sort whosz
contents [can have no cognizunce osbesore
they are submitted 'to my senses. 2d. As
to the adviCes of the minister which may
]c-ul his lordship to conclude it to be the
duty ofevery man, now, when the Friends
of government are in such a state osimpo—
tency, or rather are under such complete
dominion, to repair to his lordship, with
out probsstbility of advancing- any practieal
scheme ofutility, of concerting any effec
tual plan of operations, and without re
gard' to circufinstanchs, l-fay, lit:, such
advices arc repugnantsito the words and
meaning of the king. In the true know
ledge of our presessnt (ituz-uion', his majesty
thus exprc 'es himself: " And although
'" mimy of these zmhnppy people may still
" retain their loctyhft , and may be too
" wise not td*,see the final consequences
" of this usurpatisson, und u'ust] to rqj'ifl it,
" yet the torrent of violence hay been
" 'strong enough t ct'qampssel their acquiqs
" cence, until a sushciessnt force shall appear
" tosupport them." Affiqobservations
on the above quoted pa (ge will [Rrove
the repngnnncy. " Unhappss peopegsi'
in what? In being overpowcred by the e
ushrpers, so overpowcred, that they can
nnt even hope, they can only zwfi), to re—
fist it. This being the case, whut are
thcle unhappy people to do." What does
his majesty expect? Not their sruitless
vain endeavours, which prejuclice every
cause; he knows, that the torrent of vi
olence is strong; enough to retain them in
their compulsive acquiesccncc, " till a
sufficient force shall appear to support
them." He cxpects, then, they will wait
the event. They will have, they have a
right to protection. Every effort and cn
deavom— now, on their part, would only
issue in ruin to themselves, and in ruin to
their cause. No man bears the accursed
tyranny that is crccsited with more impati
ent mortification than I do; and, isthcrc
were a corner on the Face osthc earth that
] could support m) sdsin, and enjoy that
freedom that I am now viniently deprived
of, ] would, for the gratisic'ution of my
own happiness, fly to it. I have tdo much
feeling not to be exquisiteiy sensible osmy
flavish condition.
I have made no reply as to his ]ordship's
conjectures. As he must be surnishcd with
intelligence that [am ignorant of, it must
be supposed that he can form a better
judgment than ] can. in a matter of such
weight, ] wish he had extracted the para
graph, e drew his opinion from his late
advices, or had givbn the reasons on which
he formed it. To convey m'siyself, toge
ther with her abshlute necessaries of life,
without my intention being discovered, is
almostimpollible. Besides, la 01le an
inferiour member of the family, 7 luvc sinot
ule comtnand ot lurmt'nre, beddmg, Csi'c.
no]: pro'sions; and exportation being prosisiq
lublted, if] could afford, I could not com
mand money for my support. Add to this
the probability of all resources being cut
off, "(hereby wheat, flonr, w corn, me
now furnished ; as the army of tsshe provi -
cmls increases, unless onoos eqhal or s
periour force should soon'arrive from Bri
tain. Numbers, in silch a case, will add
to the difficulties that the fleet, army, and
people at Norsulk, [sithfllll' under. Hun
dreds will only muhiply these inconveni
encics ; thousande alone can remove them.
These reasons weigh with me at rescnt,
and restrain me from taking the i ep mr.
Neilson advises with so much urgency.
But, after all, what benesicia] consequence
could m persona] attendance operate in
favour o that cause whose success ] have
at heart.- My example is not eflicacious
enough to influenceothers to follow it.
What exertions of mine could now avail?
And are not ineffectnal exertions capitully
crroneous in policy? would not, or might
not, the departure ofa person of my in—
signisicance quicken the jealousy of the
present rulers, give fresh vigour to the
per'sccution, and make them lash our scw
party-sriends, not with that rod Of iron
which we have experienced, severe enough
for the most criminal atrocity, but with ::
red—hot one fresh from the infernalsisorge
of tyranny. Is, though, the governour
shoqld think my presence necessary, and
that I can, in any degree, be assistant to
his lordship, government, or mycountry;
will give meg officialsummons, and afford
me proper Fa'cilities th reach him, I will,*
at the hazard of that precarious ne ative
"quiet that is now indulged to me, ' will, 4
to the prejudice of my health, which is,,
as you know, at present interrupted by a \
'moil: inveterate disord-er, and vyhicp dis
order wou A certainly he grnvate'd by a
diet exclusiv'e'ssos vegetgbies; at the riik of
thy'sisilil'e, of'every thingjobcysitss'. VViilsiyQu
be so obliginfr as to-__c01mnunicate this
where ou thiiihit necessaryf. Asid, under
all viciffitttsikds\k'sostune, belie\e"me to be,
with the on unultera'fflt'iinceritg,
Yourfpost affectionate friend,
RALPH "won-MLLEY, jun.
To JOHN GRYMEs, esquire.
M
In CO MMITTEE of S/IFLEJ')", ;Qtsi
VVilliamiburg; Aprt'l 22, 17'76si
ALPIl W ORMELEY, jun. csq;
appearing hesorc this committee in
custosily, and being examined touching his
letter to mr, john Grymcs, of the 4th of
April 1776, lsiiteiy intercepted from the
said Grymes, on his way to lord Dunmore,
thc Uommittec hearing what he ailcdgcd
in his defence, also examining. Charies
Ncilson on oath, are of opinion, that no
thing appears to us in his conduct, or in
the said letter, to be within the offences
desmed by the late ordinance for establish—
ing it made of punishment for the enemies
to America in this culony; but the lili
lettcr—being. in the opinion of this Com
mittec, &. still proof of the inimicpl dispo
sition of the said Ralph Wormeiey, jun.
esq; against the rights of America, and
shewing- a readiness to .join the enemy 0
this cohmy, provided he should be called
and emblcd so to do, this Committec do
?—
sesulve, that the sijcnhlph W'ortm-leyo
jun. csi]; be: disch-siu-ged out of custody,
usspon entering into bond, with approved
security, in the penalty of'lopool. condi
tioned that he do nqt correspond with the
enemies ofAmcrica, join, or in any imm-si
ner aid or asiist them; that hcct not de;
part this cohmy, without leave of the
Cunventiun, or Committce of Hascty;
and farther, that he appear before the'
aid ()onvention, at any time durivg their
text meeting, is he shall he required so
0 (10. _]()HN PAGE, V. !;
Mr. PURDlE,
'THE srccholdcrs os ja'mcs City being
desirous cscxprcfling theirsentimcnts
on the important subject usindependuicy;
a mzzjority scsiding in [he cuum-y asscmhhsid
at Allcn's ordinary, the 24thosthisinstunt,
sorthat purpose, and agreed tozlhc follow
ing instructions, which you are requested
to ublish in your next Gziutte. ct
oRonExT C.Nicnoustmd WiLLlnsid 5
NORVELL, (squire;.
GENTLEMEN,
IN vain do wc congmtulate ourselves u :"
on the impotcncy of the ministeMo (R
Vidc us, is our union amounts to nothing
more than an union in one common ]etshr— .
gy. \\'ar hath bem brought into our
houses, heightencd by terrours and cruel? (
ties, which the justest cause wants nen
palliatives sor ; but saint advance towma'sis
pence, insidioufly urged, have caught the
ear osthc crcdnious, :znd groundk—fi hopes
ofaccommodution dcludcsiclsithe timid, so
that the true military syllem remains un
touched in most csscntial points. As if
our incxpcriencc, povc rty in.wa1silikc storcs;
and the insuncy us our navy, wrie o'f
trifling moment, we have vemurc-d to
_ neglect resiiurccs, in such. difficulties,
si which HCJVCH hath plnccd'cy-ithiu our at
tainmcnt. ct,
Ailiances m'nv be formed at an tasy
price, capableos suppbing these disntlyuu-j
ss tagcs, but an independent flute dilil'siiins ,
to humble herself to an c—quulifssin treat
with another who _csimnot cail her post? ss
ticks her ow n ; or, to be rxpiitit, she can
not enter into a negotimion with those,
who'denominate 'them'sclwcs rthtls, by
resistasicc, and consesiion osa depcndc-ncya
Reason, drawn fi-Oni—justic'e , poliry. 'iqzd _
sineceffity, are every where at handfotg '
Xadica] sepsisiaraswn srom Great Brimtmsi
Frbm j/{sfited sifotsi'fhc'si Wood of !};sz- jwlzsiosi
ha—vc-fllllm in our cmctse crie: aloud, '"Qlt is!,
tiifle to part." From ne'czssity; becaule-si
she hath, osherstctlf, rcpuclicttcd us, ssb} a
rapid succession of infidt, injury, rosibbery, _
murder, and a formal decluranon otctzvar. (
These are but fcw, and some osthe Weak- '
est arguments which the great VOthPC
of our oppresiion opens to every fpm - ,
\ ed Amcricsim .
It camlbt be a violation of our finish,
now,, tp rejcci-sit the terms ok'1763. 'lsshcssy
are irqflasi'l'icd siavcry at best, and were
acceptablcctq us, not as the extent osoul'
right, butsstfxc probable cause of peace; -
b'ut since the day in which the were most
humbly offch. as she end o animusilies,
an interval hath passed, marked with
tyranny intolerable .
\\ c., therefore, wlmsff names 'are here
untn shbsi-rihcd, do request and instruct
vou, our deicgzucs (prm'uled nojust and
immmruble terms arc offered by the king)
to cxert your utmost abifity, in the next
Convemion, towards disscflv'mg the con
nexion between America and Great'Mss-fm,
total! , jmalp', and irrc-vocubfy. 'ss
flss * " T he above irg/Zrmflinn: arestgned
(: mnjority of' the freclmlsissler: living in thy
* count}, 't-qhnsc names may [zest-:".
" ' \