Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-12
ANCIEsT HISTORY.
An ryeus Of over One Hundred Years
AGO, NJ Published I'm tho
"yfrggnia Gazette

There is in Williamsburg two bound
volumes OF the Virginia Gazette Of the
year l775-the one printed by John
Dixon and William Hunter at the post
ofIce"; the other, in a larger and diff
ferent style Of type, by Alexander
Purdie, printer" They seem to be
printed upon different days OF the
week-the latter under date Of 2lss of
April, IT'S, and the former under date
Of April %, ITS, and contains the fol-
lowing:
This morning between 8 and
O'Clock all the gunpowder in the maya
zine, to the amount, as we hear, OF
about twenty barrels, was carried oil
in bis Excellency the Governour's
Wagon, escorted by detachment Of
marines from the armed schooner Mag
dslen, now lying at Burwells ferry,
and lodged on board that vessel. AS
soon as the news of this maneuvre
took wind. the whole city was alarmed
and much exasperated, and numbers
got themselves in readiness to repair to
the palace to demand from the Govern
our restoration Of what they so just
" supposed was deposited in this
magazine for the Country's defence
However, as some Gentlemen repre-
sented the propriety Of demonstrating
to the Governour upon this occasion
in a decent and respectful manner, the
Common Hall assembled, who, after
celebrating some time, waited upon
bis Excellency with the following ad-
dress, which was presented By the
Hon. Peyton Randolph, ESQ.,, Recorder
of this city, and is as follows:
THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE
MAYOR, RECORDER, ALDERMEN,
AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG.
To His Exceliency the Right Hon. John,
Earl Of Dunmore, HIS MgeSty'S
Lieutenant, Gorernor- General, and
Commaader-ia- Chief Of the Colony
and Dominion Of Virginia:
My Lord,-We, his Majesty's duuful
snd loyal subjects, the Mayor, Re-
corder, Aldermen, and Common Coun'
Gil of the city Of Williamsburg, in Com
mon Hall assembled, humbly beg leave
to represent to your Excellency that
the inhabitants of this city were this
morning exceedingly alarmed by re-
port that large quantity of gunpow-
der was in the preceding night, while
they were sleeping in their beds, re-
moved from the public magazine IN this
city and conveyed, under an escort OF
marines, on board one Of his Maiesty's
armed vessels lying at a ferry on James
river.
We beg leave to represent to your
Excellency that as this magazine was
erected at the public expence Of this
colony and appropriated to the safe
keeping Of such munitiOn as should be
there lodged from time to time for the
protection and security of the country,
by arming thereout such Of the militia
as might be necessary in cases Of inya-
sions and Instructions, they humbly
conceive it to be the only proper re-
pository to q be resorted to in times OF
imminent danger.
We further beg leave to inform your
Excelleucy that, from various reports
at present prevailing in different parts
of the country, we have too much rea.
son to believe that some wicked and de-
signing persons have instilled the most
diabolical notions into the minds Of our
slaves, and that therefore the utmost
attention to our internal security is be-
come the more necessary.
The circumstances Of this, my Lord,
we consider as peculiar and critical.
The inhabitants from the situation Of
the magazine, in the midst Of their city,
have, for a long tract Of time, been ex-
posed to all those dangers which have
happened in many countries from ex.
blossoms and other accidents. They
have. from time TO time, thought it in
cumbent on them to guard the maya
zine. For their security they have,
for some time past, judged it necessary
to keep strong patrols on foot. In
their present circumstance, thea, to
have the chief and necessary means OF
their defence removed, cannot DO but
extremely alarming. Considering our
selves as guardians Of the city, we
therefore humbly desire to be informed
by your Excellency upon what motives,
and for what particular purpose, the
powder has been carried off in such a
manner, and we earnestly entreat your
Excellency to order it TO be immsdi-
ately returned to the magazine.
To which his Excellency returned
this verbal answer
That, hearing of an instruction in a
neighboriDg county, he had removed the
powder from the magazine, where he
did not think it secure, to place oil
perfect security, and that, upon his
word and honor, whenever it was wanted
on any instruction, it should be deliver
ed in half an hour that he had removed
it in the nighttime to prevent any
alarm and that Captain Collins had his
express commands for the part he had
acted be was surprised to hear that the
people were under arms on this occasion
and that he should not think 1t prudent
to put powder into their hands in such
situation.
The old magazine mentioned above
is still standing in the yard Of Mr..
John Spencer, and is in a good
state Of preservation, and is frequently
inspected by the many tourists who
visit our town.
would like to ask, through the col
umns Of the Dispatch, Mr.. Brock, OF
some one familiar with the history OF
Virginia, to explain about the Virginia
Gazette being issued the same year by
two different editors.
PRoRoGUING THE GENERAL ASSEM-
BLY,.
There is framed and hanging in the
library of William and Mary Colleg'
several very old letters. The one giver
below is considerably over a hundred
years old, and will no doubt prove in
teresting reading;
Virginia, ,Sct.-By His Ercellency