Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-01
DELAWARE IN
THE REVOLUTION.

1uuepenuence tnhn ulu any otner Sutte'
Her delegates were among the most ac-
five in the Continental and Revolutionary
sCongresses; her soldiers, the bravest who
STAINED with their blood the battle-fields
Iof the South; and her people, although in
part composed of peace-loving Quakers,
tand king-loving Swedes,--as self-sacriic-
Ing as the descendants of the Pilgrim
4 Nathers.
Il A better Introduction to the history of |
Delaware in the revolution could not be |
I. found than the circular letter in which |
George Read urges his fellow citizens to l
support the Philadelphians in their nom |
importation agreement He wrote:
I'm the present struggle made for liberty
+ w the colonists around us ! hope this
government will not be pointed out as
/, unconcerned in the common cause. Hith-
4 ertO the representatives of the people, in
assembly, have contributed their mite with
!, other bodies of the like kind through the
continent; 1t now becomes more particu-
\ ihrly the business of the people. in gem
aral, to consider their present situation,
\ and what may be further done in support
\ of measures apparently necessary: mean
1 the non-importation agreements entered
+ hAto from time to time since the last act
3 of Parliament, imposing duties on tea,
r |OHDeT, ElnfS u1Q pHlUferS cOlOrS, trUm
our local circumstances 1t seemed unnec-
s eesary for the people of this government
( % enter into resolutions of non-importa-
4 tion from the mother-country, as we had
p 40 traders among us who imported goods
NJ from Great Britain, except in very small
quantities. and in vessels belonging to
r Philadelphia, which was sufficiently
Eunrded By the agreement of her own
N citizens. Lately Ii has been discovered
Il that few of the traders of that city have
K become tired of what they call yirtuolis
Il attempts TO restore freedom to America.
81 and endeavored to dissolve the PhiladeI-
= nhia noIi-importation agreement. One of
Z the principal arguments made use of ia
\ the probability Of losing the trade of this
4; government. They say that the Mary
land non-importation agreement having
excepted many more articles of merchan-
M aise tnan that OIL fhiadelphia, the people
!. nsre VIII iorIn connection IN tne way OF
h III WIN the Ahrsiahuers, introduced
sonE 49, " 70 p.iicnase eAcepteu aru,
+. ~. Mcu uaue ina5 continue uIter an
M mt.ii tne are over
1 = pi''usip,e ,liiu lofeipie argument,
at II i.'noNe uii tne WEIGH. II may nave
US innaoitants OF the upper parts OF this
q 4 .t S,ansy, ps l IN ana about the
MI xs " u tNeW Sustie, Wiinihgton' Ohris-
5 $500, tssmarh, Newport anu hamburg
4 45s..,.s,,q;,, nuse resolved 10 support tne
III Il. a,''.iue,pliu agreemenL ~ Is no" In
\ e su 's po .N, =, we Peopie ol THIS govern
i''enl " ienu heplhg hahu, ana De OF
4 II n 4s'.i uee - eus senerai cause some OF
+ ss.a4 teopie =, ~" iorh nave deserted IT.
Z - ~ y - .lopghtlW WIN De Drought back 70
| $50, u ny. prevent ,ne me accident
& " s nsh. " uesuoy the argument alleged
~ LEI US De content TO conilne
n s,ur .raue 70 us FORMER channels; there is
w ~ coniiectioli; let US toreso some
{ sl3nins cohseipehces IN hopes OF greater
+ ~ ssntnse' resolve not 10 purchase any
N svsu' ou. " tue government put such III
q te eAeepteu IN the ihliadeiphia agree
= .1' anu ieii upon soine eiLectual meas
kl& ~tsss " s"pl'oi1 iiis cohuuct.
II THE DELAWARE NON IMPoRTATIo,
n AGREEMENT
4. That from and after this date we vii
v NOT imnort into any mart of Amerie, an,
y goods. wares. or merchandise wbotsoavn,
= from any part of Great Britain contr, p,
10 the shirt and intention of tba agrea
m speDt Of the merchants of tha city 4
N i hiladelpbia.
f 3. That we never will, have any da,Iino
X. IcrInmprcp. m, intappoursa yyhn tayar w; NJ
4 any man residing in onv mart Of Brit;s
4 do,ninions. who shall, for mere or an
.4nfber nurnose ;mnort into anv nart ~ =
America any article contrary "a tho ca;
arreement.
3. That any ono of MS who shall mi;
fuly break this agreement shall hove h;
4 name nublished in tha nubIic na,ys,,,,nr
"a n betrayer of the civil rights of A ma,
{lna and he forever daamad ;nf,mors nm
q l,at,.a var Of his no,,ntry "''
THAT soma DeIowaraans a;t,o, f.o,
love Of eain or loyoItv IN Kina G.nrn
faised IN s,,nnort tba pbil,dai,,S;, a,re,
ment, is seen in the following extract fr0l
another letter written by George Rea'
10 force these 'betrayers of the civ
S rights of America" to comply with ii
N Increment. there was annointad in ooo
town. he tells us. IA committee of /;
me- spection to watch the trade. The duty
n these persons is to examine what goot
|S3H are brought into this government ana
| case they discover any sales nv sbo
&X keepers Of articles NOT cxcenteJ ~ rn,o
the same to the general committee, wi
shall determine what shall be done ther
upon." Notwithstanding these nreco
l|!8y tions, many a Tory dame-espcciail din
n; mo tbe british ooennot;on nf Dill ~ ~
i nbia-drans ..confns;nn to ,bo rah nii,.'
Tel which seemed more fragrant. bnc,n
E3t was smuqVlaJ osbora fron, Ith
z1} Fpe's Sims