USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 1 > Part 24
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March, for reasons which fully appear in the report made by them at that time, as follows: 1
" Freehold, Monmouth County, Committee. "FREEHOLD, March 6, 1775.
" Although the Committee of Observation and Inspection for the Township of Freehold, in the County of Monmouth, New Jersey, was constituted early in December last, and the members have statedly and assiduously attended to the business assigned them ever since, yet they have hitherto deferred the publication of their institution, in hopes of the general concur- rence of the other Townships in the choice of a new County Committee, when one publication might have served for the whole; but finding some of them have hitherto declined to comply with the recommendation of the General Con- gress in that respect, and not knowing whether they intend it at all, they judge it highly expe- dient to transmit the following account to the Press, lest their brethren in distant parts of the Colony should think the County of Monmouth altogether inactive at the present important crisis. [Here follows an account of the Free- hold meeting of December 10, 1774, already mentioned.]
"At an early meeting of said Committee, a pamphlet, entitled Free Thoughts on the Resolves of the Congress, by A. W. Farmer, was handed in to them, and their opinion of it asked by a number of their constituents then present. Said pamphlet was then read, and upon mature de- liberation, unanimously declared to be a per- formance of the most pernicious and malignant tendency; replete with the most specious soph- istry, but void of any solid or rational argu- ment; calculated to deceive and mislead the unwary, the ignorant and the credulous; and designed, no doubt, by the detestable author to damp that noble spirit of union which he sees prevailing all over the continent, and, if possi- ble, to sap the foundations of American freedom. The pamphlet was afterwards handed back to the people, who immediately bestowed upon it a suit of tar and turkey-buzzard's feathers; one
1 Minutes Prov. Cong. and Council of Safety, 1775-76, pp. 95-97.
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122
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
of the persons concerned in the operation justly observing that, although the feathers were plucked from the most stinking fowl in the creation, he thought they fell far short of being a proper emblem of the author's odiousness to every advocate for true freedom. The same person wished, however, he had the pleasure of fitting him with a suit of the same materials. The pamphlet was then, in its gorgeous attire, nailed up firmly to the pillory-post, there to remain as a monument of the indignation of a free and loyal people against the author and vendor of a publication so evidently tending both to subvert the liberties of America and the Constitution of the British Empire.
" At a subsequent meeting of said committee it was resolved unanimously that on account of sundry publications in the pamphlet way by James Rivington, printer, of New York, and also a variety of weekly productions in his pa- per, blended, in general with the most glaring falsehoods, disgorged with the most daring ef- frontery, and all evidently calculated to disunite the colonies and sow the seeds of discord and contention through the whole continent, they do esteem him a base and malignant enemy to the liberties of this country, and think he ought justly to be treated as such by all considerate and good men. And they do for themselves now publickly declare (and recommend the same conduct . to their constituents) that they will have no connection with him, the said Riving- ton, while he continues to retail such dirty, scandalous and traitorious performances ; but hold him in the utmost contempt as a noxious, exotick plant, incapable either of cultivation or improvement in this soil of freedom, and only fit to be transported.
"This committee did early make application to every other township in the county, recom- mending the election of committees; and they soon had information that those of Upper Free- hold, Middletown and Dover had chosen theirs, and were resolved to enforce the measures of the Congress.
"N. B .- A very considerable number of the inhabitants of Freehold have formed themselves into companies and chosen military instructors,
under whose tuition they are making rapid im- provement.
"Signed by order of the Committee,
" JOHN ANDERSON, "Chairman."
By this report it is shown that while the other townships of Monmouth-Freehold, Up- per Freehold, Middletown and Dover-were prompt to adopt the recommendation of Con- gress, Shrewsbury refused to do so,-partly by reason of the influence of a few Quakers living there, but chiefly because of the Tory element, which was strong in that township from the very first, and which had over- powered the efforts of a few of the patriotic inhabitants of the township who had attempted to secure the organization of a committee there as in the other townships of the county, and to that end had issued the following, which was posted in all the public places, viz. :
"ADVERTISEMENT."
"Shrewsbury, January 2d, 1775.
"Agreeable to the Resolutions of the late General Continental Congress: The Inhabitants of the town of Shrewsbury-more especially such as are properly qualified for choosing Representatives to serve in the General Assembly, are hereby warned to meet at the house of Josiah Halstead, in said Shrewsbury, on Tuesday, the 17th of this instant January, at noon, in order to choose a Committee for the several purposes as directed by the said Congress.
"As the method ordered by the Congress seems to be the only peaceable method the case will admit of, on failure of which, confirmed Slavery or a civil war of course succeeds ; the bare mention of either of the two last is shocking to human nature, more particu- larly so to all true friends of the English Constitution: Therefore it becomes the indispensable Duty of all such to use their utmost endeavours in favour of the first or peaceable method, and suffer it not to miscarry or fail of its salutary and much desired effects by any sinister views or indolence of theirs. Surely ex- pecting on the one hand to be loaded with the curses arising from slavery to the latest posterity, or on the other hand, the guilt of blood of thousands of their Brethren and fellow Christians to lay at their door, and to be justly required at their hands. Think well of this before it is too late, and let not the precious moments pass."
The meeting was held, but without result as to the appointment of a committee, as is shown by the following extract from a letter written
123
MONMOUTH COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.
ยท by an inhabitant of Shrewsbury (evidently of Tory proclivities) to a friend in New York on the day following the meeting .. He says : " In consequence of an anonymous advertisement fixed up in this place, giving notice to Free- holders and others to meet on Tuesday, the 17th inst., in order to choose a Committee of Inspec- tion, etc., between thirty and forty of the most respectable freeholders accordingly met, and after a few debates on the business of the Day, which were carried on with great decency and moderation, it was generally agreed (there being only four or five dissenting votes) that the ap- pointment of a committee was not only useless, but they were apprehensive would prove a means of disturbing the peace and quietness which had hitherto existed in the township, and would continue to use their utmost endeavours to preserve and guard against running upon that ' rock on which, with much concern, they behold others, through inattentive rashness, daily split- ting."
The very unsatisfactory result in Shrewsbury and the repeated refusals of the people of that township to organize a committee, continued and adhered to during the following two months, finally brought out the following de- claration from the Freehold Committee,1 viz. :
"MARCH 14, 1775, P. M.
"The Committee of Observation for the Township of Freehold, in the County of Monmouth, New Jer- sey, have made repeated applications to the inhabit- ants of the Township of Shrewsbury earnestly re- questing and exhorting them to comply with the instructions of the late American Congress in consti- tuting for themselves a Committee of Observation, that they might conspire with their brethren in the other Towns belonging to the County in executing the Re- solves of said Congress; but although they have entertained hopes, notwithstanding their former op- position, that they would do it at their stated annual town-meeting, they are at this late hour informed that the said annual meeting of Shrewsbury is broke up without a Committee being chosen, or any one step taken whereby the least disposition is discovered of their being inclined to adopt the Resolutions of said Congress. They think it therefore their duty, how- ever painful the declaration, to bear publiek testimony against them.
And we do unanimously enter into the following
1 Minutes of the Council of Safety, 1775, page 99.
Resolve, viz .: That from and after this day, during our continuance as a Committee (unless they shall turn from the evil of their ways, and testify their re- pentance by adopting the measures of Congress), we will esteem and treat them, the said inhabitants of Shrewsbury, as enemies to their King and Country, and deserters from the common cause of true freedom ; and we will hereafter break off all dealings and con- nection with them while they continue their opposi- tion.2 We do furthermore recommend the same con- duct towards them to our constituents and all others, earnestly hoping it may be a means of reclaiming those deluded people to their duty and interest, whom we shall always be pleased to receive and treat as re- turning prodigals.
"Signed by order of the Committee.
"NATHANIEL SCUDDER, "Clerk, "Freehold."
Finally, more than five months after the first committee had been organized in Monmouth County, the patriots of Shrewsbury prevailed over their opponents, as far as concerned the constituting of a Committee of Safety, the election of which is thus recorded :
"At a meeting of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the township of Shrewsbury, this 27th day of May, 1775, the following persons were, by a great majority, chosen a Committee of Observation for the said Town, agreeable to the direction of the General Continental
2 An instance of action taken by the committee under this resolution is found in the minutes of the Council of Safety, 1775-76, p. 100, viz. :
" FREEHOLD, MONMOUTH COUNTY, COMMITTEE, " April 3, 1775.
" Thomas Leonard, Esquire, having been duly notified to appear this day before the Committee of Inspection for the township of Freehold, in the County of Monmouth, New Jersey, and answer to a number of complaints made against him, did not think proper to attend.
" The Committee therefore proceeded, with care and impartiality, to consider the evidence laid before them, and were unanimously of opinion that the said Thomas Leon- ard, Esquire, has in a number of instances been guilty of a breach of the Continental Association, and that, pursuant to the tenour of said Association, every friend of true free- dom ought immediately to break off all connexion and deal- ings with him, the said Leonard, and treat him as a foe to the rights of British America.
"Ordered, That their Clerk transmit a copy of this judgment to the Press,
"Signed, accordingly, by
" NATH. SCUDDDER,
"Clerk."
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124
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Congress held at Philadelphia, September 5th, 1774, viz. :
" Josiah Holmes Joseph Throckmorton
Samuel Longstreet David Knott
Nicholas Van Brunt
Benjamin Dennis
Cor. Vanderveer Daniel Hendrickson
Samuel Breese
Garret Longstreet
Thomas Morford
Cornelius Lane
John Little
"Ordered : That Daniel Hendrickson and Nicholas Van Brunt, or either of them, do attend the Provincial Congress now sitting at Trenton, with full power to represent there this Town of Shrewsbury. And that Josiah Holmes, David Knott and Samuel Breese be a sub-committee to prepare instructions for the Deputy or Deputies who are to attend the Congress at Tren- ton. Josiah Holmes was unanimously chosen Chair- man.
" JOSIAH HOLMES,
" Chairman and Town Clerk."
On the 11th of January, 1775, the New Jersey members of the Continental Congress reported its proceedings to the Assembly of their province, which body unanimously signi- fied its approval of the said proceedings,1 and resolved that the same delegates should repre- sent New Jersey in the next Congress, in which they should propose and vote for every reason- able and constitutional measure for a settlement of the differences between the colonies and Great Britain, and should again report the pro- ceedings of the Congress to the Assembly of the province.
of organizing to carry its measures into effect. Some of the means proposed to be adopted to accomplish the objects desired are shown in the minutes of a meeting held in Hanover township Morris County, February 15, 1775, which re- solved unanimously as follows :
" 1st. That they will discourage all unlawful, tu- multuous and disorderly meetings of the people within
their Districts, and upon all occasions exert them- selves to the utmost of their power, and oppose and prevent any violence offered to the person or property of any one.
"2d. That they will take notice of all Horse Racing, Cock-Fighting and every kind of Gaming whatsoever, and cause the offenders to be prosecuted according to law; and discourage every species of extravagant entertainments and amusements whatsoever, agreea- ble to the eighth article of the Association of the Continental Congress.
"3d. That this Committee will, after the first day of March next, esteem it a violation of the seventh article of the said Association if any person or per- sons should kill any Sheep until it is four years old, or sell any such Sheep to any person whom he or they may have cause to suspect will kill them or carry them to market; and, further, that they will esteem it a breach of said article if any inhabitant of this Township should sell any Sheep of any kind what- soever to any person dwelling out of this County, or to any person who they may have cause to suspect will carry them out of this County, without leave first obtained of this Committee.
"4th. That we do recommend to the inhabitants of this Township the cultivation of Flax and Hemp to the greatest extent that their lands and circum- stances will admit of.
"5th. That from several Pamphlets and Publica- tions printed by James Rivington, of New York, Printer, we esteem him as an incendiary, employed by a wicked Ministry to disunite and divide us; and therefore we will not, for ourselves, have any connec- tion or dealings with him, and do recommend the same conduct towards him to every person of this Township; and we will discountenance any Post- Rider, Stage-Driver or Carrier who shall bring his Pamphlets or Papers into this County.
"6th. That if any manufacturer of any article made for home consumption, or any Vender of Goods or Merchandises, shall take advantage of the necessities of his country by selling at an unusual price, such person shall be considered an enemy to his country;
1 " Such members as were Quakers excepting only to such parts as seemed to wear an appearance or might have a tendency to force, as inconsistent with their religious principles."-Gordon's " History of New Jersey," p. 157.
" A " Monmouth Tea Party" was held in April, 1775, in Sandy Hook Bay. A vessel having arrived at the look from England, the pilots all refused to take her up to New York until they were well assured she had no tea on board, -such being their strict instructions from the Committee of Safety. It was finally found that eighteen chests of the forbidden article were on board, whereupon a party of men boarded her, threw the tea into the bay, and even then forbade the captain from going to the city, but forced him to put to sea and return to England.
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A great majority of the people in all parts of the province of New Jersey approved the ob- jects of the association adopted by the Conti- nental Congress, and meetings, numerously attended, were held in the different counties, and in many of the townships, for the purpose , and do recommend it to the inhabitants of this Town- ship to remember that after the first day of March next no East Indian Tea2 is to be used in any case whatsoever.
125
MONMOUTH COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.
"7th. That we will in all cases whatsoever, and at all events, use our utmost endeavors to comply with and enforce every article of the Association of the General Continental Congress."
These resolutions, being nearly identical in their import with those passed by meetings of freeholders and committees in nearly all the other counties, are reproduced here at length as showing the remarkable earnestness with which the people indorsed and promised "to comply with and enforce every article of the Associa- tion." The condemnation of Rivington and his publications, so strongly expressed in these resolutions-and quite as strongly in the decla- ration of the Freehold committee, before quoted -was enunciated in the same forcible manner in other county meetings, by some of which he was denounced as "a vile Ministerial hire- ling employed to disunite the colonies, and ca- lumniate all their measures entered into for the publick good;" as an enemy to his country, and a person to be hated, shunned and dis- countenanced by all friends of American liberty.
On the morning of Wednesday, the 19th of April, 1775, a detachment of British regular troops that had been sent out from Boston to the town of Concord, Mass., met and fired on a body of armed, but unorganized and undisci- plined, farmers and mechanics, who had collected at Lexington Common. The volley of the regulars told with an effect fatal to some of the Provincials, and this was the first blood shed in the war of the Revolution. Before the crack of the yeomen's rifles had ceased to sound along the road from Lexington to Boston, the Com- mittee of Safety of the town of Watertown had sent out express-riders to carry the news south and west. The dispatch destined for New York and Philadelphia passed on through Worcester, Norwich, New London, Lyme, Say- brook, Guildford, Brandford, New Haven and Fairfield (being successively forwarded by re- lays by the committees of these places), and reached the chamber of the New York com- mittee at four o'clock P.M., on Sunday, the 23d of April. From New York 1 the dispatch
was forwarded with all haste to New Bruns- wick, from which place the momentous tidings spread like wild-fire up the valley of the Raritan to the mountains, and in the other direction, across the hills and plains of Middle- sex and Monmouth to the sea, while the mes- sengers with the committee's dispatch sped on to Trenton and Philadelphia.
Upon the receipt of the alarming news from Lexington, the Committee of Correspondence for the province was summoned by its chair- man to convene for deliberation, and to take such action as might seem necessary. The committee accordingly met, and the following is the record 2 of its proceedings on that occa- sion, viz. :
" At a meeting of the New Jersey Provincial Com- mittee of Correspondence (appointed by the Provincial Congress) at the City of New Brunswick, on Tuesday, the second day of May, Anno Domini 1775, agreeable to summons of Hendrick Fisher, Esq., Chairman.
"Present, Hendrick Fisher, Samuel Tucker, Joseph Borden, Joseph Riggs, Isaac Pearson, John Chet- wood, Lewis Ogden, Isaac Ogden, Abraham Hunt and Elias Boudinot, Esquires.
" The Committee, having seriously taken into con- sideration as well the present alarming and very ex- traordinary conduct of the British Ministry, for carry- ing into execution sundry Acts of Parliament for the express purpose of raising a revenue in America, and other unconstitutional measures therein mentioned ; and also the several acts of hostility that they have actually commenced for this purpose by the Regular Forces under General Gage against our brethren of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, and not knowing how soon this Province may be in a state of confusion and disorder if there are not some
forwarded by express to New Brunswick, with Di- rections to stop at Elizabeth Town, and acquaint the Committee there with the following particulars. By order of the Committee, Isaac Low, Chairman. The Committee at New Brunswick are requested to forward this to Phila." The other indorsements made on the dis- patch in its passage through New Jersey were as follows : "New Brunswick, Ap. 24, 1775, 2 o'clock in the morning, recd. the above express and forwarded to Princeton,-Wm. Oake, Jas. Neilson, Az. Dunham, come."; "Princeton, Monday, Apl. 24, 6 o'clock, and forwd. to Trenton,-Tho. Wiggins, Jon. Baldwin, com. members" ; "Trenton, Mon- day, Apl. 24, 9 o'clock in the morning, recd. the above per express and forwarded the same to the Committee of Phila- delphia,-Sam Tucker, Isaac Smith, come."
2 Minutes of the Provincial Congress and. Council of
1 At New York the dispatch was thus indorsed by the committee : " Recd. the within Account by express and | Safety, 1775-76, p. 108.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
effectual measures speedily taken to prevent the same; this Committee are unanimously of opinion, and do hereby advise and direct, that the Chairman do im- mediately call a Provincial Congress to meet at Tren- ton on Tuesday, the twenty-third day of this instant, in order to consider and determine such matters as may then and there come before them; and the several Counties are hereby desired to nominate and appoint their respective Deputies for the same, as speedily as may be, with full and ample powers for such purposes as may be thought necessary for the peculiar exigencies of this Province.
"The Committee do also direct their Chairman to forward true copies of the above minute to the several County Committees of this Province without delay.
"HENDRICK FISHER, " Chairman."
In accordance with this call of the committee, delegates from the several counties of the prov- ince assembled on Tuesday, the 23d of May, at Trenton, where, on the following day, they organized as "The Provincial Congress of New Jersey," by electing Hendrick Fisher president, Jonathan D. Sergeant secretary, and William Paterson and Frederick Frelinghuysen assist- ant secretaries. The number of delegates in attendance was eighty-seven. Those represent- ing Monmouth County were Edward Taylor, Joseph Saltar, Robert Montgomery, John Holmes, John Covenhoven, Daniel Hendrick- son and Nicholas Van Brunt. One of these, Edward Taylor, was at the same time a mem- ber of the Colonial Assembly of New Jersey.
The Provincial Congress remained in session at Trenton eleven days. The most important business of the session was consummated on the day of adjournment, in the adoption of "a plan for regulating the Militia of this Colony," and the passage of "an ordinance for raising a sum of money for the purpose therein men- tioned,"-that is to say, for the purpose of organizing and arming the militia troops and preparing them for active service when neces- sary. The preamble and first three sections of the militia bill then passed were as follows:
"The Congress, taking into consideration the cruel and arbitrary measures adopted and pursued by the British Parliament and present ministry for the pur- pose of subjugating the American Colonies to the most abject servitude, and being apprehensive that all pacific measures for the redress of our grievances will prove ineffectual, do think it highly necessary
that the inhabitants of this Province be forthwith properly armed and disciplined for defending the cause of American freedom. And, further, considering that, to answer this desirable end, it is requisite that such persons be intrusted with the command of the Militia as can be confided in by the people, and are truly zealous in support of our just rights and privi- leges, do recommend and advise that the good people of this Province henceforward strictly observe the following rules and regulations, until this Congress shall make further order therein :
"1st. That one or more companies, as the case may require, be immediately formed in each Township or Corporation, and, to this end, that the several Com- mittees in this Province do, as soon as may be, acquaint themselves with the number of male inhabit- ants in their respective districts, from the age of sixteen to fifty, who are capable of bearing arms; and thereupon form them into companies consisting, as near as may be, of eighty men each; which companies so formed shall, each by itself, assemble and choose, by plurality of voices, four persons among them- selves, of sufficient substance and capacity for its officers,-namely, one captain, two lieutenants and an ensign.
"2d. That the officers so chosen appoint for their respective companies fit persons to be sergeants, cor- porals and drummers.
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