USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 26
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 26
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Philadelphia.
Gentlemen :- We beg leave to refer you to the enclosed paper for the steps we have taken on the present alarm- ing occasion. The Governor declining to call the As- sembly, renders it necessary to take the sentiments of the Inhabitants ; and for that purpose it is agreed to call a Meeting of the Inhabitants of this city and the county at the State House, on Wednesday, the 15th instant .- And as we would wish to have the sentiments and con- currence of our brethren in the several counties, who are equally interested with us in the General Cause, we earnestly desire you to call together the principal Inhab-
* An abridgement of this relic would have destroyed the in- terest of the whole.
LANCASTER COUNTY. 373
itants of your county and take their sentiments. We shall forward to you by every occasion, any matters of consequence that come to our knowledge, and we should be glad you would choose and appoint a Committee to Correspond with us.
Signed by order of the committee of Corres- pondence,for the city of Philadelphia. CHARLES THOMPSON, Clerk.
In pursuance of which, and also of another large letter wrote by Mr. Charles Thompson, and sent to the inhabi- tants of this borough, directed to the care of Mr. Wil- liam Atlee, a meeting was held on the 15th day of June, 1774. And the following Resolves were agreed on, viz: At a meeting of the inhabitants of the borough of Lan- caster, at the court house in the said borough, on Wednes- day, the 15th day of June, 1774: Agreed-that to pre- serve the Constitutional rights of the inhabitants of America, it is incumbent on every colony, to unite and use the most effectual means to procure a repeal of the late act of Parliament against the town of Boston.
That the act of Parliament for blocking up the port and harbor of Boston, is an invasion of the rights of the inhabitants of the said town, as subjects of the crown of Great Britain. That it is the opinion of the inhabitants at this meeting that the proper and effectual means to be used to obtain a repeal of the said act, will be to put an immediate stop to all imports, and exports, to and from Great Britain, until the same act be repealed.
That the traders and inhabitants of this town will join and concur with the patriotic merchants, manufacturers, tradesmen, and freeholders, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and other parts of this province, in an association or solemn agreement to this purpose, if the same shall be by them thought necessary.
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That Edward Shippen, Esq., George Ross, Esq., Jasper Yeates, Esq., Mathias Slough, Esq., James Webb, Esq., William Atlee, Esq., William Henry, Esq., Mr. Ludwig Lauman, Mr. William Bausman and Mr. Charles Hall, be a committee to correspond with the general committee of Philadelphia ; that these sentiments be immediately forwarded to the committee of correspondence at Philadelphia.
The gentlemen above named, after being chosen and appointed a committee of correspondence, resolved upon the following letter to be transmitted to the committee of Philadelphia, directed to Mr. Charles Thompson, and is as follows, viz :
Lancaster, the 15th June, 1774.
SIR :- Agreeable to the request of the Committee of Correspondence for the city of Philadelphia, signified to some of the Inhabitants here, by your letter. We have this evening had a Meeting of the Inhabitants of this Town, (at which a very great number attended) at the Court House, and unanimously gave their assent to the Resolves or Agreement inclosed. As taking the senti- ments of the county could not be so expeditiously done by having a general Meeting of the Inhabitants, we thought best to give you those of the Town, and have the pleasure now to assure you that the Inhabitants of the county in general begin to entertain similar opinions within, as to this matter-and no doubt, heartily concur in them at a Meeting which we shall endeavor as soon as possible to have with them. We hope you will give us intelligence of any matters worthy of notice, and be assured we shall do everything in our power to promote the General Interest.
We are, &c. Signed by
Edward Shippen, James Webb, Matthias Slough,
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
William Atlee, William Henry, Esqrs., Messrs. Ludwig Lauman, William Bausman, Charles Hall.
Ordered that Eberhart Michael the clerk of this com- mittee do forward a copy of this day's resolves to Mr. Charles Thompson, the clerk of the committee at Philadel- phia, with a copy of this letter, signed by him.
At a meeting of the committee of correspondence, ap- pointed for the borough of Lancaster, the 2d of July, 1774, Edward Shippen, Esq. being chosen chairman : The committee taking into consideration the resolves of the respectable inhabitants of the city and county of Phil- adelphia, on the 18th of June last ; as also, the circular letters signed by the chairman of their said committee, the honorable Thomas Willig, Esq.
Resolved, That they do most heartily concur with their brethren of Philadelphia, in the mode proposed for taking the sentiments of the good people of this province, on the present alarming and critical situation of the American colonies, therefore,
Resolved, That notice be given to the freemen and inhabitants of this county with the utmost expedition, to choose a committee to join with the committees of the other counties of this province to meet at Philadelphia, for the very great and useful purposes mentioned in the said resolves and circular letters: and therefore,
Resolved, That the freemen and inhabitants of this county be requested to meet on Saturday, the ninth day of this instant, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, at the court house, in Lancaster, for the purpose aforesaid.
N. B. The said resolves of the committee at this meeting, being ordered to be printed, and the same after they were printed, signed by Edward Shippen, Esq., the chairman, Sent and put up at all public places in the county.
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Now following the copy of the circular letter mention- ed in the last foregoing resolves, and is from word to ยท word, as followeth, to wit :
Philadelphia, June 28th, 1774.
Gentlemen :- The committee of correspondence for this city and county beg leave to enclose you printed copies of the resolves passed at a very large and respectable meeting of the freeholders and freemen, in the State House square, on Saturday, the 18th instant. By the 4th of those resolves, you will observe that it was left for the committee "To determine on the most proper mode of collecting the sense of this province in the present critical situation of our affairs, and appointing deputies to attend the proposed Congress. . In pursuance of this trust, we have, upon the maturest deliberation, determined upon a mode contained in the two following propositions, which, we hope, may meet with the approbation and concur --- rence of your respectable county, viz:
First : "That the Speaker of the honorable House of Representatives be desired to write to the several mem- bers of Assembly in this province, requesting them to meet in this city as soon as possible, but no later than the Ist of August next, to take into their consideration our very alarming situation.
Second : ' That letters be written to proper persons in each county, recommending it to them, to get committees appointed to their respective counties, aud that the said committees or such a number of them as may be thought proper, may meet at Philadelphia, at the time the repre- sentatives are convened, in order to consult and advise on the most expedient mode of appointing deputies for the general Congress, and to give their weight to such as may be appointed.'
The Speaker of the Assembly, in a very obliging and
.
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ready manner, had agreed to comply with the request in the former of those propositions ; but we are now inform- ed that, on account of the Indian disturbances, the Gov- ernor has found it necessary to call the Assembly to meet in their legislative capacity, on Monday, the 18th of July, being about the same time the Speaker would probably have invited them to a conference or convention in their private capacity.
What we have therefore to request is, that if you approve of the mode expressed in the second proposition, the whole or part of the committee appointed, or to be appointed for your county, will meet the committees from the other counties, at Philadelphia, on Friday the fifteenth of July, in order to assist in framing instructions, and preparing such matter as may be proper to recommend to our representatives, at their meeting the Monday following.
We trust, no apology is necessary for the trouble we propose giving your committee of attending at Philadel- phia, as we are persuaded you are fully convinced of the necessity of the closest Union among ourselves, both in sentiment and action ; nor can such union be obtained so well by any other method, as by a meeting of the county committees of each particular province in one place, preparatory to the general Congress.
We would not offer such an affront to the well known public spirit of Pennsylvania, as to question your zeal on the present occasion. Our very existence in the ranks of freemen, and the security of all that ought to be dear to us, evidently depend upon our conducting this great cause to its proper issue by firmness, wisdom and unanimity. We cannot therefore doubt your ready concurrence in every measure that may be conducive to the public good; and it is with pleasure we can assure you, that all the
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colonies, from South Carolina to New Hampshire, seem animated with one spirit in the common cause, and con- sider this as the proper crisis for having our differences with the mother country brought to some certain issue, and our liberty fixt upon a permanent foundation. This desirable end can only be accomplished by a free com- munion of sentiments, and a sincere fervent regard to the interests of our common country. We beg to be favored with an answer to this, and whether the committee for your county can attend at Philadelphia, at the time pro- posed. Signed by order of the committee.
THOMAS WILLIG, Chairman.
To the committee for Lancaster county.
Pursuant to the publication of the resolves of the com- mittee before mentioned: A general meeting of the freemen and inhabitants of this county, (of Lancaster,). was held on Saturday, the 9th of July, 1774.
George Ross, Esq., being chosen chairman. This assembly taking into serious consideration the several late acts of the British Parliament, relative to Anierica ; came unanimously to the following declarations and resolves, viz :
1. We do sincerely profess and declare, that his most gracious majesty King George the third, is our rightful and lawful sovereign; and that we will support and defend him to the utmost of our power with our lives and fortunes against his enemies.
2. We do further declare that no power is constitu- tionally lodged in the hands of any body of men, to give and grant our money, save only our representatives in Assembly, who have at all times cheerfully granted aid to his majesty whenever he has made requisition from them.
3. That the acts of the British Parliament for divest
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ing us of such right, and assuming such power them- selves, are unconstitutional, unjust and oppressive.
4. That it is an indispensible duty we owe to ourselves and posterity, to oppose with decency and firmness, every measure tending to deprive us of our just rights and privileges.
5. That a close union of the colonies, and their faith- fully adhering to such measures as a general Congress shall judge proper, are the most likely means to procure redress of American grievances, and settle the rights of the colonies on a permanent basis.
6. That it is highly expedient to appoint a committee to meet the committees of the other counties of this prov- ince, at Philadelphia, on the 15th instant, to confer with them on the important matters, mentioned in the letter from the chairman of the committe of Philadelphia.
7. That we will sincerely and heartily agree to and abide by the measures which shall be adopted by the members of the general Congress of the colonies.
8. That we tenderly sympathize with our brethren of Boston, who are suffering in the American cause, by an. unconstitutional and oppressive act of the British Parlia- ment, called the Boston Port bill
9. That a subscription be opened for the relief of our suffering brethren there.
10. That the subscription be put into the hands of the committee of this county, to be by them laid out in the pur- chase of provisions and sent to Boston towards the relief of their distresses.
11. That the committee for the borough of Lancaster already appointed, be a committee of correspondence, and that George Ross, James Webb, Mathias Slough, Joseph Ferree, Emanuel Carpenter and William Atlee, Esqrs., Mr. Alexander Lowry, Mr. Moses Irwin, be a
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committee to meet and consult with the committees of the other counties of this province at Philadelphia the 15th inst., and also to join with the committee of correspond- ence in receiving subscriptions for the relief our Boston brethren.
It was then moved, that the thanks of the freemen and inhabitants present, should be rendered to the worthy Chairman for the very proper and spirited address made by him to this Assembly, replete with the warmest expressions of loyalty to his Majesty, and fervent zeal for the common interest of America-which motion was agreed to by a general holding up of hands, and the thanks of the Assembly were then presented to Mr. Ross for his patriotic conduct upon this occasion.
EBERHART MICHAEL, CIK.
A subscription was then immediately opened by the committee for the benefit of our suffering brethren of the town of Boston, and very handsome sums subscribed by several of the persons present, and at the request of numbers of the reputable inhabitants, papers are printing and sending to the different townships, to receive the subscriptions of the inhabitants of this county, which, it is expected, will amount to a considerable sum, and will be collected as expeditiously as possible by the com- mittee and laid out as shall be thought to answer the good purpose intended.
A paper was delivered by Mr. Elijah Weikersham, to the Chairman at this meeting, and read by him, contain- ing similar resolves (with the above) of the freemen of the townships of Paxton and Derry, at their meeting at the town of Middletown on the 8th last past, and signed by James Bird, Esq., chairman.
At a meeting of the committee of the county of Lan-
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caster, at Lancaster, on the 9th September, 1774, Edward Shippen, Esq. in the chair.
The subscription received for the relief of the distresses of the poor inhabitants of the town of Boston, were laid before the committee, and it appeareth that the sum of one hundred and fifty three pounds, fifteen shillings and two pence, has been collected in the Borough of Lancas- ter for the purposes aforesaid, and it being put to the vote whether the said sum should not be immediately remitted to Philadelphia to Mr. John Nixon the Treasurer of the city and county of Philadelphia, to be laid out in such manner as the committee for the said city and county- should think proper for the relief of our distressed poor brethren of the town of Boston, the same was carried in the affirmative, and Edward Shippen, Esq., the chairman, is requested to forward the said sum of money forthwith to Philadelphia for the purpose aforesaid.
At this time no proper account could possibly be had of the subscription papers of the several townships. in this county.
The following letter was omitted entering in its proper. place, and is as follows, to wit :-
Gentlemen :- Enclosed you will receive a printed cir- cular letter signed by the chairman of our committee, and the resolves therein referred to, with some other printed papers. The use to be made of them, your own prudence and good judgment will suggest; we would be glad to hear as soon as possible from the committee for your county, and are
Your most humble servant, WILLIAM SMITH.
Your assured friend, ISAAC HOWELL.
Philadelphia, June 29, 1774.
To Edward Shippen and George Ross, Esq'rs., who
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are requested to communicate the enclosed papers to the other gentlemen of the committee.
Those gentlemen named and appointed at the meeting of the 9th July last, did attend the provincial convention at Philadelphia, on Monday the 15th then next. And the proceedings together with the resolves of that provin- cial committee, hath been inserted in the public papers.
At a meeting of the committee August 11th, they were informed that Joshua and Robert Lockharts, of this borough, shopkeepers, had brought to this town a quantity of tea, that hath paid duty under the late act of parliament. A note was therefore sent to them by the committee requiring their immediate attendance. In consequence thereof one of the partners called on the committee, but denied their having received any tea, but as this account by no means appeared satisfactory from several matters which escaped the partner attending, the committee did inspect their shop, and with some diffi- culty learned of a chest of Bohea tea, weight 349 neat weight which they had bought from a certain merchant in Philadelphia. The committee taking an account of all the marks of the case in which it was packed, removed the tea, and wrote to the committee of Philadelphia, who examined the matter, and it appeareth that this tea never had paid any duty, but was part of a seizure made by the Custom house and was afterwads purchased at public sale by the original owner of it, as by a letter from the committee of Philadelphia, dated August 25th, wrote and signed by the Honorable Thomas Willing, the chairman, directed to this committee, appears ; upon which, the said teas were returned again, and the said Lockharts were acquitted.
The Continental Congress held at Philadelphia, the 5th of September, 1774, continued to the 25th of October
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
The votes and proceedings of which, have since been pub- lished in the public papers, and printed also by a pam- phlet containing the bill of rights, list of grievances, occasional resolves, the association, an address to the people of Great Britain, a memorial to the inhabitants of the British American Colonies, and petition to the King.
November 22nd, 1774. The committee of this bor- ough met and the following hand bill by them ordered to be printed, and sent to, and put up at all the public places in this county viz :
To the freeholders and electors of the county of Lancaster :
The committee for the borough of Lancaster, taking in their consideration the resolves and recommendations of the American continental Congress, request that the free- holders and others qualified to vote for Representatives in Assembly for the county of Lancaster, would meet at the Court house, in Lancaster, on Thursday the fifteenth day of December next, to choose by ballot sixty proper persons for a committee, to observe the conduct of all . persons touching the general Association of the general Congress ; which committee, it is proposed, when elected, shall divide the county into different districts, and appoint members of the committee to superintend each district, and any six of the members so appointed for a district to be a quorum for transacting business.
It will be necessary, previous to the general election, that each township shall elect a proper person to act as inspector, and receive the tickets of the electors on that day.
On the said 15th day of December, in pursuance to the notice above mentioned, a general election was held at the borough of Lancaster, for this county, and the fol-
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lowing persons were chosen as, and for, a committee, viz:
Lancaster borough-Edward Shippen, George Ross, James Webb, Adam Sim. Kuhn, Jasper Yeates, William Atlee, Adam Reigart, Wm. Bausman, Christian Voght, Eberhart Michael, Charles Hall, Casper Shaffner.
Conestoga-Martin Bare. Manor-John Killhafer, Jacob Wistler, *James Jacks. Hempfield-Val. Breneman .- Manheim-Samuel Bear, Sebastian Graff. (As the first district.) Upper Paxton, Londonderry, Derry, Hanover and Paxton, (the second district,)-Paxton-James Burd, do. Joseph Sherer-Hanover, Timothy Green-Derry, Castle Byers, do. * William Laird, do. * Robert McKee- Londonderry, John Campbell,-Paxton, John Bakes- tose-Upper Paxton, William Patterson-Hanover, William Brown, do. James Crawford. Warwick, Rapho, Mountjoy and Donegal, (the 3rd district,) Mountjoy, *James Cunningham, do. Abrm. Frederick-Rapho, Ja- cob Erisman, do. Patrick Hay-Donegal, *Bartram Gal- braith, do. Alexander Lowrey, do. Fred'k Mumma- Warwick, Jacob Erb, do. Peter Grubb. Bethel, Heidel- berg, Elizabeth and Lebanon, (the 4th District,-Leba- non, Thomas Clark, do. Curtis Grubb, do. Henry Light- Bethel, #Ludwig Shuy, do. * Casper Corr, do. #John Bi- shon-Heidleburg, John Weiser-Bethel, *Killian Long, do. * Sam'l Jones-Elizabeth, Hans Frantz, Lebanon, Henry Bealor. Brecknock, Carnarvon, Cocalico and Earl, (the 5th District,)-Earl, *Alex'r Martin, do. "Emanuel Carpenter, do. #Anthony Ellmaker, do. Wm. Smith, do. #Zacheus Davis, do. Geo. Rein, do. Jno. Bru- baker-Cocalico, John Jones-Brecknock, Benj. Lessley- Carnarvon, David Jenkins. Lampeter, Strasburg, Lea- cock and Salisbury, (the 6th District,)-Salisbury *James Clemson, do. * Jno. Whitehill-Leacock, David Watson, do. Nath'l Lightner-Strasburg, Eberhart Grube, do.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
Mich'l Witter-Lampeter, Jno. Witmer, Jr. Martick, Bart, Sadsbury, Colerain, Little Britain and Drumore, (the 7th district,)-Sadsbury, Robert Baily-Little Brit- ain, John Allton-Drumore, *Thos. Porter-Bart, Jacob Bare -- Colerain, Joshua Anderson-Martick, Jno. Snod- grass- Drumore, *William McEntire-Little Britain, Thomas Whitesides-Bart, Hieronimus Hickman.
N. B. The names with Astericks (*) before them, were elected in their respective townships, and upon proper certificates by them produced of their being duly elected, their names being added to committee.
At a meeting of the committee of the borough of Lan- caster. Present, Edward Shippen, Esq. Wm. Bausman, Charles Hall, Christian Voght, Sebastian Graff, Adam Reigart, Casper Shaffner, William Atlee, Peter Grubb, and Eberhart Michael, Edward Shippen, Esq. in the chair.
Several of the reputable inhabitants of this borough of Lancaster, having mentioned their dislike to Mr. Francis -, having opened a dancing school in this borough, (at the present time) and that in their opinion the same was contrary to the eighth article of the association of the continental Congress, and requesting a meeting of this committee and their sentiments on the occasion. Upon consideration of the matter, it is the opinion of this com- mittee, that the said Mr. Francis - -, opening and keeping a dancing school in the said borough, comes within the meaning of the eighth article of the association of the continental Congress, and that the same ought, at the present time, during the unhappy dispute with the mother country, to be discontinued. And Mr. Francis - being sent for, waited upon the committee, and being informed of the sentiments of this committee, agreed and promised to break up and discontinue his said school.
Signed by the members above named.
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A letter received from the committee of corresponderic's of the city of Philadelphia, dated the 22d December, 1774, directed to the committee of this place, of which the following is a copy, viz :
Gentlemen: By order of the committee of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, we have the pleasure to trans- mit you the following resolves, passed this day with great unanimity, viz :
"That this committee think it absolutely necessary that the committees of the counties of this province, or such deputies as they may appoint for this purpose, be request- ed to meet together in provincial convention as soon as 'convenient.
"That it be recommended to the county committees to meet in said convention, on Monday, the 23d day of Jan- uary next, in the city of Philadelphia."
From a view of the present situation of public affairs, the committee have been induced to propose this conven- tion, that the sense of the province may be obtained ; and that the measures to be taken thereupon, may be the 'result of the united wisdom of the colony.
The obvious necessity of giving an immediate conside- ration to many matters of the greatest importance to the general welfare, will, we hope, sufficiently apologize to you for naming so early a day as the 23d of January.
We are, gentlemen, respectfully,
Your humble servants,
Jos. Reed, Charles Thompson, Geo. Clymer, John Nix- on, John Benezet, Sam'l Meredith, Thos. Mifflin, Jona. B. Smith, Committee of correspondence.
The following letter from the committee of correspond- ence for the county of Berks, was sent to the committee of this place, viz:
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