USA > Virginia > Exiles in Virginia : with observations on the conduct of the Society of Friends during the revolutionary war ; comprising the official papers of the government relating to that period. 1777-1778 > Part 15
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" We are your real friends,
Thomas Gilpin,
John Hunt,
Miers Fisher,
James Pemberton,
Samuel Pleasants,
John Pemberton,
Owen Jones, jun.,
Thomas Wharton,
Thomas Pike,
Edward Pennington,
Thomas Affleck,
Henry Drinker,
William Smith, (broker,)
Charles Jervis,
Elijah Brown,
Thomas Fisher,
Charles Eddy,
Samuel R. Fisher.
Israel Pemberton,
" Winchester, 19th of 12th month, 1777.".
13.
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EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
INSTRUCTIONS TO ALEXANDER WHITE, ESQ., WITH A LIST OF PAPERS DELIVERED HIM.
" Our situation has been from the beginning peculiarly hard, as the parties accusing us are the only persons to whom we have been permitted to apply for relief. The only power who could have interfered, the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, having been forbidden to proceed upon writs of habeas corpus, by a law made ex post facto.
" If Congress are disposed to favour our request of a dis- charge, it is most probable they will refer thee to the Council, with whom all arguments should be used for a discharge, and among others, this :
" That they offered to discharge us in Philadelphia, upon our taking the test. The necessity of which being removed by our going there now, and having engaged not to give any in- telligence, all objections are removed.
." If there appears no prospect of a discharge, nor of our having a hearing, we then ask thy best efforts to procure a - supersedeas to the order for our removal to Staunton ; and to obtain this, it will be proper to urge, that the causes are not founded in truth and justice, and among other arguments, the following in regard to Owen Jones, Jr.
" That his sending his gold to a place so distant to exchange "for Continental money which was to be expended here, was by no means depreciating that currency ; but on the contrary, interested him in the support of its credit.
. " With respect to ourselves, the insinuation is false ; for we have never done one act to diminish the confidence of the people in it ; their confidence was less in the Continental cur- rency than in gold, long before our arrival, as many instances within our own knowledge show, and the decrease of this con- + fidence may be accounted for-
" Ist. By the great quantities of it in circulation.
" 2d. The increasing scarcity of gold and silver, which has been exported in large quantities for the purchase of foreign
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goods, and the scarcity of many articles of life, such as salt, spirits, woollen and linen cloths, which have risen to enormous prices, and the scarcity has had an effect upon every article of produce, and introduced a barter of one article for another.
" 3d. The notorious practice of persons in the neighbourhood of the British army, who buy or procure great quantities of Continental currency at a low rate, and take it to a remote place to purchase gold and silver, all manner of produce, and even lands, to realize property, as they term it.
" As this is an increasing thing, the imputation may be made as justly against us at Staunton as any where else they send us. That we are under the immediate protection of the Governor of Virginia, who has promised us protection, and who ought to be consulted as to the place we shall be located in his jurisdic- tion. That we are not prisoners of war, but persons who are deprived of our liberty on groundless suspicions, and ought not to be punished on suspicions, nor before we are convicted.
" With respect to hardships, we represent, inter alia :
" That the stock of necessaries we brought with us is nearly expended ; they have become absolutely necessary, especially in a limestone country, where the water has affected most of us.
" That several of us are in want of linen and warm clothing, which cannot be had here at any price.
" That the season of the year, the badness of the road, want of proper carriages, want of accommodation on the road, will endanger the lives of some of the aged and infirm among us.
" That some of us are not in circumstances to bear such an expense, having no means to support their families in Philadel- phia, but their occupations ; and the money they brought with them in expectation of having their support, is expended, and they have no means of procuring a supply.
" That our general conduct has been inoffensive, not having interfered in any political questions, nor used any means to in- fluence public measures.
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" Thou wilt also endeavour to procure an order for our ex- penses during our confinement here, and the more especially if we are to be continued in confinement, for some of us cannot otherwise support themselves.
" These hints will perhaps assist thee soliciting this affair. But we do not desire to anticipate thy own judgment. And therefore conclude with our best wishes for thy success, and safe return.
" Thy assured and obliged friend,
" In behalf of my fellow-sufferers and myself,
" MIERS FISHER.
" Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, 20th December, 1777.
"To Alexander White, Esquire."
A. White being furnished with the papers, took leave of us this evening, and returned to his home, distant about two miles. He is to go on to Congress at Yorktown, in the morning.
21st day of 12th month .- First day. Our morning meeting was attended by ten, and our afternoon meeting by twelve of our number ; none coming in from the country.
This day George Gilpin of Alexandria arrived, on a visit to us.
In the evening there was a fine aurora borealis.
23d .- A letter was written to our friend Robert Pleasants.
28th .- Nine of our number, and George Gilpin, attended our meeting. Our friend, John Pemberton, appeared both in the morning and afternoon ; in both very profitably.
31st .- Our weekday meeting was attended by ten of our number, and George Gilpin and Joseph Lupton. The account of our being ordered to Staunton had reached our friends in the city, which must cause them great uneasiness.
About 4 o'clock, afternoon, we received a letter from Alex- ander White, Esq., dated at Yorktown, the 26th inst., inform- ing us he had conversed with the Pennsylvania delegates in a
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body, and had delivered our memorial on the 24th. He had conversed with several members of Congress, and entertained some hopes of success.
The preceding "Journal of Transactions, &c.," was kept by the exiles at Winchester, Virginia ; it commenced at the time of their being arrested at Philadelphia, in September, 1777, and continued to 31st December, 1777. This copy is taken from a journal in the handwriting of Samuel R. Fisher, which was his own copy of it; and there does not appear to have been any Journal of the company kept after that time.
The succeeding part of this narrative is copied from the diary of James Pemberton, and thus completes " The Journal of the Friends in Exile in Virginia," it being from the termina- tion of the year 1777 to the 30th of April, 1778, on which day those members of the company which returned, reached Philadelphia.
The diary of James Pemberton is in possession of his grand- son, James P. Parke.
JOURNAL OF THE FRIENDS IN EXILE IN VIRGINIA.
TAKEN FROM THE DIARY OF JAMES PEMBERTON.
Commencing 1st month, 1778, and ending 30th of 4th month, 1778.
Winchester, 1st day of 1st month, 1778 .- Fifth day of the week. A moderate calm pleasant day for the season. In the afternoon, visited by Joseph Pemberton, Isaac and William Jackson, who called on their return from Hopewell.
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EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
4th day. First day of the week .- Nine of our exiled com- pany, with Isaac and William Jackson, Rees Cadwallader, Sarah Brown, and Joseph Pemberton, William Matthew, John Hurst, Edward Jones, John James, Ruth Holland, Ruth Miller, and other friends, attended our morning and afternoon meet- ings ; we were comforted by a sense of ancient kindness.
My brother, John Pemberton, gave a seasonable exhortation, which with a sense of the immediate attendings of Divine favour, gave us fresh occasion for thankfulness.
7th .- At a meeting on the 4th day of the week, our friends from Pennsylvania expressed a desire to see all our banished company together ; and this day being appointed, and notice sent them, our meeting was generally attended, and George Gilpin and our landlady were present.
At the close we had a solid conference, at which our friends were informed of our present situation ; of the order for our removal to Staunton, and our memorial to Staunton.
Our friend Isaac Zane, seemed under a religious concern to visit Congress and the Council. Our Pennsylvania friends all dined with us, and concluded to remain a few days in the neighbourhood, as we have expected the return of Alexander White.
11th .- First day of the week. Ten of our company attended our meeting ; also George Gilpin, Benjamin Hough, John James, Thomas Millhouse, and other Friends. We spent the evening together; conferring on our present circumstances.
We received a letter from Alexander White, Esq., dated at Yorktown, on the 8th instant, informing us he had been at Lancaster, and presented our memorial to the President and Council of Pennsylvania, who soon came to a resolution to refer it to Congress, whose prisoners they considered us to be. That he could not obtain a copy of the resolve. But that the Secretary, Timothy Matlack, communicated to him the letter he had written to the delegates of Pennsylvania, intimating, but not expressly declaring, " That as the original arrest was thought by many not to have answered any good purpose, as
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things had turned out, and the detaining in confinement not ser- viceable to the public cause, they wished us to be released," in fact, that they wanted us to be set at liberty to get rid of us. He said he would urge Congress to come to some further determi- nation, and he hoped to get their decision in a short time, and then to return to us here. A consideration of our business had been postponed by other matters engaging their attention.
Thus we have at length obtained from the Council a tacit acknowledgment of the injustice of our banishment, and a declaration that we are not their prisoners ;- and Congress de- clare they will not have any thing to do with the internal policy of the different states ;- we certainly are not persons subject to the Board of War, for we were not taken as fighting men, or found in arms.
This account of Alexander White, Esq., afforded us a pros- pect of some favourable result ; but our hopes were much allayed by the accounts we subsequently received.
In the afternoon, Colonel David Kennedy called, and read us an order to him from the government of Virginia, directing him to carry into strict execution the orders of Congress, for our immediate removal to Staunton. Thus we are tossed about from one power to another, as we have been from the first of our suffering, which requires a further exercise of our patience and stability.
The contents of this letter plainly implying that Colonel Kennedy was to follow the directions of the Board of War, we informed him of our expectations that he would wait till we heard further from Alexander White, to which he gave us little satisfaction, but appeared to be disposed to urge our im- mediate removal.
13th .- A cold frosty night, keenly cold, with little wind. This morning about 11 o'clock, Colonel Kennedy placed a guard at each door of our house, and we were again made close prisoners ; but in about an hour he ordered them away. Our landlord promoted it, because he found fault with guards being at his house; and without our privity entered into a pro-
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mise that no person should be permitted to see us unless in his presence.
We received a letter from Alexander White, stating his having returned home ; that he had left our business unfinished before Congress, but would come to see us in the morning.
15th .- Our banished company came together, except Thomas Wharton, who was quite unwell. Alexander White, Esquire, met us to give a particular account of his proceedings before the Congress, and before the President and Council of Penn- sylvania, on our memorial, on which he appears to have taken great pains, though yet without the desired effect. The Council referred the case to Congress. On his return to Congress at York, it was again taken up several times, and as often post- poned through the influence of members opposed to us, and he came away, leaving the matter unfinished. Alexander White had made his own statement of our case in writing.
Alexander White stated that he was assured by some mem- bers of the Board of War, that they did not mean to carry the order for our removal to Staunton at once into execution. We therefore thought it necessary to inform Colonel Kennedy of this view of the matter, and he readily agreed to suspend all preparations until further instructions came on, or that Congress should determine upon it.
From the account Alexander White gave us of the conver- sations he had with several members of the Congress as well as the Council, there are many opinions .- Some are for our dis- charge, condemning the whole proceeding as arbitrary and un- just. Others for discharging us, because if we were dangerous men at the time of our being taken up, we would now do less harm in Philadelphia than where we are .- Others were for dis- charging us, because if we pursue our own inclinations, to go where we choose, and go to Philadelphia, now in possession of the British, and within their lines, our estates would be confiscated as persons joining the enemy .- Some were candid enough to say that they knew nothing could be proved against us.
Colonel Wood, lately returned from camp, appears to interest
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himself very much in our hard case ; as also Joseph Holmes, the Commissary. The letter to him from the Board of War, approved of his conduct generally, since they knew he had granted us the liberty of the town and vicinity of Winchester ; and he had no intention of taking any steps for our removal until he heard the result of our memorial to Congress.
George Gilpin, who was here on a visit to his brother, Thomas Gilpin, has long awaited the return of Alexander White, Esq., to know the result of his negotiation; he now expressed a willingness to go to Congress, and use his endea- vours for an honourable determination of our memorial, the consideration of which it was expected would be taken up again.
On a conference thereon, it was agreed to his going, parti- cularly as he is well acquainted with some of the delegates from Pennsylvania and Virginia, and has been in the public service from the commencement of the war till the end of this campaign ; holding the office of Colonel in the Fairfax militia. He had a proper sense of the justness of our cause, and of the ill policy of the measure proposed against us. We are, therefore, to furnish him with the necessary papers to pro- secute his business. He goes first to his home at Alexandria, and from thence in a few days to York.
17th. Seventh day of the week .- Israel Pemberton wrote to his wife, enclosing his letter to Elias Boudinot. George Gilpin set off about ten o'clock. A dull day ; rain and hail most of the day.
18th. First day .- Our meetings silent; a high northwest wind and cold atmosphere. Received the following letter from Colonel Joseph Holmes to Miers Fisher, dated
" Shippensburg, 17th of January, 1778.
" DEAR SIR,-
" On a second consideration of the request of yourself and the rest of the gentlemen, I have thought it will be attended with civil consequences to you.
.
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" You'll remember it was the opinion of some gentlemen, who are your friends, that the reasons on which the order of the Board of War was founded, was principally owing to that indulgence permitting the gentlemen to ride out among the in- habitants.
" I am very sensible the complaints were made to the Board by some men in Winchester; and since they find it gives ear to such mischievous clamours, and puts you to so much trouble and expense, they will be glad of the opportunity to blow the matter up again should they meet with success. It is no more than probable, taking the two complaints together, the Board may order matters to be more disagreeable, than is at present expected.
" I hope you are well convinced of my sentiments in regard to your unhappy situation, and likewise my confidence in you, and that you will not judge it to be any fear I entertain of the security of your persons. Believe me, I have not the least shadow of doubt in my mind of the gentlemen's fidelity ; my only motive is to prevent the bad effects, which it appears to me would arise, and make the gentlemen more unhappy.
" You are not so unthinking as to know, snould those evil- minded persons transmit to the Board another libel, to come to hand before Colonel Gilpin gets down, it might in a great mea- sure prevent his succeeding.
" I leave this to your own consideration, and hope you will judge wisely with him,
" Who is sincerely your friend, and " Most humble servant,
" JOSEPH HOLMES.
" To Miers Fisher, Esq."
John Hough wrote us, that George Gilpin had called at his house on his way home, who informed him that we were allowed to remain at Winchester till Congress would decide on our memorial.
George Gilpin agreed to come to John Hough's on 2d day,
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as he designed to get Colonel Peyton to accompany them to Congress. We answered John Hough's letter by the return of his son, and enclosed one from John Magill, Esq., to S. Harvie, and one from Colonel Wood to another delegate in Congress.
22d. Fifth day of the week .- A clear cold day ; about eleven o'clock Colonel Kennedy came to ask us how many wagons would be necessary to remove us to Staunton, as he thought he must execute the orders of the Governor of Virginia, to obey those of the Board of War.
We endeavoured to convince him that the orders from the Governor could only be conditional ; that when we were re- moved he was to furnish the means of conveyance to Joseph Holmes, the Commissary.
We stated that the Commissary had acquainted the Board with our memorial to Congress, and of his having deferred to execute the order till an answer was returned.
We remarked that we believed there were but few persons in Winchester who entertained any prejudice against us, but if there were any and we could know it and the cause, we would be glad of an opportunity to remove it, and to correct or ex- plain any part of our conduct which had been objectionable to them.
He said he knew nothing, but that some millers had lately refused to grind rye and other grain for the distillers, which they thought was owing to our advice and influence.
We told him we understood it to be by the advice of our Society to its members, and not by us.
He acknowledged that caution was necessary, but it ought to be done by the Legislature, and not by private persons. He said he disapproved so much of the practice of distilling spirit from grain, that he and some others designed to apply to the Legislature for a law to prohibit it.
25th. First day of the week .- Our meeting held as usual in the morning and in the afternoon, when John Hunt made some encouraging remarks to us.
William Matthews, from Yorktown, informed us that he had
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left Yorktown on 5th day, 26th, when several of the committee from Pipe Creek had laid before a committee of Congress, the sufferings of the exiles. Several of the delegates were favoura- bly disposed, but others were sworn against us, having strong prejudices against the Society. No particular cause was argued for our unjust banishment, nor any complaint against any part of our conduct here.
William Matthews brought the following order from the new Board of War, which we showed to Colonel Kennedy, when he came to see us on the arrival of the mail from Balti- more.
" War Office, 21st January, 1778.
" SIR,-
" As the prisoners sent from Pennsylvania have sent a me- morial to Congress, which lays before them undetermined, I am to direct you to suspend the removal of those gentlemen to Staunton, until you receive the further directions of this Board. " I am, with due respect, " HORATIO GATES, " President.
" To the County Lieutenant of Frederick, or Deputy Com- missary General of prisoners, of Winchester, Virginia, sent to the Honourable John Harvie."
31st .- This morning the celebrated Colonel Jacob Morgan, lately returned from the American camp, on a visit to his family, residing about fifteen miles from Winchester, came to see us.
After some conversation we found him more free and sociable in his expressions than we expected. We gave him one of the pamphlets containing the narrative of our case until we were sent out of Philadelphia.
We conversed on this and other subjects affably. He ap- peared impartial and disposed to hear, by which means some objections which he made to our conduct were answered, and
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the unfavourable prepossessions which he had received con- cerning Friends arising from wrong reports, obviated.
He acknowledged we had been treated injuriously, and in- consistent with liberty and the common justice due to us and to all men, by being banished and deprived of a hearing which we had demanded.
1st day of 2d month, 1778. First day of the week .- Our meetings both morning and afternoon small.
2d .- Attended the monthly meeting at Hopewell, this day the second of the week.
John Hunt spoke largely and prophetically, saying the night was far gone and the day of our deliverance was at hand ; but he stated he should not have another public opportunity with friends there ; he said distress and calamity would be spread over the country.
5th .- A fine day. In the evening Isaac Zane returned from Yorktown. He gave us an account of the conferences he and the friends who accompanied him had with the delegates of Congress. In these, they had an opportunity to correct many of the false reports concerning the conduct of Friends in Penn- sylvania, which had occasioned them to be under great preju- dices against our religious Society.
He also stated that in pursuance of their application, a com- mittee of three members was appointed by Congress to meet them on our particular circumstance, which gave them an opportunity for a candid hearing.
At length they allowed that they had no other accusation against us than the several epistles of advice which had been published by the Meeting for Sufferings in Philadelphia, exciting the members of our religious Society to maintain a conduct con- sistent with our religious principles.
The committee urged our enlargement from exile, or that Congress would give us an opportunity to be heard in our de- fence, which hitherto could not be obtained.
After some time, a resolve of Congress, dated on the 29th, was delivered to them, of which the following is a copy
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IN CONGRESS.
" 29th January, 1778.
" Resolved, That the prisoners now at Winchester, in the State of Virginia, who have been apprehended by the govern- ment of Pennsylvania, in consequence of the resolution of Con- gress dated 28th August, 1777, be discharged from their con- finement, on their taking or subscribing either the oath or affirmation of allegiance, as prescribed by the laws of Penn- sylvania, or the following oath or affirmation, at the option of the persons concerned.
" I, A. B., do swear, (or affirm) that I acknowledge myself a subject of the State of Pennsylvania, as a free and independent state, and that I will in all things demean myself as a good and faithful subject ought to do."
We received a letter from George Gilpin, dated at York- town, Ist February, 1778, informing us he came to that place in company with John Hough, the day after the foregoing resolve, and met Isaac Zane and four of our friends, who had been attending to our business. He had conversations with several members of Congress, who as men, wished we were in Philadelphia attending to our families.
7th day of 2d month .- Sent a copy of the resolve of Con- gress, and George Gilpin's letter, to Philadelphia.
8th day. First day of the week .- Our meeting in the morn- ing attended by twelve of the exiles. Wind at northeast, and snow.
10th day of 2d month .- A more southerly wind. About five o'clock, Dr. Thomas Parke and James Morton, to our great joy, and unexpected surprise, came from Philadelphia to see us, and brought us letters.
Our friends had remained in anxious solicitude and suspense on account of the orders sent to remove us to Staunton; our letters since the orders were countermanded, had not reached
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them; and for want of not knowing how things were, these friends had to undertake this long journey, to come to see us. We spent the evening in inquiries about our families, and the general state of things in Philadelphia.
12th .- A clear day and windy. Ground covered with snow. Doctor Parke and James Morton, accompanied by John Pem- berton, and Thomas Gilpin, went to Hopewell meeting, and to visit our companions there. John Pemberton and Thomas Gilpin returned in the evening.
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