all means in our power to guard against the disorders and confusions to which the peculiar circumstances of the times may expose us.

We do also further associate and agree, as far as shall be consistent with the measures adopted for the preservation of American freedom, to support the magistrates and other civil officers in the execution of their duty agreeable to the laws of the colony, and to observe the directions of our Committee acting.

Robert Gaston, John Munson, Moses Tuttle, John Gould, Joseph Conger, Edward Jackson, Elijah Leonard, Benajah Danels, Samuel Martin, Joseph Hoff, Garrett Hoff, John Hoff, Charles Hoff, jr., Robert Wilson, Samuel Blair, Alexander Bates, John Reynolds, Benjamin Fairchild, James Coulter, Jonathan Johnson, John Cardy, Charles Crawley, John Robeson, sen., John Robeson, jr., David Vanderpool, Peter Johnson, Eliphalet Lyon, William Cough, Gershom Wiggins, James Nox, John DeBow, John White, William Upham, John Wilson, John Galloway, Richard Van Cock, James Cardiff, Joseph Holmes, Gillis McPherson, James Ronal, Thomas Price, George G. Barr, John Magie, James Norton, William Edwards, John Browne, John Wilson, Isaac Miller, Peter Little, Edward McRanke, Jonathan Salsbury, Hugh Quigg, Charles Stuart, John Lee, Samuel Harris Christian Hoffman, John Biard, John Davis, Ada Showen, J. Jackson, William Rose, Louis Demorest Dunzoy, James McUrdy, James Mitchell, James Daily, Henry Stock, Hugh Davis, John Richardson, Henry Link, Jan Bigelow, James Tharp, Daniel Talmage, Jonathan Carrington, John Wilson, Joshua Moore, Mark Walton, William Ross, David Beman, Isaac Vanduyne, Joseph Harriman, Richard Harriman, Josias Goldsmith, William Drummon, John King, Samuel Lindley, Joseph Porter, Aaron Willis, Job Allen, Stephen Jackson, Israel Youngs, Ebenezer Tuttle, Jabez

Biglow, David Allen, Henry Berry, jr., Joseph Rogers, Seth Mahurin, Silas Hathaway, Joseph Hull, Aaron Biglow, John Harriman, Aaron Hedden, Joseph Bedford, Isaac Ross, John Pierson, Daniel Jackson, William Fisher, Josiah Biglow, John Miller, Michael Montgomery, John McConnel, Peter Hyler, Josiah Beman, William Price, Daniel Biglow, Josiah Beman, Isaac Kelly, William Howard, Helmer Kent, Hiram Howard, James Hindes, Arthur Young, Jacob Lyon, John Peer, Luman Robeards, Benjamin Wankle, John Marinus, Daniel Hayward, Moses Stiles, Phineas Farrand, Philip Price, jr., Peter Francisco, Philip Dorman, John Doremus, Philip Hiler, Samuel Farrand, Jake Harrison, Henry Young, Samuel Price, Humphrey Davenport, Thomas Welshear, Martin Frederick, Abraham Loughenner, John Essler, Mouris Mourison, Peter Hiler, jr., Brant Jacobus, Philip Holenkous, Abraham Jacobus, Cornelius A. Jacobus, Henry Hennion, John Cone, Martin Frederick, sen., Hinery Mourison, James Jacobus, Nathan Cone, Coon Vreeland, Henery Van Houten, John Pear, John Parlaman, Abraham Peer, Nicholas Hiler, Edmund Kingsland, John Hiler, Henry Lowerus, Cornelius Jacobus, James Jennings, Peter Tice, John Nix, Conrod Esler, Martin Young, Jacob Vanduyne, Jacob Hoppon, James Shane, Garett Farrall, Peter Roburds, Jacob Hiler, John Miller, jr. of jrs.

Letter from Governor Franklin to the Legislature of New Jersey.

[From the New York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury, Monday, February 3, 1777.]

To the Honorable the Gentlemen of His Majes

ty's Council and to the Gentlemen of the House of Representatives of His Majesty's Province of New Jersey

HAVING by Proclamation summoned you to attend a meeting of the General Assembly of the province, on the 20th instant, in order that I might communicate to you matters of great importance to the public welfare, and as there now seems little probability that I shall have it in my power to meet you, agreeable to my intentions, it is necessary that I should acquaint you with the cause of the disappointment, that you may act such a part on the occasion as you may think the nature and exigency of the case requires.

Between nine and ten o'clock this morning, Mr. Nathaniel Heard, of Woodbridge, and Mr. Jonathan Deere of this place, called at my house, and on my enquiring of Mr. Heard, what his business was, he delivered into my hands a paper, of which the following is a copy.

"I WILLIAM FRANKLIN, being apprehended by an order of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey, do promise and engage on my word and honour and on the faith of a Gentleman to depart within two days from hence to in the province of New-Jersey, being the place of my destination and residence, and there, or within six miles thereof, to remain during the present war between Great Britain and the said United Colonies, or until the Congress of the said United Colonies, or the Assembly, Convention, or Committee or Council of Safety of the said colony shall order otherwise, and that I will not directly or indirectly, give any intelligence whatsoever to the enemies of the United Colonies, or do, or say any thing in opposition to, or in prejudice of the measures and proceedings of any Congress for the said colonies, during the present troubles, or until I am duly discharged. Given under my hand this Day of

A. D. 1776."

After perusal of this paper I desired to know of Mr. Heard, by what authority he tendered it to me; on which he produced the two following papers, viz:

"TO COLONEL NATHANIEL HEARD,

"The Provincial Congress of New-Jersey reposing great confidence in your zeal and prudence, have thought fit to entrust to your care the execution of the enclosed Resolves. It is the desire of Congress that this necessary business be conducted with all the delicacy and tenderness which the nature of the service can possibly admit of.

"For this end you will find among the papers the form of a written parole, in which there is left a blank space for you to fill up, at the choice of Mr. Franklin, with the name of Princeton, Bordentown, or his own farm at Rancocus. When he shall have signed the parole, the Congress will rely upon his honour for the faithful performance of his engagements: But should he refuse to sign the parole, you are desired to put him under a strong guard and keep him in close custody until further orders of this Congress.

"Whatever expence may be necessary for this service will be cheerfully defrayed by the Congress. We refer to your discretion what means to use for that purpose; and you have full power and authority to take to your aid, whatever force you may require.

By order of Congress,

SAMUEL TUCKER, Pres. "IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, NEW JERSEY, BURLINGTON, June 15, 1776.”

"IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, NEW JERSEY.

BURLINGTON, June 15, 1776.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Congress the Proclamation of William Franklin, Esq; Governor of New-Jersey, bearing date on the thirtieth day of May last, in the Name of the King of Great-Britain, appointing a meeting of the General Assembly, to be held on the 20th day of this instant, June, ought not to be obeyed.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Congress the said William Franklin, Esq; by such his proclamation has acted in direct contempt, and violation of the Resolve of the Continental Congress of the 15th day of May last.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Congress, the said William Franklin, Esq; has discovered himself to be an enemy to the liberties of this country, and that measures ought to be immediately taken for securing the person of the said William Franklin, Esq;

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Congress, all payments of money on account of salary or otherwise, to the said William Franklin, Esq; as Governor, ought from henceforth to cease. And that the Treasurer or Treasurers of this province, shall account for the monies in their hands to this Congress, or to the future Legislature of this colony.

By order of the Congress,

SAMUEL TUCKER, President."

To be represented as an Enemy to the Liberties of my Country, (one of the worst characters) merely for doing my duty in calling a meeting of the legal Representatives of the People, to lay before them matters of the utmost concern to their future happiness and safety, was, as you may imagine, sufficient to rouse the indignation of any man not dead to human feelings, and occasion him to express his resentment in terms suitable to such unmerited provocation. It is needless, however, to trouble you with all that passed. Suffice it to say, that I rejected the written parole (as they term it) with that contempt such an insult deserved from one who has the honor to represent his Majesty.

To you, Gentlemen,-to every individual in the province can I safely appeal to vouch for me, that in no one instance have I ever manifested the least inimical disposition towards this colony. Your journals and minutes will shew, that from the first commencement of the present unhappy disputes, I have been uniformly for having them accommodated by negotiation and treaty; from a full conviction that America might thereby obtain a fixed Constitution, which would afford every reasonable security for the enjoyment of British Liberties.

If in the opinion of those who stile themselves a Provincial Congress, my summons of the General Assembly "ought not (as they say) "to be obeyed," it was equally in their power to have prevented the meeting, by enjoining you to pay no regard to the Proclamation, as it was to make me a prisoner; and they certainly would have done that, had they not meant a personal affront to me, or designed to wound the dignity of the Crown through my person.

But it is pretended that "by such Proclamation I have acted in direct contempt and violation of the Resolve of the Continental Congress of the 15th of May