LETTER FROM NORTHAMPTON, VIRGINIA.1

ENTLEMEN,

Virginia, Northampton, Aug. 30th, 1774.

The people of this County, compassionating the disessed poor in your Town, have directed us to ship you e thousand bushels of Indian corn, to be distributed by u amongst such families as you shall think most in want

I The Virginia House of Burgesses was in session when the news of the pasge of the Boston Port Bill was received; and on the 24th of May, 1774, it sed a preamble expressing the "apprehension of the great dangers to be ived to British America from the hostile invasion of the city of Boston," and ting that the House deem it highly necessary that the first day of June next set apart by the members, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer; and opted the following order:

Ordered, therefore, That the members of this House do attend in their places, the hour of ten in the forenoon, on the said first day of June next, in order to ceed, with the Speaker and the mace, to the church of this city, for the pures aforesaid; and that the Reverend Mr. Price be appointed to read prayers, to preach a sermon suitable to the occasion.

By the House of Burgesses.

GEORGE WITHE, C. H. B.

On the 26th of May, the Virginia House of Burgesses was dissolved by the val Governor. Eighty-nine of the members, on the next day, formed an Assoion to second unity of action, in the articles of which they state: "We are ther clearly of opinion, that an attack made on one of our sister Colonies, to pel submission to arbitrary taxes, is an attack made on all British America, threatens ruin to the rights of all, unless the united wisdom of the whole be lied." On the 29th of May, "letters were received by express from Boston, ladelphia, and Annapolis in Maryland, testifying the resentment of those difent places, and the Northern Provinces in general, against the late oppressive of the British Parliament, which is intended so materially to injure the Port Boston, and recommending an union of measures to their Southern brethren;" en the members of the House of Burgesses, who were in Williamsburg, were vened by Peyton Randolph. They resolved to call as many other members could be assembled, to meet on the next day, the 30th. On this day it was olved to defer further action until the general meeting of the House of Burses to be held on the first of August.

ay

The following paragraph appears in the journals, under the date of Williamsg, June 1, 1774: "On the first of June, the Honorable the Speaker, and as of the members of the late Assembly as were in town, with the citizens of liamsburg, and numbers from a distance, assembled at the Court House, and at in procession to the church, where an excellent sermon, well adapted to the sent unhappy disputes between Great Britain and her Colonies, was preached the Rev. Mr. Price, chaplain to the House of Burgesses, agreeable to the late er of that patriotic and very respectable body."

[eetings, in July, were held in the Counties of Virginia, to consider the Port At a meeting of "the Freeholders of James City County," on the 1st of 7, it was "Resolved, That a subscription paper be handed about among the ple of James City, to raise money, corn, wheat, or any other commodity which

of it. The bearer hereof, Capt. Nathaniel Brown, will deliver you the corn, whose bill lading for the same you have inclosed, the freight for which will be paid here, upon his producing your receipt for the corn. The people in this place most sincerely sympathize with their brethren in

may be most agreeable to the subscribers, for the relief of the people of Bos

ton."

A letter to a citizen of Boston, dated Alexandria, July 6, 1774, states that a subscription for the relief of Boston, "to prevent the inhabitants sinking under the oppression, or migrating, to keep up that manly spirit which has made them dear to every American, though the envy of our arbitrary Parliament, is from the County of Fairfax, in this Colony: viz. 273 pounds sterling in specie, (equal to lawful,) 38 barrels of flour, and 150 bushels of wheat. This subscription being but a few days on foot, we have not had an opportunity to present it to the Country in general; a large sum will be given. Mr. Henley yesterday returned from Dumfries, after consulting the Committee of Prince William County, in which a subscription is going on generously; this day he sets out to consult the Committees of Loudon and Frederick Counties, in each of which a spirit, becoming generous and free-born sons of liberty, are in the like manner testified. Indeed, all Virginia and Maryland, are contributing for the relief of Boston."

At a meeting of the citizens of Norfolk County and Borough, on the 6th of July, it was Resolved, That our late Burgesses be hereby instructed to use their utmost endeavors, that subscriptions be opened in the several Counties of this Colony, for the relief of the starving, distressed poor, in the blockaded Town of Boston." On the 9th of July, the citizens of Fauquier County "Resolved, That the Town of Boston, aforesaid, is now suffering in the common cause of American liberty, and ought to be supplied with such articles as are necessary for their support, by the voluntary contributions of the Colonies in general." the same day, the citizens of Essex County "Resolved, That a subscription be set on foot for raising provisions for the poor of Boston;" appointed a Committee to receive them, and empowered this Committee to charter a vessel to carry them to Boston.

On

The citizens of Henrico County, on the 15th of July, at a meeting held at the Court House, adopted an address to their representatives in the Virginia Assembly, in which was the following: "We most cordially recommend that no time be lost in administering every comfort and aid to our distressed brethren of Boston, that their unhappy state may require, and may comport with our situation to afford." On the 16th of July, the inhabitants of Surry County "Resolved, That subscriptions be opened in this County, for the relief of our suffering brethren in the Town of Boston." On the 18th of July, a general meeting of the inhabitants of Fairfax County was held at Alexandria, of which "GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esquire," was chairman; when it was Resolved, "That the inhabitants of Boston were suffering in the common cause of all British America, and are justly entitled to its support and assistance; and, therefore, that a subscription ought immediately to be opened, and proper persons appointed, in every County in this Colony, to purchase provisions and consign them to some gentlemen of character in Boston, to be distributed among the poorer sort of people there." GEORGE WASHINGTON was also appointed chairman of the County Committee; and one of the Delegates to present the Resolves to the General Assembly. The following appeared in the journals, under the date of Williamsburg, July 28, 1774: "It is with much pleasure we learn that the County of Surry, from the highest to the lowest, are actuated by the warmest affections towards the suffering Town of Boston. We are told that immediately after the breaking up of the meeting of the freeholders and others, to consult

Boston, in their present distress, and will at all times cheerfully join in every measure proposed for their relief. Such considerable collections are making in this Colony for your poor, that we hope they will not suffer for want of provisions, and we rely on the firmness of your people in adher

upon the most proper measures to be taken, upwards of one hundred and fifty barrels of Indian corn and wheat were subscribed, and that twelve or thirteen subscription papers are now out for that purpose. Upon a moderate computation, our correspondent informs us, eleven or twelve hundred barrels, of different commodities, will be produced by this County, for the benefit of those firm and intrepid sons of liberty, the Bostonians. It would be needless to recognize the particular generosity of each County in this Colony, as the public must be very well acquainted, from the many resolves which have been published, that all Virginia are unanimous in their endeavors to contribute whatever relief or assistance may be in their power."

On the 18th of July, the inhabitants of the County of York "Voted, That a subscription be immediately opened for the relief of the inhabitants of Boston, under the direction of the Deputies for this County, who are desirous to promote and encourage the same." On the 20th of July, the inhabitants of Stafford County "Resolved, That it is the duty of this Colony to contribute, as far as their power extends, to the relief of the inhabitants of Boston, who are now, by the hard hand of oppression, marked out as the victims of ministerial wrath, for their spirited exertions in the great cause of American freedom, and that subscriptions be immediately set on foot for their relief, under the conduct of the Committee.” On the 25th of July, the inhabitants of Elizabeth City County "Resolved, That a subscription for the relief of the unhappy poor of Boston, ought to be encouraged by all charitable and humane people, and that the moderator be directed to solicit contributions for that purpose.” On the 27th of July, the inhabitants of Princess Anne County" Resolved, That our Burgesses be hereby instructed to use their utmost endeavors, that subscriptions be opened in the several Counties of this Colony, for the relief of the cruelly oppressed and distressed inhabitants of the Town of Boston."

On the 1st of August, "at a very full meeting of delegates from the Counties in the Colony and Dominion of Virginia," at Williamsburg, it was "Resolved, That we think ourselves called upon, by every principle of humanity and brotherly affection, to extend the utmost and speediest relief to our distressed fellowsubjects in the town of Boston; and, therefore, most earnestly recommend it to all the inhabitants of this Colony, to make such liberal contributions as they can afford, to be collected and remitted to Boston, in such manner as may best answer so desirable a purpose."

The Essex Gazette of August 2, 1774, has the following paragraph: "Captain Leighton, from Virginia, informs, that he was told by some respectable gentlemen, that there would be sixty thousand bushels of grain sent from that Colony by the 10th of September, all freely given by that generous, patriotic people, for the support of their distressed brethren in Boston. It was said that thirty thousand bushels would also be given and sent by the worthy people of Maryland, for the same noble purpose."-ED.

At a Convention of the Delegates for the Counties of Virginia, the following Resolve was passed, on the 24th March, 1775: "Resolved, unanimously, That the Committees of the several Counties and Corporations in this Colony, do exert themselves in procuring and continuing contributions, for supplying the necessities, and alleviating the distresses, of our brave and worthy fellow-subjects of Boston, now suffering in the common cause of American freedom, in such manner, and so long as their occasions may require."

ing to the glorious cause in which they are engaged, till it pleases Providence to restore them to the possession of their just rights, and establish the liberties of all America on the most permanent foundation.

We are, most sincerely, Gentlemen,

Your very humble servants,

JNO. HARMAINSON.

LITTLETON SAVAGE.

JOHN KENDALL.

To the Committee appointed to receive Donations for the distressed inhabitants of the Town of Boston.

REPLY TO NORTHAMPTON.

GENTLEMEN,

Boston, Sept. 30th, 1774.

The Committee appointed to receive and distribute the donations of our brethren in this and the neighboring Col onies, received your favors 30th August per Capt. Nathl Brown, with about one thousand bushels of Indian corn, as a present from our worthy brethren in Northampton, Virginia, to the poor of this Town, suffering by the cruel blockade of our harbor. This Committee, in behalf of the Town, return their most sincere thanks to the gentlemen in Northampton, who have so generously contributed to this timely donation. Every fresh supply from our friends encourages all ranks of people firmly to support the cause for which we are struggling. Had not a spirit of patriot ism, generosity and goodness appeared in a most extraor dinary manner throughout these American Colonies, this Town, it is to be feared, must have fallen a sacrifice to arbitrary power, and submitted to the most humiliating concessions. But we have the pleasure to inform you that the patriots and defenders of American rights in this place. are as firm and zealous as ever, though surrounded on every hand by soldiers and military preparations; the har bor filled with ships of war; the chief fortress, Castle

William, out of our hands; soldiers encamped in sundry places; the Neck, the only entrance into the Town, doubly fortified by advance batteries, and a regiment encamped both sides of the road to prevent the aid of our neighbors, who, upon a late alarm showed the utmost readiness to encounter every danger for our relief and defence. We are daily alarmed with hostile appearances. It is now said they intend to erect five batteries, and to picquet the Town at the westerly side, to prevent the landing of our friends from the country. But we are determined to bear all, rather than in the least instance acknowledge the right of Parliament to mutilate our charter or form of government, and tax us at their pleasure. We observe in your letter, that considerable collections are making in your Colony for our poor. In confidence of this, our laborers and mechanics have universally declined assisting the army in carrying on their works, though tempted with large rewards; not that they desire to be maintained in idleness, for they are ready for any employment the Committee can find them. For particulars in this respect, [we] refer you to the Committee's publication last week. Conscious that our cause is just, we trust in the Supreme Ruler of the universe, that he will in due time restore us to the possession of all our rights, and establish the liberties of all America on solid and lasting foundations.

We are, with the greatest esteem, Gentlemen,

Your friends and fellow-countrymen,

DAVID JEFFRIES, Per order the Commit

tee of Donations.

P. S.-You have doubtless heard that all our powder, in the Charlestown magazine, about three hundred barrels, has been seized and removed, and the magazine in this Town, belonging to the Province, taken possession of by the soldiery, and all private powder prohibited, all cannon and shot they can lay hold on secured; but we trust the neighboring Colonies have full supply, in case of need, which God forbid.