land, giving an account of the arrival of the tea-ship, the action of the merchants, and the departure of the vessel without breaking cargo, in December of 1773. DEAR FRIEND PHILADA Decem' 27 1773. I did myself the Pleasure of writing a few lines to thee on the 21 inst via Ireland & I enclosed a printed Account of the very imprudent Conduct of the Bostonians in Distroying the Tea which the Honourable the Directors had shipp'd for that Porte. I fancie they were led to this Act by not attending to the Consequences resulting from their Entering the several Vessels, at their Custom house because We find, that when the Owner applied to the Collector for a Clearance, he told them He could not grant it without the Dutiable Goods being landed, they then Applied to the Governor for his lett Pass who refus'd it because the Owner did not produce a Clearance from the Collector's Office agreeable to Law & Usages, hence it appears the Reason of their Proceeding to the Act, which (I think) cannot be supported by any principal of Law or Government, but I am truely happy to tell my honoured Friend, that Altho' the Philadelphians cannot admit of the East India Company's Tea to be landed because it will Subjugate them to an Act of Parliament which they think Unconstitutional, yet on the arrival of Capt Ayres on the 26th Inst. they conducted themselves towards Him in a friendly & polite Manner. His vessel came to Anchor about 3 Miles below the city. A number of Respectable Citizens went there and told him they neither meant or Intended an Injury to his Vessel or Cargo, but advised, that, the ship should not come nearer the City, but, that he should come up, deliver his Letters take the Sentiments of the Inhabitants & make his Protest, & proceed back to London with all the Dispatch he could. He accordingly came up to the city about 4 °Clock P.M. & after He had been at the Coffee House came down to my house with G. Barclay, accompanied by a large Concourse of People. He asked me what he should do. I told him as there was to be a Meeting of the Inhabitants on the next Morning, He must wait till then, but I mentioned we could not receive the Tea. He said he must Protest. I told him this was a Legal & regular step, & was what the Inhabitants had no objection to. The next morning the Captain accompanied by Jas Humphreys Notary Publick & several respectable Citizens called at my House, when my Brother Isaac & Jon Brown were present when Capt. Ayres made the following Demands whither We would receeve the Tea 2nd Whither We would pay the Freight thereof, to which T & I. Wharton & Jon Brown gave the following answer-"That while the Tea belonging to the Honble the East India Company (under your Care) is subject to the Payment of a Duty in America we cannot Act in the Commission which they have been pleas'd to Honour us with-24 that as we cannot receive the Tea, we cannot pay the Freight thereof." Thus Matters stood on the morning of the 27th, at 10 °Clock a very numerous Meeting of the Inhabitants determined that the Tea should not be landed, & allow'd Capt. Ayres till next day to furnish himself with Provisions &c. on Condition, that his Ship should depart her then situation & proceed down the River, Some of the Committee going down to the Ship with Capt. Ayres in order to see the first Step performed, which being Effected he returned to the City. T & I. W. with J. B having offer'd to Advance Capt. Ayres such a sum of money as He should want for Provisions & other Necessaries. He accepted the same, and we shall forward you his Bill on his Owners for the Amount thereof. Thoul observe that as the Ship was not enter'd in our Port no part of the Cargo was unloaded, Either the property of the Honble the East India Company or that of any private Persons, & as I find my Brother Samuel had caused a Chariott to be shipped on board Capt. Ayres's Ship it naturally returns with the other goods. I must beg the favour that, thoul please to cause the Freight back to London to be paid if the same be receiv'd of the other Shippers, and that thoul take Charge of the same with a box shipp'd by S. W. to his Wife, & send them to Me either by the Return of Capt Ayres or some good Ship in the Spring. I now Enclose Capt. Ayres Bill of Lading for the Chariott & receipt for the Box directed to me, the Cost attending which I will repay with thanks. I am sensible that no Men in this city can serve the East India Comp with more Fidelity or Advantage than the House of Willing and Morris of this City Merchts. I shall accept it as the most singular mark of thy Regard if thou will unite with their friends: Messrs W Baynes & Co, Messrs Peter & John Barthow, Messrs John Mollian & Co, & Messrs Ferries & Co to have those Gentlemen nominated with us in the Commission for the Sale of the East India Companys Teas in Case the Honble the Directors shall be pleas'd to ship the same for this Port after the Duty is repealed by Act of Parliament. ..... I remain with the sincerest THOMAS WHARTON To Thomas Walpole Esq. LETTER OF WILLIAM PENN. ffa TATHAM I am very ready to Comply wth any proposall yt may serve the King & our mother Country & these poor Colonys & what ever becomes of ye Journey to Burlington, shall be ready to morrow at 9 in ye morning (God Willing) Especially since Coll Quarry approves of it, but forasmuch as ye post is upon the way & an Expresse for what wee know from ye Earl of Bellemont In answer to mine to y' Lord, about the Pirates, to whom ye King has referred the Government I think it would be prudence to stay till wee see ye news of this Post, which cannot detaine us long, perhaps not loose us the tyde. I am with Sincerity Coll' Quarrys & thy assured ffriend Philad: 21. 1.m° 900 W. P. CORRECTION OF DATES.-SETTLERS IN MERION.-THE HARRISON FAMILY AND HARRISON PLANTATION, PENNA. MAG., Vol. XIII., page 457.-The date of Hannah Harrison's marriage to Charles Thomson is given as 1775. It has been ascertained that Hannah Thomson lost her right of membership in the Society of Friends, in consequence of her marriage, in the Tenth Month, 1774. It has also been ascertained that her mother, Hannah Harrison (see foot of page 457 and top of page 458), died in the Seventh Month, 1774. It is supposed that the marriage took place after the decease of her mother, and, of course, before the termination of her membership with Friends. G. V. 4 Mo. 9, 1890. EPITAPH AT GWYNEDD MEETING-HOUSE.-The following inscription upon a grave-stone at the Friends' Meeting-House at Gwynedd, Montgomery County, Pa., is becoming so indistinct that it may, ere long, be quite illegible. Perhaps the editor may think it worth preserving in "Notes and Queries." T. S. Hear lieth the body of Martha the daughter of Humphrey Bate and Anne his Wife departed of this life Aprile 25 aged 3 Y: 6 M: 1714. OLD MILL AT YARDLEY, PA.-Cut in a stone of the front wall of an old water-mill at Yardley, Pa., are the following letters and figures: "I. N.Y. 1769." The lower half of the Y is obliterated. A local antiquary told me that this mill is the second one built upon the same spot, and that the above date is that of this last erection. I find no mention of the inscription in the histories of Bucks County to which I have access. T. S. GENEALOGY OF GEORGE FOX, BY THOMAS HILL.-“ George Fox was born at Drayton in the Clay in the County of Leichester, was bread a Shoemaker, was one of the first of that set called Quakers In England. he went from England over to America And there purchas'd divers lands of W Pen founder at the Colony called Pensilvenia in America, came back into England died in London without Child the next Heir was his Brother John's Son, Geo. Fox Nephew to the above Geo. Fox was bread Taylor and resided at Palesworth in Warwickshire died there and left one Son & three daughters the Sons name was Joseph bread a Baker at Polesworth and died there and left two Sons George the Eldest bread a Baker and now living at polesworth. The younger Brother's name was Joseph who died the 26 of July 1756 aboard the prince Frederick in Admiral Boscawings Fleet and left neether Wife nor Child therefore it must Evidently appear upon examining the Regesters and every Circumstance that the said George now living at Polesworth is the lawful male Heir at Law to all the Estates and Effects of the aforesaid Geo. Fox which he possessed or had any right to in America. "The above pedegree I had from Geo. Fox's own Mouth and saw in Writing at his own house as Witness my hand this 10th day of Octo 1768. "Halifax Yorkshire "THO" HILL. in England." POWDER FOR THE PROVINCE.-"Mr. Thomas Wharton please Deliver Commissary Bard_five Barrels of Musquet & five Barrels of Cannon powder & Charged to the province "May yo 11 1758." "Jo. HUGHES "recd. twenty Qr. Cask powder markt F & Six Qr. Cask F for the use of Fort Augusta May ye 16th 1758." "PETER BARD THE WYNN-AP JOHN TRACT.-"Jonathan Wynn son and heir of Thomas Wynn alledging that his ffathers joynt purchase with John Ap John of 5000 acres was not fully taken up, craves a Warrt for 400 acres in the Welsh Tract if to be had or elsewhere if not. "Granted with a proviso in the Warrt that it be released in case they have had or sold their whole complement: 18th 4 mo 1705. "By the Commissioners of Property. These are to authorize and require thee to Survey & lay out to the said Jonathan Wynn the said quantity of four hundred acres of Land in the Welsh Tract if there to be found vacant or elsewhere according to the Method of Townships where not surveyed nor seated by the Indians, and make Returns by a copy of this Certifyed by the Secretary into the Surveyor General Office which said Survey in case the said Jonathan hath a Right to so much yet untaken up shall be Valid otherwise shall be Void & of no Effect. Given under our hands & the Province Seal at PhiladR the 18th 4 mo 1705. LETTER OF JOSEPH HARRISON TO MRS. JOHN LAWRENCE.— "PHILADA June 16. 1781. "MADAM "You have done me great honour in permitting me to write to you & I shall ever esteem this Correspondence with a Lady of your embellish'd Understanding & superior Attainments not only as a singular favour but as one of the most flattering Circumstances of my Life-I should be sorry to have the Language of Sincerity mistaken for that of Adulation & be understood as professing Sentiments of unmeaning Compliment-I should feel myself little indeed could I be suppos'd capable of a Meanness like this. It is a very sincere though inadequate acknowledgement for the pleasure & Improvement I have receiv'd from your Conversation & I flatter myself my Conduct may be such as tomerit a Continuance of the Intimacy with which I have been honour'd "I cannot promise you much Entertainment with respect to what passes in this Baotian City. The tittle-tattle of the day can have varied little since you left it & there seems to be very little Change with respect to those Matters on which the fate of our Country depends-It will be unnecessary to tell you the Lies of the day-they are often contradicted by those that made them the same Hour & if I should pretend to relate any thing I hear from common fame or the News papers I should be in very great Danger of having either my Understanding or my Sincerity suspected-most people are so fond of Novelties that they often run to hear what they have very little Expectation of finding true. 'Tis the Business of some to invent & the folly of others to believe. I may with Certainty inform you that Tobago has surrender'd to the French & that the Count de Grasse has landed from 6 to 10.000 men on the Island of Barbadoes the Inhabitants of which place have refus'd to arm in its Defence. Rodney with 7, other accounts say 17 Ship of the Line lies VOL. XIV.-6 between the Island & the French fleet consisting of 25 Sail of the Line. there is very little doubt of this place experiencing the fate of Tobago. By authentic Intelligence from the Southward we are inform'd that L Cornwallis has been for a considerable time past retreating-for what End we know not. Candour will not permit me to suppose it the Apprehension of a defeat, tho' our troops under the Marquis are equal in Number, Bravery & discipline to his-it may be as well not to hazard an action where the Event is so very uncertain. I wish however the gallant & enterprising Spirit of the Marquis may hasten an Event which must certainly decide the fate of the Campaign. The distresses of the Southern States call for a speedy termination to this destructive war. They suffer every Evil that a disappointed & vindictive Enemy can inflict. By a late Order from the Commandant of Charlestown, the wives and Children of those who were sent to Augustine & others prisoners under the Capitulation all of whom are now exchanged are oblig'd to quit their Country & seek an asylum among Strangers. Many of them without Money & without friends. Two flags are arriv'd and several others expected. Mrs Moultrie, Mrs Middleton & Mrs Cattle are among the Number of the unhappy fugitives. It is said there are not less than 2000 Men Women and Children who have left Charlestown for different parts of the Continent. I am apprehensive this Severity will produce some violent Step on our part. The disaffected may become objects of Retaliation. Many Quakers from policy or an humane principle have shewn a disposition to provide for these unhappy people. They have offered their Country seats for their accommodation & every Effort is made by the Inhabitants for their Relief. A national Revolution cannot be effected without some such melancholy Scenes, but human Nature if not quite lost must shudder at contemplating the Barbarities this unhappy Contest has exhibited. Britain in considering us as Rebels has considered us as having forfeited the Common Offices of Humanity & whether she promotes her darling Scheme of Conquest by such policy as has marked the progress of her armies let the present Situation of the Country shew. At this time she retains no more of the Countries she has conquer'd than their respective Capitals. It is the opinion of most of our politicians that Gen1 W who is joined by the French troops & is now at Morrisania is meditating an attack against N York & I hazard my Judgment & my whiggism by being of a different opinion. It may be good policy to hold out the Idea and make every vigorous preparation for the accomplishment of this desirable purpose as it may prevent Succours to the Army in Virginia which if not reinforced will be obliged to leave that State as it is recovering from the first Shock of the Invasion & collecting all its force to repel the Invaders. I cannot think there is any other object in the present appearance of an attack upon a place which is certainly too strong for any force we can carry against it. But it is a subject so popular that to a true whig there appears every prospect of Success. "Villainy seldom goes unpunish'd & is very often defeated by the Means of its Existence. Arnold-notwithstanding his unremitted Exertions in the plunder of Tobacco is depriv'd of the Benefits of his Labour. Arbuthnot has claim'd it as High-Admiral of the Ocean on which it was taken & will no doubt remain Master of the ill-gotten Weed. As the age we live in is replete with every thing that is marvellous and new you will not be surprised at hearing that McKean from presiding over Boys now presides over the United States. To be sure the Chair went a begging & many refus'd the dignity: but that must be owing to a Consciousness of their Unworthiness.-An objection which can by no means apply in the present Case. |