Extract of a Letter from London to a Gentleman in Virginia, Dated March 13, 1775

Page v2:121

I did myself the pleasure of writing you the first of this month, and then sent you a copy of such part of the Earl of Dunmore' s Letter to Lord Dartmouth as had been laid before both Houses of Parliament; since which time I have had an opportunity of knowing the secret part of his Lordship' s Letter which was not laid before Parliament; and as it particularly marks his character as Governour of Virginia, in reference to the good people of that brave Colony, and will, I trust, be so instructive to the Members of their House of Burgesses as never hereafter to confide in him, but to consider and treat him as their confirmed enemy, I beg that you will use the best and speediest means to communicate it to them, as I pledge myself to you for the truth of the information.

After Lord Dunmore had given his uncandid representation of Virginia, as transmitted to you on the first of this month, he proceeded warmly to recommend to Lord Dartmouth that some Men-of-War should be stationed in Chesapeake Bay, to prevent the Virginians from carrying on any external trade except with this Country; and that all communication might be cut off between them and the Northern Colonies, he advised that some Sloops or Tenders should be placed in Chester and Sassafras Rivers; and as he observed that the Council as well as the House of Burgesses, and almost every person of fortune and consideration in the Colony, except the Attorney General, were as deeply engaged as the inferiour planters in factious associations and plans of resistance, great outrages and disorders would soon take place among them, from a want of a regular distribution of law; and therefore he strongly urged the King' s Ministers, as a sure method to increase these disorders, and which, in the end, he asserted, could, not fail to produce Petitions from the rich praying the protection of this Legislature, that His Majesty would, without delay, order himself and all the other Executive Officers of Virginia, to withdraw from thence.

This, I faithfully assure you, is the secret counsel of Lord Dunmore. Can you, therefore, my dear sir, wonder that Administration persevere in their ruinous and despotick system of American politicks? Be you firm, however, in your wise Resolutions of Non-Importation, Non-Exportation, and Non-Consumption, and to these add an immediate accomplishment in the art of war, and in the end you will establish the rights of America upon an immovable basis. But you must first make the luxurious proud people of this Kingdom feel the want of your Commerce and affection, before they will do you any degree of justice.

Letter from London to a Gentleman in Virginia. Lord Dunmore, in a Letter to the Earl of Dartmouth, has recommended that some Men-of-War should be stationed in the Chesapeake, to prevent Virginia from carrying on any Trade with England, and advises the adoption of measures to distress the People, as the most certain way to bring about submission. [1775-03-13] Anonymous. [S4-V2-p0121] [Document Details][Complete Volume]