Letter of John Bowdoin, Northampton, to Peyton Randolph, 1775 July 30.

Northhampton July 30 1775

Sir Inclosed I send you a Petition from our Committee to the Convention as we but yesterday heard that the Convention had come to a Resolution to stop the Exportation of grain & provision after the 5th of next month praying that the Export for Indian Corn may be kept open, or permitted till 10 September should the Convention make no alteration in their first Resolution, many Traders and Planters will be greatly Injured here. I fully Intended to have

been at the Convention but the Indisposion [Indisposition] of my family prevented which was the case with Mr Burton our other Delegate I am with the Greatest Respect Sir your ob[t?] Serv't [your obedient servant] John Bowdoin

The Honble Peyton Randolf Esq President of the Convention now sitting at p Express Richmond (written across page 3) July 1775

To the Honorable the President and Delegates of the people of Virginia now assembled in convention in the town of Richmond in the county of Henrico- the humble petition of the comittee of Northampton County in behalf of themselves & their constituents Humbly Sheweth

That the people of this County have ever been jealous in support of the Common Cause and have inviolably observed those regulations established by the General Congress for maintaining the Liberties of America-fully convinced that those regulations would be strictly adhered to by all Ranks and orders of men our constituents have formed many engagements and entered into various Contracts in which they have considered themselves as under the Faith and protection of the Country whilst they walked within the line prescribed them by the united voice of all America-amongst other things they have in all their engagements had a particular Eye to that very material clause which prohibits the Exportation of all merchandize from this Country to Great Britain or the West Indies after the tenth Day of September next and have taken their measures in such a manner as may be little burthensome to themselves as possible and at the same time with a full determination strictly to perform that clause of the Continental Association-it is therefore with the utmost Sorrow we are informed that the Convention of this Colony has directed that a total stop be put to the export of Grain and provisions from and after the fifth Day of August next a measure which if strictly enforced will bring the greatest Distress upon many merchants and private families in this place and which we fear may tend to disturb that unanimity which hath hitherto subsisted amongst us whilst the Determinations of the Congress were received as an invariable rule of conduct in those points which that very respectable

respectable body have taken under him consideration your petitioners by leave to represent to the Convention that the people of this place raise very large quan tities of Indian Corn which is generally unsold late in the summer and altho we believe then is not so much now on hand as is usual at this season yet there are such quantities as to ruin many persons who have made contracts respecting the same if the port are immediately stopped your petitioners therefore in behalf of themselves & the other inhabitants of this place pray that the exports to the West Indies may be kept open [till?] the 10th of September next and we beg leave to apease the convention that the greatest case will be taken by this Comittee to prevent the exportation of an provisions to the northward when there may be the least danger of their falling into the hands of the army and that it will be our constant study to enforce within the limits of our appointment those regulations of the general Congress or Convention of this Colony which are now entered into or may hereafter be adopted in support of the Common Cause Northampton County 29th July 1775 John Bowdoin Chairman Issac Avery John Respus John Burton John Kendall Michl [Michael] Christian John S. Harmanson John Harmanson Sr. Geo' Savage Nathaniel L. Savage Griffin Stith John Wilkins [illegible] William Ronald