Newcastle (Delaware) Committed

v2:633

Newcastle, on Delaware, ss:

Whereas, the Committee chosen in the several Hundreds of the County of Newcastle, did, at their meeting on the third day of May instant, take "into consideration the present distressed and defenceless situation of the inhabitants of this County, and the unhappy circumstances of their brethren in the other Colonies;" and did therefore "resolve unanimously, that a sum of Money be immediately raised for establishing a fund for procuring and providing the necessary means for our and their protection and support;" and further, "that the sum of one shilling and six pence in the Pound, be collected from each taxable inhabitant in the County, according to the County rates, as well estates as those resident, for the purposes aforesaid," to be collected by the members of the said Committee:

And whereas the said Committee have found a difficulty in collecting the said Money: We, the subscribers, Justices of the Peace and Grand Jurymen for the County aforesaid, do hereby engage, under the solemn ties of virtue, honour, and love of our Country, that, in order to remedy the inconvenience which the Committee aforesaid have met with in the collection of the said Money, we and each of, us will, at the Levy Court next to be held for this County, vote for, and to the utmost of our power promote the laying a Tax of one shilling and six pence in the Pound, upon the "taxables, as well estates as those resisident," in this County, for the purposes aforesaid, in addition to the tax which may be necessary for the current expenses of the County; out of which additional tax all sums of money already, or which may hereafter be paid in compliance with the said Resolves of the Committee, are to be deducted, and credit given for them to the persons who have paid or may pay the same, respectively.

Witness our hands, this 18th day of May, 1775.

GEORGE MONROE,
MORTON MORTON,
WILLIAM HEMPHILL,
THOMAS KEAN,
GEORGE EVANS,
WILLIAM ANDERSON,
JOHN JAMES
ROBERT KIRKWOOD,
DAVID HOWELL,
JOHN HYATT,
JOHN TAYLOR,
WILLIAM READ,
WILLIAM CLARK,
JOHN JONES,
JOHN EVANS,
THOMAS COOCH,
DAVID FINNEY,
JAMES LATIMER,
R˙ CANTWELL,
JOHN MALCOLM,
GEORGE CRAGHEAD,
JOHN STAPLER,
WILLIAM PATTERSON,
SAMUEL PATTERSON,
THOMAS MCKIM,
Grand Jurymen.

JOHN MCKINLEY,
Chairman.

It being found quite impracticable to raise the sums of money that were necessary for the purposes aforementioned, in so short a time as the urgency required, in the usual legal ways, therefore the Committee were obliged to adopt the aforegoing method, as appearing the most speedy, effectual, and equitable manner of raising the same; and it is hoped that all lovers of their Country will readily pay their several quotas to the Committee-men of their respective Hundreds, who have undertaken to collect the same without any fees or commissions, as the money is immediately wanted.

Each of the Committee of Correspondence are required to be diligent in collecting, as speedily as possible, what money has been subscribed and not paid towards the relief of our suffering brethren at Boston, and to apply to such as have not before contributed to their support, as their situation is at present most deplorable.