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In Committee of Safety, New-Jersey,
Whereas unanimity among all ranks of people is, at this time of imminent danger, most essential to the peace, safety and defence of this Colony; and whereas this Committee have been informed that sundry persons, in divers parts of this Province, paying no respect to the General Association recommended to the inhabitants thereof, or to their own welfare, are attempting to raise mobs and riots, with a view, as this Committee is informed, to fix prices to several commodities, much under what they can either be manufactured at or imported for, though greatly wanted, and at this critical juncture very difficult to be procured, particularly Salt, Wool, and coarse Linens; and as such conduct can have no other tendency but to create divisions amongst us, and deter those who are willing from risking their property in order to procure those necessary articles, whereby they will become still scarcer, and the poor sort of people in the end greatly suffer; this Committee find themselves under the necessity of declaring, that as it is their duty, so they are determined, as far as in them lies, to protect every peaceable inhabitant of this Province in the secure possession of his property, as well as the free enjoyment of every civil privilege that he is entitled to from the community, from all riots or riotous attempts whatever: In order thereto, this Committee do request that all Committees of Observation, Magistrates, and other officers, as well civil as military, in
This Committee being informed that sundry ill-disposed persons within this Colony have engrossed considerable sums of Gold and Silver Specie, and are attempting to dispose of the same for Paper currency, (particularly Continental,) at more than the value that has been heretofore fixed on Gold and Silver Coin made current in this Province; and as such a practice must have an immediate tendency to depreciate the value of Paper currency, it is hereby
Resolved, That no person possessed of Gold or Silver Coin within this Province shall receive a greater value therefor in Paper currency, than such denomination of Coins have been accustomed to pass for in this Colony, under penalty of being considered as an enemy to the liberties of America, and treated accordingly.
By order of the Committee:
Attest:
JOHN DENNIS, Secretary.
Resolution of the Committee of Safety of New Jersey
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Trenton, May 15, 1776.
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this Colony, will exert themselves, and be particularly careful to suppress all attempts to raise any mobs or riots in the parts they reside in, and to preserve the peace of society. This Committee do at the same time request that all persons who may have any of those necessary articles to dispose of, (and those who have large quantities are desired to do it,) will consider the poor people in this time of general calamity, and not exact extravagant prices, especially on such as have been procured at low rates, more particularly the article of Salt.
SAMUEL TUCKER, President.