Sussex County (Virginia) Committee

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SUSSEX COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

Committee Chamber, January 29, 1776.

This Committee from tender feelings for their poor suffering and distressed brethren of the Borough of Norfolk, (who, from their small possessions, and daily labour, were enabled to support themselves, their wives, and tender infants,) are by the tyrannical, cruel, and destructive executioner of Ministerial vengeance, Lord Dunmore, and his banditti of Blacks, and Scotch Tories, and Jacobites, reduced to the most affecting wants of every necessary support of life, have resolved to exert themselves (in which they have the pleasure to find their constituents zealously joining them) in providing houses for the reception of as many poor people as they can, with a sufficient quantity of land to cultivate; to which the Committee, in the most affectionate manner, invite them, hoping thereby, in some measure, to alleviate anxiety, and remove their distresses, in being thus provided for by their brethren beyond the reach of Lord Dunmore' s oppressive hand, and the dreadful effects of his nocturnal design, and robberies, declaring at the same time, that this invitation does not proceed from those base, ungenerous, and selfish views suggested by his Lordship, in his late publication, but from motives that his Lordship and his abetters appear to be entire strangers to.

AUGUSTINE CLAIBORNE, Chairman.