Committee for Kent County requested to send the Rev. John Patterson, under a guard, to the Convention

v4:714

The Proceedings of the Committee of Kent County, relative to the conduct and behaviour of the Reverend John Patterson were read, and are as follow:

"At a meeting of a special Committee held for Kent County, on the 16th day of August, Anno Domini 1775, present, Thomas Smyth, Chairman, and thirteen Members.

"This Committee being informed that the Reverend Mr˙ John Patterson, of Kent County, had some time past publickly spoken words which reflected upon the Convention; upon which the matter was considered, and

"Resolved, That summons issue to the said Patterson, for him to appear before the next Committee to be held for the County aforesaid, on Monday, the 21st instant; to which time this Committee is adjourned."

"Monday, the 21st day of August, the Committee met according to adjournment, present, thirty-one Members.

"The Reverend John Patterson appeared in consequence of the summons issued at the last meeting, and being interrogated with regard to the disrespectful words which it was alleged he had spoken against the Convention, confessed that he had reflected on the Proceedings of the Convention, as well that held in December last, as the one held in July last; that the first had undertaken to preclude persons who were not members of the Committee, from judging of the propriety of their proceedings; that he conceived the said Convention had entered into that resolution to cover a duplicity of conduct of the Continental Congress; that it was depriving men of their liberty, and that he considered himself brought as a criminal, to receive a mock trial; that the multitude were deluded; that he did not see why he should not judge upon the Proceedings of the Convention, it was a liberty the people of New-York had taken; upon being asked who, in New-York, he answered, Doctor Cooper and Doctor Chandler, and said that he should think it a higher honour to be ranked with those gentlemen, than to have the approbation of this Committee, or even the Convention; that the last Convention had treated James Chrystie in a tyrannical, cruel, and oppressive manner, and that there was more liberty in Turkey than in this Province; that the Convention had forbid him from passing any censure on the Congress; that he had not done it since, and that if the Committee should forbid him from passing any censure on the Convention, he would not, but should then confine himself to censures on the Committee.

"Upon which, it was unanimously voted, That the whole proceedings against said Patterson be transmitted to the Council of Safety for this Province, for them to take order therein.

"A true copy from the Minutes:

"W˙ HALL, Clerk Committee."

Whereupon, it is Resolved, That the Committee of Observation for Kent County be requested immediately to take into custody the Reverend John Patterson, and send him under a guard of four of the Militia to this Convention.