Primary tabs
Tryon County Committee Chamber, September 7, 1775.
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN: By the affidavits against the Sheriff, Alexander White, now prisoner in the Albany jail, sent to you the 26th of August last, you will be much convinced of his inimical behaviour against the common cause, and in particular against our County; and as the said Sheriff is undoubtedly unworthy of his office, which commission shall be expired this instant month, we, the Committee, upon the motion of the whole County, (the Tories only excepted,) granted a publick voting of a new Sheriff for our County, to the freeholders and inhabitants therein residing, by which John Frey, Esq˙, of Palatine District, got the majority of votes. The dangerous circumstances of our County, by such a traitorous ruler as this White, give us great reason to protest against him; and fearing that either himself, or another one equal to him, might be intrusted again by the Governour in New-York, for the future service in the Sheriff' s office of our County, we resolved unanimously to apply to you for the directions of our present proceedings, begging that you will please to represent the same to his Excellency the Governour, and request his plenary grant of our chosen Sheriff above named, whom we can commend as a real friend to our American cause, a well-proved member of our Committee, and especially a
It is a general complaint in our County against the whole situation of our court and other publick houses, and alike against the rule therein appointed, as we have been under remarkable grievances suffering during their authority, and hardly could get justice done, especially such persons not having their partial interests. But we will rely on your favourable advice, regarding the alteration in this grievous matter, when and where to apply for.
We have to annex and to enclose you another affidavit of consequence, against the said Sheriff White, to your serious consideration; and it is to be feared that if said White will not soon be delivered to your care and determination, he, with the secret schemes of his concealed friends in Albany, might get his escape, to a consequential hurt of our County in particular, and generally of our American cause.
There is another great number of approved enemies against our Association, and regulations thereof, proceeding in and about Johnstown, at Kingsborough, under the direction and orders of Sir John Johnson, being Highlanders, amounting to about two hundred men, according to intelligence. We are daily scandalized by them, provoked, and threatened, and we must surely expect a ravage of them in our families, if we should be required and called elsewhere for the defence of our Country' s cause.
We cannot suffer much longer their behaviour against us, without blame and consequential damage; and therefore we thought proper to lay this in particular before you, with an humble request that you will consider this matter seriously, and delay not to favour us with your resolve therein, or on the contrary, by the daily rumour of the people in our side of the County, an uproar against indulgent proceedings of our Committee must be expected.
We remain, with great esteem, honourable Gentlemen, your obedient humble servants.
By order of the Committee:
NICHOLAS HERCHKEIMER, Chairman.
To the Honourable Provincial Congress at New-York.
N˙B. We have great suspicion, and are almost assured, that Sir John has a continual correspondence with Colonel Guy Johnson and his inimical party.
Tryon County Committee to New-York Congress
v3:660
v3:661
worthy man for this office of a Sheriff, to the almost unanimous approbation of our freeholders and inhabitants. We recommend, and leave entirely to your discretion, the further necessary addresses to the behoof of our County' s wishes and desire, not doubting that you will endeavour to interfere therein, as much as it lies in your power, to the confirmation of the aforesaid new chosen Sheriff.