Lyman Hall Admitted as a Delegate

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"To which we received the following answer:

"GENTLEMEN: Your letter, accompanying sundry papers, having been laid before a very full Committee of this Colony, and undergone the most mature deliberation, I am, by their desire, to acquaint you that they have the highest sense of your arduous struggles in favour of the common cause of America, and most sincerely lament your present unhappy situation, but would recommend a continuance of your laudable exertions, and the laying a state of your case before the ensuing Continental Congress, as the only means of obtaining relief, and to put you in the situation you wish, which this Committee apprehend to be entirely out of their power to do, as it is their opinion that the Parish of St˙ John, being a part of the Colony of Georgia, which (by not acceding to, has violated the Continental Association) falls under the fourteenth Article of the said Association, no part of which any Committee can presume to do away, &c."

"Upon the receipt of this answer, it was seriously considered in what manner to conduct in the present situation, and proposed whether we should immediately break off all connexion and commerce with Savannah, and all other inhabitants of this Province, who have not fully acceded to the Continental Association.

"It was considered, that as we were denied commerce with any other Colony, and but one merchant among us considerable for dry goods had signed our Association, and he insufficient for a present supply, and we utterly unable at present to procure materials or manufactures for clothing among ourselves, we must, by such a resolution, become extremely miserable; it was therefore concluded, that till we could obtain trade and commerce with some other Colony, it is absolutely necessary to continue it in some

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"1. That none of us shall, directly or indirectly, purchase any slave imported at Savannah, (large numbers of which we understand are there expected,) till the sense of the Congress shall be made known to us.

"2. That we not trade at all with any merchant at Savannah, or elsewhere, that will not join in our associating agreement, otherwise than under the inspection of a Committee, for that purpose appointed, and for such things only as they shall judge necessary, and when they shall think there are necessary reasons for so doing.

"A Committee was then nominated and appointed to sit weekly on Thursdays, for the purposes aforesaid.

" It was then resolved, that a Delegate be sent from this Parish to the Congress, to be held at Philadelphia in May next, and that Tuesday, the twenty-first of March, be appointed for choosing one.

"On the said twenty-first of March, at a full meeting, Lyman Hall, esq˙, was unanimously chosen to represent and act for the inhabitants of this Parish as a Delegate at the General Congress, to be held in Philadelphia in May next, who are determined faithfully to adhere to, and abide by the determination of him and the other honourable members of the same.

"Signed by order of the Inhabitants, by Daniel Roberts and twenty others, members of the Committee."

"Midway, St˙ John' s Parish.

In the Province of Georgia, April 13, A˙ D˙ 1775."