Committee of York-Town, York County, Pennsylvania, to John Hancock and Thomas Cushing

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York-Town, April 13, 1775.

HONOURED FRIENDS AND COUNTRYMEN: Sorry are we to hear that the hand of oppression still bears hard on your City, and that the distresses of your poor are not yet alleviated. If your misfortunes and sufferings could be divided, the inhabitants of this County would cheerfully bear a part. This, it seems, cannot be done; your destined Town must stand the shock alone. We want words to express the high sense we have of your conduct and virtue; few men in the world would have opposed despotism, and stood the torrent of ministerial, vengeance with so much steadiness, intrepidity, and resolution, as the inhabitants of your Town and Country have done You have true notions of liberty. You have purchased it. You ought to enjoy it. The noble stand made by the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, if faithfully adhered to, has laid the foundation for establishing American liberty on the most firm basis. The other Colonies will be equally gainers by a favourable determination of the contest, and will not desert you in the time of danger; they will doubtless grant you the most effectual assistance.

This County, upon the earliest intelligence of your distress, forwarded subscriptions for the poor of Boston. Grain was generally subscribed; we expected to have sent it last fall, but could not collect it at any seaport before the winter season came on, so that the shipping of it was postponed till the spring. Upon the meeting of the Committee of this County in February last, shortly after the receipt of the King' s Speech to the Parliament, it was thought that it would not be safe to send Grain. The Committee, therefore, determined to convert the Grain into cash, and remit the same in Specie or Bills of Exchange to you. Your poor have suffered much by this Resolution, as the price of Wheat is greatly fallen. The subscriptions of but a part of the County are yet come in. We send you the sum of £246 8s˙ 10d˙, to be remitted to you in Bills of Exchange or Specie, by Messrs˙ Jonathan B˙ Smith and John Mitchell, Merchants of Philadelphia, which be pleased to distribute among our poor and unhappy countrymen in your Town, or in its neighbourhood, in such manner as you shall think proper. As there are a few disaffected people in this Province, we must trouble you to publish the receipt of the donations as is mentioned in the enclosed paper. Your friends here are numerous, and most heartily interested themselves in your favour. As soon as the rest of the subscriptions in this County are paid, we shall cheerfully remit the same to you.

We wish you a speedy relief from all your sufferings, and are, gentlemen, with the greatest respect, your real friends and most obedient bumble servants,

JAS˙ SMITH, Pres' t Com.

GEO˙ EICHELBERGER,
GEO˙ FUVIN,
DAVID GRIER,
JOS˙ DONALDSON,
MICHAEL DOWDLE,
MICHAEL SCHMYSER,
MICHAEL SWOPE,
BALZORD SPANGLER,
PETER REEL,
JOHN HAY,
THOMAS HARTLEY.

To John Hancock and Thomas Cushing, Esq' rs, Committee for receiving and distributing the Donations for the Poor of Boston.