Letter from John Pickering to Stephen Moylan

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Salem, December 7, 1775.

SIR: It having been referred to the Committee of Safety and Correspondence of this town, to determine whether the brig Kingston Packet, Samuel Ingersoll, master, taken at Nova-Scotia, on suspicion of being engaged in business contrary to the Association of the United Colonies, should be permitted to proceed on her voyage or not, the Committee beg leave to assure you, sir, that it is not from any desire to avoid doing the utmost service in our power for our country, that we must decline giving our judgment in a matter of this importance. It appears many merchants have considered the prohibition in the same light with the owner of the above brig — many vessels being thus employed. Should the Committees in different towns give different judgments, it would lead to great difficulties. We must therefore request that this important question be determined by judges whose jurisdiction is general.

I am, sir, in the name and by order of the Committee of Safety and Correspondence of Salem, your most humble servant,

JOHN PICKERING, JUN˙, Chairm˙ P˙ T.

Stephen Moylan, Esq.