Josiah Bartlett and John Langdon to the New-Hampshire Committee of Safety

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Philadelphia, September 20, 1775.

DEAR SIR: Yesterday it was moved in Congress to discharge Colonel Fenton from his confinement. It seems that living at Hartford had afforded him an opportunity to see several of the members, as they passed to and from the Army; and, by his politeness and address, and by telling how much he had suffered, had prejudiced some of them that he had been hardly dealt with by us. The copy of a letter from General Putnam was also produced, wherein he says, that "the populace had seized him, and carried him before the Congress of New-Hampshire; and that, after a full hearing, they could not find that he had done any thing against the liberties of America, in word or deed; but, for fear that he might, had ordered him to be confined." But, as we knew the whole of that affair, we convinced the Congress that our Convention had done right. The Congress passed a resolution to this effect: "That whereas the Convention of the Colony of New-Hampshire had prudently and justly ordered Colonel John Fenton to be confined; and that he being now desirous to remove to Great Britain or Ireland, therefore resolved that General Washington be directed to allow Colonel Fenton to repair forthwith to New-York, and from thence to Great Britain or Ireland, on his giving his parole not to take up arms against America;" which order your Delegates consented to, thinking it better than keeping him confined at the publick expense.

As to publick news, you will see it in the publick prints, and we have no other that we can at present communicate. We should be glad to receive from you all possible intelligence of our affairs, and shall think it our duty to write you often, even though it were only to tell you we have nothing new to inform you of.

We are your most obedient humble servants,

JOSIAH BARTLETT,
JOHN LANGDON.

Matthew Thornton, Esq˙, Chairman of the Committee of Safety, New-Hampshire. To be communicated.