of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 359

An Express having arrived from Virginia with a Paquet
directed to this Committee Inclosing a Letter to The Hon^ble
Council of Safety of this Province with a Letter to The Hon^l
John Hancock Member of the Congress at Phil^a and a Letter
from the Hon^l Council of Safety of Virg^a to this Committee of
which the following is a Copy.

Williamsburg 6 April 1776.
Gentlemen

We could not suffer a moment to pass before we trans-
mitted the Inclosed Copies of intercepted Letters addrest by
the Secretary of State to the Governor of your Province, which
open the Schemes of Administration to us in a more explicit
Manner than any other Intelligence we have been able to
procure.

We wish you to transmitt Copies of these Letters to Con-
gress without Delay

I am, For & by Order of the Committee of
Safety of Virginia

Gentⁿ Y^r Most Obed^t Hum^l Serv^t
John Page V. P.

N. B. A certain M^r Alexander Ross, who was refused a
Permission by this Committee, has been on board, Lord Dun-
more's Ship, and was the Person entrusted with the care of
the enclosed Letters; he has escaped from us, but as we think
him a Person inimical to the American Cause, he ought to be
apprehended

J. P. V. P.

[Letters from Lord George Germain, printed on page
344.]

The Committee on maturely considering the same, and
esteeming the Information given in the said Letters as highly
Interesting to American Freedom Unanimously Resolved,
That they be sent off to the Congress, & that Major Gist be
requested to permit an Officer to carry the same.

Major Gist, being accordingly applied to, ordered Lieuten-
ant David Plunket on that Service, and directed him to attend
the Committee for his Orders, which he did, and the preceding
Letters with one from this Com. to The Hon^l John Hancock
were delivered him, of which the following is a Copy.