22 Oct. Reach'd Fredericksburg to Dinner. 3 Lodgd at Colo. Lewis's.

26 March 1772. Sett off again and reachd Colchester by nine Oclock, where I was detain'd all day by high Winds and low tide.

27 Mar. Cross'd early and breakfasted at Dumfries. Got to Fredericksburg in the afternoon and lodgd at Colo. Lewis's.

12 April 1772. Dined in Dumfries [from Fredericksburg] and Reachd home in the Afternoon, where I found Mrs. Barnes, Miss Carlyle, Miss Alexander, Miss Hunter, Colo. Carlyle and Son, and Daughter Nancy. [By expenses at Dumfries 5s/4d. Ledger B]

I7 September 1772. Set of on my return home [from Fredericksburg]. Dined at Dumfries and reachd home abt. Dusk. Found Mrs. French and her Daughter and Miss Molly Manly here.

1773 - Sunday 24, October.

Expence at Blandensburg 5/7 . Rode thence to Georgetown, 8 Miles. Expence 1/6. Ferriage /6. From thence we rode by Alexandria, 9 Miles Thence to Colchester 18
Miles Dined Expence 3/9. Ferriage /6. Rode thence to Dumfries l0 Miles. Whole distance 45 Miles. Whole Expence 11/4.

Monday 25 October 1773.

Expence at Dumfries 4/s - Rode thence to Aquia 10 Miles. Expence 2/4 Rode thence to Stafford - Court - House 12 Miles. Whole Distance 22 Miles. Whole Expence 6/6.

Tuesday 26.

Expence at Stafford 5/. Stopped at Colonel Thomas Lees, only a few Rods from Stafford Tavern. Continued there all day, and the following Night. Expence to Day 5/.

[incidental expenses during same trip: boy, 1/; oats, /8; buff-ball, 1/6; saddle-bag straps 3/; shaving & dressing 1/3; quire of paper, 1/6; box of wafers, 1/]

Tuesday January 18, 1774

Mrs Carter, & the young Ladies came Home last Night from the Ball, & brought with them Mrs Lane, they tell us there were upwards of Seventy at the Ball; forty one Ladies; that the company was genteel; & that Colonel Harry Lee, from Dumfries, & his Son Harrey who was with me at College, were also there; Mrs Carter, made this an argument. and it was a strong one indeed, that to-day I must dress & go with her to the Ball-She added also that She Desired my Company, in the evening when she should come Home as it would be late-After considering a while I consented to go & was dressed we set away from Mr Carters at two; Mrs Carter & the young Ladies in the Chariot, Mrs Lane in a Chair, & myself on Horseback. As soon as I had handed the Ladies out, I was saluted by Parson Smith, I was introduced into a small Room where a number of Gentlemen were playing Cards, (the first game I have seen since I left Home) to lay off my Boots Riding-Coat &c-Next I was directed into the Dining-Room to see Young Mr Lee; He introduced me to his Father-With them I conversed til Dinner, which came in at half after four The Ladies dined first, when some Good order was preserved; when they rose, each nimblest Fellow dined first-The Dinner was as elegant as could be well expected when so great an assembly were to be kept for so long a time-For Drink, there was several sorts of Wine, good Lemon Punch, Toddy, Cyder, Porter &c- About Seven the Ladies & Gentlemen begun to dance in the BallRoom-first Minuets one Rolmd; Second Giggs; third Reels; And last of All Countly-Dances; tho' they struck several marches occasionally-The music was a French-Horn and two violins-The Ladies were Dressed Gay, and splendid, & when dancing, their Silks & Brocades rustled and trailed behind them! But all did not join in the Dance for there were parties in Rooms made up, some at Cards; some drinking for Pleasure; some toasting the Sons of America; some singing "Liberty Songs" as they call'd them, in which six- eight, ten or more would put their heads near together and roar, & for the most part as unharmonious as an affronted-Among the first of these Vociferators was a young scotch-man, Mr. Jack Cunningham; he was nimis bibendo appotus; noisy, droll, waggish yet civil in his way & wholly inoffensive-I was solicited to dance by several, Captain Chelton, Colonel Lee, Harry Lee, and others; But George Lee, with great Rudeness as tho' half drunk, asked me why I would come to the Ball & neither dance nor play Cards? I answered him shortly, (for his Impudence moved my resentment) that my invitation to the Ball would justify my Presence; & that he was ill qualified to direct my behaviour who made so indifferent a figure himself-Parson Smiths, & Parson Gibberns Wives danced, but I saw neither of the Clergy- men either dance or game-At eleven Mrs Carter call'd upon me to go, 1 listened with gladness to the summons & with Mrs Lane in the Chariot we rode home, the Evening sharp and cold! - I handed the ladies out, waited on them to a warm Fire, then ran over to my own Room, which was warm and had a good Fire; oh how welcome! Better this than to be at the Ball in some corner nodding, and awaked now & then with a midnight Yell! In my room by half after twelve; & exceeding happy that I Could break away with Reputation -

Tuesday March 1, 1774

By one of Mr. Carter's sailors we heard this morning that the fever mentioned some Days ago continues. Afternoon Mr Lane, a young Gentleman, formerly my acquaintance at Princeton came to see me; with one Mr Harrison - He stays all night.

Wednesday March 2, 1774

I gave my little family a Holiday, with an intention to ride with Mr Lane after Dinner-We walked to the Mill, & about the works, but before twelve it began to rain, & prevented our going out-Mrs Carter came out of her chamber & dined with us, & seems to be well over Illness.

Mr Lane lives in Louden County 20 miles from Dumfries; & is to re- turn to Princeton towards the close of this month.

Thursday March 3, 1774

Late last Evening the Packets came in: In the Pennsylvania Gazette I saw that Docter Elmer of my acquaintance in Jersey; & Docter Jones at whose House I dined Last Sunday are created members of the American Philosophical Society.-In the Virginia Papers there is an Account of an Earthquake felt on Monday the 21 ult. at l,Williamsburg, Richmond, & Fredericksburg,-After Breakfast Mr Lane left us, He was drest in black supelfine Broadcloth; Gold-Laced hat; laced Ruffles; black Silk Stockings; to his Broach on his Bosom he wore a Masons Badge inscrib'd "Virtue and Silentio" cut in a . . . .

Fryday 18 March 1774

Mr Carter now possesses 60000 acres of Land; & about 600 Negroes -But his Estate is much divided, & lies in almost every county in this Colony; He has Lands in the neighbourhood of Williamsburg, & an elegant & Spacious House in that City-He owns a great part of the well known Iron-Works near Baltimore in Maryland-And he has one or more considerable Farms not far from Anopolis. He has some large tracts of Land far to the West, at a place call'd "Bull Run," & the "Great Meadows" among the mountains. He owns Lands near Dumfries on the Potowmack; & large Tracts in this & the neighbouring Counties.

Wednesday, May 25th, I774

Saw them plant Tobacco. The Land is first hoed into small round hills about the size of mole-hills and about 4000 of them in an acre. The plants are something like small Cabbage plants; they only make a hoIe with their fingers or a small stick and put them in, one in each hill. Two Negroes will plant three acres in one day. Small Blisters are broke out all over my body, attended with an intolerable itching. They call it the Prickly heat and say it is very wholesome. It may be so, for everything I can tell, but it is very troublesome.

Tuesday 27 Sept. 1774

After the morning we let our fire go down-Both yesterday, & this evening I rode out to exercise myself & horse against our approaching Journey-Mr Hodge, a Merchant of Leeds & Mr Leech a Merchant of Dumfries came Home with the Colonel from Westmoreland-Court-Both chatty, in special Mr Leech; both well-bred, sensible, & sociable-The loyal Toast was Wisdom & unity to the Conferrences now assembled-And when Women were to be toasted, I gave Miss Jenny Washington.-

8 December 1773.
Breakfasted with my mother and lodged at Dumfries.
9. Breakfasted at Dumfries and reached home by dinner.

"lst, Resolved that the motto of this company shall be aut liber aut nullus.

"2nd, Resolved unanimously that Thomas Blackburn, Richard Graham and Philip Richard Francis Lee, gentlemen, do wait on Col. Geo. Washington and request him to take command of this Company as its field officer; and that he will be pleased to direct the fashion of their uniform; that they also acquaint him of the motto of their Company which is to be fixed upon their colors."

Prince William County Committee
Divers Resolutions

At a meeting of the committee, held at the house of Thomas Young, in the town of Dumfries, on Wednesday, the 2lst day of the same month, Foushee Tebbs, esquire, in the chair, Mr. Evan Williams, clerk.

Resolved, that the thanks of this committee are due to the deputies of this colony, for their wise, firm, and patriotic conduct in the late continental congress.

Resolved, that whenever there appears to this committee cause to suspect that any merchant or trader of this county has violated the association of the continental congress, by raising the price of his goods, that such merchant or trader be called upon to shew his day-books and invoices, to clear up such suspicion, and that in case of refusal, he be deemed guilty of the charge, and subject to the penaltics in such case provided.

Resolved, as the opinion of this committee, that no person or persons whatsoever in this county ought to make use of East India tea until American grievances are redressed.

Virginia Gazette (Pinkney), 12 January 1775 1. The committee had been elected two days before, on 19 December 1774. The above item is a concluding excerpt from a single five-paragraph notice.

Alexandria Town Committee to Virginia Committee via Dumfries Gentlemen
We received yesterday the papers herewith sent, and, conformable to the example set by the gentlemen of Baltimore, called a meeting of the principle inhabitance, who chose a committee, to correspond with that and the neighboring towns for the purpose of communicating to each other, in the most speedy manner, their sediments on the present interesting and alarming situation of America.
Deeply interested as we are, in the fate of Boston, now suffering the scourge resolutions, till the sentiments of the representatives of the people now met at Williamsburg, are known, when, we make no doubt that spirit which has distinguished Virginia as the intrepid Guardians of American Liberty will Again shine forth in all its former Lustre.

We likewise transmit you the resolutions of the Inhabitants of Annapolis together with the Extracts of Letters from London which came express from Annapolis late last night.l

However we applaud the spirit shewn in the resolutions of the Inhabitants of Annapolis, we cannot help thinking that the determination of the Inhabitants of Virginia, when Authenticated by the resolutions of their Assembly will be more decisive than any partial and local resolves.

We are with much Respect in behalf of the Committee Gentlemen Yr most humble Servts.
The Committee of Correspondence for
Alexandria
John Carlyle
Wm Ramsay
John Dalton
Dr Wm Rumney
Robt Adam
James Kish
James Hendricks
Robt H Harrison
George Gilpin
Capt Harper

JOHN CARLYLE

JOHN DALTON

Recipients' copy, MS letter in unidentified hand, with Carlisle's and Dalton's autograph signatures, in Virginia State Library; not transcribed by John Tazewell in committee MS copybook

1. The "Extracts," none of which is in the loose papers of the Virginia Committee of Correspondence, may have been three in number, one from the Annapolis Maryland Gazette of 26 May, the others one transcription each from a New York and a Pennsvlvania newspaper. The Maryland Gazette contained a letter, dated 31 March 1774, from "a gentleman in London to a friend in this city" reporting the progress of further coercive legislation in Parliament and warning that "if Boston acquiesces, the next step will probably be to punish Philadelphia" for not having permitted tea to be landed there. The possible transcriptions could have been "Extracts of private letters from London, dated April 7 and 8, to persons in New-York and Philadelphia," which Anne Catharine Green and her son Frederick, publishers of the Maryland Gazette, would print on 2 June. In these extracts both correspondents contended that freedom in Great Britain itself depended on successful colonial resistance to the sinister machinations of the British ministry.

2. John Harper. Of the ten men whose names are listed above, four Carlyle, Ramsay, Dalton, and Gilpin will be found serving on the Fairfax County committee on 19 December 1774.

Gentlemen . . . Dumfries 31st. May 1774.

Inclosed we send you the copies of the Resolves of the cities of Boston, Philadelphia, Annapolis, and Baltimore, as also the copy of a letter from our neighborhoods of Alexandria on the important subject of the late act of Parliament relative to the Trade and City of Boston in the Massachusetts bay. We sincerely concur in opinion with the several Committees on the present melancholy occasion, and fully determined to join our fellow subjects in every measure to avert the fatal consequence to us and posterity from principals so distructive to American Liberty, and have not the least doubts but we shall be heartily joined by every individual of the community.
As we have not yet heard what our late representatives have determined on, our unhappy situation, we have deferred entering into any particular Resolves until next monday, when we have called the inhabitance of the County together to warn them of the impending danger. At which time we fully expect, and it is the determined resolution of the inhabitance of the town, that a total stop shall be put to every kind of importation and exportation to and from Great Britain and the West India Islands. We have nothing further to add but to implore the devine goodness to fortify our minds and the minds of our fellow sufferers, with becoming firmness under their great affliction, and that may please him not to change the minds and hearts of our enemies, but to inspire us to withstand their oppression with the fortitude of men and christians.

We are, Gentlemen, with very great esteem
Your affectionate Brothers and Fellow citizens,
The Committee
Copy p. Order
Evan Williams, CLK.C.

Virginia Committee copy, autograph letters signed, in hand of Evan Williams, in virginia State Library; not transcribed by John Tazewell in committee MS copybook.

At a Meeting of the inhabitance of the Town of Dumfries, in the County of Prince William, in the Colony of Virginia, on Tuesday, the thirty-first day of May, 1774

RESOLVED, That it is the unaimous opinion of this meeting, that the Freeholders and others, inhabitance of this County, be invited to meet on Monday, the sixth day if June next, at the Court House of the said county to deliberate on measures the most proper to be taken to avert the dreadful calamities with which the Colonies in general, and the city of Boston in particular, are threatened from an unconstitutional act of Parliament lately passed, by which the town of Boston and its ports and harbours are to be blocked up by an armed force, which act, it is the opinion of this meeting, is fundamentally subsersive of out ancient, legal, and vital liberties, and that this resolve be published by the minister immediately after divine service on Wednesday, the first day and on sunday, the fifth day of June next.

Resolved, that Messrs Cuthbert Bullitt, William Grayson, Foushee Tebbs, William Carr, Richard Graham, John Riddell, Cumberland Wilson, Andrew Leitch, and Do'r George Graham be a committee for this town, to correspond with the different committees of any colony or province within America.

Resolved, That Evan Williams be appointed Clerk to this committee.

Resolved, That the Proceedings of this Committee, as well as those of other provinces laid before them, be fairly transcribed by the Clerk in a book to be kept for that purpose.

Copy Per order of the Committee: Evan Williams, Cl'K. Virginia Committee Copy, autograph document, signed, in hand of Evan Williams, in Virginia State Library; not transcribed by John Tazewell in committee MS copybook

Annapolis, Baltimore, Alexandria and Dumfries which came to hand this day. Also the Resolves of a meeting called here on the occasion. I am Sir, Your very humble serv't. B. Johnson, Town Clerk

"A tract of land in Prince William County, Virginia, of 500 acres, situated on Quantico Creek, between the mouth of said creek, where nine or ten ships load yearly, and the Town of Dumfries, where are inspected near 2,000 hogs- heads tobacco yearly, and the Court of Prince William Co., is held monthly, about three miles from each. Good soil and well timbered, which now rents for 4500 lbs. of tobacco yearly. Any person inclined to purchase may see the land by applying to Mr. Andrew Leatch who lives in Dumfries, and shew it, and the subscriber will be at the Tavern near the bridge in the aforesaid town on the first Monday in August when any person inclined to purchase may know the terms by applying to "John Boone Luckett."

Resolved, That the city of Boston, in the Massachusetts Bay, is now suffering in the common cause of American liberty, and on account of its opposition to an Act of the British Legislature, for imposing a duty upon tea, to be collected in America.

Resolved, That as our late Representatives have not fallen Upon means sufficiently efficacious to secure to us the enjoyment of our civil rights and liberties, that it is the undoubted privilege of each respective county, (as the fountain of power from whence their delegation arises,) to take such proper and salutary measures as will essentiany conduce to a repeal of those Acts, which the general sense of mankind, and the greatest characters in the nation, have pronounced to be unjust.

Resolved, And it is the opinion of this meeting, that until the said Acts are repealed, all importation to, and exportation from, this Colony ought to be stopped, except with such Colonies or Islands in North America as shall adopt this measure.

Resolved, And it is the opinion of this meeting, that the courts of justice in this Colony ought to decline uying any civil causes until said Acts are repealed.

Resolved, That the Clerk of this Committee uansmit copies of these Resolves to both the printers in Annapolis and Philadelphia, to be published in their Gazettes.

Per order, EVAN WILLIAMS, Clerk Com'tee.

G. Mason has hitherto not been considered the author of these resolutions. The editor's case rests on the proximity of Dumfries to Gunston Hall (about 14 miles), GM's known interest in both the nonimportation movement and the Boston Port Bill, and the stylistic evidence which is mentioned in the textual note below. That GM was involved in Prince William affairs is certain, as his petition of l0 Dec. 1781 written for the county's citizens proves. GM owned property along the Occoquan Creek in Prince William County and was well known in Dumfries. His commitment to nonimportation as a weapon in the struggle with England was of long standing. He had recently returned from Williamsburg and must have either volunteered or sought to help Prince William County freeholders express their concern and make a plea for nonexportation as well as nonimportation of goods.

A comparison of the Prince William and Fairfax resolves reveals stylistic similarities that establish GM as author of both documents beyond all reasonable doubt. In both documents there are common phrases: CONTRARY TO THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION (1PW and 5F); the citizens of Boston NOW SUFFERING IN THE COMMON CAUSE OF AMERICAN LIBERTY (2PW and l0F); IT IS THE OPINION OF TH15 MEETING (4PW and 16, 17, 19, 20, 21F); COURTS OUGHT TO DECLINE TRYING ANY CIVIL CAUSES (5PW and 19F). Such phrases particularly the one relating to "the first principles of the Constitution," recur . . . . . . .

. . . . . the citizens of Prince William County met at Dumfries on June 6, 1774, to affirm their support for the Bostonians, who were suffering under the Coercive Acts, and to show their support for the cessation of all trade with Great Britain. They endorsed a document known as the Prince William County Resolves which was printed in the Virginia Gazette in Williamsburg on June 9, 1774.

Printed from Force, American Archives, L 388. It was first printed in the Va. Gazette. (Rind), 9 June 1774.

[According to order, Robert Carter Nicholas, Esquire, laid before the Convention an account of the money received from the several counties and corporations in this colony for the use of the delegates sent to represent this colony in the first Continental Congress; viz.,l

(Cash re[ceive]d of Sundry Gentlemen for the Use of the Delegates deputed to the General Congress D [ebto] RS.
1774. Aug[ust] 4
To Cash re[ceive]d of Colo[nel]. H[enry]. Lee. Pr[incel William