81John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have an opportunity by Captn. Beale, to write you a Line. We all arrived last Night in this City. It would take many Sheets of Paper, to give you a Description of the Reception, We found here. The Militia were all in Arms, and almost the whole City out to Meet us. The Tories are put to Flight here, as effectually as the Mandamus Council at Boston. They have associated, to stand by...
82From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 8 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. Arthur Loeb, Philadelphia (1955) This short letter is tantalizingly uninformative. It touches on the two personal relationships that were in crisis when Franklin returned to America, with his son and with his oldest political ally; but it throws little light on either. Its contents make clear that it was in answer to a letter now missing, in which Galloway congratulated Franklin on...
83From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 8 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I arrived here on Friday Evening, and the next morning was unanimously chosen by the General Assembly a Delegate for the ensuing Congress, which is to meet on Wednesday. You will have heard before this reaches you of the Commencement of a Civil War; the End of it perhaps neither myself, nor you, who are much younger, may live to see. I find here all Ranks of...
84[Diary entry: 8 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
8. Breakfasted at Charles Town & Dined & lodged at Wilmington. Charlestown, a flourishing port on the Northeast River, was the county seat of Cecil County, Md., until 1786, when the courthouse was moved to Elkton (Head of Elk). The road followed by GW from Charlestown to Wilmington led him through Christiana Bridge, or Christiana ( General Ledger B General Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of...
85[Diary entry: 8 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
8. Still Cool & lowering with Rain now and then.
86The Pennsylvania Assembly: Instructions to Its Delegates in Congress, 9 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the Province of Pennsylvania . . . (6 vols., Philadelphia, 1752–76), VI , 587. Franklin had no more than set foot in Philadelphia before he was plunged into local as well as Congressional politics. The day after he arrived the Assembly chose him unanimously as a delegate to Congress. On June 30 he was appointed to the Pennsylvania committee of safety and...
87[Diary entry: 9 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
9th. Breakfasted at Chester, & dined at the City Tavern Phila. Supped at Mr. Jos. Reads. The arrival in Philadelphia of the delegates from Virginia and other southern colonies was celebrated, according to Christopher Marshall, by a large reception and parade at the outskirts of the city ( Duane, Diary of Marshall William Duane, ed. Extracts from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in...
88[Diary entry: 9 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
9. Clear & pleasant. Wind Westerly.
89From James Madison to William Bradford, 9 May 1775 (Madison Papers)
I this day received your favor by Mr Hoopes but have not yet got the articles I find came along with it. Mr Hoopes lives at no very great distance so that I shall not be long without them. We have lately had a great alarm here about the Governor’s removing a large quantity of powder from our magazine and conveying it on board a ship of war: Not less [than] 600 men well armed and mounted...
90Address to Captain Patrick Henry and the Gentlemen Independents of Hanover, 9 May 1775 (Madison Papers)
The committee for Orange county, met on Tuesday the 9th of May, taking into their consideration the removal of the powder from the publick magazine, and the compensation obtained by the independent company of Hanover; and observing also, that the receipt given by Capt. Patrick Henry , to his Majesty’s Receiver General, refers the final disposal of the money to the next Colony Convention, came...