LANCASTER COUNTY. 3/1 



|)ieces. It is melancholy to see fine plant^ltions, and 

 extensive fields, which a few days ago waved with luxu- 

 riant crops, now lying waste. Many able farmers who 

 expected to carry several hundred bushels of grain to 

 market, will be obliged to buy bread for their families ; 

 and many of the poorer kind will be ruined, and reduced 

 to beggary. All these people are mowing their late 

 promising and tlch crops, as fodder for their cattle. — 

 Their distress is moving and alarming. At Dunkertown 

 it is said, with what truth I cannot say, that cattle were 

 killed by the hail ; but certain it is, that about Muddy 

 creek, in this county, calves, pigs, fowls, &c. were killed 

 in that settlement ; the ground in the woods is as thick 

 covered with green foliage, beaten from the trees, as it is 

 with the fallen leaves in the month of October ; and in 

 many places the birds are found dead in w'oods and 

 orchards. The north-west side of the fruit trees are 

 barked, and all the glass windows on that side, that were 

 not secured by shutters, are demolished ; and even the 

 rails of the fences, visibly show the impression of hail 

 upon them. In short, this storm threw every person 

 who saw it, into the most dreadful consternation; for the 

 oldest man here never saw or heard any thing like it.'^ 



As early as 1765, the British Parliament passed an act 

 that all instruments of writing, such as promissory notes, 

 bonds, indentures, &c. were to be null and void, unless 

 written on paper or parchment stamped with specific 

 duty. This measure was opposed in England and in this 

 cx)untry ; and being found unpopular, the act was repeal- 

 ed in 1766 ; but another act was passed by ParUament, 

 declaring that the British Parliament had a right to make 

 laws binding the colonies in all cases whatever ; this act 

 was soon followed by another, imposing, in the colonies, 

 duties on glass, paper, painters colors, and tea. These 



