284 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1775. 



" Chester County, September 7, 1775. 

 " The Committee of Chester County are desired to meet at 

 the sign of the Turk's Head, in the township of Goshen,^ on 

 Monday, the 25th inst., at Ten O'clock, A. M., on business of 

 consequence ; at which time and place the board Of commission- 

 ers and assessors are requested to attend. 



" By order of the Committee, 



" Anthony Wayne, Chairman." 



" In Committee, Chester County, Sept. 25, 1775. 

 " WTiereas some persons, evidently inimical to the liberty of 

 America, have industriously propagated a report, that the mili- 

 tary associators of this County, in conjunction with the military 

 associators in general, intend to overturn the Constitution, by 

 declaring an Independency, in the execution of which they are 

 aided by this Committee and the board of Commissioners and 

 Assessors with the arms now making for this County ; and as 

 such report could not originate but among the worst of men for the 

 worst of TpuTTposes, — This Committee have therefore thought proper 

 to declare, and they do hereby declare, their abhorrence even of an 

 idea so pernicious in its nature ; as they ardently wish for nothing 

 more than a happy and speedy reconciliation, on constitutional 

 principles, with that state from whom they derive their origin. 

 " By order of the Committee, 



" Anthony Wayne, Chairman." 



The strong language of this disclaimer against any intention 

 of favoring independence, and the desire expressed for a recon- 

 ciliation with the mother country, sounds strange at this day, 

 yet there can be no doubt that, up to this late period, it was the 

 prevailing sentiment, even among those who were most strenu- 

 ous in their opposition to the measures of the home govern- 

 ment. 



After having provided for the election of a new Committee for 

 the ensuing year by the people of the several townships, on the 

 2d of October, the Committee adjourned to meet at Chester on 

 that day, but we have no record of the proceedings of that meet- 

 ing. Whether the complexion of the Committee was changed 

 by the election is not known, but we judge it was not, from the 

 proceedings of the next meeting. 



" Chester, Oct. 23rd, 1775. 

 " Pursuant to public notice given, the Committee met at the 

 house of David Cowpland, in the borough of Chester. On mo- 

 tion ordered, that each member of this Committee do immedi- 

 ately make return to the Chairman, of the quantity of Powder 



1 Now West Chester. 



