244 TlMEHRI. 



I. — Resolution of the Directors, July 22nd, 1776. 

 2. — As to the continuance of the citation. 

 3. — As to the style and wording of the letter. 

 4. — As to the competency of the Court. 



It was finally decided not to proceed to execution 

 until the Court is further advised, and in the meanwhile 

 to pay no attention to the language of the letter but 

 leave it to their High Mightinesses. 



(Signed) Jan L'Espinasse, A. Meertens, F. C. 

 Changuion, J. Andriessen, Sen., and J. L. C. v. 

 BAERLE, Secretary. 



The following is one of the latest of the petitions : — 



Letter from the planters and inhabitants of Deme- 

 rara to the Gentlemen Direfteur-General and Fiscal. 



" Highly honoured and most respected gentlemen, 



'' The undersigned, planters and inhabitants of this 

 river, find themselves compelled most respectfully, but 

 at the same time powerfully and earnestly to bring to 

 your notice : — 



" That it is an irrefutable truth, that when the inhabi- 

 tants of a province, colony or village, form part of a 

 state : 



' And, through a strange concourse cjf complications 

 in connection with questionable arbitrary a6ls done in 

 the said province, colony or village, — they remain with- 

 out any decisive answer from their rulers, who are the 

 highest representatives of the people : 



" The inhabitants are at liberty, provisionally and until 

 the will of their rulers be made known, to establish such 

 order as is necessary, to prevent that confusion which 

 naturally follows the absence of a proper government- 

 It this right is indisputable (which nobody can contra- 



