Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/156

132 cil therefore met in their corporate character, and addressed the following letter to governor Dunmore.

"My Lord,

"We, his majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the mayor, recorder, aldermen, and common council of the city of Williamsburg, in common hall assembled, humbly beg leave to represent to your excellency, that the inhabitants of this city, were this morning, exceedingly alarmed by a report that a large quantity of gunpowder was, in the preceding night, while they were sleeping in their beds, removed from the public magazine in this city, and conveyed, under an escort of marines, on board one of his majesty's armed vessels lying at a ferry on James river.

"We beg leave to represent to your excellency, that, as the magazine was erected at the public expense of this colony, and appropriated to the safe keeping of such munition as should be there lodged, from time to time, for the protection and security of the country, by arming thereout, such of the militia as might be necessary in cases of invasions and insurrections, they humbly conceive it to be the only proper repository to be resorted to in times of imminent danger.

"We further beg leave to inform your excellency, that, from various reports at present prevailing in dif-