EARLY STAND TAKEN BY THE CITIZENS OF MONMOUTH.- PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS IN DIFFERENT TOWNSHIPS IN 1774-5.- FREEHOLD LEADS THE STATE.- COUNTY RESOLUTIONS.- AN ADMIRABLE DOCUMENT.- PATRIOTS APPEAL TO THEIR DESCENDANTS.- "A FAITHFUL RECORD" OF 1774.

Historians of other States have always conceded that the citizens of New Jersey were among the earliest and most active opponents of those tyrannical acts of Great Britain which brought on the war, and finally resulted in separation. Large and spirited public meetings were held in various parts of the State in 1774-5, to denounce the obnoxious laws, and to organize for counsel and defence.

At this stage of affairs, separation from England had not been proposed, and most of these meetings, while condemning the acts of the British Ministry and Parliament, still expressed decided loyalty to the King. Our ancestors warmly seconded the stand taken by the people of Boston, and freely forwarded contributions to the suffering inhabitants of that city.

We annex extracts from the proceedings of some of these meetings in Old Monmouth, as they exhibit the timely zeal and firm and decided spirit of its citizens, and also furnish the names of some of the leading spirits who were prominent in the early stages of political movements which brought on the the revolution. The several counties of the State were requested to send delegates to meet at New Brunswick, July 21st, 1774, to consider what action should be taken by the citizens of the province of New Jersey. This convention was generally spoken of as the "Provincial Congress of New Jersey," and was a different body from the Legislature; in several instances, however, the same persons were members of both bodies. A number of persons named in these proceedings were afterwards, during the war, conspicuous in military or civil life, for their services in behalf of their country in legislative halls and on the field of battle.

For a year or two the citizens of the county appear to have been about unanimous in their sentiments, but when finally the subject of a separation from the mother country was boldly advocated, there was found to be a diversity of opinion, and some who were among the most active in the meetings of 1774-5, earnestly opposed the proposition, and eventually sided with England in the later years of that memorable struggle. The fearful consequences of this division, in which it would seem almost every man capable of bearing arms was compelled to take sides, we have endeavored to give in other chapters.

The citizens of Freehold had the honor, we believe, of holding the first meeting in New Jersey to denounce the tyrannical acts of Great Britain- of inaugurating the movements in our State which finally resulted in Independence. The date of their first meeting is June 6th, 1774; the earliest date of a meeting in any other place that we have met with, is of a meeting at Newark, June 11th, 1774.

The following is a copy of the Freehold Proceedings:

              LOWER FREEHOLD RESOLUTIONS. 
                           "Freehold June 6th 1774. 

"At a meeting of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the Township of Lower Freehold in the county of Monmouth in New Jersey, on Monday the 6th day of June, 1774, after notice given of the time, place and occasion of this meeting:

"Resolved That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that the cause in which the inhabitants of the town of Boston are now suffering is the common cause of the whole Continent of North America; and that unless some general spirited measures, for the public safety be speedily entered into there is just reason to fear that every Province may in turn share the same fate with them; and that therefore, it is highly incumbent on them all to unite in some effectual means to obtain a repeal of the Boston Port Bill and any other that may follow it, which shall be deemed subversive of the rights and privileges of free born Americans.

"And that it is the opinion of this meeting that in case it shall hereafter appear to be consistent with the general opinion of the trading towns and the commercial part of our countrymen, that an entire stoppage of importation and exportation from and to Great Britain and the West Indies, until the said Port Bill and other Acts be repealed, will be conducive to the safety and preservation of North America and her liberties, they will yield a cheerful acquiescence in the measure and earnestly recommend the same to all their brethren in this Province.

"Resolved, moreover, That the inhabitants of this township will join in an Association with the several towns in the county and in conjunction with them, with the several counties in the Province (if, as we doubt not they see fit to accede to the proposal) in any measures that may appear best adapted to the weal and safety of North America and all her loyal sons.

      "Ordered That 

      JOHN ANDERSON ESQ          PETER FORMAN 
      HENDRICK SMOCK             JOHN FORMAN 
      ASHER HOLMES               CAPT. Jno. COVENHOVEN 
              and Dr. NATHANIEL SCUDDER 

be a committee for the township to join those who may be elected for the neighboring townships or counties to constitute a General Committee for any purposes similar to those above mentioned; and that the gentlemen so appointed do immediately solicit a correspondence with the adjacent towns."

(Dr. Scudder subsequently was a Colonel in the First Regiment Monmouth Militia, and killed October 15th, 1781, as described elsewhere.)

The following week the citizens of Essex sent the following to the patriots of Monmouth:

                       ESSEX TO MONMOUTH. 
                                      "ELIZABETHTOWN June 13 1774 

"Gentlemen: The alarming Measures which have been lately taken to deprive the Inhabitants of the American Colonies of their constitutional Rights and Privileges, together with the late violent attacks made upon the rights and liberties of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay (for asserting and endeavoring to maintain their rights) manifestly intended to crush them without Mercy and thereby disunite and weaken the Colonies, and at the same time dare them to assert or own their Constitutional Rights, Liberties or Properties, under the Penalty of the like, and if possible, worse treatment: and as the Assembly of New Jersey are not like to meet in time to answer the Design proposed, and the neighboring Colonies are devising and expecting the immediate union of this Colony with them.

"Sundry of the Inhabitants of the County of Essex by Advertisements, convened a general Meeting of said County at Newark on Saturday last, when the said inhabitants unanimously entered into certain Resolves and Declarations upon that occasion, a copy of which you have enclosed. We the Committee appointed by the said Meeting, do earnestly request that You will immediately by Advertisements or otherwise, call a general Meeting of your County for the purposes aforesaid as soon as possible, as we have intelligence that it is most probable the General Congress of the Colonies will be held the latter end of July next. We think New Brunswick the most suitable place for the committee to meet, and with submission to them desire they will meet us at New Brunswick on Thursday, July 2lst next, at 10 o'clock in the morning, unless some other time and place more suitable shall in the meantime be agreed upon.

"We earnestly request your answer as soon as possible.

"Letters of this Tenor and Date we now despatch to the other Counties in this Colony. We are, Gentlemen,

                    "your most ob't servants 
                                  STEPHEN CRANE, Chairman. 

"By order;

"To Messrs. Edward Taylor, Richard Lawrence, Elisha Lawrence, John Taylor and Henry Waddell and other Inhabitants of the County of Monmouth, Friends to the Liberties and Privileges of the American Colonies."

(The above letter was directed to the above named gentlemen "or to any body else in Monmouth County.")

Delegates from the different townships in the county assembled at Freehold, July 19th, and the result of their decision is found in the following admirable document. It is lengthy, but will well repay perusal. In the closing paragraph they trust that some faithful record will transmit the reasons which actuated them, to their posterity to whom they make a brief but eloquent appeal. As they desired, this record has been preserved, and as they desired, we do what we can to place it before their descendants:

"On Tuesday, July 19th, 1774, a majority of the Committees from the several townships in the County of Monmouth of the Colony of New Jersey, met according to appointment at the Court House at Freehold in said county; and appearing to have been regularly chosen and constituted by their respective townships, they unanimously agreed upon the propriety and expediency of electing a committee to represent the whole county at the approaching Provincial Convention to be held at the city of New Brunswick, for the necessary purpose of constituting delegates from this Province to the general Congress of the Colonies and for all other such important purposes as shall hereafter be found necessary.

"They at the same time also recorded the following Resolutions, Determinations and Opinions, which they wish to be transmitted to posterity as an ample testimony to their loyalty to his British Majesty, of their firm attachment to the principles of the glorious Revolution and their fixed and unalterable purpose, by every lawful means in their power, to maintain and defend themselves in the possession and enjoyment of those inestimable civil and religious privileges which their forefathers, at the expense of so much blood and treasure, have established and handed down to them.

"1st. In the names and behalf of their constituents, the good and loyal inhabitants of the county of Monmouth, in the colony of New Jersey, they do cheerfully and publicly proclaim their unshaken allegiance to the person and government of his most gracious Majesty, King George the Third, now on the British throne, and do acknowledge themselves bound at all times, and to the utmost exertion of their power to maintain his dignity and lawful sovereignty in and over all his colonies in America; and that it is their most fervent desire and constant prayer that in a Protestant succession, the descendants of the illustrious House of Hanover, may continue to sway the British sceptre to the latest posterity.

"2d. They do highly esteem and prize the happiness of being governed and having their liberty and property secured to them by so excellent a system of laws as that of Great Britain, the best doubtless in the universe; and they will at all times cheerfully obey and render every degree of assistance in their power to the full and just execution of them. But at the same time will, with the greatest alacrity and resolution oppose any unwarrantable innovations in them or any additions to or alterations in the grand system which may appear unconstitutional, and consequently inconsistent with the liberties and privileges of the descendants of free born American Britons.

"3d. As there has been for ages past, a most happy union and uninterrupted connection between Great Britain and her colonies in America, they conceive their interests are now become so intimately blended together and their mutual dependence upon each other to be at this time so delicately great that they esteem everything which has a tendency to alienate affection or disunite them in any degree, highly injurious to their common happiness and directly calculated to produce a Revolution, likely in the end to prove destructive to both; they do therefore heartily disclaim every idea of that spirit of independence which has, of late, by some of our mistaken brethren on each side of the Atlantic, been so groundlessly and injuriously held up to the attention of the nation, as having through ambition, possessed the breasts of the Americans. And moreover they do devoutly beseech the Supreme Disposer of all events, graciously to incline the heart of our Sovereign and all his Ministers, to a kind and impartial investigation of the real sentiments and disposition of his truly loyal American subjects.

"4th. Notwithstanding many great men and able writers have employed their talents and pens in favor of the newly adopted mode of taxation in America, they are yet sensible of no convictive light being thrown upon the subject; and therefore, although so august a body as that of the British Parliament is now actually endeavoring to enforce in a military way, the execution of some distressing edicts upon the capital of the Massachusetts colony, they do freely and solemnly declare that in conscience they deem them, and all others that are, or ever may be framed upon the same principles, altogether unprecedented and unconstitutional, utterly inconsistent with the true original intention of Magna Charta, subversive of the just rights of free born Englishmen, agreeable and satisfactory only to the domestic and foreign enemies of our nation, and consequently pregnant with complicated ruin, and tending directly to the dissolution and destruction of the British Empire.

"5th. As they, on the one hand firmly believe that the inhabitants of the Massachusetts colony in general, and those of the town of Boston in particular, are to all intents and purposes as loyal subjects as any in all his Majesty's widely extended dominions; and on the other, that (although the present coercive and oppressive measures against them may have taken rise in some part from the grossest and most cruel misrepresentation both of their disposition and conduct) the blockade of that town is principally designed to lead the way in an attempt to execute a dreadful deep laid plan for enslaving all America. They are therefore clearly of opinion, that the Bostonians are now eminently suffering in the common cause of American freedom, and that their fate may probably prove decisive to this very extensive continent and even to the whole British nation; and they do verily expect that unless some generous spirited measures for the public safety be speedily entered into and steadily prosecuted, every other colony will soon in turn feel the pernicious effects of the same detestable restrictions. Whence they earnestly entreat every rank, denomination, society and profession of their brethren, that, laying aside all bigotry and every party disposition, they do now universally concur in one generous and vigorous effort for the encouragement and support of their suffering friends, and in a resolute assertion of their birthright, liberties and privileges, In consequence of which they may reasonably expect a speedy repeal of all the arbitrary edicts respecting the Massachusetts government, and at the same time an effectual preclusion of any future attempts of the kind from the enemies of our happy Constitution, either upon them or any of their American brethren.

"6th. In case it shall hereafter appear to be consistent with the result of the deliberation of the general Congress, that an interruption or entire cessation of commercial intercourse with Great Britain and even (painful as it may be) with the West Indies, until such oppressive Acts be repealed and the liberties of America fully restored, stated and asserted, will on this deplorable emergency be really necessary and conducive to the public good, they promise a ready acquiescence in every measure and will recommend the same as far as their influence extends.

"7th. As a general Congress of Deputies from the several American Colonies is proposed to be held at Philadelphia soon in September next, they declare their entire approbation of the design and think it is the only rational method of evading those aggravated evils which threaten to involve the whole continent in one general calamitous catastrophe. They are therefore met this day, vested with due authority from their respective constituents, to elect a committee to represent this county of Monmouth in any future necessary transactions respecting the cause of liberty and especially to join the Provincial Convention soon to be held at New Brunswick, for the purpose of nominating and constituting a number of Delegates, who in behalf of this Colony may steadily attend to said general Congress and faithfully serve the laboring cause of freedom and they have consequently chosen and deputed the following gentlemen to that important trust viz:

        Edward Taylor            John Anderson 
        John Taylor              Dr. Nathaniel Scudder 
        John Burrowes            John Covenhoven 
        Joseph Holmes            Josiah Holmes 
        Edward Williams          James Grover 
                    John Lawrence. 

"Edward Taylor being constituted chairman and any five of them a sufficient number to transact business. And they do beseech, entreat, instruct and enjoin them to give their voice at said Provincial Convention, for no persons but such as they in good conscience and from the best information shall verily believe to be amply qualified for so interesting a department; particularly that they be men highly approved for integrity, honesty and uprightness, faithfully attached to his Majesty's person and Lawful government, well skilled in the principles of our excellent constitution and steady assertors of all our civil and religious liberties.

"8th. As under the present operation of the Boston Port Bill, thousands of our respected brethren in that town must necessarily be reduced to great distress, they feel themselves affected with the sincerest sympathy and most cordial commiseration; and as they expect, under God, that the final deliverance of America will be owing, in a great degree, to a continuance of their virtuous struggle, they esteem themselves bound in duty and in interest to afford them every assistance and alleviation in their power; and they do now in belief of their constituents, declare their readiness to contribute to the relief of the suffering poor in that town; therefore they request the several committees of the country, when met, to take into serious consideration the necessity and expediency of forwarding under a sanction from them, subscriptions through every part of the Colony, for that truly humane and laudable purpose; and that a proper plan be concerted for laying out the product of such subscriptions to the best advantage, and afterwards transmitting it to Boston in the safest and least expensive way.

"9th. As we are now by our Committees in this, in conjunction with those of other colonies, about to delegate to a number of our countrymen a power equal to any wherewith human nature alone was ever invested; and as we firmly resolve to acquiesce in their deliberations, we do therefore earnestly entreat them, seriously and conscientiously to weigh the inexpressible importance of their arduous department, and fervently to solicit that direction and assistance in the discharge of their trust, which all the powers of humanity cannot afford them; and we do humbly and earnestly beseech that God, in whose hand are the hearts of all flesh and who ruleth them at his pleasure, graciously to infuse into the whole Congress a spirit of true wisdom, prudence and just moderation; and to direct them to such unanimous and happy conclusion as shall terminate in His own honor and glory, the establishment of the Protestant succession of the illustrious House of Hanover, the mutual weal and advantage of Great Britain and all her Dominions and a just and permanent confirmation of all the civil and religious liberties of America. And now lastly, under the consideration of the bare possibility that the enemies of our constitution will yet succeed in a desperate triumph over us in this age, we do earnestly (should this prove the case) call upon all future generations to renew the glorious struggle for liberty as often as Heaven shall afford them any probable means of success.

"May this notification, by some faithful record, be handed down to the yet unborn descendants of Americans, that nothing but the most fatal necessity could have wrested the present inestimable enjoyments from their ancestors. Let them universally inculcate upon their beloved offspring an investigation of those truths, respecting both civil and religious liberty, which have been so clearly and fully stated in this generation. May they be carefully taught in all their schools; and may they never rest until, through Divine blessing upon their efforts, true freedom and liberty shall reign triumphant over the whole Globe.

        "Signed by order of the Committees, 
                            "EDWARD TAYLOR Chairman." 

The patriots of Monmouth promptly and freely contributed to the suffering inhabitants of Boston. In forwarding their first contribution "they entreated their brethren not to give up, and if they should want a further supply of bread to let them know it."

On the 21st of October, 1774, a letter was written on behalf of the Bostonians, to the citizens of Monmouth, in which they say:

"The kind and generous donations of the County of Monmouth in the Jersies we are now to acknowledge and with grateful hearts to thank you therefor, having received from the Committee of said county, per Captain Brown, eleven hundred and forty (1140) bushels of rye and fifty barrels of rye meal, for the suffering poor of this town, which shall be applied to the purpose intended by the donors; and what further cheers our hearts, is your kind assurances of a further supply, if necessary, to enable us to oppose the cruel Parliamentary Acts, levelled not only against this town, but our whole Constitution."

           "COMMITTEES OF OBSERVATION AND INSPECTION." 
                          "FREEHOLD December 10th 1774.

"In pursuance of the recommendation of the Continental Congress and for the preservation of American Freedom, a respectable body of the freeholders of Freehold township met at the Court House and unanimously elected the following gentlemen to act as a Committee of Observation and Inspection for said township:

           John Anderson          Hendrick Smock 
           John Forman            John Covenhoven 
           Asher Holmes           Dr. Nath'l Scudder 
           Peter Forman           David Forman 
                     Dr. T. Henderson. 

"The committee were instructed by their constituents to carry into execution the several important and salutary measures pointed out to them by the Continental Congress and without favor or affection to make all such diligent inquiry as shall be found conducive to the accomplishment of the great necessary purposes held up to the attention of Americans."

Upper Freehold, Dover and Middletown formed similar committees, and notified the Freehold committee.

Shrewsbury however failed to appoint a committee. This may have been owing to the prevalence of Quaker principles in the township. An attempt by the patriots of Shrewsbury was made to have a Committee appointed, as will be seen by the following copy of an advertisement put up in this township:

                   "ADVERTISEMENT. 
                    "SHREWSBURY January 2nd 1775. 

"Agreeable to the Resolutions of the late General Continental Congress- The Inhabitants of the town of Shrewsbury, more especially such as are properly qualified for choosing Representatives to serve in the General Assembly are hereby warned to meet at the house of Josiah Halstead, in said Shrewsbury, on Tuesday the 17th of this instant January at noon, in order to choose a Committee for the several purposes as directed by the said Congress.

"As the method ordered by the Congress seems to be the only peaceable method the case will admit of, on failure of which either confirmed Slavery or a civil war of course succeeds; the bare mention of either of the two last is shocking to human nature, more particularly so to all true friends of the English Constitution.

"Therefore it becomes the indispensable duty of all such to use their utmost endeavors in favor of the first or peaceable method, and suffer it not to miscarry or fail of its salutary and much desired effects by means of any sinister views or indolence of theirs. Surely expecting on the one hand to be loaded with the curses arising from slavery to the latest posterity, or on the other hand the guilt of blood of thousands of their brethren and fellow Christians to lay at their door and to be justly required at their hands.

"Think well of this before it be too late and let not the precious moments pass."

A number of the citizens of Shrewsbury assembled at the time and place mentioned in the advertisement but they failed to appoint a committee. The following shows the conclusion to which the meeting came. It concludes more like a Quaker Meeting epistle than a town meeting resolve:

"Extract from a letter to a gentleman in New York dated Shrewsbury N. J. January 18th 1775.

"In consequence of an anonymous advertisement fixed up in this place, giving notice to freeholders and others, to meet on Tuesday the 17th inst. in order to choose a Committee of Inspection, etc., between thirty and forty of the most respectable freeholders accordingly met and after a few debates on the business of the day, which were carried on with great decency and moderation it was generally agreed (there being only four or five dissenting votes) that the appointment of a committee was not only useless, but they were apprehensive would prove a means of disturbing the peace and quietness which had hitherto existed in the township, and would continue to use their utmost endeavors to preserve and to guard against running upon that rock on which, with much concern, they beheld others, through an inattentive rashness, daily splitting."

The Freehold Committee of Observation and Inspection at a meeting held March 17th, 1775, took up the case of Shrewsbury township, and after stating the subject in a preamble they resolved that from and after that day they would esteem and treat the citizens of Shrewsbury as enemies to their King and country and deserters of the common cause of Freedom; and would break off all dealings and connections with them "unless they shall turn from the evil of their ways and testify their repentance by adopting the measures of Congress."

The New Jersey Provincial Legislature, in May following, authorized other townships to appoint delegates for Shrewsbury, but the same month the refractory township, as will be seen by the following, chose delegates and also a committee of Observation, and so the unpleasantness ended.

"At a meeting of Freeholders and Inhabitants of the the township of Shrewsbury this 27th day of May 1775, the following persons were by a great majority, chosen a committee of observation for the said town agreeable to the direction of the General Continental Congress held at Philadelphia September 5th, 1774 viz.

          Josiah Holmes            John Little 
          Jos. Throckmorton        Samuel Longstreet 
          Nicholas Van Brunt       David Knott 
          Cor. Vanderveer          Benjamin Dennis 
          Daniel Hendrickson       Samuel Breese 
          Thomas Morford           Garret Longstreet 
                      Cornelius Lane. 

"Ordered: That Daniel Hendrickson and Nicholas Van Brunt, or either of them, do attend the Provincial Congress now setting at Trenton, with full power to represent there, this town of Shrewsbury. And that Josiah Holmes, David Knott and Samuel Breese be a sub-committee to prepare instructions for the Deputy or Deputies who are to attend the Congress at Trenton.

"Josiah Holmes was unanimously chosen chairman.

                                JOSIAH HOLMES. 
                        "Chairman and Town Clerk." 

                                     MARCH 6th, 1775. 

A Tory pamphlet entitled "Free Thoughts on the Resolves of Congress by A. W. Farmer" was handed to the Freehold Committee of Observation and Inspection for their opinion. The committee declared it to be most pernicious and malignant in its tendencies and calculated to sap the foundation of American liberty. The pamphlet was handed back to their constituents who gave it a coat of tar and turkey buzzard's feathers, one person remarking that "although the feathers were plucked from the most stinking of fowls, he thought it fell far short of being a proper emblem of the author's odiousness to the friends of freedom and he wished he had the pleasure of giving the author a coat of the same material."

The pamphlet in its gorgeous attire was then nailed to the pillory post.

The same committee severely denounced a Tory pamphlet written by James Rivington, editor of Rivington's Royal Gazette, the Tory paper, printed in New York.

By the following resolves it will be seen that the citizens of Upper Freehold favored arming the people if necessary, to oppose the tyrannical acts of Great Britain. A striking illustration of the stirring events of that perilous time is found in the fact that before a year had elapsed some of the prominent men in this meeting were aiding Great Britain to the best of their ability by voice, pen, or sword:

"May 4th 1775. This day, agreeable to previous notice a very considerable number of the principal inhabitants of this township met at Imlaystown.

"John Lawrence Esq. in the chair: When the following resolves were unanimously agreed to:

"Resolved, That it is our first wish to live in unison with Great Britain, agreeable to the principles of the Constitution; that we consider the unnatural civil war which we are about to be forced into, with anxiety and distress but that we are determined to oppose the novel claim of the Parliament of Great Britain to raise a revenue in America and risk every possible consequence rather than to submit to it.

"Resolved. That it appears to this meeting that there are a sufficient number of arms for the people.

"Resolved. That a sum of money be now raised to purchase what further quantity of Powder and Ball may be necessary; and it is recommended that every man capable of bearing arms enter into Companies to train, and be prepared to march at a minute's warning; and it is further recommended to the people that they do not waste their powder in fowling and hunting.

"A subscription was opened and one hundred and sixty pounds instantly paid into the hands of a person appointed for that purpose. The officers of four companies were then chosen and the meeting broke up in perfect unanimity.

                           "ELISHA LAWRENCE, Clerk."