AUGUSTA COUNTY – GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH, 1776 Contributed by: Barb S. Allen [ boballen1948@sbcglobal.net ] ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ******************************************************************************** [Virginia Gazette (Purdie), October 18, 1776, Issue 90, page 1, columns 1-2] “The sentiments of the several companies of militia and freeholders of Augusta, in Virginia, communicated by the deputies from the said companies and freeholders to their representatives in the General Assembly of the commonwealth. Gentlemen, We have chosen you at a very critical juncture to represent us in the General Assembly of our commonwealth, and need not tell you that we place great confidence in you. Your being elected by us, in such times as these, to an important place of trust, will sufficiently prove it, and show, at the same time, our respect for you, and the sense we have of your abilities and virtue. Our independence on Great Britain, and every other nation, we are determined upon, without a nice calculation of costs; for if possible to effect and preserve liberty for ourselves and unborn generations, we think it will be a noble equivalent for much blood and treasure, and we trust a full balance of all our losses. Attempts, unnatural, cruel, and unjust to rob us of our most valuable rights and privileges, have roused almost all America to defend them, forgetting the illiberal treatment which a difference in religious sentiments, in some misguided place, has produced. All denominations have unanimously rushed to arms, to defend the common cause. Their unanimity has made them formidable to their enemies; their unanimity will be ever preserved by giving equal liberty to them all; nor do the (sic) crave this as the pittance of courtesy, but demand it as their patrimony, that cannot be withhold from them without the most flagitious fraud, pride, and injustice, which, if practised (sic), may shake this continent, and demolish provinces. This we think our representatives in Convention, last June, had fully in view. Besides other things, they declared, “that all men all equally entitled to the free exercise of their religion, or the duty they owe to their creator and the manner of discharging it according to the dictates of their consciences.” We take this to be the true and full meaning of their words, without any unjust view of favouring (sic) some to the just of others, and (obliterated) their declaration in this light as a most happy proof of their wisdom and virtue. Hereby men, how different foever (sic) in their in their religious opinions, are united in defence (sic) of our invaluable inheritance, which they can equally call their own. Hereby jealousies, oppositions, and we believe all the plagues of jarring interests, will be prevented, their united force be employed to accomplish the fame ends, and the only strife be who will become the most approvable (sic) , wise, and useful members in society. While we most pressingly request you as individuals, or members of the same community, to use your best endeavours (sic) to promote the general good, we do, gentlemen, as our representatives, most solemnly require you, and positively command you, that, in the General Assembly of this commonwealth, you declare it the ardent desire and unanimous opinion of your constituents, should such a declaration become necessary, that all religious denominations within this dominion be forthwith put in the full possession of equal liberty, without preference or pre[eminence, which, while it may favour (sic) one, can hurt another, and that no religious sect whatever be established in this commonwealth. This, from its apparent tendency to promote, and most effectually to secure, the good of our country, we earnestly wish to see established; and we hope that the number of interested bigots, illiberal politicians, or of disguised enemies to the freedom and happiness of Virginia, will be too small and contemptible to prevent or obstruct a matter of such extensive utility, a matter so just that the contrary is most evidently ibiquitous (sic), destructive, and oppressive. But, should the future conduct of our legislative body prove to you that our opinion of their wisdom and justice is ill grounded, then tell them that your constituents are neither guided, nor will ever be influenced, by that slavish maxim in politicks (sic), “that whatever is enacted by that body of men in whom the supreme power of the state is vested, must in all cases be implicitly obeyed,” and that they firmly believe attempts to repeal an unjust law can be vindicated beyond a simple remonstrance addressed to the legislators. These, gentlemen, are the sentiments with which we have been intrusted (sic), by communicating of which we have discharged the duties of our deputation. Other thing, how material foever (sic) they may be, are committed to your prudence, and unremitting care, to be managed conformable to the declaration of rights. We are, for ourselves, and the companies and freeholders for whom we act, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servants. John Magill. James Allen. George Moffett. David Laird. James Fraizer. James Marshall. Walter Moffett. John Cunningham. Alexander Sinclair. James Bruster. John Poage. John Hington. John Davis. Alexander Long. Christopher Graham. William McPheeters. Elijah McClenahan. Alexander Thompson. Archibald Alexander. David Gray. Robert Wilson. Thomas Hewitt. John Wear. Michael Dickey. Robert Tedford. James Walker. Charles Campbell. (a copy) WALTER CUNNINGHAM, Clerk”