laced there by order of the governor. Besides
this, some barrels of powder were found buried in the magazine, to be
used, it was suspected, as a mine when occasion should offer. Early on
the next morning Lord Dunmore, with his family, escaped from
Williamsburg to return no more, and took shelter on board of the Fowey,
leaving behind him a message to the house, ascribing his departure to
apprehensions of personal danger, and declaring his willingness to
co-operate with the assembly in the public business. That body, by a
deputation, requested him to return to the palace, assuring him that
they would unite in whatever measures might be necessary for the
protection of him and his family. Dunmore in reply complained of the
inimical spirit of the burgesses toward him, of the countenance which
they had given to the disorderly proceedings of the people, of his
majesty's magazine having been broken open and rifled in the presence of
members of the house; he further said that while some endeavors had been
made by the committee of the house to prevail upon the people to restore
the arms, no steps had been taken to bring the offenders to justice;
that a body of men had assembled at Williamsburg for the purpose of
attacking the king's troops, and that guards had been mounted under
false pretences. He exhorted them to return to their constitutional
duty; to open the courts of justice; to disband the independent
companies; and to put an end to the persecutions of his majesty's loyal
subjects.

The governor at the same time communicated papers containing terms upon
which a reconciliation might take place--placing his return upon the
condition of their acceptance of the "Olive Branch." The assembly in
their reply, composed by Mr. Jefferson, declared that next to the
preservation of liberty, a reconciliation would be the greatest of all
human blessings; but that they could not consent to the proposed terms.
Leaving the determination of these disputes to the wisdom of congress,
for themselves they avowed that they had exhausted every means for
obtaining redress; they had remonstrated to parliament, and parliament
had only added new oppressions to the old; they had wearied the king
with petitions which he had not deigned to answer; they had appealed to
the native honor and justice of the British nation, but their efforts in
favor of the colonies had as yet proved ineffectual. Nothing remained
but to commit their cause to the even-handed j