eat Britain,
mostly Scotch, resident in Virginia, petitioned the convention to
prescribe some rule of conduct in their business during the present
crisis of affairs, and were allowed to remain neutral. The committee of
safety met for the first time toward the end of August. At the beginning
of the session of the convention, resolutions were passed by way of
recommendations for the people; but afterwards ordinances were enacted
on all matters of importance with the formalities of a bill, passing
through three readings.

In September Colonel Henry selected an encampment in the rear of the
College of William and Mary. The recruits, regular and minute-men,
poured rapidly into Williamsburg. In October Matthew Phripp, a
Virginian, in whom important trusts had been confided, proving a
traitor, went on board of one of Dunmore's vessels. Phripp's son
likewise deserted. Virginia contrived to import some powder at this
juncture. The people became dissatisfied at the scarcity of salt, the
importation of which was prohibited by the articles of association; but
it would hardly have been possible to import it then, even if allowed by
law, Virginia not having one armed vessel to protect her trade. Some
persons began to manufacture it by evaporating sea-water in pans. The
non-importation afforded a new incentive to industry and invention,
threw the people upon their own resources, and taught them self-denial,
and how to live within themselves. They made less tobacco, and applied
themselves more to domestic manufactures.

On the 22d of this month, 1775, died suddenly of an apoplexy, at
Philadelphia, the able and virtuous Peyton Randolph, president of
congress, aged fifty-two years, descended from a family long noted in
Virginia for its wealth, talents, and influence; he was the second son
of Sir John Randolph, and Susan Beverley, his wife. Peyton Randolph,
being bred to the law, was, in 1748, appointed king's attorney for the
colony, being then but twenty-four years of age. He succeeded Speaker
Robinson in the chair of the house of burgesses in 1766, and continued
to preside over that body until it was superseded by the conventions. He
was made, in 1773, a member of the committee of correspondence, and was
at its head. In March, 1774, he was unanimously chosen president of the
first convention of Virginia. In August he was appointed by the
convention one of the delegates to the congress which assembled at
Philadelphia in September, and