To Matthew Squire, esq; commander of his majesty's ship Otter, lying in Hampton road.

Sir,

Yours of the 10th instant, directed to the committee of the town of Hampton, reciting, "that a sloop tender on his majesty's service was on the 2d instant cast on shore near this place, having on board some of the king's stores, which you say were seized by the inhabitants, and demanding an immediate return of the same, or. that the people of Hampton must answer the consequences of such outrage," was this day laid before them, who, knowing the above recital to be injurious and untrue, think proper here to mention the facts relative to this matter: The sloop, we apprehend, was not in his majesty's service, as we are well assured that you were on a pillaging or pleasuring party; and although it gives us pain to use indelicate expressions, yet the treatment received from you calls for a state of the facts in the simple language of truth, however harsh it may sound. To your own heart we appeal for the candour with which we have stated them; to that heart which drove you into the woods in the most tempestuous weather, in one of the darkest nights, to avoid the much injured and innocent inhabitants of this county, who had never threatened or ill used you, and who would, at that time, have received you, we are assured, with humanity and civility, had you made yourself and situation known to them. Neither the vessel or stores were seized by the inhabitants of Hampton; the gunner, one mr. Gray, and the pilot, one mr. Ruth, who were employed by you on this party, are men, we hope, who will still assert the truth. From them divers of our members were informed, that the vessel and stores, together with a good seine (which you, without cause, so hastily deserted) were given up as irrecoverably lost, by the officers, and some of the proprietors, to one Finn, near whose house you were drove on shore, as a reward, for his entertaining you, &c. with respect and decency.

The threats of a person whose conduct hath evinced that he was not only capable, but desirous, of doing us, in our then defenceless state, the greatest injustice, we confess, were somewhat alarming; but, with the greatest pleasure, we can inform you, our apprehensions are now removed.

Although we know we cannot legally be called to account for that which you are pleased to style an outrage, and notwithstanding we have hitherto by you been treated with iniquity, we will, as far as in our power lies, do you right upon just and equitable terms.

First. We, on behalf of this community, require from you the restitution of a certain Joseph Harris, the property of a gentleman of our town, and all other our slaves whom you may have on board; which said Harris, as well as other slaves, hath been long harboured, and often employed, with your knowledge (as appeared to us by the confession of Ruth and others, and as is well known to all your men) in pillaging us, under cover of night, of our sheep and other live-stock.

Secondly. We require that you will send on shore all boats, with their hands, and every other thing you have detained on this occasion.

And Lastly. That you shall not, by your own arbitrary authority, undertake to insult, molest, interrupt, or detain, the persons or property of any one passing to and from this town, as you have frequently done for some time past.

Upon complying with those requisitions, we will endeavour to procure every article left on our shore, and shall be ready to deliver them to your pilot and gunner, of whose good behaviour we have had some proofs. We are, &c.

The committee of Elizabeth City county and town of Hampton.