Mr. [James] Mercer, from the committee to whom the representation of the committee of the county of Isle of Wight was referred, reported, that they had inquired into the conduct of the said John Goodrich therein name; and that it appeared to them, that the said John Goodrich had drawn on him, and two of his sons, the resentment of Lord Dunmore, by assisting the country in the importation of gunpowder, who caused them to be seized and confined, but upon their engaging to be no farther concerned in that business, the said John Goodrich, and his son John, on the parole of the former to appear on board Lord Dunmore's ship every tenth day, or oftener, if required, that the said John Goodrich has since resided at his plantation in Nansemond, and has been on board his lordship's ship four times, agreeably to his engagement, passing in his vessel unmolested by any of the navy; that the said John Goodrich acknowledged he intended to move some corn from his plantation in the county of Isle of Wight, to his plantation in Nansemond, but says the quantity was but a few barrels which his family was in want of, and that he had no conveniency of carrying it but by water; and that they had come to the following resolutions thereupon, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same was again twice read and agreed to.

Resolved, That the said Joseph [sic John] Goodrich hath been active in favour of this colony, and hath suffered considerably on that account; that nothing in his conduct appears to be inimical to the common cause; but that no grain, or other article of provision, should be water borne in the neighbourhood of the enemy.

Mr. Mercer from the Committee appointed to inquire into the conduct of John Goodrich, William Goodrich, and John Goodrich, Junr. relating to the importation of powder, and other articles for the use of this colony, reported, that the Committee had, accordingly inquired into the same, and that it appeared to them, that the linens imported into this colony on board the schooner Fanny were on the joint account of the said John Goodrich, John Goodrich, Junr. and Bartlet Goodrich; that it farther appeared, from the information of the said John Goodrich, Junr. and an invoice of the said cargo produced by him, that the said Bartlett, when at Antigua, about the first of October last, purchased British goods, consisting of checks, cottons, ginghams, striped holland, jeans, Scotch thread, printed linens, Irish linens, white lead, and linseed oil, to the amount of £.291 16s 10 sterling, imported there from Liverpool by a return ship from Guinea, of which the said Bartlet was fully apprized; that the said Bartlet carried them to St. Eustatia, had them reviewed and packed in rum puncheons, and sent into Potowmac river in this colony, addressed to John Goodrich and company, where the said John Goodrich, Junr. took them into his possession, and offered them for sale, knowing them to be of British manufacture; that there farther appeared to be several erasures in the invoice of the said goods, intended to conceal the place from whence they were originally imported, particularly the words Liverpool and Antigua, which are yet legible, the latter having been altered and St. Eustatia inserted, the words Scotch and Irish erased, and the word Dutch inserted; that the said John Goodrich alledged, to justify this importation, that his brother Bartlet, being anxious to supply his brother William Goodrich with powder for the use of this colony, and meeting with about fifteen hundred weight on board the Liverpool ship, offered to purchase it, but the captain refused to sell it, unless he would take the aforesaid British goods, which the said Bartlet thought it better to purchase than to lose so much powder for the use of this colony, that from the testimony of Connoway, master of the said vessel, it appears he received the good aforesaid, together with the powder, on board his vessel, when at St. Eustatia, and delivered the powder to William Goodrich, and was then informed by the said Bartlet Goodrich, that he was obliged to purchase the said goods, or go without the powder which cost three shillings, and two shillings and nine pence per pound, at Antigua; that it farther appeared, that the afore-named John Goodrich was employed, in the month of July last, to purchase and import powder for the use of this colony, and for that purpose was introduced [sic entrusted] with bills of exchange to the amount of £.5000 sterling; that he sent his son William to the West Indies for the same, and imported into North-Carolina, some time in the month of October last, about four thousand weight, which being discovered by Lord Dunmore, he caused the said William to be seized and detained in custody till some time in December last, when it appeared that being greately intimidated, he was prevailed on by Lord Dunmore to make a discovery of the whole transaction, and the agent who assisted him in the West Indies in this business, whereupon Lord Dunmore sent an armed vessel, with the said William Goodrich as a witness, to demand the value of the powder imported, and the money remaining in the said agent's hands; that it farther appeared, the said William Goodrich is lately returned to Norfolk, and was discharged by Lord Dunmore; but, upon his hearing that the said William intended to Williamsburg, he was again seized; and is still detained in custody; that they cannot obtain any certain information of what passed between him and the agents in the West Indies, but are informed by the said John Goodrich, and John Goodrich, Junr. that the said William had brought neither powder nor money; that the said William Goodrich, by an account lodged in the treasury office, upon oath, hath charged four shillings and sixpence West India currency for the powder purchased at St. Eustatia; that the said John Goodrich, Junr. accounted for this by saying, that Bartlet Goodrich purchased the said powder for his own use, and afterwards sold it to William Goodrich at four shillings and six pence per pound; and had come to the following resolution thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same was again twice read, and agreed to.

Resolved, That the said Bartlet Goodrich, and John Goodrich, Junr. have manifestly violated the first article of the continental association, in the importation of the said British goods, and that the same ought to be forfeited to the use of this colony.

Ordered, That the foregoing report, and resolution, be published in the Virginia Gazette, and that all persons be warned to have no farther dealings with the said Bartlet and John Goodrich, Junr.