At a Council holden at Halifax the 15th December 1775
Mr George Henry Monk Marshall of the Provincial Court of Vice Admiralty having been sent by Order of the Court to Cape Sable, attending According to Order declared that Mr Joshua Snow of Port Rosway did on the 13th December declare & say, that being at Barrington about 8 Days past, on board a Schooner, He then saw two Armed Schooners each Mounting 8 Carriage Guns and 16 Swivels (the Carriage Guns about 8 pounders) and Mann'd with 80 Men each, well Armed and Equip'd for War, ー That he heard some of the said Armed Schooner Crew, say, that the said Schooners were fitted out together with three others at Salem, in New England, ー that the other three were in the Bay of Fundy, in company with Captain [Jeremiah] OBrian, that he heard said Arm'd Schooners were Commissioned from the American Congress to make prizes upon the Coast of Nova Scotia ー That the said Schooners had taken four Prizes, three of which they had sent to Salem, and brought the other into Barrington. ー That while he the declarant was at Barrington the Schooners there took a Brig Captain [Samuel] Ingersol Master taking in a Loading for the West Indies, and sent her to Salem. ー
That afterwards the said Schooners went to Cape Forshue in this Province and there landed their Men, and made Prisoners of the Inhabitants and took a Brig bound for Nantuckett by Orders of the American Congress to Machias with Provisions, which had Come to Cape Forsue Contrary to the Orders from the Congress, and was supposed to be run away with the Cargo and afterwards released the Inhabitants except two or three Officers of the Militia ー That some of the Petty Officers of said Schooner told him this declarant, that from Cape Forsue they intended to come to the Eastward, and should in their Way touch at Liverpool.
That Also this declarant heard that Governor Patterson of the Island of Saint John was a Prisoner on board One of the said Schooners, and that he was taken at the three Rivers, on said Island: ー
That One of the said Officers told him this declarant that the Marblehead Regiment was broke up, and put onboard the five Schooners ー That thirteen thousand Men had been embodied by the Congress to subdue Nova Scotia, and particularly Halifax, and that they Were prevented from pursuing their design while the Men of War lay in the Bay of Fundy, and that they beleived Halifax would have been taken long since, had it not been for the Small Pox being there which at present detetred the Liberty Army ー
The following Question was put by the Governor.
Is it necessary at this time to require of every Person coming into this Province to take the Oath Acknowledging the Supremacy of the British Legislature which proposed to be part of An Act for the More ready Admission of Settlers &ca ー
On which Mr Chief Justice gave His Opinion, that no person could be compell'd to take any oath without the Legislative Authority. ー
Read, a Memorial signed by several persons Inhabitants of Yarmouth, setting forth, and professing their Loyalty to the King, and that they are almost all, of New England, where they have ma[n]y Relations, that the Armed Vessels with Pirates of that Country had lately invaded their Town, and taken away some Officers of Light Infantry, that they were Acquainted if they woud not Oppose them, they should be unmolested, that they were unable to defend themselves, And therefore requested permission either to go to New England, or come to Halifax, or else to remain Neuter
On which the Council were Unanimously of Opinion that the request and proposition of the Memorialists could neither be received or Admitted, a Neutrality being Utterly absured and inconsistent with the duty of Subjects who are Always bound by the Laws to take Arms, in defence of Government, and oppose and repel all Hostile Attempts and Invasions, that the Duty they Owe as subjects cannot be dispensed with and that they Must be Obedient to the Laws of the Province; ー In the Mean time every possible Measure will be take[n] for their Aid and Protection. ー And it was resolved, that Application be made to [the] Admiral, for a Ship of War to be Stationed at Port Rosway in such a Manner as will best protect the Inhabitants of that part of the Coast: ー Also One Ship of War in the Gut of Canso.