At a Town Meeting holden, by adjournment, in Providence, on the 5th of August, A.D. 1775:

The Honourable Nicholas Cooke, Esq, Moderator

Whereas certain evil-minded persons, inhabitants of this Colony, and acquainted with the Creeks and Channels of the Narragansett Bay, have made it their practice of late to assist our inveterate enemies by piloting their armed Vessels up the River from Newport towards this Town, with the known design of distressing the loyal and peaceable inhabitants of the Colony, and piratically seizing their property, &c.

Wherefore it is Voted by this Meeting, that the Deputies for this Town be, and they are hereby instructed to use their influence to procure an act of the General Assembly, for inflicting the severest punishment upon such atrocious offenders, as a means of discouraging such villanous conduct in future; and that such act be made to extend to all such persons who may be guilty of such practice on any part of the coast.