"Exiles in Virginia."

EXILES IN VIRGINIA.25 "EXILES IN VIRGINIA." The incident of the Friends who were exiled during the Revolutionary War from Philadelphia to Virginia on a charge of treasonable conduct, forms an important episode in Quaker, as well as Revolutionary history. The exile lasted from the 2nd of Ninth month, 1777, to the 30th of Fourth month, 1778. It is fully described, accompanied by documentary evidences, in Thomas Gilpin's "Exiles in Virginia, etc., 1777-1778, Philadelphia , Published for the Subscribers, 1848." The injustice of this treatment must be acknowledged by everyone who really investigates the matter, which few have done. Even the late Frederick D. Stone, the well-known authority on Pennsylvania History, is scarcely fair in his chapter in Winsor's Narrative and Critical History of America (6:393), while Winsor himself, in his bibliographical notes is quite unjust (6:417; 8:486). The following letters do not appear in "Exiles in Virginia," and are printed here, possibly for the first time. They are copied from the originals in the archives of Baltimore Yearly Meeting (Eutaw St.).—Ed. Winchester 10th Mo. 3d. 1777 Esteemed Friends [Robert Pleasants and Edward Stabler]* The manner of our being brought hither being fully set forth in the paper here with sent you we think it not necessary to add any thing thereon. The Occasion for our writing is to engage your attention to our suffering case, & your Brotherly regard and assistance in the exertion of your endeavors to obtain an agreeable answer to our adress to the Govenor & Council of which we send you. we are now in hope of being suffered to remain in quiet until the Receipt of his answer to a letter wrote to him by the Leuitenant of of this County, though it is probable we must remain as at present we are Confined to the house & yard of Philip Bush, under so strict a guard that none of our Friends are permitted to Converse with us, if you suceed in obtaining such instructions as will afford us more liberty a free _ *For full account of this episode see the "Exiles," etc., as above; Bowden, "Hist, of Friends in America," 2:313-329; also Penna. Mag. 6:364; Histor. Mag. 9: 277. 26BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Comunication of your advice & sentiments, with such intelligence as you may find it proper to comunicate to us, or either of us will be acceptable. We apprehend, if your Govenor & & Council, have not received any request from the President & Council of Pennsylvania to receive us & provide for us, they will be induced to consider the imposition attempted on them & the Injustice done to us, in such manner as to determine them to afford us their protection & safe Conduct to return to our Country. The Expence of which we shall be willing to pay; though we were brought hither and promised to be supported at the Public Expence. The malevolence of our persecutors is very [great] in sending us at this difficult time, so far from our nearest Friends when if they had really any such apprehensions as they pretended, they might have secured us effectually in divers parts of our provence within their own Jurisdiction, but they were desirous of placing us under the immediate power of Congress by whose advice & Information against divers of us they became instruments of so great oppression. Our fellow sufferers join with us in much love & respect. We are your affectionate Friends & Brethren Samuel PleasantsIsr: Pemberton Tho Wharton John Pemberton P. S. the Lieutenant of this County thinks we may be safely accomodated at Leesburg, or Fredericksburg but we prefer returing to pensilva Winchester 22d 12th mo. 1777 Esteemed Friend Robert Pleasants * As thou was't acquainted with our Critical situation while here, & the Measures we had under Consideration to pursue in order to obviate [ ?] the sufferings to which we may be subjected, we now inform thee that we delivered to Alexander White on Seventh day afternoon our Memorials and other necessary papers to enable him to transact the Business he had kindly undertaken & he hath proceeded on his journey to York and Lancaster and as we •"Exiles in Virginia," p. 171. where this letter is referred to. •See "Exiles in...