Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 2, 1775

Which meeting held from six until near ten o'clock. The debates ran high respecting their conduct in these troublesome times that are expected. In regard thereto, their members were enjoined not to concern themselves in the public disputes, nor to interrupt any of the king's officers in the discharge of their duty, but to pay all humble and dutiful obedience unto the king or his ministers' mandates, from time to time; not to join, nor be in any of the city, county, provincial, or general committees, if so, whoever offends is to be dealt with as walking contrary to their discipline.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 13

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 6, 1775

A remarkable circumstance:— This day, — about three, P. M., a girl, brought up by my wife, named Polly ———, about twelve years old, went out to slide or play, dressed as usual, without cap or bonnet, and did not return till about nine o'clock next morning. All this space of time, she says that she was in no house, nor near any fire, but sat between two logs all that night, in an open lot, in Spruce-street (as she says) yet received nor took no cold, although it was one of the coldest freezing nights this winter.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, pp. 13-4

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 18, 1775

* * This evening the city and suburbs committee met Some of them waited on the Carpenters' Company for the use of their Hall for the Provincial Committee to meet in, and were answered that they might have [it] for paying ten shillings per diem.* Spokesman, Joseph Fox.

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* Pennsylvania Currency-seven shillings and sixpence of which were equal to a dollar.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 14

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 23, 1775

The committee from all the counties in this Province met, (except from Bucks,) to the amount of near one hundred, at the State House; broke up the twenty-eighth, having finished all their business amicably.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 14

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 24, 1775

Meetings daily amongst the Quakers, in order, if possible, to defeat the pacific proceedings of the Continental Congress, calling upon their members not to meet the county committees, but entirely to withdraw from them, under the penalty of excommunication. * * * This day was also a paper published, called a Testimony of the People called Quakers, in which is contained such gross abuse against all persons that oppose their fallacious schemes, and stuffed with such false contradictions, that it will be a lasting memento of the truth of what Robert Walker, one of their public preachers, now here, often told them, and warned them to take care, because, says he, the Lord is departed from you, as he did from Saul, and has given you over to your own devices.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, pp. 14-5

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 27, 1775

This day John Dickinson attended the Provincial Congress in order to show and contradict the notorious lies promulgated in Rivington's paper, No. 91. At Dr. Chovel's Lecture.*

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* See Appendix, (B.)

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 15

Diary of Christopher Marshall, February 11, 1775

This day was published, in J. Humphrey's Ledger, No. 3, a scandalous letter, said to come from Kent County, Delaware.†

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† See entry of April 29th.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 15

Diary of Christopher Marshall, February 13, 1775

Some time last week arrived, from London, the ship Polly and Peggy, but brought no kind of merchant goods: in that time also arrived a brig from Madeira, having a few pipes of wine. The owner advised the committee, and declared his intentions to send away the said vessel and wines, agreeably to the direction of the Congress.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 15

Diary of Christopher Marshall, February 28, 1775

This day a petition was presented by the Quakers' interest, requesting the suspending of our fairs in this city: also, a petition from our committee respecting no negroes to be any more imported here.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 15

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 1, 1775

Early this morning, departed these parts, universally lamented by the friends of slavery, but to the joy and satisfaction of the lovers of freedom, that baneful and detested weed, East India TEA, whose return is never desired or wished for by the true sons of American liberty.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 15

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 9, 1775

Yesterday evening, arrived, ship Chalkley, Captain Spain, from Bristol, who brought account that his Majesty had received the petition of our American Congress, and promised to lay it before the Parliament, who were to meet, by adjournment, the nineteenth of January. In the interim, petitions are preparing by the body of merchants in London, Bristol, and all over England. This news causes our Tories to be quite jaw-fallen and sullen.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 15-6

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 17, 1775

* * Yesterday an election was held at the Carpenters' Hall, for choosing officers for the new manufactory, set on foot for making woollens, linen, and cotton, when Joseph Stiles was chosen Treasurer, James Cannon, Secretary, and twelve managers, viz., Christopher Marshall, Jacob Winey, Isaac Gray, Samuel Wetherill, Jr., Christopher Ludwick, Frederick Kuhl, Robert Strettle Jones, Richard Wells, Thomas Tilbury, James Popham, and Isaac Howell, for one year.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 16

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 21, 1775

Last night, nine of the managers met at Captain Stiles' school-room, sent for William Smith, who came, of whom we took his house in Market Street, for three years, for forty pounds per annum.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 16

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 22, 1775

The Pennsylvania Journal, No. 1685, gives a succinct account of the proceedings of [the] New York and Elizabeth Town Committees respecting the state of the case of Messrs. Robert and John Murray, merchants of New York, who had landed goods out of the ship Beulah, from Londonderry, contrary to the resolve of Congress.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 16

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 23, 1775

Account from New York yesterday, that Messrs. Murrays' house and store [were] shut up, and a seal put upon the latter. Thus may be seen the manly behaviour of the committee of New York, notwithstanding the opposition they met with, both in their Assembly House and public proceedings, by the enemies of our country. The committee of the county of Cumberland, New Jersey, have also published the behaviour of Silas Newcomb, Esq., respecting persisting in drinking East [India] Tea, since the first of March, agreeably to the eleventh Article of the American Congress. See Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 2413.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 16-7

Diary of Christopher Marshall, April 13, 1775

This morning was published the Address of the Lords and Commons to his Majesty, on the ninth of last February, wherein they declare Massachusetts Bay in a state of rebellion, and countenanced and encouraged by unlawful combinations in several of the other Colonies, and also, that all the Bostonians who signed, as they call it, a league and covenant, are declared by the crown lawyers, to have committed an overt act of high treason. Thereupon were ordered for Boston, to chastise them, three regiments of foot, one of dragoons, seven companies of marines, a large train of artillery. Notwithstanding all this, some of our staunch friends in England beheld with horror the ministerial proceedings, and as proof thereof, and to their lasting fame be it recordered, that the Constitutional Society stepped forth, and showed their dislike of those cruel proceedings by their resolving unanimously, that One hundred Pounds sterling be sent by that Society to Dr. Franklin, requesting him to transmit the same for the relief of the town of Boston.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 17

Diary of Christopher Marshall, April 20, 1775

* * News brought by post this day, of the arrival of the Snow, Sir William Johnson, Captain Dean, at New York, the 19th, in thirty-one days from London. It is said his papers are to [the] 5th [of] March, and [he] says that "Sixteen men-of-war and ninety-five transports are certainly coming out to America, to bring over eleven regiments and two troops of horse, he thinks, to New York," and that "a nobleman is ordered out to New York, in order to bring about a pacification," (I hope) and that "the city of London have subscribed thirty thousand pounds sterling for the poor of Boston."

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 17

Diary of Christopher Marshall, April 21, 1775

* * Went to the Manufactory before ten, stayed till eleven, in company and back with Frederick Kuhl, my attending partner each day for one week; morning at ten, afternoon at three. * * * James Cannon came, brought the first and second "Crisis," read them, and stayed to supper.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 18

Diary of Christopher Marshall, April 22, 1775

** Under the London head, Feb. 7th, it is said "The regiment of light-horse, destined for America, are all equipping with new accoutrements. On their caps is the following motto, Death or Glory, and a death's head likewise embroidered;" and it is farther said that "It is intended to put the refractory Colonies under military government, and to grant special charters and privileges to those of them who are obedient. This day, March the 7th, at noon, the two sheriffs and the hangman attended at the Royal Exchange, in order to burn a periodical paper, called The Crisis, No. 3,' and the pamphlet entitled The Present Crisis with respect to America.' As soon as the fire was lighted before the Exchange, it was immediately put out, and dead dogs and cats thrown at the officers. A fire was then made in Cornhill, and the pelting still continued." It is farther said, "There are at this time, between London Bridge and Lime House, more than three hundred vessels, with brooms at their mast-heads, as a token that they are for sale." Feb. 10—it is said "An eminent Quaker, at the meeting of the merchants declared, however lightly and contemptuously their petitions were treated, he was fully satisfied that the Americans would, to a man, die, if the act in his hand, which he held up, was not repealed:" to which add, in a paragraph of (a) letter from York, Feb. 13, it is said, "A certain celebrated lady amongst the body of Quakers, waited on the King to address him on the times, and after promising her an audience, he abruptly withdrew. * * * March 10th, it is said from London, that “Deputations are sent from hence to Boston, to try several persons in America,” and that "the twelve sail of frigates destined for Boston, have stores, and are completely victualled for twelve months. The Generals, MacKay, Howe, and Clinton, were to embark with the troops, the 12th of March. **

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, pp. 18-9

Diary of Christopher Marshall, April 24, 1775

* * About five this afternoon, arrived an express, for the particulars of which see the printed piece annexed.*

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* The leaf marked A., an exact copy of the original slip.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 19