And being apprehensive thit such Incursions, " ' should they be repeated, will be [iroductive of many groat and evil con- " 'sequences to the Inhabitants of such place wherein they may be here- ' ' after made, your Petitioners do therefore conceive it highly necessary, *" in the present situation of publick affairs, as well for tliesakeof inter- " ' nal peace and harmony of eaidi Colony as for the miiintenancc of the " 'general union of the Continent, now happily subsisting, and so esscn- "' tial, at this juncture, that each of the a.s3ociated Colonies on the Con- " ' tinent should have the sole management and regulation of its publick " 'matters by its Congress or Committee, unless otherwise directed by " 'the honourable the Continental Congress.
" ' Your Petitioners do therefore most humbly pray, that this honour- " 'able House of Delegates would be pleiised to take the premises into '" their consideration, and devise some expedient topievent, for the "'future, the Inhabitants of any of the neighbouring Colonies " ' coming into this, to direct the publick affairs of it, or to destroy the " 'property or invade the liberty of Its Inhabitnnts, without the direc- " 'tion of the Continental or this Congress, or the Committee of Safety, "' or the Committee of the County into which such Inhabitants may " 'come, or of the Continental Generals, unless there should be an Inva- " * sion made into this Colony.
" ' And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, etc.