And being apprehensive that such Incursions, " * should they be repeated, will be productive of many great 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 the sake of inter- " ' nal peace and harmony of eaeh Colony as for the maintenance of the " 'general union of the Continent, now happily subsisting, and so essen- " ' tial, at this juncture, that each of the associated 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 pleased to take the premises into " ' their consideration, and devise some expedient to prevent, 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 Inhabitants, 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 he an Inva- " 'sion made into this Colony.