That we the Principal Inhabitants of the County afforsaid do hereby Certify, that The Inhabitants settled upon the Unpurchased Lands in this County Have Early Associated, have chearfully undertaken the hardships of a Severe Winter's Campaign in the Jerseys; Have Early Encouraged a Number of their Brethren into Continental Service; Have been Call'd upon by an Act of general assembly to Submit to the Militia law of this State, Have been Call'd upon to take the Oath of Allegiance as Prescribed by Law; all which they chearfully Submitted to, and every other Law of this State, whether Civil or Military; that they Settled those Lands Through necessity, in order to support their Families, and Necessity forc'd Those People to Settle on those Lands, having come to the County after the Purchase was made, in order to settle, but could not have a Settlement by Reason of such Large Tracts of Lands in the Hands of a few. The Poor distress'd People not able to purchase, nor to Return with their Families Settled as above mentioned, and Ever since have Contributed every thing in Their Power to support the present Contest, not only against the British Army, but also against a Cruel and Savage Enemy on our Frontiers. Further, those People neglected as they may be, have been the Principal Cause in Stopping the Encroachments of the Wioming Party from Extending their Settlements To that Quarter, as their Intentions at that time was to Extend their settlements to that place as their Western Connecticut claim. From a late Information, We are apprehensive those distress's People are in danger of having their Claims Torn from them, and their Improvements (made at a Great Expense and Severe Fatigue) Engross'd by some of those who have already distinguished themselves by Land Jobbing, (and much Suspected of being Inimical to our Common Cause,) Greatly Injurious to the Good People of this County, although Those People Are as Willing to Comply with the Terms of the Land office as lately enacted by the Honorable the Representatives of the Freemen of this State As any other the Subjects of this State. We therefore Humbly Recommend those Settlers as men Worthy of your Serious attention And Humbly Pray that nothing may be done Prejudicial or Injurious to the Interest and welfare of those People, &c., &c., &c.