John Dunn Testimony

[Sept. 11, 1776]

[Charged as Tory]
 

To The Honourable Samuel Ashe Esquire President & To the Honourable members of Council now in Salisbury assembled. 

The humble remonstrance of John Dunn, I herewith, That on the last day of July in the year one thousand and seven hundred and seventy[sixty?] five, your Remonstrant in consequence of a premeditated scheme & combination previously entered into by William Kennon, Adlai Osborn, Saml. Spencer & others their associates caused your Remonstrant to be taken into custody by a number of armed persons who were first illegally sworn in private for that purpose and by force was compelled from his own house in Salisbury to the house of Mathew Lock Esqr where he was detained many hours in the night as prisoner, under [unclear] pretext that some gentlemen from South Carolina were desirous of seeing him— 

That after some time a body of other armed men arrived from the Counties of Tryon and Mecklenburg to whom your Remonstrant was delivered over in custody who convey him to Mecklenburg, it being pretended that the Committee of that county were desirous to examine him with regard to some matters which should be by them enquired into.  

That notwithstanding the importunities & earnest solicitations of several gentlemen from Salisbury members of the Committee and the then Council of Safety who offered themselves as security & to be bound in any sum for my appearance the next day before the Committee in Salisbury, notwithstanding I was forced away the same night to Charlotte where we arrived the next day and having petitioned to have a hearing before the Committee of that county which was likewise refused and an armed force of about sixty horsemen was ordered to convey me to Camden from thence to the Congress in South Carolina, & thence to Charles Town where your Remonstrant hath been detained a prisoner for upwards of twelve months, contrary to every principal of Justice & humanity & contrary to certain resolves of the General Congress & in strict violation of those rights and privileges which Americans contend with Great Britain for at this time.  

Your Remonstrant now prays that you would, in justice to himself and his family, who have suffered greatly on account of this unwarrantable & arbitrary treatment enquire into the same—your Remonstrant being desirous to acquit himself of those false and groundless charges laid against him previous to any oath being tendered to him. In order to satisfy your Honours and the world that he is not in any wise guilty of such matters as have been falsely suggested or alleged against him by which he hopes to appear in a different light than what has been represented of him, and for a further confirmation of his innocence your Remonstrant is ready and willing to be interrogated to answer on oath if the Honourable board thinks it necessary & your Remonstrant will pray. 

John Dunn 

September 11th 1776.