GEORGE WYLLYS (1710-1796). Secretary of the Colony and subsequently the State of Connecticut from 1735 until his death, serving in that capacity for an extraordinary sixty-one years and maintaining the official records of Connecticut government through the entirety of the Revolutionary War.
December 20th, 1775-Dated early Revolutionary War period, Manuscript Document True Copy of the court Signed, “George Wyllys” as Secretary of the Connecticut Assembly, issued at the height of the crisis of Colonial Loyalty in Connecticut in the final weeks of 1775, Fine. This exceptional content document is double folio, completely written on 2 pages, each measuring about 13.5 x 8.5 inches. Some toning and moderate scattered spotting, some conservation, with on spot affecting “Wyllys” yet the text entirely legible throughout; being a document of exceptional historical vividness. It records the prosecution of Benjamin Stiles of Woodbury for publicly denouncing the American cause in terms that the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut found sufficiently dangerous to require his appearance before the full legislature.

The charges against Stiles, as set forth in the information exhibited to the Assembly by the Woodbury Committee of Inspection, and reproduced in full in this citation, were threefold and explosive. First, on or about August 19, 1775, Stiles had declared that “Connecticut's three delegates to the Continental Congress were ‘three mean dogs’ no more fit to represent the colony than his enslaved servant who then lay sick.” Second, he had dismissed the measures adopted by the Continental Congress as, “nothing but a perfect Mob from first to last.” Third, and most dangerously, he had expressed the opinion to Abijah Mitchel of Woodbury that “if some members of the thirteen colonies and some members of Congress were beheaded, both countries would be at peace.”

These statements were reported to the Woodbury Committee of Inspection by four witnesses, Dr. Andrew Graham, Abijah Mitchel, David Wagner, and Moses Stricklen, all of Woodbury, who judged the matter too serious for local resolution and referred it to the General Assembly. The Assembly resolved that Stiles be cited to appear at New Haven on December 14, 1775, to answer for his words, and the citation was issued by George Wyllys, the colony's longtime Secretary, on December 16. Constable Jonathan Mitchel served the process on Stiles in Woodbury on December 20, 1775, and certified this copy accordingly. In short, Benjamin Stiles was a Connecticut Loyalist brought before the colonial legislature on charges of Sedition for saying out loud, and in public, what many Tories privately believed, at a moment when the colony's commitment to the Revolutionary cause was being tested and enforced with increasing vigor. George Wyllys, whose signature appears at the foot of the document, served as Secretary of Connecticut for sixty-one consecutive years, his signature appearing on the official records of the colony and state from the era of King George II through the early republic, and his autograph in this charged context is of particular interest. An extraodinary Revolutionary War political legal document of which the FULL TRANSCRIP is presented in our Online Auction Site: www.EarlyAmerican.com
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To the Sheriff of the County of Litchfield his Deputy or either Constables of Woodbury in Said County Greeting -

Whereas the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut in its Session at New Haven on the Second Thursday of October A.D. 1775 on a certain Information exhibited in the following form and Words Viz:

Sir it hath been Represented to the Committee of Inspection in and for the town of Woodbury that Mr. Benjamin Stiles of Said Woodbury hath Said many things against the Rulers of this Colony which hath a tendency to bring the authority in this Colony into Contempt, and which hath greatly disturbed the peace of the people of this town. This Committee doing particularly look'd into the Matter alledged against the s'd Stiles and is of opinion that the matter complained of more properly layeth before the Honourable House of Representatives or before the General Assembly, it is therefore agreed by this Committee to State the facts as they appear upon the Evidence and Desire the Honourable House to Deal with the Said Stiles as they in their wisdom see fit - The evidence is that Mr. Benjamin Stiles on or about the 19th of August A.D. 1775 Declared that the Three Delegates that were Sent from the Colony of Connecticut to the Continental Congress were three mean [or good for nothing] Dogs that they were no more fit for our Representatives than his Negro [?] that then lay Sick] also about the [?] of August A.D. 1775 the Said Stiles, that the Measure the Continent had taken and entered into, was nothing but a perfect Mob from first to last - Also in Conversation with Mr. Abijah Mitchel of Woodbury the Said Stiles gave it as his Opinion, that if Some part of the Thirteen and some part of Congress were beheaded both Countries would be at peace the above is the evidence as it Stands against Mr. Stiles and the persons which Relate those facts are Doc.r Andrew Graham Mr. Abijah Mitchel, David Wagner Moses Stricklen all of Woodbury -

Do.r you have the facts we leave the Matter with the House not doubting but the matter will be so Determined as will Contribute Honour to the Laws of the Colony and Restore peace to this town.

Increas Mosely Chairman - To the Speaker of the lower house &c -

As p.r Complaint on file. Where upon it was by s'd Assembly Resolved in the following words Viz: Whereas this Assembly is Informed that Benjamin Stiles of Woodbury hath publickly and Clamorously uttered and Spoken many things against the Qualification of the three Delegates of the Colony of Connecticut now belonging to the Continental Congress, with respect to their abilities Integrity and uprightness, and also against the measures that have been adopted by the Continent for the Relief & Security of the Valuable Rights and privileges of the Inhabitants of the Continent of America, by means whereof he the s'd Benjamin

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Benjamin Stiles hath openly Shewed his Inimical Temper of Mind and unfriendly Disposition, against the Measures taken, and refused for a union of Defence in the Americans Cause as p.r Information on File -

It is therefore Resolved by this Assembly that the said Benjamin Stiles be cited to appear before the General Assembly of this Colony at there Next Session to answer to the Matters alledged against him the s'd Benjamin Stiles and the Secretary is hereby Directed to Cause him to be Served with a Citation for that purpose and also with a Copy of the Information exhibited to this Assembly against him and that the Several Witnesses named in s'd Information be by the Secretary Summoned to appear before the General Assembly at their Next Session to testify in the premises as of Record appears -

These are therefore in his Maj.ty Name to require and Command you to Summons the Said Benjamin Stiles and give him Notice to appear before the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut begun & holden at New Haven on the 14th Day of December Instant and now Sitting, to answer to the Matters set forth and alledged against him in the Information afores'd and you are to leave a true and attested Copy of this whole process with him the Said Benjamin Stiles or at the place of his usual abode. You are likewise Commanded to Summons Doc.r Andrew Graham Mr. Abijah Mitchel, David Wagner & Mos.s Stricklen and Noah Bunel all of s'd Woodbury to appear before s'd Assembly to testify all and singular [of] things which they or either of them do know relative to or Concerning the matters Set forth and Alledged against Said Stiles in s'd Information, hereof fail not make due Return of this process with your doings thereon to s'd General Assembly as soon as may be

Dated in New Haven George Wyllys Secretary

this 16th Day of December A.D. 1775

Woodbury Decem.r y.e 20th A.D. 1775 -

The within and above Written, is a true Copy of the Original Process or Citation -

Test Jonathan Mitchel Constable of Woodbury