The Virginia Gazette

We learn from the Northern papers, that a Mr. John Brown has lately made his appearance (without a flag, or even a pass) at York in Pennsylvania, who says he was sent by Mr. Willing of Philadelphia with a verbal message from General Howe to Congress, purporting that the General wished for an accommodation; that he had power to treat with Congress as a Congress, provided they would rescind independency, and was desirous they should be informed of it. Upon Mr. Brown's message being delivered to some individuals of that Honourable Assembly, he was sent a prisoner to Lancaster, and by order of the Council of Pennsylvania, committed to the common jail. When we consider that Lord and General Howe have uniformly attempted to deceive us from the beginning, that their faith, frequently and solemnly plighted to individuals, has been as frequently violated, that the messages they sent to Congress, even by our own Generals, then captives in their hands, were merely delusive, and that the most palpable falsehoods have been industriously circulated by their emissaries, both in Europe and America, we cannot help at once admiring both the stupidity and impudence of the British leaders, who think we will now attend to a ridiculous tale of peace brought by an obscure person, who says he saw another person, who saw General Howe.