On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, Generals Washington, Lee and Schuyler accompanied by Major Thomas Mifflin and other aides and a Congressional delegation that included John Adams and Silas Deane departed Philadelphia to begin their ride to the American Camp outside Boston.  The Congressional delegation only went six miles and then returned to Philadelphia.

Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-june-23-1775/

And on that morning at Philadelphia’s Christ Church, the Rev. William Smith preached “A Sermon on the Present Situation of American Affairs at the Request of the Officers of the Third Battalion of the City of Philadelphia.” Smith’s sermon concluded

For my part, I have long been possessed with a strong and even enthusiastic persuasion, that Heaven has great and gracious purposes towards this continent, which no human power or human device shall. be able finally to frustrate. Illiberal or mistaken plans of policy may distress us for a while, and perhaps sorely check our growth: but if we maintain our own virtue; if we cultivate the spirit of Liberty among our children ; if we guard against the snares of luxury, venality and corruption ; the Geunis of AMERICA will still rise triumphant, and that with a power at last too mighty for opposition. This country will be free, nay, for ages to come, a chosen seat of Freedom, Arts, and heavenly Knowledge ; which are now either drooping or dead in most countries of the old world.

. . .

by every method in your power, and in every possible case, support the Laws of your country. In a contest for liberty, think what a crime it would’ be, to suffer one Freeman to be insulted, or wantonly injured in his liberty, so far as by your means it may be prevented.

Also on this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress accepted the petition of the Green Mountain Boys to join the Continental Army, and Thomas Jefferson began drafting the Declaration of Causes of Taking Up Arms.

Sources: https://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib000106/; https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-june-23-1775/

On this day 250 years ago in Massachusetts, readers of the most recent edition of the Massachusetts Spy were reading the response of the Worcester County Convention to

the NEGROES in the counties of Bristol and Worcester, the 24th of March last, [who had] petitioned the Committees of Correspondence for the county of Worcester (then convened in Worcester) to assist them in obtaining their freedom [that resolved] . . . we abhor the enslaving of any of the human race, and particularly of the NEGROES in this county. . . . whenever there shall be a door opened, or opportunity present, for any thing to be done toward the emancipating the NEGROES; we will use our influence and endeavour that such a thing may be effected.

Sources: https://adverts250project.org/tag/worcester-county-convention/; Nash, Gary B., The Unknown American Revolution, New York: Penguin Books, 2005 at 158.