On this day 250 years ago Thomas Jefferson arrived in Philadelphia to attend the Continental Congress. Jefferson was accompanied by his 14-year-old slave Robert Hemmings.

Source: https://www.nps.gov/articles/independence-jeffersonphiladelphia.htm

Also on that day in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress accepted the credentials of Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery as Delegates to the Congress. The credentials were issued by the General Assembly of Rhode Island with their instructions to Hopkins and Ellery that they are

authorized and empowered to consult and advise with the Delegates of the said [United] Colonies in Congress, upon the most proper Measures for promoting and confirming the strictest Union and Confederation between the said United Colonies, for exerting their whole Strength and Force to annoy the common Enemy, and to secure to the said Colonies their Rights and Liberties, both civil and religious, whether by entering into Treaties with any Prince, State, or Potentate, or by such other prudent and effectual Ways and Means as shall be devised and agreed on; And, in Conjunction with the Delegates from the said United Colonies, or the Major Part of them, to enter into and adopt all such Measures, taking the greatest Care to secure to this Colony, in the strongest and most perfect Manner, its present established Form, and all the Powers of Government, so far as relates to its internal Police and Conduct of our own Affairs, civil and religious,

You are also instructed and directed, to exert your utmost Abilities, in carrying on this just and necessary War, in which we are engaged against cruel and unnatural Enemies, in the most vigorous Manner, © until Peace shall be restored to the said Colonies, and their Rights and Liberties secured upon @ solid and permanent Basis.

The Congress further

Resolved, That this Congress will, to morrow, . . . take into their farther consideration the resolves of the officers and the petition from the committee of privates of the military association of the city and liberties of Philadelphia.

Source: Journals of the Continental Congress at 353 & 356.

And on that day in Philadelphia, Christoper Marshall recorded in his diary that he met with Paul Fooks and Thomas Paine and others and that they

Agreed to draw up heads of a Protest to be brought to-morrow night for approbation. This day came an account, via New York that ” the Assembly of Rhode Island in their May sessions have passed an Act absolving the inhabitants of that colony from their allegiance to the King of Great Britain.”

Source: Passages from the Remembrancer of Christopher Marshall, edited by William Duane, Jr., Philadelphia: James Crissy (1839) at 80, accessed at https://ia801400.us.archive.org/17/items/passagesfromrem00marsgoog/passagesfromrem00marsgoog.pdf