Not only was every effort of the Southern colonists opposed by England’s monarch, but with the breaking out of open hostilities his agents were commissioned to arm and instigate the slaves against their masters.[8] Many lured by the promise of land and freedom flocked to the British standard; they were sent into Nova Scotia. Suffering from cold and becoming discontented by the non-fulfillment of the promises of aggrandizement, they were finally sent to Sierra Leone, which in the following seventy-five years received the thousands taken by the British from the slavers. During this fearful crisis, Virginia’s spirit towards these misguided people was one of mercy and humanitarianism. At the next convention it was resolved: “Whereas Lord Dunmore, by his proclamation, dated on board the ship _William_ off Norfolk, the 7th day of November, 1775, hath offered freedom to such able-bodied slaves as are willing to join him, and take up arms against the good people of this colony, giving encouragement to a general insurrection, which may induce a necessity of inflicting the severest punishments upon these unhappy people already deluded by his base and insiduous arts, and whereas, by an act of the general assembly now in force in this colony, it is enacted, that all negro, or other slaves, conspiring to rebel or make insurrection, shall suffer death, and be excluded all benefit of clergy--we think it proper to declare, that all slaves who have been, or shall be seduced by his lordship’s proclamation, or others to desert their masters’ service and take up arms against the inhabitants of this colony, shall be liable to such punishment as shall hereafter be directed by the convention. And to the end that all such, who have taken this unlawful and wicked step, may return in safety, to their duty, and escape the punishment due their crimes, we hereby promise pardon to them, surrendering themselves to Colonel William Woodford or any other commander of our troops, and not appearing in arms after the publication hereof. And we do further earnestly recommend it to all humane and benevolent persons in the colony, to explain and make known this offer of mercy to those unfortunate people.”