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less than an immediate removal of the ordnance, and restoring the entrance into the town to its former state, and an effectual stop of all insults and abuses in future, can place the inhabitants of this county in that state of peace and tranquillity, in which every free subject ought to be."

His excellency was waited on to know if he would receive the committee with the above written address, but desiring he might have a copy of it in a private way, that so when he received it from the committee, he might have an answer prepared for them, he was accordingly furnished with a copy. His excellency then declared, that he would receive the committee on Monday, at 12 o'clock.

SATURDAY, September 10, 1774.

The Congress, taking the foregoing into consideration,

Resolved unanimously, That this assembly deeply feels the suffering of their countrymen in the Massachusetts-Bay, under the operation of the late unjust, cruel, and oppressive acts of the British parliament-that they most thoroughly approve the wisdom and fortitude, with which opposition to these wicked ministerial measures has hitherto been conducted, and they earnestly recommend to their brethren, a perseverance in the same firm and temperate conduct as expressed in the resolutions determined upon, at a meeting of the delegates for the county of Suffolk, on Tuesday the 6th instant, trusting that the effect of the united efforts of North America in their behalf, will carry such conviction to the British nation, of the unwise, unjust, and ruinous policy of the present administration, as quickly to introduce better men and wiser

measures,

Resolved unanimously, That contributions from all the colonies for supplying the necessities, and alleviating the distresses of our brethren at Boston, ought to be continued, in such manner, and so long as their occasions may require. Ordered, That a copy of the above resolutions be transmitted to Boston by the President.

Ordered, That these resolutions, together with the resolutions of the county of Suffolk, be published in the newspapers.

The committee appointed to examine and report the several statutes, which affect the trade and manufactures of the colonies, brought in their report, which was ordered to lie on the table.

Adjourned till Monday morning.

MONDAY, September 19, 1774. A. M.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

The report brought in on Saturday being read,

Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee appointed to state the rights of the colonies, &c. to which committee, the honourable Thomas Cushing, esq. Patrick Henry, and Thomas Mifflin, esqrs. were added.

Adjourned from day to day, till Thursday.

THURSDAY, September 22, 1774.

The Congress met according to adjournment.
Upon motion,

Resolved unanimously, That the Congress request the merchants and others. in the several colonies, not to send to Great Britain, any orders for goods, and to direct the execution of all orders already sent, to be delayed or suspended, until the sense of the Congress on the means to be taken for the preservation of the liberties of America is made public.

Ordered, That this resolution be made public by hand-bills, and by publishing it in the newspapers.

The committee appointed to state the rights, &c. of the colonies, having brought in a report of rights, the same was read, and the consideration of it referred till Saturday next.

Ordered, That a copy of this report be made out for each colony.

SATURDAY, September 24, 1774, A. M.

The Congress entered upon the consideration of the report referred to this day, and after some debate, upon motion,

Resolved, That the Congress do confine themselves, at present, to the consideration of such rights, as have been infringed by acts of the British parliament since the year 1763, postponing the further consideration of the general state of American rights to a future day.

Hereupon, the committee appointed to state the rights, &c. brought in a report of the infringements and violations of American rights, which being read-upon motion,

Resolved, That the consideration of this report be referred till Monday, and that the Congress in the mean time deliberate on the means most proper to be used for a restoration of our rights.

After some debate on the subject, the Congress adjourned.

MONDAY, September 26, 1774. A. M.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

John Herring, esq. a deputy from Orange county, in the colony of NewYork, appeared this morning, and took his seat as a delegate for that colony. The Congress resumed the consideration of the means, &c. and after several hours spent thereon, it was referred till to-morrow, to which time the Congress was adjourned.

TUESDAY, September 27, 1774. A.M.

The Congress met according to adjournment, and resuming the consideration of the means most proper to be used for a restoration of American rights,

Resolved unanimously, That from and after the first day of December next, there be no importation into British America from Great-Britain or Ireland, of any goods, wares or merchandise whatever, or from any other place, of any such goods, wares or merchandises, as shall have been exported from Great Britain or Ireland, and that no such goods, wares or merchandises imported after the said first day of December next, be used or purchased.

Adjourned till to-morrow.

Wednesday and Thursday being taken up in the consideration and debates on the means, &c. the Congress met on Friday, 30th September-and upon the question,

Resolved, That from and after the 10th day of September, 1775, the exportation of all merchandise and every commodity whatsoever to Great-Britain, Ireland and the West-Indies, ought to cease, unless the grievances of America are redressed before that time.

Ordered, That Mr. Cushing, Mr. Low, Mr. Mifflin, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Johnson, be a committee to bring in a plan for carrying into effect, the non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation resolved on.

SATURDAY, October 1, 1774.

Simon Boerum, esq. appeared in Congress as a deputy from King's county in the colony of New-York, and produced the credentials of his election, which being read and approved, he took his seat as a delegate for that colony. The Congress, resuming the consideration of the means, &c. upon motion,

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Resolved unanimously, That a loyal address to his majesty be prepared, dutifully requesting the royal attention to the grievances that alarm and distress his majesty's faithful subjects in North-America, and entreating his majesty's gracious interposition for the removal of such grievances; thereby to restore between Great-Britain and the colonies that harmony so necessary to the happiness of the British empire, and so ardently desired by all America. Agreed, That Mr. Lee, Mr. J. Adams, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Henry, and Mr. Rutledge, be a committee, to prepare an address to his majesty.

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MONDAY, October 3, 1774.

The Congress met, according to adjournment, and after some debate, Resolved unanimously, That it be an instruction to the committee, who are appointed to draw up an address to the king: Whereas parliamentary taxes on America have been laid, on pretence of "defraying the expenses of government, and supporting the administration of justice, and defending, protecting, and securing the colonies." That they do assure his majesty, that the colonies have or will make ample provision for defraying all the necessary expenses of supporting government, and the due administration of justice in the respective colonies; that the militia, if put on a proper footing, would be amply sufficient for their defence in time of peace; that they are desirous of putting it on such a footing immediately, and that in case of war, the colonies are ready to grant supplies for raising any further forces that may be necessary. The remainder of this day and the day following, was taken up in deliberating and debating on matters proper to be contained in the address to his majesty.

WEDNESDAY, October 5, 1774.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the subject in debate yesterday, and after some time spent thereon,

Resolved, That the committee appointed to prepare an address to his majesty, be instructed to assure his majesty, that in case the colonies shall be restored to the state they were in, at the close of the late war, by abolishing the system of laws and regulations-for raising a revenue in America-for extending the powers of courts of admiralty-for the trial of persons beyond sea for crimes committed in America-for affecting the colony of the Massachusetts-Bay-and for altering the government, and extending the limits of Canada, the jealousies which have been occasioned by such acts and regulations of parliament, will be removed, and commerce again restored. An address from William Goddard to the Congress was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

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THURSDAY, October 6, 1774.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the means proper to be used for a restoration of American rights. During this debate, an express from Boston arrived with a letter from the committee of correspondence, dated the 29th of September, which was laid before the Congress.

In this the committee of correspondence inform the Congress, that they "expected some regard would have been paid to the petitions presented to their governor, against fortifying their town in such a manner as can be accounted for only upon the supposition, that the town and country are to be treated by the soldiery as declared enemies-that the entrenchments upon the Neck are nearly completed-that cannon are mounted at the entrance of the townthat it is currently reported, that fortifications are to be erected on CorpseHill, Bacon-Hill, Fort-Hill, &c. so that the fortifications, with the ships in the harbour, may absolutely command every avenue to the town both by sea and Iand-that a number of cannon, the property of a private gentleman, were a

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few days ago seized and taken from his wharf by order of the general-that from several circumstances mentioned in the letter, there is reason to apprehend, that Boston is to be made and kept a garrisoned town-that from all they can hear from Britain, administration is resolved to do all in their power to force them to a submission-that when the town is inclosed, it is apprehended the inhabitants will be held as hostages for the submission of the country, they apply therefore to the Congress for advice how to act-that, if the Congress advise to quit the town, they obey-if it is judged that by maintaining their ground they can better serve the public cause, they will not shrink from hardship and danger-finally, that as the late acts of parliament have made it impossible that there should be a due administration of justice, and all law therefore must be suspended-that as the governor has by proclamation prevented the meeting of the general court, they therefore request the advice of the Congress."

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Ordered, That this letter be taken into consideration to-morrow morning. The Congress then resumed the consideration of the means, &c.

Resolved, That the committee appointed to prepare the form of an association, be directed to adopt the following clause, viz.-That from and after the first day of December next, no molasses, coffee or pimento from the British plantations or from Dominica, or wines from Maderia and the Western Islands, or foreign indigo, be imported into these colonies.

FRIDAY, October 7, 1774.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the letter from the committee of correspondence in Boston, and after some debate,

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare a letter to his excellency general Gage, representing "that the town of Boston, and province of Massachusetts-Bay, are considered by all America, as suffering in the common cause, for their noble and spirited opposition to oppressive acts of parliament, calculated to deprive us of our most sacred rights and privileges." Expressing our concern, that, while the Congress are deliberating on the most peaceable means for restoring American liberty, and that harmony and intercourse, which subsisted between us and the parent kingdom, so necessary to both, his excellency, as they are informed, is raising fortifications round the town of Boston, thereby exciting well grounded jealousies in the minds of his majesty's faithful subjects therein, that he means to cut off all communication between them and their brethren in the country, and reduce them to a state of submission to his will, and that the soldiers under his excellency's command, are frequently violating private property, and offering various insults to the people, which must irritate their minds, and if not put a stop to, involve all America in the horrors of a civil war. To entreat his excellency, from the assurance we have of the peaceable disposition of the inhabitants of the town of Boston and the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, to discontinue his fortifications, and that a free and safe communication be restored and continued between the town of Boston and the country, and prevent all injuries on the part of the troops, until his majesty's pleasure shall be known, after the measures now adopting shall have been laid before him.

Mr. Lynch, Mr. S. Adams, and Mr. Pendleton, are appointed a committee to draught a letter agreeable to the foregoing resolution.

SATURDAY, October 8, 1774.

The Congress resumed the consideration of the letter from Boston, and upon motion,

Resolved, That this Congress approve the opposition of the inhabitants of the Massachusetts-Bay, to the execution of the late acts of parliament; and if VOL. I.

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the same shall be attempted to be carried into execution by force, in such case, all America ought to support them in their opposition.

MONDAY, October 10, 1774.

The Congress, resuming the consideration of the letter from Boston, Resolved unanimously, That it is the opinion of this body, that the removal of the people of Boston into the country, would be, not only extremely difficult in the execution, but so important in its consequences, as to require the utmost deliberation before it is adopted; but, in case the provincial meeting of that colony should judge it absolutely necessary, it is the opinion of the Congress, that all America ought to contribute towards recompensing them for the injury they may thereby sustain; and it will be recommended accordingly.

Resolved, That the Congress recommend to the inhabitants of the colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, to submit to a suspension of the administration of justice, where it cannot be procured in a legal and peaceable manner, under the rules of their present charter, and the laws of the colony founded thereon. Resolved unanimously, That every person and persons whomsoever, who shall take, accept, or act under any commission or authority, in any wise derived from the act passed in the last session of parliament, changing the form of government, and violating the charter of the province of MassachusettsBay, ought to be held in detestation and abhorrence by all good men, and considered as the wicked tools of that despotism, which is preparing to destroy those rights, which God, nature, and compact, have given to America.

The committee brought in a draught of a letter to general Gage, and the same being read and amended, was ordered to be copied, and to be signed by the President in behalf of the Congress.

TUESDAY, October 11, 1774.

A copy of the letter to general Gage, was brought into Congress, and agreeable to order, signed by the President, and is as follows:

"SIR,

PHILADELPHIA October 10, 1774.

"The inhabitants of the town of Boston have informed us, the representatives of his majesty's faithful subjects in all the colonies from Nova-Scotia to Georgia, that the fortifications erecting within that town, the frequent invasions of private property, and the repeated insults they receive from the soldiery, have given them great reason to suspect a plan is formed very destructive to them, and tending to overthrow the liberties of America.

"Your excellency cannot be a stranger to the sentiments of America, with respect to the acts of parliament, under the execution of which, those unhappy people are oppressed, the approbation universally expressed of their conduct, and the determined resolution of the colonies, for the preservation of their common rights, to unite in their opposition to those acts.-In consequence of these sentiments, they have appointed us the guardians of their rights and liberties, and we are under the deepest concern, that whilst we are pursuing dutiful and peaceable measures to procure a cordial and effectual reconciliation between Great-Britain and the colonies, your excellency should proceed in a manner that bears so hostile an appearance, and which even those oppressive acts do not warrant.

"We entreat your excellency to consider what a tendency this conduct must have to irritate and force a free people, hitherto well disposed to peaceable measures, into hostilities, which may prevent the endeavours of this Congress to restore a good understanding with our parent state, and may involve us in the horrors of a civil war.

"In order therefore to quiet the minds and remove the reasonable jealousies of the people, that they may not be driven to a state of desperation, being

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