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HARTFORD, August, 1774.

At a meeting of the committee of correspondence for this colony:

ERASTUS WOLCOTT, Chairman.

The hon. William Samuel Johnston, Erastus Wolcott, and Richard Law, esqrs. nominated by this committee at New-London, on the 13th of July last, as persons proper to attend the General Congress, to be held at Philadelphia, on the first of September next, as by said appointment, being unable, by reason of previous engagements and the state of their health, to attend said Congress, on behalf of this colony; the hon. Roger Sherman, and Joseph Trumbull, esqrs. were nominated in the place of the aforesaid gentlemen, as persons proper to attend said Congress, in behalf of this colony, either of which are empowered, with the hon. Eliphalet Dyer, and Silas Deane, esqrs. for that purpose.

Signed, William Williams, Benjamin Payne, Joseph Trumbull, Nathaniel Wales, jun. Samuel H. Parsons, Samuel Bishop.

NEW-YORK:

By duly certified polls, taken by proper persons, in seven wards, it appears that James Duane, John Jay, Philip Livingston, Isaac Low, and John Alsop, esqrs. were elected as delegates for the city and county of New-York, to attend the Congress at Philadelphia, the first day of September next; and at a meeting of the committees of several districts in the county of West-Chester, the same gentlemen were appointed to represent that county; also by a letter from Jacob Lansing, jun. chairman, in behalf of the committee for Albany, it appears, that that city and county had adopted the same for their delegates. By another letter, it appears, that the committee from the several districts in the county of Duchess, had likewise adopted the same as delegates to represent that county in Congress, and that committees of other towns approve of them as their delegates.

By a writing duly attested, it appears, the county of Suffolk, in the colony of New-York, have appointed colonel William Floyd, to represent them in Congress.

NEW-JERSEY:

To James Kinsey, William Livingston, John Dehart, Stephen Crane, and Richard Smith, esqrs. each and every of you:

The committees, appointed by the several counties of the colony of NewJersey, to nominate deputies, to represent the same in General Congress of deputies, from the other colonies in America, convened at the city of NewBrunswick, have nominated and appointed, and do hereby nominate and appoint you, and each of you, deputies, to represent the colony of New-Jersey, in the said General Congress.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, the chairman of the said several committees here met, have hereunto set their hands, this twenty-third day of July, in the fourteenth year of the reign of our sovereign lord king George the third, and in the year of our Lord 1774.

Signed, William P. Smith, Jacob Ford, John Moores, Robert Johnson, Robert Field, Robert Friend Price, Peter Zabriskie, Samuel Tucker, Edward Taylor, Hendrick Fisher, Archibald Stewart, Thomas Anderson, Abia Brown, Mark Thompson.

PENNSYLVANIA :

Extract from votes of assembly.

FRIDAY, July 22d, 1774, A. M.

The committee of the whole house, taking into their most serious consideration, the unfortunate differences which have long subsisted between Great

JOURNALS OF CONGRESS, 1774.

5

Britain and the American colonies, and being greatly encreased by the operation and effects of divers late acts of the British parliament:

Resolved, N. C. D. That there is an absolute necessity that a Congress of deputies from the several colonies, be held as soon as conveniently may be, to consult together upon the present unhappy state of the colonies, and to form and adopt a plan for the purposes of obtaining redress of American grievances, ascertaining American rights upon the most solid and constitutional principles, and for establishing that union and harmony between GreatBritain and the colonies, which is indispensably necessary to the welfare and happines of both.

EODEM DIE, P. M.

The house resumed the consideration of the resolve from the committee of the whole house, and, after some debate thereon, adopting and confirming the

same,

Resolved, N. C. D. That the hon. Joseph Galloway, speaker; Samuel Rhoads, Thomas Mifflin, Charles Humphreys, John Morton, George Ross, and Edward Biddle, esqrs, be and they are hereby appointed a committee, on the part of this province, for the purposes aforesaid, and that they, or any four of them, do meet such committees or delegates from the other colonies, as have been or may be appointed, either by their respective Houses of Representatives, or by convention, or by the provincial or colony committees, at such time and place, as shall be generally agreed on by such committee.

THE THREE COUNTIES NEW-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on DELAWARE: August 1, 1774, A. M.

The representatives of the freemen of the government of the counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, met at New-Castle, in pursuance of circular letters from the speaker of the house, who was requested to write and forward the same to the members of assembly, by the committees of correspondence for the several counties aforesaid, chosen and appointed for that among other purposes, by the freeholders and freemen of the said counties respectively: and having chosen a chairman, and read the resolves of the three respective counties, and sundry letters from the committees of correspondence along the continent, they unanimously entered into the following resolution, viz: We, the representatives aforesaid, by virtue of the power delegated to us, as aforesaid, taking into our most serious consideration the several acts of the British parliament, for restraining manufactures in his majesty's colonies and plantations in North-America,-for taking away the property of the colonists without their participation or consent,-for the introduction of the arbitrary powers of excise into the customs here, for the making all revenue causes triable without jury, and under the decision of a single dependent judge,-for the trial, in England, of persons accused of capital crimes, committed in the colonies,-for the shutting up the port of Boston,-for new-modelling the government of the Massachusetts-Bay, and the operation of the same on the property, liberty, and lives of the colonists; and also considering, that most eligible mode of determining upon the premises, and of endeavouring to procure relief and redress of our grievances, would have been by us assembled in a legislative capacity, but that as the house had adjourned to the 30th day of September next, and it is not to be expected, that his honour the governor would call us, by writs of summons, on this occasion, having refused to do the like in his other province of Pennsylvania; the next most proper method, of answering the expectations and desires of our constituents, and of contributing our aid to the general cause of America, is to appoint commissioners or deputies in behalf of the people of this government, to meet and act with those appointed by the other provinces, in General Congress; and we do, therefore,

unanimously nominate and appoint Cæsar Rodney, Thomas McKean, and George Read, esqrs. or any two of them, deputies, on the part and behalf of this government, in a general continental Congress, proposed to be held at the city of Philadelphia, on the first Monday in September next, or at any other time or place that may be generally agreed on, then and there, to consult and advise with the deputies from the other colonies, and to determine upon all such prudent and lawful measures, as may be judged most expedient for the colonies immediately and unitedly to adopt, in order to obtain relief for an oppressed people, and the redress of our general grievances.

Signed by order of the convention,

CÆSAR RODNEY, Chairman.

MARYLAND:

At a meeting of the committees appointed by the several counties of the province of Maryland, at the city of Annapolis, the 22d day of June, 1774, and continued by adjournment, from day to day, till the 25th of the same month : MATTHEW TILGHMAN, esq. in the chair: JOHN DUCKET, clerk:

Resolved, That Matthew Tilghman, Thomas Johnson, jun. Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, and Samuel Chase, esqrs. or any two or more of them, be deputies for this province, to attend a General Congress of deputies from the colonies, at such time and place as may be agreed on, to effect one general plan of conduct, operating on the commercial connection of the colonies with the mother country, for the relief of Boston, and preservation of American liberty.

VIRGINIA :

MONDAY THE 1ST OF AUGUST, in the year of our Lord, 1774.

At a general meeting of delegates from the different counties in this colony, convened in the city of Williamsburgh, to take under their consideration the present critical and alarming situation of the continent of North-America :

Hon. PEYTON RANDOLPH, esq. in the chair:

It was unanimously resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that it will be highly conducive to the security and happiness of the British empire, that a General Congress of deputies from all the colonies, assemble as soon as the nature of their situations will admit, to consider of the most proper and effectual manner of so operating on the commercial connexion of the colonies with the mother country, as to procure redress for the much injured province. of Massachusetts-Bay, to secure British America from the ravage and ruin of arbitrary taxes, and speedily to procure the return of that harmony and union, so beneficial to the whole empire, and so ardently desired by all, British. America.

FRIDAY, August 5, 1774.

The meeting proceeded to the choice of delegates, to represent this colony in General Congress, when the hon. Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison, and Edmund Pendleton, esqrs. were appointed for that purpose.

SOUTH-CAROLINA :

IN THE COMMONS HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, TUESDAY, the 2d day of August, 1774. Colonel Powel acquainted the house, that during the recess of this house, viz: on the sixth, seventh, and eighth days of July last, at a general meeting

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of the inhabitants of this colony, they having under consideration the acts of parliament lately passed with regard to the port of Boston and colony of Massachusetts-Bay, as well as other American grievances, had nominated and appointed the honourable Henry Middleton, John Rutledge, Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsden, and Edward Rutledge, esqrs. deputies on the part and hehalf of this colony, to meet the deputies of the other colonies of North America, in General Congress, the first Monday in September next at Philadelphia, or at any other time and place that may be generally agreed on, there to consider the acts lately passed, and bills depending in parliament with regard to the port of Boston and colony of Massachusetts-Bay, which acts and bills in the precedent and consequences affect the whole continent of America-also the grievances under which America labours, by reason of the several acts of parliament that impose taxes or duties for raising a revenue, and lay unnecessary restraints and burdens on trade; and of the statutes, parliamentary acts, and royal instructions, which make an invidious distinction between his majesty's subjects in Great-Britain and America, with full power and authority to concert, agree to, and effectually prosecute such legal measures, as in the opinion of the said deputies, and of the deputies so to be assembled, shall be most likely to obtain a repeal of the said acts, and a redress of those grievances: and thereupon moved that this house do resolve to recognize, ratify, and confirm the said appointment of the deputies for the purposes aforesaid.

Resolved, N. C. D. That this house do recognize, ratify, and confirm the appointment of the said deputies for the purposes mentioned in the said motion. ATTESTED, THOMAS FARR, jun. clerk.

TUESDAY, September 6, 1774, A. M.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Present: The same members as yesterday, and moreover, from the colony of Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, esquire.

The Congress, resuming the consideration of rules of conduct to be observed in debating and determining the questions, that come under consideration, Resolved, That in determining questions in this Congress, each colony or province shall have one vote.-The Congress not being possessed of, or at present able to procure proper materials for ascertaining the importance of each colony.

Resolved, That no person shall speak more than twice on the same point, without leave of the Congress.

Resolved, That no question shall be determined the day, on which it is agitated and debated, if any one of the colonies desire the determination to be postponed to another day.

Resolved, That the door be kept shut during the time of business, and that the members consider themselves under the strongest obligations of honour, to keep the proceedings secret, until the majority shall direct them to be made public.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to state the rights of the colonies in general, the several instances in which those rights are violated or infringed, and the means most proper to be pursued for obtaining a restoration

of them.

Ordered, That the appointment of the committee, and the number of which it shall consist, be deferred until to-morrow.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to examine and report the several statutes, which affect the trade and manufactures of the colonies.

Same order as above respecting the appointment and number of this

committee.

Resolved, That the reverend Mr. Duche be desired to open the Congress to-morrow morning with prayers, at the Carpenter's Hall, at nine o'clock. Thomas Johnson, jun. esq. one of the delegates from Maryland, attended and took his seat.

Extract from the minutes of the directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, dated August 31st, 1774,-directed to the President, was read, as follows:

"Upon motion, ordered,

"That the librarian furnish the gentlemen, who are to meet in Congress, with the use of such books as they may have occasion for, during their sitting, taking a receipt for them.

Signed by order of the directors,

WILLIAM ATTMORE, Secretary." Ordered, That the thanks of the Congress be returned to the directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, for their obliging order. Adjourned until nine o'clock to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, September 7, 1774, A. M.

Agreeable to the resolve of yesterday, the meeting was opened with prayers by the reverend Mr. Duche.

Voted, That the thanks of the Congress be given to Mr. Duche, by Mr. Cushing and Mr. Ward, for performing divine service, and for the excellent prayer, which he composed and delivered on the occasion.

The Congress, taking into consideration the appointment of the committees, a vote was taken on the number of which the first committee should consist, and, by a great majority, resolved that it consist of two from each of the colonies, as follows:

New-Hampshire, Major John Sullivan, and col-¡Pennsylvania, Mr. Joseph Galloway, and Mr. Edward Biddle.

onel Folsom.

Massachusetts-Bay, Mr. Samuel Adams, and Delaware government, Mr. Cæsar Rodney, and Mr. John Adams.

Mr. M'Kean.

Rhode Island, Mr. Hopkins, and Mr. Ward. Maryland, Mr. Thomas Johnson, and Mr. Connecticut, Colonel Dyer, and Mr. Sherman. Goldsborough.

New-York, Mr. James Duane, and Mr. John Virginia, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Pendleton. South-Carolina, Mr. Lynch, and Mr. J. Rutledge.

Jay.

New-Jersey, Mr. Livingston, and Mr. Dehart.

Agreed, that the second committee consist of one chosen from each colony, as follows:

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Ordered, That Isaac Lefevre, and James Lynch, be employed as door-keepers and messengers to this Congress.

Resolved, That the President may adjourn the Congress from day to day, when he finds there is no business prepared to be laid before them, and may, when he finds it necessary, call them together before the time to which they may stand adjourned.

Adjourned until to-morrw morning, nine o'clock.

The President, agreeably to the resolve of the seventh instant, adjourned the Congress from day to day until

The Congress met.

MONDAY, September 12, 1774.

Matthew Tilghman, esq. one of the delegates from Maryland, appeared

and took his seat.

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