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And your petitioners will pray, etc. The memorial to the lords in parliament being engrossed, was read and compared, and is as follows, viz:

To the Right Honorable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of Great Britain, in parliament assembled.

The memorial of the freeholders and other inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the government of the counties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, and province of Maryland, in America.

extended dominions, in that harmony so essen- | their unhappy circumstances shall be judged tial to the preservation and happiness of the to require. whole. Protected in these liberties, the emoluments Great Britian receives from us, however great at present, are inconsiderable, compared with those she has the fairest prospect of acquiring. By this protection, she will forever secure to herself the advantages of conveying to all Europe, the merchandise which America furnishes, and for supplying, through the same channel, whatsoever is wanted from thence. Here opens a boundless source of wealth and naval strength. Yet these immense advantages, by the abridgement of those invaluable rights and liberties, by which our growth has been nourished, are in danger of being forever lost, and our surbordinate legislatures in effect rendered useless by the late acts of parliament imposing duties and taxes on these colonies, | Most humbly sheweth, and extending the jurisdiction of the courts. of admiralty here, beyond its ancient limits; statutes, by which your majesty's commons in Britain undertake absolutely to dispose of the property of their fellow subjects in America without their consent, and for the enforcing whereof, they are subjected to the determination of a single judge, in court unrestrained by the wise rules of the common law, the birthright of Englishmen, and the safeguard of their persons and their properties.

The invaluable rights of taxing ourselves and trial by our peers, of which we implore your majesty's protection, are not, we most humbly conceive, unconstitutional, but confirmed by the Great Charter of English liberties. On the first of these rights the honorable house of com'mons found their practice of originating money; a right enjoyed by the kingdom of Ireland, by the clergy of England, until relinquished by themselves; a right, in fine, which all other your majesty's English subjects, both within and without the realm, have hitherto enjoyed.

That his majesty's liege subjects in his American colonies, though they acknowledge a due subordination to that august body, the British parliament, are entitled, in the opinion, of your memorialists, to all the inherent rights and liberties of the natives of Great Britain, and have, ever since the settlement of the said colonies, exercised those rights and liberties, as far as their local circumstances would permit.

That your memorialists humbly conceive that one of the most essential rights of these colonists, which they have ever till lately unin-, terruptedly enjoyed, to be trial by jury.

That your memorialists also humbly conceive another of these essential rights, to be the exemption from all taxes, but such as are imposed on the people by the several legislatures in these colonies, which rights they have also, till of late enjoyed. But your memorialists humbly beg leave to represent to your lordships, that the act for granting certain stamp duties in the British colonies in America, etc., fills his majesty's American subjects with the deepest concern, as it tends to deprive them of the two fundamental and invaluable rights and liberties above mentioned; and that several other late acts of parliament, which extend the jurisdiction and power of courts of admiralty in the plantations beyond their limits in Great Britain, thereby make an unnecessary, unhappy distinction, as to the modes of trial between us and our fellow subjects there, by whom we never have been excelled in duty and loyalty to our sovereign. That, from the natural connection between

With hearts, therefore, impressed with the most indelible characters of gratitude to your majesty, and to the memory of the kings of your illustrious house, whose reigns have been signally distinguished by their auspicious influence on the prosperity of the British dominions, and convinced by the most affecting proofs of your majesty's paternal love to all your people, however distant, and your unceasing and benevolent desires to promote their happiness, we most humbly beseech your majesty that you will be graciously pleased to take into your royal consideration the distresses of your faith-Great Britain and America, the perpetual conful subjects on this continent, and to lay the same before your majesty's parliament, and to afford them such relief, as in your royal wisdom

tinuance of which your memorialists most ardently desire, they conceive that nothing can conduce more to the interest of both, than the

Sussex upon Delaware, and province of
Maryland, in America,

Most humbly sheweth,

That the several late acts of parliament, imposing divers duties and taxes on the colonies, and laying the trade and commerce under very burthensome restrictions, but above all, the act for granting and applying certain stamp duties in America, have filled them with the deepest concern and surprise, and they humbly conceive the execution of them will be attended with consequences very injurious to the com

colonists' free enjoyment of their rights and liberties, and an affectionate intercourse between Great Britain and them. But your memorialists (not waiving their claim to these rights, of which, with the most becoming veneration and deference to the wisdom and justice of your lordships, they apprehend they cannot reasonably be deprived) humbly represent, that from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, the duties imposed by the aforesaid act, and several other late acts of parliament, are extremely grievous and burthensome; and the payment of the several duties will very soon, for want of specie, be-mercial interest of Great Britain and her colocome absolutely impracticable: and that the restrictions on trade by the said acts, will not only distress the colonies, but must be extremely detrimental to the trade and true interest of Great Britain.

Your memorialists, therefore, impressed with a just sense of the unfortunate circumstances of the colonies, the impending destructive consequences which must necessarily ensue from the execution of these acts, and animated with the warmest sentiments of filial affection for their mother country, most earnestly and humbly entreat your lordships will be pleased to hear their council in support of this memorial, and take the premises into your most serious consideration, and that your lordships will also be thereupon pleased to pursue such measures for restoring the just rights and liberties of the colonies, and preserving them forever inviolate, for redressing their present, and preventing future grievances, thereby promoting the united interest of Great Britain and America, as to your lordships, in your great wisdom, shall seem most conducive, and effectual to that important end.

And your memorialists will pray, etc. Then the congress adjourned to to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock.

Wednesday, Oct. 23d, 1765, A. M.-The congress met according to adjournment.

The petition to the house of commons being engrossed, was read and compared, and is as follows, viz:

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nies, and must terminate in the eventual ruin of the latter. Your petitioners, therefore, most ardently implore the attention of the honorable house to the united and dutiful representation of their circumstances, and to their earnest supplications for relief from their regulations that have already involved this continent in anxiety, confusion, and distress. We most sincerely recognize our allegiance to the crown, and acknowledge all due subordination to the parliament of Great Britain, and shall always retain the most grateful sense of their assistance and approbation; it is from and under the English constitution we derive all our civil and religious rights and liberties; we glory in being subjects of the best of kings, having been born under the most perfect form of government. J But it is with the most ineffable and humiliating sorrow that we find ourselves of late, deprived of the right of granting our own property for his majesty's service, to which our lives and fortunes are entirely devoted, and to which on his royal requisitions, we have been ready to contribute to the utmost of our abilities.

We have also the misfortune to find, that all the penalties and forfeitures mentioned in the stamp act, and divers late acts of trade extending to the plantations, are, at the election of the informers, recoverable in any court of admiralty in America. This, as the newly erected court of admiralty has a general jurisdiction over all British America, renders his majesty's subjects in these colonies, liable to be carried at an immense expense from one end of the continent to the other. It always gives us great pain to see a manifest distinction made therein between the subjects of our mother country and the colonies, in that the like penalties and The petition of his majesty's dutiful, loyal sub- forfeitures recoverable there only in his majjects, the freeholders and other inhabitants esty's courts of record, are made cognizable of the colonies of the Massachusetts Bay, here by a court of admiralty. By this means Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, we seem to be in effect, unhappily deprived of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the government two privileges essential to freedom, and which of the counties of New Castle, Kent, and all Englishmen have ever considered as their

To the Honorable the Knights, Citizens and
Burgesses of Great Britain, in parliament

assembled.

best birth-rights; that of being free from all taxes but such as they have consented to in person, or by their representatives, and of trial by their peers.

Your petitioners further shew, that the remote situation and other circumstances of the colonies, render it impracticable that they should be represented but in their respective subordinate legislatures, and they humbly conceive that the parliament adhering strictly to the principle of the constitution, have never hitherto taxed any but those who were therein actually represented: for this reason, we humbly apprehend, they never have taxed Ireland, nor any other of the subjects without the realm. -But were it ever so clear, that the colonies might in law be reasonably represented in the honorable house of commons, yet we conceive that very good reasons from inconvenience, from the principles of true policy, and from the spirit of the British constitution, may be adduced to shew, that it would be for the real interest of Great Britain, as well as her colonies, that the late regulations should be rescinded, and the several acts of parliament imposing duties and taxes on the colonies, and extending the jurisdiction of the courts of admiralty here beyond their ancient limits, should be repealed. We shall not attempt a minute detail of all the reasons which the wisdom of the honorable house may suggest, on this occasion, but would humbly submit the following particulars to their consideration:

That, from the nature of American business, the multiplicity of suits and papers used in matters of small value, in a country where freeholds are so minutely divided, and property so frequently transferred, a stamp duty must be ever very burthensome and unequal.

That it is extremely improbable that the honorable house of commons should at all times be thoroughly acquainted with our condition, and all facts requisite to a just and equal taxation of the colonies.

It is also humbly submitted whether there be not a material distinction, in reason and sound policy at least, between the necessary exercise of parliamentary jurisdiction in general acts, and the common law, and the regulations of trade and commerce, through the whole empire, and the exercise of that jurisdiction by imposing taxes on the colonies.

That the several subordinate provincial legislatures have been moulded into forms as nearly resembling that of the mother country, as by his majesty's royal predecessors was thought convenient; and these legislatures seem to have been wisely and graciously established, that the subjects in the colonies might, under the due administration thereof, enjoy the happy fruits of the British government, which in their present circumstances they cannot be so fully and clearly availed of any other way.

Under these forms of government we and our ancestors have been born or settled, and have had our lives, liberties and properties protected; the people here as every where else, retain a great fondness of their old customs and usages, and we trust that his majesty's service, and the interest of the nation, so far from being obstructed, have been vastly promoted by the provincial legislatures.

That we esteem our connection with and dependence on Great Britain, as one of our greatest blessings; and apprehend the latter will be sufficiently secure, when it is considered that the inhabitants in the colonies have the most unbounded affection for his majesty's person, family and government, as well as for the mother country, and that their subordination to the parliament is universally acknowledged.

That money is already very scarce in these colonies, and is still decreasing by the necessary exportation of specie from the continent for the discharging of our debts to British merchants, that an immensely heavy debt is yet due from the colonies for British manufactures, and that they are still heavily burthened with taxes to discharge the arrearages due for aids granted by them in the late war; that the balance of trade will ever be much against the colonies, and in favor of Great Britain, whilst we consume her manufactures; the demand of which must ever increase in proportion to the number of inhabitants settled here, with the means of purchasing them. We therefore humbly conceive it to be the interest of Great Britain to We, therefore, most humbly entreat that the increase rather than diminish those means, as honorable house would be pleased to hear our the profit of all the trade of the colonies ulti- council in support of this petition, and take our mately centre there to pay for her manu- distressed and deplorable case into their serious factures, as we are not allowed to purchase consideration, and that the acts and clauses of elsewhere, and by the consumption of which, acts so grievously restraining our trade and at the advanced prices the British taxes oblige commerce, imposing duties and taxes on our the makers and venders to set on them, we property, and extending the jurisdiction of the eventually contribute very largely to the reve-court of admiralty beyond its ancient limits, nues of the crown.

may be repealed; or that the honorable house

would otherwise relieve your petitioners as in your great wisdom and goodness shall seem

meet.

And your petitioners shall ever pray, etc. Then the congress adjourned until to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock.

Thursday, Oct. 24th, 1765, A. M.-The congress met according to adjournment.

The congress took into consideration the manner in which their several petitions should be preferred and solicited in Great Britain, and thereupon came to the following determination, viz:

It is recommended by the congress to the several colonies to appoint special agents for soliciting relief from their present grievances, and to unite their utmost interest and endeavors for that purpose.

Voted unanimously, that the clerk of this congress sign the minutes of their proceedings, and deliver a copy for the use of each colony and province.

By order of the congress,

JOHN COTTON, Clerk.

A copy of the proceedings of the province of New-Hampshire, as transmitted to the con

your province, had unanimously agreed to propose a meeting at the city of New York, of committees from the houses of representatives of the several British colonies on this continent, on the first Tuesday in October next, to consult together on the present circumstances of the colonies, and the difficulties to which they are and must be reduced by the operation of the acts of parliament, for laying duties and taxes on the colonies, and to consider of an humble representation of their condition to his majesty and the parliament, and to implore relief, came to hand at an unlucky season, it being in the recess of the general assembly of this province. Nevertheless, immediately upon the receipt of your letter, I dispatched expresses to the several representatives of this province, acquainting them with the purport thereof, and requesting them to meet at this place without delay.

And accordingly they met here on Monday last, to the number of sixteen, being a large majority of the representatives of this province; the whole consisting of twenty-five persons, but his excellency our governor, being applied to, did not think it expedient to call them together on the occasion; which is the reason of not sending a committee as proposed by your

tives on this sentiment can more sincerely concur in the measures proposed, than do the representatives of the province now met together: neither can any people, as individuals, more warmly espouse the common cause of the colonies, than do the people of this province.

gress. Province of New In the house of represen-house, for you may be assured, no representaHampshire, tatives, June 29th, 1765. Mr. Speaker laid before the house a letter from the honorable speaker of the honorable representatives of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, to the speaker of this assembly, proposing a meeting of committees from the several assemblies of the British colonies on the continent, at New-York, to consider of a general, united, dutiful, loyal and humble representation of our committees, and for imploring his majesty and the parliament for relief; which being read,

Resolved, That, notwithstanding we are sensible that such a representation ought to be made, and approve of the proposed method for obtaining thereof, yet the present situation of our governmental affairs, will not permit us to appoint a committee to attend such meeting; but shall be ready to join in any address, to his majesty and the parliament we may be honored with the knowledge of, probable to answer the proposed end.

A. CLARKSON, Clerk.

A copy of a letter received from Georgia, during the sitting of the congress:

Savannah, in Georgia, September 6th, 1765.
SIR-Your letter dated in June last, acquaint-

The gentlemen now present, request it as a favor, you'll be pleased to send me a copy of such representation as may be agreed upon by the several committees at New York, and acquaint me how, and in what manner the same is to be laid before the king and parliament; whether by any person particularly authorized for that purpose, or by the colony agents? The general assembly of this province stands prorogued to the 22d day of October next, which is the time it generally meets for the dispatch of the ordinary business of the province; and I doubt not the representatives of this province will then, in their legislative capacity, take under consideration the grievances so justly complained of, and transmit their sense of the same to Great Britain, in such way as and so as to convince the sister colonies of may seem best calculated to obtain redress,

their inviolable attachment to the common

cause.

I am, sir, your most obedient and most hum-
ALEX. WYLLY.

ing me that the house of representatives of ble servant,

To Samuel White, esqr. speaker of the house of representatives of Massachusetts Bay, in New England.

brethren and fellow subjects, born to no greater stock of freedom than the Americans -the merchants and inhabitants of this city,

The two foregoing letters, are true copies in conjunction with the merchants and inhabifrom the original.

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tants of the ancient American colonies, entered into an agreement to decline a part of their commerce with Great Britain, until the above mentioned act should be totally repealed. This agreement operated so powerfully to the dis

ASSOCIATION OF THE SONS OF advantage of the manufacturers of England

LIBERTY

TO THE PUBLIC.

that many of them were unemployed. To appease their clamors, and to provide the subsistence for them, which the non-importation had deprived them of, the parliament, in 1770, repealed so much of the revenue act as imposed a duty on glass, painters' colors, and paper, and left the duty on tea, as a test of the parlia

New York, December 15, 1773. The following association is signed by a great number of the principal gentlemen of the city, merchants, lawyers, and other inhabitants of all ranks, and it is still carried about|mentary right to tax us. The merchants of the city, to give an opportunity to those who have not yet signed to unite with their fellow-citizens, to testify their abhorrence to the diabolical project of enslaving America. The association of the Sons of Liberty of New York.

It is essential to the freedom and security of a free people, that no taxes be imposed upon them but by their own consent, or their representatives. For "what property have they in that which another may, by right, take when he pleases to himself?" The former is the undoubted right of Englishmen, to secure which they expended millions and sacrificed the lives of thousands. And yet, to the astonishment of all the world, and the grief of America, the commons of Great Britain, after the repeal of the memorable and detestable stamp-act, reassumed the power of imposing taxes on the American colonies; and, insisting on it as a necessary badge of parliamentary supremacy, passed a bill, in the seventh year of his present majesty's reign, imposing duties on all glass, painters' colors, paper and teas, that should, after the 20th of November, 1767, be "imported from Great Britain into any colony or plantation in America."- This bill, after the concurrence of the lords, obtained the royal assent. And thus they who, from time immemorial, have exercised the right of giving to, or withholding from the crown, their aids and subsidies, according to their own free will and pleasure, signified by their representatives in parliament, do, by the act in question, deny us, their brethren in America, the enjoyment of the same right. As this denial, and the execution of that act, involves our slavery, and would sap the foundation of our freedom, whereby we should become slaves to our

the cities of New York and Philadelphia, having strictly adhered to the agreement, so far as it is related to the importation of articles subject to an American duty, have convinced the ministry, that some other measures must be adopted to execute parliamentary supremacy over this country, and to remove the distress brought on the East India company, by the illpolicy of that act. Accordingly, to increase the temptation to the shippers of tea from England, an act of parliament passed the last session, which gives the whole duty on tea, the company were subject to pay, upon the importation of it into England, to the purchasers and exporters; and when the company have ten millions of pounds of tea, in their ware-houses exclusive of the quantity they may want to ship, they are allowed to export tea, discharged from the payment of that duty, with which they were before chargeable. In hopes of aid in the execution of this project, by the influence of the owners of the American ships, application was made by the company to the captains of those ships to take the tea on freight; but they virtuously rejected it. Still determined on the scheme, they have chartered ships to bring the tea to this country, which may be hourly expected, to make an important trial of our virtue. If they succeed in the sale of that tea, we shall have no property that we can call our own, and then we may bid adieu to American liberty.— -Therefore, to prevent a calamity which, of all others, is the most to be dreaded -slavery, and its terrible concomitantswe, the subscribers, being influenced from a regard to liberty, and disposed to use all lawful endeavors in our power, to defeat the pernicious project, and to transmit to our posterity, those blessings of freedom which our ancestors have handed down to us; and to contri.

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