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ted the rights of men, and the blessings of liberty to you their posterity.

"Be not surprised therefore that we, who are descended from the same common ancestors; that we, whose forefathers participated in all the rights, the liberties, and the constitution you so justly boast of, and who have carefully conveyed the same fair inheritance to us, guaranteed by the plighted faith of government, and the most solemn compacts with British sovereigns, should refuse to surrender them to men; who found their claims on no principles of reason, and who prosecute them with a design, that by having our lives and property in their power, they may with the greater facility enslave you.

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Why then are the proprietors of the soil of America, less lords of their property than you are of yours; or why should they submit it to the disposal of your Parliament, or any other Parliament, or council in the world, not of their election? Can the intervention of the sea that divides us, cause disparity in rights; or can any reason be given why English subjects, who live three thousand miles from the royal palace, should enjoy less liberty than those who are only three hundred miles distant from it?

"Reason looks with indignation on such distinctions, and freemen can never perceive their propriety.

"At the conclusion of the late war-a war rendered glorious by the abilities and entegrity of a minister, to whose efforts the British empire owes its safety, and itɛ fame; at the conclusion of this war, which was succeeded by an inglorious peace, formed under the auspices of a minister, of principles, and of family unfriendly to the Protestant cause, and inimical to liberty; we say at this period, and under the influence of that man, a plan for enslaving your fellow subjects in America, was concerted, and has ever since been pertinaciously carried into execution."

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Here follows a statement of the former relative situation of the two countries, and the mutual attachment, as well as common interest of the empire, &c.

"This being a true state of facts, let us beseech you to consider to what they lead.

"Admit that the ministry, by the powers of Britain, and the aid of our Roman Catholic neighbours, should be able to carry the point of taxation, and reduce us to a state of perfect humiliation, and slavery; such an enterprise would doubtless make some addition to your national debt, which already presses down your liberties, and fills you with pensioners, and placemen. We presume also, that your commerce will be somewhat diminished. However, suppose you should be victorious-in what condition will you then be? What advantages, or what laurels will you reap from such a conquest? May not a ministry with such an army enslave you? &c.

"We believe there is yet much virtue, much justice, and much public spirit in the English nation. To that justice we now appeal. You have been told that we are seditious, impatient of government, and desirous of independency. Be assured that these are not facts, but calumnies. Permit us to be as free as yourselves, and we shall ever esteem a union with you, to be our greatest happiness. We shall ever be ready to contribute all in our power to the welfare of the empire. We shall consider your enemies as our enemies, and your interest as our own.

"But if you are determined that your ministers shall wan tonly sport with mankind; if neither the voice of justice, the dictates of the law, the principles of the constitution, nor the suggestions of humanity can restrain your hands from shedding human blood, in such an impious cause, we must then tell you, that we will never submit to be hewers

of wood or drawers of water for any ministry or nation in the world.

"Place us in the same situation that we were at the close of the last war, and our former harmony will be re* stored."

Congress next resolved that a petition be prepared and presented to the king, and Messrs. Lee, John Adams, Johnston, Henry, and Rutledge, were appointed as a committee to draft and forward the same, which was accordingly done as follows. After stating the grievances of the colonies briefly and impressively, the petition proceeds

"Had our Creator been pleased to give us existence in a land of slavery, the sense of our condition might have been mitigated by ignorance and habit; but thanks be to his adorable goodness, we were born the heirs of freedom, and ever enjoyed our rights under the auspices of your royal ancestors, whose family was seated on the British throne, to rescue and secure a pious and gallant nation from the Popery and superstition of an inexorable tyrant.

"Your majesty, we are confident, justly rejoices, that your title to your crown is thus founded upon the title of your people to liberty; and therefore we doubt not but your royal wisdom must approve the sensibility that teaches your subjects anxiously to guard the blessing they have received from Divine Providence, and thereby to prove the performance of that compact, which elevated the illus. trious house of Brunswick to the imperial dignity it now possesses.

"The apprehensions of being degraded into a state of servitude, from the pre-eminent rank of English freemen, while our minds retain the strongest love of liberty, and clearly foresee the miseries preparing for us and our posterity, excites emotions in our breasts, which though we VOL. III.

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cannot describe, we should not wish to conceal. Feeling as men, and thinking as subjects, in the manner we do, silence would be disloyalty. By giving this faithful information, we do all in our power to promote the great objects of your royal cares, the tranquillity of your government, and the welfare of your people.

"Duty to your majesty, and regard for the preservation of ourselves and our posterity, the primary obligations of nature, and society, command us to entreat your royal attention; and as your majesty enjoys the signal distinction of reigning over freemen, we apprehend the language of freemen cannot be displeasing. Your royal indignation, we hope, will rather fall on those designing and dangerous men, who daringly interposing themselves between your royal person, and your faithful subjects, and for several years past, incessantly employed to dissolve the bonds of society, by abusing your majesty's authority, misrepresenting your American subjects, and prosecuting the most desperate and irritating projects of oppression, have at length compelled us, by the force of accumulated injuries, to be any longer tolerable, to disturb your majesty's repose by our complaints.

"These sentiments are extorted from hearts that would much more willingly bleed in your majesty's service; yet so greatly have we been misrepresented, that a necessity has been alleged of taking our property from us, without our consent, to defray the charge of the administration of justice, the support of civil government, and the defence, protection, and security of the colonies." These allegations being promptly denied, they proceed―" Yielding to no British subjects in attachment to your majesty's person, family and government, we too dearly prize the pleasure of expressing that attachment, by those proofs that are honourable to the prince that receives them, and to the

people that give them, ever to resign it to any body of men on earth.

"We ask but for peace, liberty and safety. We wish not a diminution of the prerogative, nor do we solicit the grant of any new right in our favour; your royal authority over us, and our connection with Great Britain, we shall always carefully, and zealously endeavour to support, and maintain."

Here follows a summary of the grievances of which they complained, with the purity, and sincerity of the motives of this appeal; they then proceed.

"Permit us, then, most gracious sovereign, in the name of all your faithful people in America, with the utmost humility, to implore you, for the honour of Almighty God, whose pure religion our enemies are undermining; for your glory, which can be advanced only by rendering your subjects happy, and keeping them united; for the interests of your family, depending on an adherance to the principles that enthroned it; for the safety and welfare of your kingdom and dominions, threatened with almost unavoidable dangers and distresses; that your majesty, as the loving father of your whole people, connected by the bonds of law, loyalty, faith, and blood, though dwelling in various countries, will not suffer the transcendent relation, formed by these ties, to be violated, in uncertain expectation of effects, that, if attained, can never compensate for the calamities through which they must be gained."

Congress next resolved that an address be prepared and presented to their constituents, and Messrs. Lee, Livingston, and Jay were appointed as a committee to prepare the same, which is summarily comprised in the following ex

tract.

After stating the causes of the present troubles, and

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