on which they always depended for for their fustenance; and large reinforcements of thips and troops were immediately fent over to General Gage.

Fruitless were all the intreaties, arguments, and eloquence of an illuftrious band of the most diftinguished Peers and Commoners, who nobly and ftrenuously afferted the juftice of our caufe, to stay, or even to mitigate the heedlefs fury with which thefe accumulated and unexampled outrages were hurried on.-Equally fruitless was the interference of the city of London, of Bristol, and many other refpectable towns in our favour. Parliament adopted an infidious manoeuvre calculated to divide us, to establish a perpetual auction of taxations where Colony fhould bid against Colony, all of them uninformed what raniom would redeem their lives, and thus to extort from us, at the point of the bayonet, the unknown fums that should be fufficient to gratify, if poffible to gratify, minifterial rapacity, with the miferable indulgence left to us of raifing, in our own mode, the prescribed tribute, What terms more rigid and humilating could have been dictated by remorseless victors to conquered enemies? In our circumstances, to accept them, would be to deserve them.

Soon after the intelligence of thefe proceedings arrived on this continent, General Gage, who in the course of the last year, had taken poffeffion of the town of Bofton, in the province of Maffachufett's-Bay, and ftill occupied it as a garrifon, on the 19th day of April, fent out from that place a large detachment of his army, who made an unprovoked affault on the inhabitants of the faid province, at the town of Lexington, as appears by

the

the affidavits of a great number of perfons, fome of whom were officers and foldiers of that detachment, murdered eight of the inhabitants, and wounded many others. From thence the troops proceeded in warlike array to the town of Concord, where they fet upon another party of the inhabitants of the fame province, killing feveral, and wounding more, until compelled to retreat by the country people fuddenly affembled to repel this cruel aggreffion, Hoftilities, thus commenced by the British troops, have been fince profecuted by them without regard to faith or reputation.The inhabitants of Bofton being confined within that town by the General their Governor, and having, in order to procure their dismission, entered into a treaty with him, it was ftipulated that the faid inhabitants having deposited their arms with their own magiftrates, fhould have liberty to depart, taking with them their other effects. They accordingly delivered up their arms, but in open violation of honour, in defiance of the obligation of treaties, which even favage nations esteemed facred, the Governor ordered the arms depofited as aforefaid, that they might be preserved for their owners, to be feized by a body of foldiers; detained the greateft part of the inhabitants in the town, and compelled the few who were permitted to retire, to leave their most valuable effects behind.

By this perfidy, wives are feparated from their hufbands, children from their parents, the aged and the fick from their relations and friends, who wish to attend and comfort them; and those who have been used to live in plenty, and even elegance, are reduced to deplorable diftrefs.

The

The General further emulating his minifterial masters, by a proclamation bearing date on the 12th day of June, after venting the groffeft falfe÷ hoods, and calumnies against the good people of thefe Colonies, procceds to "declare them all, "either by name or defcription, to be rebels and traitors, to fuperfede the course of the com "mon law, and inftead thereof to publish and "order the use and exercife of the law martial." His troops have butchered our countrymen ; have wantonly burnt Charlestown, befides a confiderable number of houses in other places; our hips and veffels are feized; the neceffary fupplies of provifions are intercepted, and he is exerting his utmoft power to spread deftruction and deveftation around him.

We have received certain intelligence, that General Carleton, the governor of Canada, is inftigating the people of that province and the Indians to fall upon us; and we have but too much reafon to apprehend, that schemes have been formed to excite domeftic enemies against us. In brief, a part of thefe Colonies now feel, and all of them are fure of feeling, as far as the vengeance of administration can inflict them, the complicated calamities of fire, fword, and famine.-We are reduced to the alternative of chufing an unconditional fubmiffion to the tyranny of irritated ministers, or resistance by force.-The latter is our choice. We have counted the coft of this conteft, and find nothing fo dreadful as voluntary flavery. Honor, juftice, and humanity forbid us tamely to furrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent pofterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of refign

ing

ing fucceeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them, if we bafely entail hereditary bondage upon them.

Our caufe is juft. Our union is perfect. Our internal refources are great, and if neceffary, foreign affiftance is undoubtedly attainable.We gratefully acknowledge, as fignal inftances of the Divine favour towards us, that his Providence would not permit us to be called into this fevere controverfy, until we were grown up to our prefent ftrength, had been previously exercifed in warlike operations, and poffeffed of the means of defending ourselves.-With hearts fortified with these animating reflexions, we most folemnly, before GoD and the world declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of thofe powers, which our beneficient Creator hath gracioufly bestowed upon us, the arms we have been compelled by our enemies to affume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmnefs and perfeverance, employ for the prefervation of our liberties, being with one mind refolved, to die Freemen rather than to live Slaves.

Left this declaration should difquiet the minds of our friends and fellow-fubjects in any part of the empire, we affure them that we mean not to diffolve that Union which has fo long and fo happily fubfifted between us, and which we fincerely wish to fee restored.Neceffity has not yet driven us into that defperate measure, or induced us to excite any other nation to war against them. We have not raised armies with ambitious defigns of separating from Great-Britain, and establishing independent ftates, -We fight not for glory or for conqueft. We exhibit to mankind the remarkable fpectacle of a people attacked by unprovoked enemies, without

any

any imputation, or even fufpicion, of offence. They boast of their privileges and civilization, and yet offer no milder conditions than fervitude or death.

In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birth-right, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it-for the protection of our property, acquired folely by the honeft industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hoftilities shall cease on the part of the aggreffors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.

With an humble confidence in the mercies of the fupreme and impartial Judge and Ruler of the Universe, we most devotly implore his divine goodness to protect us happily through this great conflict, to difpofe our adverfaries to reconciliation on reasonable terms, and thereby to relieve the empire from the calamities of civil war.

On a motion made, Refolved, That a letter be prepared to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the city of London, expreffing the thanks of this Congrefs, for their virtuous and fpirited oppofition to the oppreffive and ruinous fyftem of Colony Administration adopted by the British Miniftry.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to. draught an Addrefs to the people of Great-Britain, do prepare this.

Adjourned till to-morrow at 9 o'clock,

FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1775.

Met according to adjournment.

The Committee to whom the Addrefs to the people of Great Britain was re-committed, brought in the fame, which being again read and debaS

ted,