ted, the farther confideration thereof was deferred till to-morrow. Adjourned till to-morrow at 9 o'clock. SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1775. Met according to adjournment. The petition to the King being engroffed, was compared at the table and figned by the Members prefent. To the KING's Moft Excellent MAJESTY. WE your Majefty's faithful fubjects of the Colonies of New-Hampshire, Maffachufett's-Bay, Rhode-Ifland, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennfylvania, the Counties of New-Caftle, Kent and Suffex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina, in behalf of ourselves, and the inhabitants of thefe Colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in General Congress, entreat your Majefty's gracious attention to this our humble petition. The union between our Mother Country and thefe Colonies, and the energy or mild and just government, produced benefits fo remarkably important, and afforded fuch an affurance of their permanency and increase, that the wonder and envy of other nations were excited, while they beheld Great-Britain rifing to a power the most extraordinary, the world had ever known. Her rivals, obferving that there was no probability of this happy connection being broken by civil diffentions, and apprehending its future effects, if left any longer undisturbed, refolved to prevent her receiving fuch continual and formidable acceffions of wealth and ftrength, by check ing the growth of thofe fettlements from which, they were to be derived. In the profecution of this attempt, events fo unfavourable to the defign took place, that every friend to the intereft of Great-Britain and these Colonies, entertained pleafing and reasonable expectations of feeing an additional force and exertion immediately given to the operations of the union hitherto experienced, by an enlargement of the dominions of the crown, and the removal of ancient and warlike enemies to a greater dif tance. At the conclufion thereof of the late war, the moft glorious and advantageous that ever had been carried on by British Arms, your loyal colonifts, having contributed to its fuccefs, by fuch repeated and ftrenuous exertions, as frequently procured them the diftinguished approbation of your Majefty, of the late King, and of Parliament, doubted not, but that they fhould be permitted, with the reft of the empire, to share in the bleffings of peace, and the emoluments of victory and conqueft, While thefe recent and honourable acknowledgements of their merits remained on record in the journals and acts of that auguft legislature, the Parliament, undefaced by the im putation or even the fufpicion of any offence, they weré alarmed by a new system of ftatutes and regulations adopted for the adminiftration of the Colonies, that filled their minds with the most painful fears and jealoufies; and, to their inexpreffible aftonishment, perceived the danger of a foreign quarrel quickly fucceeded by domeftic danger, in their judgment of a more dreadful kind. Nor were these anxieties alleviated by any tendency in this fyftem to promote the welfare of their Mother Country. For though its effects were more immediately felt by them, yet its influence appeared to be injurious to the commerce and profperity of Great Britain. We shall decline the ungrateful task of describing the irksome variety of artifices, practifed by many of your Majefty's minifters, the delufive pretences, fruitless terrors, and unavailing severities that have from time to time been dealt out by them, in their attempts to execute this impolitic plan, or of tracing through a series of years paft the progrefs of the unhappy differences between Great Britain and thefe Colonies, that have flowed from this fatal fource. Your Majesty's minifters, perfevering in their measures, and proceeding to open hoftilities for enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our own defence, and have engaged us in a controverfy fo peculiarly abhorrent to the affections of your ftill faithful Colonifts, that when we confider whom we must oppofe in this conteft, and if it continues, what may be the confequences, our own particular misfortunes are accounted by us only as parts of our distress. Knowing to what violent refentments and incurable animofities, civil difcords are apt to exafperate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourselves required by indifpenfible obligations to Almighty God, to your Majefty, to our fellow-fubjects, and to ourselves, immediately to use all the means in our power, not incompatible with our fafety, for stopping the further effusion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British empire. Thus called upon to addrefs your Majesty on affairs affairs of fuch moment to America, and probably to all your dominions, we are earnestly defirous of performing this office, with the utmoft deference for your Majefty; and we therefore pray, that your Majefty's royal magnanimity and benevolence may make the moft favourable conftructions of our expreffions on fo uncommon an occafion. Could we reprefent, in their full force, the sentiments that agitate the minds of us your dutiful fubjects, we are perfuaded, your Majefty would afcribe any feeming deviation from reverence in our language, and even in our conduct, not to any reprehenfible intention, but to the impoffibility of reconciling the ufual appearances of refpect with a juft attention to our own prefer vation against these artful and cruel enemies, who abuse your royal confidence and authority, for the purpose of affecting our deftruction. Attached to your Majefty's perfon, family, and government, with all devotion that principle and affection can infpire, connected with Great Britain by the strongest ties that can unite focieties, and deploring every event that tends in any degree to weaken them, we folemnly affure your Majefty, that we not only moft ardently defire the former harmony between her and these Colonies may be restored; but that a concord may be eftablished between them upon fo firm a bafis as to perpetuate its bleffings uninterrupted by any future diffentions to fucceeding generations in both countries, and to tranfmit your Majefty's name to pofterity, adorned with that fignal and lafting glory, that has attended the memory of thole illuftrious perfonages, whofe virtues and abilities have extricated ftates from dangerous convulfions, and, by fecuring happiness to others, have erected the most noble and durable monuments to their own fame. We We beg leave farther to affure your Majefty, that notwithstanding the fufferings of your loyal Colonists, during the courfe of this prefent controversy, our breafts retain too tender a regard for the kingdom from which we derive our origin, to request fuch a reconciliation as might in any manner be inconfiftent with her dignity or her welfare. Thefe, related as we are to her, honour and duty, as well as inclination, induce us to fupport and advance; and the apprehenfions, that now oppress our hearts with unfpeakable grief, being once removed, your Majefty will find your faithful fubjects on this continent ready and willing at all times, as they have ever been, with their lives and fortunes, to affert and maintain the rights and interefts of your Majefty, and of our Mother Country. We therefore befeech your Majefty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously. interpofed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealoufies, occafioned by the system before-mentioned, and to fettle peace through every part of your dominions, with all humility submitting to your Majefty's wife confideration, whether it may not be expedient for facilitating thofe important purposes, that your Majefty be pleased to direct fome mode, by which the united applications of your faithful Colonifts to the Throne, in purfuance of their Common Councils, may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that in the mean time meafures may be taken for preventing the further deftruction of the lives of your Majefty's fubjects; and that fuch ftatutes as more immediately distress any of your Majefty's Colonies, may be repealed. For by fuch arrangements as your Majesty's wisdom 3 |