a refpite of three years, before he can be elected again. This com cil, of whom two-thirds fhall be a quorum, in the recefs of the Congrefs, is to execute what shall have been enjoined thereby; to manage the general continental bufinefs and interefts, to receive applications from foreign countries, to prepare matters for the confideration of the Congrefs, to fill up, pro tempore, continental offices that fall vacant, and to draw on the general treasurer for fuch monies as ray be necef fary for general fervices, and appropriated by the Congrefs to fuch fervices. X. No colony fhall engage in an offenfive war with any nation of Indians, without the confent of the Congrefs or great council abovementioned, who are first to confider the juftice and neceffity of fuch war. XI. A perpetual alliance, offenfive and defenfive, is to be entered into, as foon as may be, with the Six Nations; their limits afcer tained, and to be fecured to them; their lands not to be encroached on, nor any private or colony purchase to be made of them hereafter to be held good, nor any contract for lands to be made, but between the great council of the Indians at Onondega and the general Congres The boundaries and lands of all the other Indians fhall also be afcer tained and fecured to them in the fame manner; and perfons appointed to refide among them in proper diftricts, who fhall take care to prevent injuftice in the trade with them; and be enabled at our general expence, by occafional fmall fupplies, to relieve their perfonal wants and diftreffes; and all purchases from them fhall be by the Congrefs, for the general advantage and benchit of the united colonies. XII. As all new inftitutions may have imperfections, which only time and experience can difcover, it is agreed that the General Con grefs, from time to time, fhall propofe fuch amendments of this conititution as may be found neceffary, which being approved by a majo rity of the colony affemblies, fhall be equally binding with the reft of the articles of this confederation. XIII. Any and every colony from Great-Britain upon the continent of North-America, not at prefent engaged in our affociation, may, upon application, and joining the faid affociation, be received into the confederation, viz. Quebec, St. John's, Nova-Scotia, Bermudas, and the East and Weft Floridas, and fhall thereupon be entitled to all the advantages of our union, mutual affistance, and commerce. Thefe articles fhail be propofed to the feveral provincial conventions or affemblies, to be by them confidered; and, if approved, they are advised to empower their delegates to agree and ratify the fame in the enfuing Congrefs; after which the union thereby established is to continue firm, till the terms of reconciliation proposed in the petition of the laft Congrefs to the King are agreed to; till the acts, fince made, reftraining the American commerce and fisheries, are repealed; till reparation is made for the injury done to Bofton by fhutting up its port; for burning Charles-Town, and for the expence of this unjult war; and till all the British troops are withdrawn from America. On the arrival of thefe.events, the colonies are to return to their for mer connections and friendship with Great-Britain; but on failure, thereof, this confederation is to be perpetual, THE `THE following is a true copy of the Petition from the General Congress in America, to his Majesty, which we delivered to Lord Dartmouth the first of this month, and to which, his. Lordship said, no anfwer would be given. Sept. 4, 1775. Richard Penn. To the KING's moft Excellent Majefty. We your Majesty's faithful fubjects of the colonies of New-Hampfhire, Maffachufet's Bay, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Penfylvania, the counties of NewCaffle, Kent, and Suffex in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, in behalf of ourselves and the inhabitants of these colonies, who have deputed us to reprefent them in General Congrefs, entreat your Majesty's gracious attention to this our humble petition. The union between our mother-country and thefe colonies, and the energy of mild and just government, produced benefits fo remarkably important, and afforded fuch affurance of their permanency and increafe, that the wonder and envy of other nations were excited, while they beheld Great Britain rifing to a power the moft 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 fo continual and formidable an acceffion of wealth and ftrength, by checking the growth of these 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 thefe colonies, entertained pleafing and reasonable expectations of feeing an additional force and extenfion immediately given to the operations of the union hitherto experienced, by an enlargement of the crown, and the removal of ancient and warlike enemies to a greater distance. At the conclufion, therefore, of the late war, the most glorious and advantageous that ever had been carried on by British arms, your loyal colonies, having contributed to its fuccefs, by fuch repeated and ftrenuous exertions as frequently procured them the diftinguished approba-. tion of your Majefty, of the late king, and of parliament, doubted not but that they should be permitted, with the rest of the empire, to fhare in the bleffings of peace, and the emoluments of victory and conqueft. While thefe recent and honourable acknowledgments of their merits remained on record in the journals and acts of that auguft legislature, the parliament, undefaced by the imputation, or even the fulpicion of any offence, they were alarmed by a new fyftem 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 dangers of a foreign quarrel quickly. fucceeded by domeftic dangers, in their judgement of a more dreadful kind. Nor were their anxietics alleviated by any tendency in this fyftem to promote 1 promote the welfare of the 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 fhall decline the ungrateful task of defcribing the irksome variety of artifices practifed by many of your Majefty's ministers, the delufive pretences, fruitless terrors, and unavailing feverities, which have from time to time been dealt out by them in their attempts to execute this impolitic plan, or of tracing through a feries of years paft the progrefs of the unhappy differences between Great Britain and thefe colonies, which have flowed from this fatal fource. Your Majefty'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 from the affections of your ftill faithful colonists, that when we confider whom we must oppofe in this conteft, and if it continues, what may be the confequence; our own particular misfortunes are accounted by us only as parts of our diftrefs. Knowing to what violent refentments, and incurable animofities civil difcords are apt to exafperate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourselves required by indifpenfable obligations to Almighty God, to your Majefty, to our fellow fubjects, and ourselves, immediately to ufe all the means in our power, not incompatible with our safety, for ftopping the further effufion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British empire. Thus called upon to addrefs your Majefty on affairs of fuch moment to America, and probably to all your dominions, we are carneftly defirous of performing this office with the utmoft deference to your Majefty; and we therefore pray that your 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 fentiments which 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 prefervation against thofe artful and cruel enemies, who abuse your royal confidence and authority for the purpose of effecting our destruction. Attached to your Majefty's perfon, family and government, with all the 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 thefe colonies may be restored, but that a concord may be eftablished between them upon fo firm a bafis as to prepetuate its bleflings uninterrupted by any future diffentions to fucceeding genera tions in both countries: to tranfmit your Majelly's name to pofterity, adorned with that fignal and lafting glory that has attended the memory of thofe illuftrious perfonages, whofe virtues and abilities have extricated ftates from dangerous convulfions, and by fecuring happinefs to others, have created the most noble and durable monuments to their own fame. We beg leave further to affure your Majesty, that notwithstanding the fufferings of your loyal colonifts, during the course of the prefent controverfy, our breafts retain too tender a regard for the kingdom from which we derive our origin, to requeft 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 as to fupport and advance; and the apprehenfions that now opprefs our hearts, with unfpeakable grief being once removed, your Majesty will find your faithful subjects, 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 interests of your Majefty and of our mothercountry. We therefore befeech your Majefty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interpofed, to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealoufics, occafioned by the fyftem before mentioned, and to fettle peace through every part of your dominions; with all humility fubmitting to your Majefty's wife confideration, whether it may not be expedient, for facilitating thefe important purposes, that your Majefty may be pleased to direct jome mode by which the united applications of your faithful colonists to the throne, in pursuance of their com mon councils may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that in the mean time meafures be taken for preventing the further deftruction of the lives of your Majefty's fubjects, and that fuch statutes as more immediately distress any of your Majesty's colonics be repealed. For by fuch arrangements, as your Majefty's wisdom can form, for collecting the united fenfe of your American people, we are convinced your Majefty would receive fuch fatifactory proofs of the difpofition of the colonifts towards their Sovereign and the parent-ftate, that the wished-for opportunity would be reftored to them, of evincing the fincerity of their profeffions, by every teftimony of devotion becoming the most faithful fubjects, and the most affectionate colonists. That your Majesty may enjoy a long and profperous reign, and that your defcendents may govern thefe dominions, with honour to themfelves and happiness to their fubjects, is our fincere and fervent prayer. JOHN HANDCOCK, Prefident. A Declaration by the Reprefentatives of the United Colonies of North America, now met in General Congress at Philadelphia, fetting forth the Caufes and Neceffity of their taking up Arms. IF it was poffible for men, who exercife their reafon, to believe that the Divine Author of our existence intended a part of the human race to hold an abfolute property in, and an unbounded power over others, marked out by his infinite goodnefs and wifdom, as the objects of a legal domination, never rightly refiftible, however fevere and oppreffive; the inhabitants of thefe colonies might at least require from the Parliament of Great-Britain fome evidence, that this dreadful authority over them has been granted to that body. But a reverence for our Great Creator, principles of humanity, and the dictates of common sense, must convince all thofe who reflect upon the subject, that government was inftituted to promote the welfare of mankind, and ought to be administered for the attainment of that end. The legislature of Great-Britain, however ftimulated by an inordinate paffion for a power not only unjuftifiable, but which they know to be peculiarly reprobated by the very conftitution of that kingdom, and defperate of fuccefs in any mode of contest where regard fhould be had to truth, law, or right, have at length, deferting thofe, attempted to effect their cruel and impolitic purpose of enslaving these colonies by violence, and have thereby rendered it neceffary for us to close with their laft appeal from reafon to arms. Yet, however blinded that affembly may be, by their intemperate rage for unlimited domination, fo as to flight juftice and the opinion of mankind, we efteem ourselves bound, by obligations of refpect to the rest of the world, to make known the juftice of our caufe. Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great-Britain, left their native land, to feek on these fhores a refidence for civil and religious freedom. At the expence of their blood, at the hazard of their fortunes, without the least charge to the country from which they removed, by unceasing labour and an unconquerable fpirit, they affected fettlements in the distant and inhofpitable wilds of America, then filled with numerous and warlike nations of Barbarians. Societies or govern ments, |