authentic 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 proceedings 
 
 PF THE 
 
 congress 
 
 HELD AT 
 
 N E W-Y 0 R K, 
 
 . In MDCCLXV, 
 
 On the SUBJECT of the 
 
 AMERICAN STAMP ACT, 
 
 MDCCLXVII. 
 
 [ Price One Shilling. ] 
 
[ I ] 
 
 PROCEEDINGS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CONGRESS 
 
 A T 
 
 N E W-r 0 R K. 
 
 Boston, June 176?. 
 
 S. I R, 
 
 T HE Houfe of Reprefentatives of 
 this province, in the prefent feffion 
 of the general court, have unanimoufly 
 agreed to propofe a meeting, as foon as 
 may be, of committees, from the 
 houfes of reprefentatives or burgeffes of 
 the feveral Britifh colonies on this conti¬ 
 nent, to confult together on the prefent 
 circumftances of the colonies, and the 
 difficulties to which they are, and muft 
 be reduced, by the operation of the afts 
 of parliament for levying duties and taxes 
 on the colonies ; and to confider of a ge- 
 B neral 
 
M 
 
 neral, and united, dutiful, loyal and 
 humble reprefentation of their condition, 
 to his Majefty and the Parliament, and to 
 implore relief. The houfe of reprefenta¬ 
 tives of this province have alfo voted to 
 propofe, That fuch meeting be at the 
 city of New-York, in the province of 
 New-York, on the firft Tuefday in O(So¬ 
 ber next j and have appointed a commit¬ 
 tee of three of their members to attend 
 that fervice, with fuch as the other houfes 
 of reprefentatives, or burgefles, in the 
 feveral colonies, may think fit to appoint 
 to meet them. And the committee of the 
 houfe of reprefentatives of this province, 
 are dire&ed to repair to faid New-York, 
 on faid firit Tuefday in O(Sober next, ac¬ 
 cordingly. 
 
 If, therefore, your honourable houfe 
 fhould agree to this propofal, it would be 
 acceptable, that as early notice of it as 
 poflible, might be tranfmitted to the 
 fpeaker of the hoiife of reprefentatives of 
 this province. 
 
 Samuel White, Speaker. 
 
 In confequence of the foregoing circu¬ 
 lar letter, the following gentlemen met at 
 New-York, in the province of New-York, 
 on Monday the feventh day of 0 <Sober, 
 1765, viz. 
 
 From 
 
[ 3 ] 
 
 From the province of the Maffachufetts- 
 bay, 
 
 James Otis, ] 
 
 Oliver Patridge, j-Efquires. 
 Timothy RugglesJ 
 
 From the colony of Rhode-Ifland, and 
 Providence plantations, 
 
 Metcalf Bowler 
 Henry Ward, 
 
 ’jEfq uires. 
 
 From the colony of Connecticut, 
 
 Eliphalet Dyer, ] 
 
 David Rowland, J-Efquires. 
 
 William SamuelJohnson,J 
 
 From the colony of N-w-York, 
 
 Robert R. Livingston, 
 
 John Cruger, 
 
 Philip Livingston, 
 
 William Byard, 
 
 Leonard Lispenard, 
 
 From the colony of New-Jerley, 
 Robert Ogden, ] 
 Hendrick Fisher, ^Efquires. 
 Joseph Borden, J 
 
 From the Province of Pennfylvania. 
 
 John Dickenson,] 
 
 John Morton, [-Efquires. 
 George Bryan, J 
 
 > Efquires. 
 
 From 
 
[ 4 ] 
 
 From the government of the counties 
 of Newcaftle, Kent, and Suifex, on De¬ 
 laware, 
 
 Cassar Rodney, 
 Thomas M’Kean, 
 
 jEfqui 
 
 From the province of Maryland, 
 William Murdock, - ) 
 
 Edward Tilghman, fEfquires,, 
 Thomas Ringgold, J 
 
 From the province of South-Carolina, 
 Thomas Lynch, 1 
 
 ChristopherGadsden, r-Efquires,. 
 John Rutledge,’ J 
 
 Then the faid committees proceeded to 
 chufe a chairman by ballot, and Timpthy 
 Ruggles, efq j on forting and counting the 
 votes, appeared to have a majority, and 
 thereupon was placed in the chain 
 
 Saturday, Odtoberip, 1765, A. M. 
 
 The congrefs met according to adjourn¬ 
 ment, and refumed, &c. as yefterday. 
 And, upon mature deliberation, agreed to 
 the following declarations of the rights 
 and grievances of the colonifts in America, 
 which were ordered to be inferted. 
 
 The members of this congrefs, fincerely 
 devoted, with the warmeft fentiments of 
 ' affection 
 
r 5,3 
 
 affe&ion and duty to his Majefty’s perfon 
 and government, inviolably. attached to 
 the prefent happy eftabliihment of the 
 Proteftant fucceffion, and with minds 
 deeply impreffed by a fenfe of the prefent 
 and impending misfortunes of the Britiih 
 colonies on this continent ; having confi- 
 dered as maturely as time will permit, the 
 circumftances of the faid colonies, efteem 
 it our indifpenfable duty to make the fol¬ 
 lowing declarations of our humble opi¬ 
 nion, refpe&ing the moft effential rights 
 and liberties of the colonifts, and of the 
 grievances under which they labour, by 
 re'afon of feveral late adts of parliament. 
 
 I. That his Majefty’s fubje&s in thefe 
 colonies, owe the fame allegiance to the 
 crown of Great-Britain, that is owing 
 from his fubje&s born within the realm, 
 and all due fubordination to that auguft 
 body the parliament of Great-Britain. • 
 
 If. That his Majeffy’s liege fubjecls, in 
 thefe colonies, are entitled to all the in¬ 
 herent rights and liberties of his natural 
 born fubjefts, within the kingdom of 
 Great-Britain. 
 
 III. That it is'infeparably effential to 
 the freedom of a people, and the undoubt¬ 
 ed right of Englilhmen, that no taxes be 
 impofed on them but with their own 
 confent, given perfonally, or by their 
 reprefentatiyes, 
 
 IV. That 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 IV. That the people of thefe colonies 
 are not, and, from their local circum- 
 ftances, cannot be, reprefented in the 
 Houfe of Commons in Great-Britain. 
 
 V. That the only reprefentatives of 
 the people of thefe colonies are perfons 
 chofen therein by themfelves, and that no 
 taxes ever have been, or can be coriftitu- 
 tionally impofed on them, but by their 
 refpedtive legiflature. 
 
 . VI. That all fupplies to the crown be¬ 
 ing free^gifts of the people, it is unreafon- 
 able and inconfiftent with the principles 
 and fpirit of the Britilh conftitution, for 
 the people of Great-Britain to grant to 
 his Majefty the property of the colonifts. 
 
 VII. That trial by jury, is the inherent 
 and invaluable right of every Britifh fub- 
 jedtin thefe colonies. 
 
 VIII. That the late adt of parliament, 
 entitled, An aB for granting and applying 
 curtain famp-duties ; and other duties, in 
 the Britifh colonies and plantations in Ame¬ 
 rica, &c. by impofing taxes on the inha¬ 
 bitants of thefe colonies, and the faid adt, 
 and feveral other adts, by extending the 
 jurifdidtion of the courts of admiralty be¬ 
 yond its ancient limits, have a manifeft 
 tendency to fubvert the rights and liberties 
 of the *colonifts. 
 
 IX. That the duties impofed by fe- 
 yeral late adts of parliament, from the 
 
 peculiax 
 
i 7 i 
 
 peculiar circumftances of thefe colonies, 
 Will be extremely burthenfome and grie¬ 
 vous ; and from the fcarcity of fpecie, the 
 payment of them abfolutely impracticable. 
 
 X. That as the profits of the trade of 
 thefe colonies ultimately center in Great- 
 Britain, to pay for the manufactures which 
 they are obliged to take from thence, they 
 eventually contribute very largely to all 
 fupplies granted there to the crown. 
 
 XI. That the reftriCtions impofed by 
 feveral late ads of parliament on the trade 
 of thefe colonies, will render them unable 
 to purchafe the manufactures of Great- 
 Britain. 
 
 XII. That the increafe, profperity and 
 happinefs of thefe colonies, depend on the 
 full and free enjoyments of their rights 
 and. liberties, and an intercourfe with 
 Great-Britain mutually affectionate and 
 advantageous. 
 
 XIII. That it is the right of the Britifh 
 fubjeCts in thefe colonies to petition the 
 king, or either houfe of parliament. 
 
 Laftly, That it is the indifpenfable du¬ 
 ty of thefe colonies, to the belt of fove- 
 reigns, to the mother country, and to 
 themfelves, to endeavour by a loyal and 
 dutiful addrefs to his Majefty, and hum¬ 
 ble applications to both houfes of parlia¬ 
 ment, to procure the repeal of the aCt for 
 granting and applying certain ftamp-du- 
 C ties, 
 
ties, of all claufes of any other afts of* 
 parliament, whereby the jurifdiftion of 
 the admiralty is extended as aforefaid, and 
 of the other late afts for the reftriction of 
 American commerce. 
 
 Upon motion, voted. That Robert R. 
 Livingfton, William Samuel Johnfon, and 
 William Murdock, efquires, be a com¬ 
 mittee to prepare an addrefs to his Majefty, 
 and lay the fame before the congrefs on 
 Monday next. 
 
 Voted alfo. That John Rutledge, Ed¬ 
 ward Tilghman, and Philip Livingfton, 
 efquires, be a committee to prepare a me¬ 
 morial and petition to the lords in parlia¬ 
 ment, and lay the fame before the con¬ 
 grefs on Monday next. 
 
 , Voted alfo. That Thomas Lynch, James 
 Otis, and Thomas M'Kean, efquires, be a 
 committee to prepare a petition to the 
 houfe of commons of Great-Britain, and 
 lay the fame before the congrefs on Mon¬ 
 day next. 
 
 Then the congrefs adjourned to Mon¬ 
 day next at twelve o’clock.. 
 
 Monday, Odtober 21, 1765, A. M. 
 
 The congrefs met according to adjourn¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The committee appointed to prepare 
 and bring in an addrefs to his Majefty, did 
 report, 
 
[ 9 1 
 
 report, that they had eflayed a draught for 
 that purpofe, which they laid on the ta¬ 
 ble, and humbly fubmitted to the correc¬ 
 tion of the congrefs. 
 
 The faid addrefs was read, and after 
 fundry amendments, the fame was ap¬ 
 proved of by the congrefs, and ordered to 
 beingrofled. 
 
 The committee appointed to prepare 
 and bring in a memorial and petition to 
 the lords in parliament, did report. That 
 they had eflayed a draught for that pur¬ 
 pofe, which they laid on the table, and 
 humbly fubmitted to the correction of 
 the congrefs. 
 
 The faid addrefs was read, and after 
 fundry amendments, the fame was ap¬ 
 proved of by the congrefs, and ordered to 
 be ingrofled. 
 
 The committee appointed to prepare 
 and bring in a petition to the houfe of 
 commons of Great r Britain did report. 
 That they had eflayed a draught for that 
 purpofe, which they laid on the table, 
 and humbly fubmitted to the correction 
 of the congrefs. 
 
 - The faid addrefs was read, and after 
 fundry amendments, the fame was ap¬ 
 proved of by the congrefs, and ordered to 
 be ingrofled. 
 
 The congrefs adjourn to to-morrow 
 porning, nine o’clock. 
 
 C 3 
 
 Tues-* 
 
Tuesday, O&ober 22, 1765, A, M, 
 
 The congrefs met according to adjourn¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The addrefs to his Majefty being in- 
 grofled, was read apd compared, and is 
 as follows, viz. 
 
 Ta.the King’s mofi 'Excellent Majesty. 
 
 The petition of the freeholders and 
 other inhabitants of the Maffachufetts- 
 Bay, Rhode-ifland, and Providence plan¬ 
 tations, , , 
 
 New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, the govern¬ 
 ment of the counties of New-Caftle, Kent, 
 and Sufiex, upon Delaware* province of 
 Maryland, 
 
 Moft humbly Iheweth, 
 
 T HAT the inhabitants of thefe color 
 nies, unanimoufly, devoted with the 
 warmell fen.tirnents of ’duty and affeftion 
 to your Majelly’s facred perfon and gor 
 vernment, inviolably attached tp the pre- 
 fent happy eltablilhment; of the proteftant 
 fucceffion in your illullrious houfe, and 
 deeply fenfible of your royal attention to 
 their profperity and happinefs, humbly 
 
[ II ] 
 
 beg leave to approach the throne, by re-3 
 prefenting to your Majefty, that thefe co-? 
 lonies Were originally planted by fubje&s 
 of the Britiih crown, who, animated with 
 the fpirit of liberty, encouraged by your 
 Majefty’s royal predeceffors, and confid¬ 
 ing in the public faith for the enjoyment 
 of all the rights and liberties eflential to 
 freedom, emigrated from their native 
 country to this continent, and by their 
 fuccefsful perfeverance in the midft of in¬ 
 numerable dangers and difficulties, toge¬ 
 ther with a profufion of their blood and 
 treafure, have happily added thefe vaffc 
 and valuable dominions to the empire of 
 Great-Britain. That for the enjoyment 
 of thefe rights and liberties, feveral go¬ 
 vernments were early formed in the faid 
 .colonies, with full power of legillation, 
 agreable to the principles of the Englifh 
 constitution. 
 
 That under thofe governments, thefe 
 liberties, thus veiled in their anceftors, 
 and tranfmitted to their posterity, have 
 been exercifed and enjoyed, and by the in¬ 
 estimable bleffings thereof (under the fa¬ 
 vour of almighty God) the inhofpitable 
 defarts of America have been converted 
 into flourishing countries ; fcience, huma¬ 
 nity, and the knowledge of divine truths, 
 (iiffufed through remote regions of igno¬ 
 rance, 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 ranee, infidelity, and barbarifin; the 
 number of Britifh fubjedts wonderfully in- 
 creafed, and the wealth and power of 
 Great-Britain proportionably augmented. 
 
 That by means of thefe fettlements, 
 and the unpar-allelled fuccefs of your Ma- 
 jefty’s arms, a foundation is now laid for 
 rendering the Britifh empire the moft ex- 
 tenfive and powerful of any recorded in 
 hiftory. Our connedtion with this em¬ 
 pire, we efteem our greateft happinefs and 
 fecurity, and humbly conceive it may now 
 be fo eftablifhed by your royal wifdom, as 
 to endure to the lateft period of time; 
 this, with moft humble fubmiffion to your 
 Majefty, we apprehend will be moft effec¬ 
 tually accomplifhed, by fixing the pillars 
 thereof on liberty and juftice, and fecur- 
 ing the inherent rights and liberties of 
 your fubjedts here, upon the principles of 
 the Englifh conftitutjon. To this con- 
 ftitution thefe two principles are dfential, 
 the right of your faithful fubjedts, freely 
 to grant to your Majefty, fuch aids as are 
 required for. the fupport of your govern- 
 ment over them, and other public exigen¬ 
 cies, and trials by their peers: by the one 
 they are fecured from unreafonable impo- 
 fitions; and by the other from arbitrary 
 flecifions of the executive power. 
 
 The continuation of thefe liberties to 
 {he inhabitants of America we ardently 
 implore, 
 
 
( i3 ) 
 
 implore, as abfolutely necelfary to unite 
 the feveral parts of your wide extended 
 dominions, in that harmony fo eflential to 
 the prefervation and happinefs of the 
 whole. Proteded in thele liberties, the 
 emoluments Great-Britain receives from 
 us, however great at prefent, are inconfi- 
 derable, compared with thofe £he has the 
 faireft profped of acquiring. By this pro- 
 tedion fhe will for ever fecure to herfelf 
 the advantage of conveying to all Europe, 
 the merchandifes which America furnifhes, 
 and of fupplying through the fame chan¬ 
 nel whatever is wanted from.thence. Here 
 open's a boundlefs fource of wealth and 
 jiava'l ftrength ; yet thefe immenfe advan¬ 
 tages, by the abridgment of thofe invalua¬ 
 ble rights and liberties, by which our 
 growth has been nourifhed, are in danger 
 of being for ever loft ; and our fubordi- 
 nate legiflatures, in efted, rendered ufe- 
 lefs, by the late ads of parliament iinpo- 
 fing duties and taxes on thefe colonies, 
 and extending the jurifdidion of the courts 
 of admiralty here, beyond its ancient li¬ 
 mits : ftatutes by which your Majefty’s 
 commons in Britain undertake abfolutely 
 to difpofe of the property of their fellow 
 fubjeds in America, without their confent, 
 and for the enforcing whereof, they are 
 fubjeded to the determination of a iingle 
 judge in a court unreftrained by the wife 
 rules 
 
t Hi 
 
 rules of the common law* the birthright 
 of Englishmen, and the fafeguard of their 
 perfons and properties. 
 
 The invaluable rights of taxing our- 
 felves, and trial by our peers, of which 
 we implore your Majefty’s protection, are 
 not, we moll humbly conceive unconfti- 
 tutional •, but confirmed by the great 
 charter of Englifh liberty. On the 
 firft of thefe rights the honourable the 
 houfe of commons found their practice of 
 originating money bills, a right enjoyed 
 by the kingdom of Ireland, by the clergy 
 of England, until relinquished by them- 
 felves, a right, in fine, which all other 
 your Majefty’s Englifh. fubjeCts, both 
 within and without the realm, have hi¬ 
 therto enjoyed. 
 
 With hearts, therefore, impreffed with 
 the moft indelible characters of gratitude 
 to your Majefty, and to the memory of 
 the kings of your illuftrious houfe, whofe 
 reigns have been fignally distinguished by 
 their aufpicious influence on the profperity 
 of the British dominions, and convinced 
 by the moft affeCting proofs of your Ma¬ 
 jefty’s paternal love to all your people, 
 however diftant, and your unceafing and 
 benevolent defires to promote their, happi- 
 nefs, we moft humbly befeech your Ma¬ 
 jefty, that you will be gracioufly pleafed 
 
[ ‘5 I 
 
 to take into your royal confideration the 
 diftrefles of your faithful fubjefts on this 
 continent, and to lay the fame before your 
 Majefty’s parliament, and to afford them 
 fuch relief, as in your royal wifdom their 
 unhappy circumftances fhall be judged to 
 require. 
 
 And your petitioners as in duty bound 
 ’will pray. 
 
 The memorial to the lords in parlia¬ 
 ment was read and compared, and is as 
 follows, viz. 
 
 To the right honourable the lords spiritual 
 and temporal of Great-Britain, in parlia¬ 
 ment affembled. 
 
 The memorial of the freeholders and 
 others inhabitants of the Maffachufett’s- 
 Bay, Rhode-Ifland, and Providence plan¬ 
 tations, , , New 
 
 Jerfey, Pennfylvania, the government of 
 the counties of Newcaftle, Kent, and 
 Suffex, upon Delaware, province of Ma¬ 
 ryland, 
 
 D 
 
 Moft 
 
[ 16 3 
 
 Moft humbly fheweth, 
 
 T H AT his Majefty’s liege fubjedts in 
 his American colonies, though they 
 acknowledge a due fubordination to that 
 auguft body the Britifh parliament, 1 are 
 entitled, in the opinion of your memori- 
 alifts, to all the inherent rights and liber¬ 
 ties of the natives of Great-Britain, and 
 have ever fince the Settlement of the faid 
 colonies exercifed thofe rights and liber¬ 
 ties, as far as their local circumftanccs 
 would permit. 
 
 That your memoralifts humbly con¬ 
 ceive one of the moft effential rights of 
 thefe colonies, which they have ever, till 
 lately, uninterruptedly injoyed, to be 
 trial by jury. 
 
 That your memorialifts alfo humbly 
 conceive another of thefe effential rights 
 to be, the exemption from all taxes, but 
 fuch as are impofed on the people by the 
 feveral legiflatures in thefe colonies, which 
 right alfo they have, till of late, freely 
 enjoyed. 
 
 . But your memoralifts humbly beg leave 
 to reprefen t to your lordfliips, that the 
 aft for granting certain ftamp-duties in 
 the Britiih colonies in America, &c. fills 
 his Majefty’s American fubjedts with the 
 deepeft 
 
[ 1 7 3 
 
 deepeft concern, as it tends to deprive 
 them of the two fundamental and invalua¬ 
 ble rights and liberties above-mentioned, 
 and that feveral other late ads of parlia¬ 
 ment, which extend the jurifdidion and 
 powers of courts of admiralty in the plant¬ 
 ations, beyond their limits in Great-Bri- 
 tain, thereby make an unneceflary and 
 unhappy diftindion as to the modes of 
 trial, between us and our fellow fubjeds 
 there, by whom "we never have been ex¬ 
 celled in duty and loyalty to our Sovereign. 
 
 That from the natural connedion be¬ 
 tween Great-Britain and America, the 
 perpetual continuance of which your me- 
 morialifts moft ardently defire, they con¬ 
 ceive that nothing can conduce more to 
 the intereft of both, than the colonifts 
 free enjoyment of their rights and liber¬ 
 ties, and an affedionate intercourfe be¬ 
 tween Great-Britain and them. But your 
 memorialifts (not waving their claim to 
 thefe rights, of which with the moft be¬ 
 coming veneration and deference to the 
 wifdom and juftice of your lordlhips, they 
 apprehend they cannot reafonably be de¬ 
 prived) humbly reprefent. That from the- 
 peculiar circumftances of thefe colonies, 
 the duties impofed by the aforefaid ad, 
 and feveral other late ads of parliament, 
 are extremely grievous and burthenfome, 
 D 2 and 
 
[IS] 
 
 and the payment of the faid duties will 
 very foon, for want of fpecie, become 
 abfolutely impracticable; and that the re- 
 ftridions on trade, by the faid ads, will 
 not only greatly diftrefs the colonies, but 
 mull: be extremely detrimental to the trade 
 and trueintereftof Great-Britain. 
 
 Your memqrialifts, therefore, impreffed 
 with a juft fenfe of the unfortunate cir-: 
 cumftances of the colonies, and the im¬ 
 pending deftrudive confequences which 
 muft neceffarily enfue from the execution 
 of thofe ads, animated with the warmeft 
 fentiments of filial affedion for their mo¬ 
 ther country, moft earneftly and humbly 
 entreat. That your lordfhips will be pleafed 
 to hear their counfel' in fupport of this 
 memorial, and take the premiffes into 
 your moft ferious conficleration, and that 
 your lordfhips will alfo be thereupon 
 pleafed to purfue fuch meafures for reftor- 
 ing the juft rights and liberties of the co¬ 
 lonies, and preferving them for ever in¬ 
 violate, for redreffing their prefent, and 
 preventing future.grievances, thereby pro¬ 
 moting the united intereft 'of Great-Bri- 
 . tain and America, as to your lordfhips, in 
 your great wifdom fhall feem nioft con¬ 
 ducive and effedual to that important end. 
 
 And your, memorialijis as in duty bound 
 moill ever pray. 
 
 Wednes- 
 
•Wednesday, Odober23, 1765, A.M, 
 
 The congrefs met according to adjourn¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The petition to the houfe of commons 
 being ingrofled, was read and compared, 
 and is as follows, viz. 
 
 To the honourable the knights, citizens, and 
 burgejfes of Great-Britain, in parliament 
 
 The petition of his Majefty’s dutiful 
 and loyal fubjeds, the freeholders and 
 other inhabitants of the colonies of the 
 Maffachufetts-bay, Rhode-illand, and Pro¬ 
 vidence plantations, , , 
 
 New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, the govern- 
 -ment of the counties of Newcaftle, Kent, 
 and SuiTex, upon Delaware, Maryland, 
 
 Moft humbly fheweth, 
 
 T HAT the feveral late ads of parlia¬ 
 ment, impofing divers duties and 
 taxes on the colonies, and laying the 
 trade and commerce thereof under very 
 burthenfome reftridion-s, but above all 
 the ad for granting and applying certain 
 jftamp-duties, &c. in America, have fill’d 
 them 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 them with the deepelt concern and fur- 
 prize ; and they humbly conceive the exe¬ 
 cution of them will be attended with con- 
 fequences very injurious to the commer¬ 
 cial interefl of Great-Britain and her co¬ 
 lonies, and mull terminate in the eventual 
 ruin of the latter. 
 
 Your petitioners therefore moil: ardently 
 implore the attention of the honourable 
 houfe, to the united and dutiful reprefent- 
 ation of their circumltances, and to their 
 earned: fupplications for relief, from thofe 
 regulations which have already involved 
 this continent in anxiety, confufion, and 
 diftrefs. 
 
 We moll fincerely recognize our alle¬ 
 giance to the crown, and acknowledge all 
 due fubordination to the parliament of 
 Great-Britain, and lhall always retain the 
 moll grateful fenfe of their adiftance and 
 protection. It is from and under the Eng-, 
 lilh conllitution, we derive all our civil 
 and religious rights and liberties: We glo¬ 
 ry in being fubjeCts of the bell of kings, 
 and having been born under the moll per¬ 
 fect form of government ; but it is with 
 moll ineffable and humiliating forrow, 
 that we find ourfelves, of late, deprived 
 of the right of granting our own property 
 for his Majelly’s fervice, to which our 
 Jives and fortunes are entirely devoted, and 
 to 
 
[«] 
 
 to which, on his royal requifitions, we 
 have ever been ready to contribute to the 
 utmoft of our abilities. 
 
 We have alfo the misfortune to find, 
 that all the penalties and forfeitures men¬ 
 tioned in the ftamp-ad, and in divers late 
 ads of trade extending to the plantations, 
 are, at the eledion of the informer, re¬ 
 coverable in any court of admiralty in 
 America. This, as the newly ereded 
 court of admiralty has a general jurifdidion 
 over all Britifh America, renders his Ma- 
 jefty’s fubjeds in thefe colonies, liable to 
 be carried, at an immenfe expence, from 
 one end of the continent to the other. 
 
 It gives us alfo great pain to fee a mani- 
 feft diftindion made therein, between the 
 fubjeds of our mother country, and thofe 
 in the colonies, in that the like penalties 
 and forfeitures recoverable there only in 
 his Majefty’s court of record, are made 
 cognizable here by a court of admiralty: 
 by thefe means we feem to be, in eflfed, 
 unhappily deprived of two privileges ef- 
 fential to freedom, and which all Englifh- 
 men have ever confidered as their bed 
 birthrights, that of being free from all 
 taxes but fuch as they have confented to 
 in perfon, or by their reprefentatives, and 
 of trial by their peers. 
 
 Your 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 Your petitioners further fliew, That 
 the remote fituation, and other circum- 
 ftances of the colonies, render it imprac¬ 
 ticable that they fhould be reprefented, 
 but in their refpeftive fubordinate legifla- 
 ture; and they humbly conceive, that the 
 parliament, adhering ftridtly to the prin¬ 
 ciples of the conftitution, have never hi¬ 
 therto taxed any but thofe who were adtu- 
 ally therein reprefented j for this reafon, 
 We humbly apprehend, they never have 
 taxed Ireland, or any other of the fubjedts 
 without the realm. 
 
 But were it ever fo clear, that, the co¬ 
 lonies might in law be reafonably deem’d 
 to be reprefented in the honourable houfe 
 of commons, yet we conceive, that very 
 good reafons, from inconvenience, from 
 the principles of true : policy, and from 
 the fpirit of the Britilh conftitution, may. 
 be adduced to {hew, that it would be for 
 the real intereft of Great-Britain, as well 
 
 * as her colonies, that the late regulations 
 ftiould be refcinded, and the feveral adts 
 of parliament impofipg duties and taxes 
 on the colonies, and extending the jurif- 
 didtion of the courts of admiralty here, 
 beyond their ancient limits, ftiould be 
 
 • repeal’d. 
 
 We fhall not attempt a minute detail of 
 all the reafons which the wifdom of the 
 honour- 
 
t?3] 
 
 honourable houfe may fuggeft, on this 
 occafion, but would humbly fubmit the 
 following particulars to their confidera- 
 tion. 
 
 That money is already become very 
 fcarce in thefe colonies, and is ftill de- 
 creafing by the neceffary exportation of 
 fpecie from the continent, for the dif- 
 charge of our debts to Britilh merchants. 
 
 That an immenfely heavy debt is yet due 
 from.the colonies for Britilh manufactures, 
 and that they are ftill heavily burthen’d 
 with taxes to difcharge the arrearages due 
 for aids granted by them in the late war. 
 
 That the balance of trade will ever be 
 much againft the colonies, and in favour 
 of Great-Britain, whilft we confume her 
 manufactures, the demand for which mult 
 ever increafe in proportion to the num¬ 
 ber of inhabitants fettled here, with 
 the means of purchafing them. We 
 therefore humbly conceive it to be the 
 intereft of Great-Britain, to increafe, ra¬ 
 ther than diminifh, thofe means, as the 
 profits of all the trade of the colonies ul¬ 
 timately center there to pay for her manu¬ 
 factures, as we are not allowed to pur- 
 chafe elfewhere ; and by the confumption 
 of which, at the advanced prices the Bri- 
 tifh taxes oblige the makers and venders 
 E to 
 
[ 24 ] 
 
 to fet on , them, we eventually contribute 
 very largely to the revenue of the crown. 
 
 That from the nature of American 
 bufinefs, the multiplicity of fuits and pa¬ 
 pers ufed in matters of fmall value, in a 
 country where freeholds are fo minutely 
 divided, and property fo frequently trans- 
 ferr’d, a ftamp-duty muft ever be very 
 burthenfome and unequal. 
 
 That it is extremely improbable that 
 the honourable houfe of commons ftiould, 
 at all times, be thoroughly acquainted 
 with our condition, and all fadts requifite 
 to a juft and equal taxation of the colonies. 
 
 It is alfo humbly fubmitted. Whether 
 there be not a material diftindtion in rea- 
 fon and found ?policyj at leaft, between 
 the neceflary exercife of parliamentary j'u- 
 rifdidtioil in general adts, for the amend¬ 
 ment of the common law, and the regu¬ 
 lation of trade and commerce through the 
 whole empire, and the exercife of that 
 jurifdidtion, by impofing taxes on the 
 colonies.. 
 
 That the feveral fubordinate provincial 
 legiflatures have been moulded into forms, 
 as nearly refembling that of their mother 
 country, as by his Majefty’s royal prede- 
 ceflorswas thought convenient; and their 
 legiflatures feem to have been wifely and 
 gracioufly eftablifhed, that the fubjedts in 
 
[ 2 5 1 
 
 the colonies might, under the due ad- 
 miniftration thereof, enjoy the happy fruits 
 of the Britifh government, which in their 
 prefent circumftances they cannot be fo 
 fully and clearly availed of, any other way 
 under thefe forms of government we and 
 our anceftors have been born or fettled, 
 and have had our lives, liberties and pro¬ 
 perties protected. The people here, as 
 every where elfe, retain a great fondnefs 
 for their old cuftoms and ufages, and we 
 truft that his Majefty’s fervice, and the 
 intereft of the nation, fo far from being 
 obftruXed, have been vaftly promoted by 
 the provincial legiflatures. 
 
 That we efteem our connexions with, 
 and dependance on Great-Britain, as one 
 of our greateft bleffings, and apprehend 
 the latter will appear to be fufficiently fe- 
 cure, when it is confidered, that the in¬ 
 habitants in the colonies have the moft 
 unbounded affeXion for his Majefty’s 
 perfon, family and government, as well 
 as for the mother country, and that their 
 fubordination to the parliament, is uni- 
 verfally acknowledged. 
 
 We, therefore, moft humbly entreat. 
 That the honourable houfe would be 
 pleafed to hear our counfel in fupport of 
 this petition, and take our diftrelfed and 
 deplorable cafe into their ferious confider- 
 E 2. ation, 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 ation, and that the ads and claufes of ads, 
 fo grievoufly reftraining our trade and 
 commerce, impofmg duties and taxes on 
 our property, and extending the jurifdic- 
 tion of the court of admiralty beyond its 
 ancient limits, may be repeal’d; or that 
 the honourable houfe would otherwife re¬ 
 lieve your petitioners, as in your great wif- 
 dom and goodnefs fhall feem meet. 
 
 And your petitioners as in duty bound 
 Jhall ever pray. 
 
 Then the congrefs adjourned till to¬ 
 morrow morning, ten o’clock. 
 
 Thursday, Odober 24, 1765. 
 
 The congrefs met according to adjourn¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The congrefs took into confideration 
 the manner in which their feveral petitions 
 flhould be preferred and folicited in Great- 
 Britain, and came to the following deter¬ 
 mination, viz. . 
 
 It is recommended by the congrefs, tp 
 the feyeral colonies, to appoint fpecial 
 agents for foliciting relief from their great 
 grievances, and unite their utmoft intereft 
 and endeavours for that purpofe, 
 
 Yote4 
 
[ 2 7 ] 
 
 Voted unanimoufly, That the clerk of 
 this congrefs fign the minutes of their pro¬ 
 ceedings, and deliver a copy for the ufe 
 of each colony and province. 
 
 By order of the congrefs , 
 
 John Cotton, Clerk. 
 
 Savannah, in Georgia, September 6, 1765. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 (CoPY.)''t 7 DUR letter dated in June 
 j[ laft, acquainting me, that 
 the houfe of reprefentatives of your pro¬ 
 vince, had unanimoufly agreed to propofe 
 a meeting at the city of New-York, of 
 committees, from the houfes of reprefen¬ 
 tatives of the feveral Britifh colonies on 
 'this continent, on the firft Tuefday in 
 Odlober next, to confult together on the 
 prefent circumftances of the colonies, and 
 .the difficulties to which they are, and 
 muft be reduced, by the operation of the 
 afts of parliament for laying duties and 
 taxes on the colonies, and to confider of 
 an humble reprefentation of their condi¬ 
 tion to his Majefty and the parliament, 
 and to implore relief, came to hand at an 
 pnlucky feafon, it being in the recefs of 
 
[28 ] 
 
 the general affemby of this province ; ne- 
 verthelefs, immediately upon the receipt 
 of your letter, I difpatcned expreffes to 
 the feveral reprefentatives of this province, 
 acquainting them with the purport there¬ 
 of, and requefting them to meet at this 
 place without delay, and accordingly they 
 met here On Monday laft, to the number 
 of fixteen, being a large majority of the 
 reprefentatives of this province, the whole 
 confifting of twenty-five perfons; but his 
 excellency our governor being applied to, 
 did not think it expedient to call them 
 together on the occafion, which is the 
 reafon' of their not fending a committee, 
 as propofed by your houfe, for you may 
 be aflured. Sir, that no reprefentatives on 
 this continent can more fincerely concur 
 in the meafures propofed* than do the re¬ 
 prefentatives of this province now met to¬ 
 gether, neither can any people, as indi¬ 
 viduals, more. warmly efpoufe the com¬ 
 mon caufe of the colonies, than do the 
 people of this province. 
 
 The gentlemen now prefent, requeft it 
 as a favour, you’ll be pleafed to fend me 
 a copy of fuch reprefentation as may be 
 agreed upon by the feveral committees at 
 New-York, and to acquaint me how, and 
 in what manner, the fame is to be lain 
 before the king and parliament, whether 
 
• U4\ 
 
 by any perfon particularly authorized for 
 that purpofe, or by the colony agents. 
 The general alfembly of this province 
 Hands prorogued to the 2 2d day of Ofto- 
 ber next, which is the time it generally 
 meets for the difpatch of the ordinary 
 bufinefs of the province ; and I doubt not 
 the reprefentatives of this province will 
 then, in their legiflative capacity, take 
 under confideration the grievances fo juftly 
 complained of, and tranfmit their fenfe of 
 the fame to Great-Britain, in fuch way as 
 may feem bell calculated to obtain redrefs, 
 and fo as to convince the filter colonies 
 of their inviolable attachment to the com¬ 
 mon caufe. I am, Sir, 
 
 Youf molt obedient, 
 
 And moll humble fervant, 
 Alexander Willy. 
 
 To'SamuelWhite; Efq; Speaker"j g 
 
 of the Houfe of Reprefentatives of > 
 
 Maflachufetts, &c. J 
 
 New-Hamplhire. 
 
 Mr. Speaker laid before the houfe a let¬ 
 ter from the honourable Speaker of the 
 honourable houfe of reprefentatives of the 
 province of the Maflachufetts-bay, to the 
 Speaker of this affembly, propofing a 
 meeting of committees, from the feveral 
 aflemblies of the Britilh colonies on the 
 continent. 
 
C 3° ] 
 
 continent, at New-York, to confider of 
 a general, united, dutiful, loyal, and hum¬ 
 ble reprefentation of our circumftances, 
 and for imploring his Majefty and the par¬ 
 liament for relief: which being read, 
 
 Refolved, That notwithftanding we are 
 fenfible fuch reprefentation ought to be 
 made, and approve of the propofed me¬ 
 thod for obtaining thereof, yet the prefent 
 fituation of our governmental affairs will 
 not permit us to appoint a committee to 
 attend fuch meeting, but fhall be ready 
 to join in any addrefs to his Majefty and 
 the parliament we may be honoured with 
 the knowledge of, probable to anfwer the 
 propofed end. 
 
 A. Clarkson, Clerk. 
 
 The two foregoing letters are true co¬ 
 pies from the original. 
 
 * Atteft. John Cotton, Clerk. 
 
 Adjourned to to-morrow morning nine 
 o’clock. 
 
 Friday, October 25, 1765. ; 
 
 The congrefs met according.to adjourn¬ 
 ment. 
 
 Time, not permitting the clerk to make 
 copies, at large, of the proceedings of the 
 congrefs. 
 
C 3 1 ] 
 
 cohgrefs, for all the colonies, they think 
 it proper, fhould be furniflied therewith; 
 
 Refolved, That the gentlemen from the 
 MafTachufetts-bay be requefted to fend a 
 Copy thereof to the colony of New Hamp- 
 fliire j the gentlemen of Maryland to Vir¬ 
 ginia; and the gentlemen of South Caro¬ 
 lina to Georgia, and North Carolina. 
 
 Signed per order, 
 
 J. Cotton, Clerk. 
 
 An account of the difpodtion of the £.500 
 granted by ordinance, and received of 
 the treafurer, by William Murdock, 
 Edward Tilghman, and Thomas Ring- 
 gold. 
 
 F Odtober 
 
i 3? I: 
 
 • •.!. • • “ *• Oftober 26, 176 c. 
 
 c SIR, . . ■ 
 
 TI 7 E had the honour to be appointed 
 "W by the houfe of reprefen tatives of 
 ' the province of Maryland, a committee,; . 
 to. meet committees'of the members of af- 
 fembly of the other colonies on this con¬ 
 tinent,, at New .York, the firft of this 
 iriftant, to join'in a general, and united, 
 dutiful, loyal, and humble reprefentation 
 bf the condition of th'ofe colonies, to his 
 Majefty and the 'parliament, and to im¬ 
 plore relief from the grievous burthens 
 lately laid upon our trade,- and the taxes 
 and duties lately impofed on us, efpeeially 
 by the Stamp-aft. 
 
 Accordingly members from nine colo¬ 
 nies met, to wit, from the Maffachufetts- 
 bay, Connecticut, Rhode-ifland and Pro¬ 
 vidence plantations, New-York, New- 
 'Jerfey, Pennfylvania, the government of 
 the counties of I^.ewcaftle, Rent and Suf- 
 fex, upon Delaware, Maryland, and South 
 Carolina, but as you’ll find the addrefs, 
 &c. figned only by members from fix of 
 thofe colonies, it may be proper to ac¬ 
 quaint you with the reafons why they did 
 not all fign, though they'll! concurred 
 wllh the proceedings. 
 
 The 
 
![ 33 3 
 
 The lieutenant-governor of New-Yor!? 
 prorogued their affembly from time to 
 time, fc- that their houfe had not an op- 
 ■portui'diy of appointing members with full 
 powers to join, and iign the addrefs. 
 
 Yet .the aff-mbly of Nevy-Ycrd -MrYng, 
 at their -laft meeting, appointed d /e c:-; 
 their members, as a committee, no:, only 
 to correfpond: with their agent at. hcne, ’ 
 but alfo during the recefs of the 'houfe, to 
 Write to. and correfpond with the feveral 
 affemblies, or committees of affemblies on 
 this continent, on the fubjedfc matter of 
 the feveral late ads-of parliament, fo grie*- 
 vous and dangerous to their colonies, it 
 •was thought proper to’admit this com¬ 
 mittee to join in the conferences, and 
 they, agreed to what was done, and pro- 
 -mifed to ufe their endeavours with their 
 :affembly to concur alfo whenever they 
 ihould be permited to meet. 
 
 TheSouth-Carolina affembly, not rightr 
 ly viewing, the propofal (which originally 
 came from the affembly of the govern¬ 
 ment of the Maffachufetts-bay) as it was 
 intended that the feveral committees, 
 when met, Ihould frame and fign an ad- 
 sdrefs to his Majefty, and memorial and 
 /petition to the parliament, to be imme¬ 
 diately difpatehed by. the congrefs, in¬ 
 truded their, members (Meffrs. Lynch, 
 
 -. ■ F 2 Rutledge, 
 
[34] 
 
 Rutledge, and Gadfden) to return their 
 proceedings to them for approbation. The 
 Connecticut affembly made the fame re- 
 ftridtions in their inftrudtions. The af¬ 
 fembly alfo of New Hampfhire wrote, 
 that they had refolved. That notwith- 
 ftanding they were fenfible fuch a repre- 
 fentation ought to be made, and approved 
 of the propofed method for obtaining 
 thereof, yet. the prefent fituation of their 
 governmental affairs would not permit 
 them to appoint a committee to attend 
 fuch meeting, but fhould be ready to join 
 in any addrefs to his Majefty and the par¬ 
 liament they-might be honoured with the 
 knowledge of, probable to anfwer the pro¬ 
 pofed end : and the Speaker of the affem¬ 
 bly of Georgia wrote, that a majority of 
 their members had applied to the gover¬ 
 nor to call their affembly, and he did not 
 think it expedient, which was the reafon 
 they did not fend a committee as propofed, 
 but requefted us to tranfmit a copy of our 
 proceedings' to them (which will be done) 
 and that their affembly would meet about 
 . this time, and he did not doubt but they 
 fhould adt fo as to convince the lifter co¬ 
 lonies of their inviolable attachment to the 
 common caufe: we alfo underftood the 
 North-Carolina, and we know the Virgi¬ 
 nia affembly was prorogued, whereby they 
 could 
 
[ 35 ) 
 
 could not have the opportunity of joining 
 us ; fo that we-doubt not but the colonies 
 who have not figned, will very fpeedily 
 tranfmit fimilar addrefles, &c. if their 
 afiemblies fhould not be hindered from 
 meeting: and to this purpofe, we hope 
 you’ll foon hear from the aflembly of 
 South-Carolina. By the gentlemen of 
 ’ that colony we were favoured with a fight 
 of your late letters, and informed of your 
 careful and fpirited conduft with regard 
 to the interefts of that colony, and that, 
 together with your declaration which we 
 find in thofe letters, that you enjoy an in¬ 
 dependent feat in the Britifh parliament, 
 induced us (as we have no eftablilhed 
 agent at prefent, for this province, nor have 
 yet been able to obtain a law to tax our- 
 felves for that purpofe) to trouble you 
 with our requeft, that you will prefent the 
 inclofed addrefs to his Majefty, and me¬ 
 morial and petition to the houfes of parlia¬ 
 ment, and exert your utmoft intereft and 
 abilities in behalf of this poor diftrefted 
 country, and of this province in particular. 
 
 We hope, as there is a change in the 
 miniftry, and as the gentlemen in the 
 houfe of commons may, at their next 
 meeting, take a more enlarged view of 
 the true intereft of Great-Britain and her 
 polonies, they will find it to be in fup- 
 porting 
 
( 3 6 1 
 
 pprtirig *the fights:, and encouraging the 
 tradeoff tile latter, and that the happinefs 
 of the ^mother-country and her colonies 
 mutt be dnfeparable, and that we fhall 
 obtain relief.- i ^ . 
 
 Thfe'feveral committees agreed to re- 
 com.mend-dt to their refpedtive colonies, 
 to appoint- fpeciai -‘agents on this occafion, 
 and tb irittrud: them to unite their utmoft 
 intereft and endeavours for that purpofe. 
 One addrefs, &c. was tranfmited by the 
 gentleftten of the Maffachufetts govern¬ 
 ment,‘-‘immediately to their agent (Mr. 
 Jackfoii' we underftood) and we expeft 
 the other Colonies willhave duplicates fent 
 to their agents, and we hope will all unite 
 in expbhce and inftrudions, to. have able 
 xourifel'before both the lords and com- 
 j mons, as our petitions pray. 
 
 ~ We were intruded with the difpofition 
 of fome money .uppn this occafion, and 
 -inclbfe you a bili'df exchange, on MelTrs. 
 Capel and Ofgood Hanbury, for one 
 hundred and fifty pounds fterling, as a 
 compenfation for your trouble .and ex- 
 pence imtbis affair. We doubt . not our 
 affembly -wilb approve of what we do in 
 this mattery arid as they are to meet the 
 • laft of this month, we fhall lay our pro¬ 
 ceedings* before them, and it is probable 
 they will- write you more fully,, and fur- 
 
[37l 
 
 nifli you with fuch further inftruftions 
 and . arguments as may appear to them to 
 be proper to. be given and urged on this 
 occafion, in behalf of the colonies. 
 
 We are, 
 
 Your moll obedient fervants. 
 
 R I N I S.