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good citizen, as exhibiting not only a true friend to the liberties of this country, but a friend to mankind.
ONE OF THE COMMITTEE.
New-York, July 9th, 1774.*
New-York, July 13, 1774.
The Committee met, by adjournment, at six o'clock, in the evening.
[The Committee appointed on the 7th instant, presented a set of Resolutions to be proposed to the City.]
Ordered, That the same be forthwith printed, and distributed in handbills, for the consideration of the public, who are requested to attend at the Coffee House on Tuesday next, at 12 o'clock in the morning, to signify their sense of the said resolves.
Mr. Laight moved, and was seconded by Mr. McEvers: "That the five gentlemen nominated by this Committee as Delegates to the general Congress, viz: Mr. Duane, Mr. Philip Livingston, Mr. John Alsop, Mr. Isaac Low, and Mr. John Jay, be proposed to the citizens for their approbation at the same time and place;"
Which being unanimously agreed to,
Ordered, That printed Notices be immediately dispersed.
The Committee adjourned until Tuesday, the 19th of July, instant, to meet at 6 o'clock, in the evening.
New-York, 19th July, 1774.
The Committee met, by adjournment, at 6 o'clock, this evening: Present,
| Isaac Low, Chairman, | Peter Goblet, | John Jay, |
| John Alsop, | Charles McEvers, | Joseph Bull, |
| Peter T. Curtenius, | Alexander Wallace, | Gabriel II. Ludlow, |
| Henry Romsen, | Charles Shaw, | Edward Laight, |
| John De Lincoy, | John Moore, | Hamilton Young, |
| Benjamin Booth, | Abrihain Walton, | Garanlus Duyckinck, |
| William Walton, | William Bayard, | Richard Yates. |
| Gerard W. Beekman, |
A Letter, dated Charlestown, S. C, 8th July, 1774, with Resolves, was received and read.
The Resolves proposed by this Board to the inhabitants of this city, having been published and dispersed through the town several days previous to this meeting, and every person thereby furnished with an opportunity of considering them with due deliberation, and as only a small proportion of the citizens attended the meeting at the Coffee House to signify their sense of same, and the sentiments of the majority still remaining uncertain:
Therefore, to remove all doubts and uneasiness on that head, it is ordered, that certain amendments be made to the said resolves, [see Resolves, 2d, 3d, and 7th,] and that two or more persons be appointed in each Ward to take the sense of the freeholders, freemen, and such others who pay taxes, respecting the said resolutions so amended; as also the Delegates nominated by this Committee to attend the Congress. But, in the mean time, although the said resolves cannot with certainty be said to correspond with the sentiments of the major part of the citizens, though in all probability they do, yet, as they contain our sentiments, it is further ordered, that they be immediately published as such, leaving those who may dissent from us to declare their opinions in such other phrases or modes of expression as they shall think proper.
1st. Resolved, That his most sacred Majesty George the Third, King of Great Britain, is our liege, lawful, and rightful Sovereign, and that it is our indispensable duty, to the utmost of our power, by all constitutional means, to maintain and support his crown and dignity; that it is our greatest happiness and glory to have been born British subjects, and that we wish nothing more ardently than to live and die as such: that we are one people, connected by the strongest ties of affection, duty and interest, and that we lament as the greatest misfortune, every occurrence which has the least tendency to alienate or disturb that mutual harmony and confidence, which, if properly cultivated, could not fail of rendering the British Empire the admiration and envy of the world. That we, therefore, view with inexpressible concern and grief, some late acts of the British Parliament, claiming rights, and exercising powers, which we humbly conceive are replete with destruction, and may be attended with the most fatal consequences to the Colonies and their parent State.
2d. Resolved, That all Acts of the British Parliament, imposing taxes on the Colonies, are unjust and unconstitutional, and particularly that the Act for blocking up the port of Boston, is in the highest degree arbitrary in its principles, oppressive in its operation, unparalleled in its rigour, indefinite in its exactions, and subversive of every idea of British liberty, and therefore justly to be abhorred and detested by all good men.
3d. Resolved, That the destruction of the tea at Boston was not the only motive for bringing such unexampled distress on that people, because the alternative of suffering it, or paying for the tea, had otherwise been left in their option. But we truly lament that the enforcing the right of taxation over the Colonies seems to have been the main design of the said Act of Parliament.
4th. Resolved, That vengeance separately directed has a more dangerous tendency, and is more destructive of the liberties of America than conjunctively; and that therefore it is the indispensable duty of all the Colonies, according to their different circumstances, to afford every reasonable assistance to a sister Colony in distress, especially when that distress is evidently calculated to intimidate others from contributing what may be in their power to procure the desired relief.
5th. Resolved, That the proposed Congress of Delegates from the different Colonies, to consult on the mode of procuring relief from our difficulties, is the most prudent measure that could have been devised at this alarming crisis.
6th. Resolved, That as the wisdom of the Colonies will, in all probability, be collected at the proposed Congress, it would be premature in any Colony to anticipate their conduct by resolving what ought to be done; but that it should be left to their joint councils to determine on the mode which shall appear most salutary and effectual to answer the good purposes for which they are convened.
7th. Resolved, That nothing less than dire necessity can justify, or ought to induce the Colonies to unite in any measure that might materially injure our brethren, the manufacturers, traders, and merchants in Great Britain; but that the preservation of our inestimable rights and liberties, as enjoyed and exercised, and handed down to us by our ancestors, ought to supersede all other considerations; and that, therefore, we doubt not the cool, dispassionate people of England, whose friendship on former occasions we have experienced, will, on mature consideration, not only applaud our motives, but co-operate with us in all constitutional measures, for carrying these our virtuous resolutions into execution, in order to obtain the desired and just redress of our grievances.
8th. Resolved, That if a non-importation agreement of goods from Great Britain should be adopted by the Congress, it ought to be very general and faithfully adhered to; and that a non-importation, partially observed, like the last, would answer no good purpose, but, on the contrary, only serve to expose all the Colonies to further injuries.
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