such, as that, aided by your good offices at the Court of Great Britain, we may be restored to his Majesty’s favour, and quietly and peaceably enjoy all the rights and privileges to which English Colonists are constitutionally entitled. And we humbly hope that the policy of Great Britain will ever be such, as shall induce them to view every desirable benefit, which they can rationally expect to receive from their Colonies, as founded in the principles of commerce, and not of taxation.

With the most unfeigned sincerity we wish your Excellency a safe and easy voyage; that you may find that favour in the eyes of the King which your long and faithfull services afford you the best grounds to expect from a wise and virtuous Sovereign; and, above all, that after many more years happily spent in doing good, you may finally receive the approbation of the King of Kings.

We have the honour to be, with the utmost gratitude, and sheerest respect, your Excellency’s most obedient and very humble servants.

Signed by thirty-one of the Magistrates.

Monday, May 30, 1774.

To which his Excellency was pleased to return the following Answer:

I thank you, gentlemen, for this honour done me by your Address. You may depend on my improving every favourable circumstance in order to obtain for the people of this Province, a restoration to his Majesty’s favour, and securing to them the enjoyment of all those rights and privileges which English Colonists are constitutionally entitled to; and I join with you in humbly hoping that the expectation of benefit from the Colonies to the Kingdom will be founded on the principles of commerce, and not of taxation.

This public declaration from the Magistrates of so large a county, of their abhorrence of those riotous and tumultuous proceedings which have drawn the resentment of Parliament upon the Province, and of their ardent wishes for the restoration and establishment of order and good Government will, I conceive, have a tendency to promote the success of my endeavours.

Philadelphia, May 30, 1774.

Observing in the Pennsylvania Packet of this day, a notification, "that a number of persons, composed of the members of all societies in this city, met, and unanimously agreed, that it would be proper to express their sympathy for their brethren at Boston, by suspending all business on the first day of the next month;"* the people called Quakers, though tenderly sympathizing with the distressed, and justly sensible of the value of our religious and civil rights, and that it is our duty to assert them in a Christian spirit, yet in order to obviate any misapprehensions which may arise concerning us, think it necessary to declare, that no person or persons were authorized to represent us on this occasion, and if any of our community have countenanced or encouraged this proposal, they have manifested great inattention to our religious principles and profession, and acted contrary to the rules of Christian discipline established for the preservation of order and good government among us.

Signed, on behalf and at the desire of the elders and overseers of the several meetings of our religious society in Philadelphia, and other friends met on the occasion, the 30th of the fifth month, 1774.

JOHN REYNELL,
JAMES PEMBERTON,
SAMUEL NOBLE.

QUEEN ANNE (MARYLAND) RESOLUTIONS

At a Meeting of a considerable number of the Magistrates, and other the most respectable Inhabitants of Queen Anne’s County, at Queenstown on the thirtieth day of May, 1774, in order to deliberate upon the tendency and effect of the Act of Parliament for blocking up the port and harbour of Boston.

Duly considering and deeply affected with the prospect of the unhappy situation of Great Britain and British America, under any kind of disunion, this meeting think themselves obliged by all the ties which ever ought to preserve a firm union amongst Americans, as speedily as possible to make known their sentiments to their distressed brethren of Boston; and therefore publish to the world:

That they look upon the cause of Boston, in its consequences to be the common cause of America.

That the Act of Parliament for blocking up the port and harbour of Boston, appears to them a cruel and oppressive invasion of their natural rights, as men, and constitutional rights as English subjects, and if not repealed, will be a foundation for the utter destruction of American freedom.

That all legal and constitutional means ought to be used by all America for procuring a repeal of the said Act of Parliament.

That the only effectual means of obtaining such repeal, they are at present of opinion is an Association under the strongest ties, for breaking off all commercial connections with Great Britain until the said Act of Parliament be repealed, and the right assumed by Parliament for taxing America, in all cases whatsoever be given up, and American freedom ascertained, and settled upon a permanent constitutional foundation.

That the most practicable mode of forming such an effectual Association, they conceive to be a general meeting of the gentlemen who are already or shall be appointed Committees to form an American intercourse and correspondence upon this most interested occasion.

That in the mean time they will form such particular Associations as to them shall seem effectual; yet professing themselves ready to join in any reasonable general one that may be desired as aforesaid.

That these sentiments be immediately forwarded to be printed in the Maryland and Pennsylvania Gazettes.

That Edward Tilghman, Solomon Wright, Turbut Wright, John Brown, Richard Tilghman Earle, James Hollyday, Thomas Wright, William Hemsley, Adam Gray, Clement Sewell, Richard Tilghman, James Kent, John Kent, James Bordley, and Willam Bruff, be a Committee of Correspondence and Intercourse, until some alteration is made in this appointment by a more general meeting. Attested by

JAMES EARLE, Clerk to Committee.

BALITMORE COUNTY RESOLUTIONS

At a General Meeting of the Freeholders, Gentlemen, Merchants, Tradesmen, and other Inhabitants of Baltimore County, held at the Court House of the said county, on Tuesday, the 31st of May, 1774:

Captain CHARLES RIDGELY, Chairman.

1st. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting that the town of Boston is now suffering in the common

* It having Been suggested that the first day of June, which will he so distinguished an era in the American history, when the Boston Port Bill is to take effect, should have some particular notice taken of it, a number of persons, composed of the members of all societies in this city, met and unanimously agreed that it would be proper to express their sympathy for their brethren at Boston, by suspending all business on that day. Such a pause is intended, not only to shew the real concern we feel for the distresses of our brethren and fellow-subjects, but to give an opportunity of seriously reflecting on our own dangers, and the precarious tenure of our most valuable rights.—PHILADELPHIA, May 30, 1774.

This being the first day of June, when the inhabitants of the town of Boston, OUT brethren and fellow-subjects, suffering in the common cause of liberty, are to have their port and harbour shut up, and to be excluded from all commercial intercourse, except an allowance of wood and provisions, just necessary to keep them from perishing with want android, in consequence of an Act of Parliament lately passed for that purpose, many of the Inhabitants of this city, of most denominations, propose to express their sympathy and concern for their distressed brethren, by suspending business on this day, and will be glad of the concurrence of such of their fellow-citizens as approve of the measure.—June 1.

Yesterday we had a pause in the business of this city, and a solemn pause it indeed was. If we except the Friends, I believe nine-tenths of the citizens hut up their houses. The bolls were rang muffled all the day, and the ships in the port had their colours half hoisted—June 2.

Whereas, m the Pennsylvania Packet of this day, it is mentioned, that "on Wednesday last, being the day when the Act for shutting up the port of Boston took effect, the bells of Christ Church were muffled and rang a solemn peal, and that, the houses of worship were crowded," &c. We are desired by the Rector of that Church to acquaint the public that the bells were not rung with his knowledge or approbation, and that, by his express direction, there was no particular observance of that may in either of the Churches under his care. It is Well known that the established Church is restrained from any religious observance of days, except those appointed by the Church, or the public authority of Government.—June 6.