4th. That they also consult upon all such reasonable and lawful measures as may be expedient for the Colonies, in an united manner, to pursue in order to procure a redress of their grievances, and to ascertain and establish their rights and liberties.

5th. That they also endeavour to procure a regular annual Convention of Representatives from all the Colonies, to consider of proper means for the preservation of the rights and liberties of all the Colonies.

6th. That the Speaker of the lower House transmit as soon as may be, copies of these Resolutions to the present or late Speakers of the respective Houses of Representatives of all the British Colonies upon the Continent.

HENRY WARD, Secretary.

WOODSTOCK (VIRGINIA) RESOLUTIONS.

At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Dunmore, held at the town of Woodstock, the 16th day of June, 1774, to consider the best mode to be fallen upon to secure their liberties and properties; and also to prevent the dangerous tendency of an Act of Parliament, passed in the fourteenth year of his present Majesty's reign, entitled, "An Act to discontinue in such manner and for such time as is therein mentioned the landing and discharging, lading or shipping of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the town and within the harbour of Boston, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in North America," evidently has to invade and deprive us of the same.

The Reverend PETER MECKLENBERG, Moderator.

A Committee, of the following gentlemen, viz: the Reverend Peter Mecklenberg, Francis Slaughter, Abraham Bird, Taverner Beale, John Tipton, and Abraham Bowman, were appointed to draw up Resolves suitable to the same occasion, who, withdrawing for a short time, returned with the following votes, which had been previously agreed to and voted by the freeholders and inhabitants of the County of Frederick.

1st. That we will always cheerfully pay due submission to such Acts of Government, as his Majesty has a right, by law, to exercise over his subjects, as Sovereign to the British Dominions, and to such only.

2d. That it is the inherent right of British subjects to be governed and taxed by Representatives chosen by themselves only; and that every Act of the British Parliament respecting the internal policy of North America, is a dangerous and unconstitutional invasion of our rights and privileges.

3d. That the Act of Parliament above mentioned, is not only itself repugnant to the fundamental laws of natural justice, in condemning persons for supposed crime, unheard; but, also, a despotic exertion of unconstitutional power, calculated to enslave a free and loyal people.

4th. That the enforcing the execution of the said Act of Parliament by a military power, will have a necessary tendency to raise a civil war, thereby dissolving that union which has so long happily subsisted between the mother country and her Colonies; and that we will most heartily and unanimously concur with our suffering brethren of Boston, and every other part of North America, that may be the immediate victims of tyranny, in promoting all proper measures to avert such dreadful calamities; to procure a redress of our grievances, and to secure our common liberties.

5th, It is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that a joint resolution of all the Colonies, to stop all importations from Great Britain, and exportations to it, till the said Act be repealed, will prove the salvation of North America and her liberties; on the other hand, if they continue their imports and exports, there is the greatest reason to fear that power and the most odious oppression will rise triumphant over right, justice, social happiness, and freedom.

6th, That the East India Company, those servile tools of arbitrary power, have justly forfeited the esteem and regard of all honest men; and that the better to manifest our abhorrence of such abject compliances with the will of a venal Ministry, in ministering all in their power an increase of the fund of peculation, we will not purchase tea, or any other kind of East India commodities, either imported now, or hereafter to be imported, except saltpetre, spices, and medicinical drugs.

7th. That it is the opinion of this meeting, that Committees ought to be appointed for the purpose of effecting a general Association, that the same measures may be pursued through the whole Continent; that the Committees ought to correspond with each other, and to meet at such places and times as shall be agreed, in order to form such general Association; and that when the same shall be formed and agreed on by the several Committees, we will strictly adhere to, and till the general sense of the Continent shall be known, we do pledge ourselves to each other, and to our country, that we will inviolably adhere to the vote of this day.

Voted, That the Reverend Peter Mecklenberg, Francis Slaughter, Abraham Bird, Taverner Beale, John Tipton, and Abraham Bowman, be appointed a Committee for the purpose aforesaid; and that they or any three of them are hereby fully empowered to act.

THE BRITISH AMERICAN, NO. IV.

Williamsburg, Va., June 16, 1774.

Friends, Fellow-citizens, and Countrymen:

Having, under the above signature, formerly addressed three letters to you, upon the long litigated right of the British Parliament to tax the American Colonies, which were not ill received by the public, I intend through the channel of this paper, to give my sentiments of what ought to be the conduct of the inhabitants of British America in the present alarming state of affairs; and I think it more peculiarly my duty to do so at this time, because, (though one of the Representatives of the Colony of Virginia,) I did not attend the last session of the Assembly; indeed, as I live a very retired life, a great distance from Williamsburg, I did not hear of the Act of Parliament relative to Boston, till after the Assembly was dissolved; but I urge not this in justification, nor even in palliation of my offence, since nothing can excuse a Representative of the people from constantly attending in Assembly; and, as I neither expect, or shall attempt, to be chosen again, I take this, as the only method left me, of atoning to my country for having neglected my duty.

In the course of these letters, after explaining what the real excellence of the Constitution, (so far as relates to the real excellence of the legislation) formerly was; after pointing out how far, and by what means, that Constitution hath been altered, and that excellence almost annihilated; and after considering the connections between the Colonies and the mother country, I shall endeavour to prove that it would be really injurious for Great Britain to enforce, or for the Colonies to submit to, the authority of British Acts of Parliament in America.

That the first aim of America ought to be to prevent, if possible, Great Britain from sinking, which by an unanimously, loyal, cool, steady, and intrepid conduct, which I shall endeavour to point out, it is possible for her to effect. But if the utmost exertion of her virtue should not enable her to accomplish this ever to be wished for end; and Great Britain is in so corrupt a state that she must fall, that America must take care not to fall with her; but by preserving her own liberty, prepare an asylum for such of the inhabitants of the mother country as still retain a love of liberty, or possess a desire of being free.

Having thus given a general idea of the subject intended to be pursued in my future letters to my countrymen in general, I shall conclude this, with some advice to my fellow-citizens, of Virginia in particular. Do not enter into any hasty resolves, that you yourselves upon deliberation condemn; remember that coolness is the true characteristic of an intrepid spirit. However you may be displeased with the conduct of your late Representatives, keep your resentment to yourselves. Remember that the best of men may be sometimes mistaken; that this is not a time to entertain jealousies, or create dissensions amongst ourselves; and that to irritate by reproachful language will never reform. Reflect that the merchants and manufacturers of Great Britain are our fellow-subjects; that they probably disapprove the conduct of the British Parliament as much as we do; that they are possibly warm in our interests at this moment, and if not, that they are at least