be restored. And for these ends, every measure compatible with the dignity and safety of British subjects we shall gladly adopt.

We assure your Excellency we shall make it our constant endeavour to preserve the peace and promote the welfare of the Province; and hereby we shall best advance the interest of our Sovereign.

In these times the Administration of Government must be peculiarly arduous and difficult; but yours we wish may be as easy as the nature of things will possibly admit, and the event happy; and that your public labours may be crowned with the noblest reward, the voluntary, disinterested applause of a whole free people.

Signed by one hundred and twenty-five persons.

HIS EXCELLENCY'S ANSWER.

GENTLEMEN: I thank you for the obliging expressions towards me, contained in your Address, and be assured it will always afford me sincere pleasure to be of use to the inhabitants of this town, or any individuals in the Province.

I feel, as well as you, the inconveniences that the inhabitants must suffer from shutting up the port of Boston; and should be glad they would co-operate with my endeavours to extricate themselves from them; but, without their assistance, I can take no step towards their relief; I am sorry that the people of that capital should have given such repeated provocations to the King and the British Nation, as to force them to take the present measures in support of their authority. Great Britain is equally desirous as yourselves of a happy union with this, as well as every other Colony, and inheriting the spirit of her ancestors, finds it necessary to support her rights, as the supreme head of her extended Empire. She strives not to check that spirit which you say you inherit from your fathers, but to inculcate that due obedience to the King, in his Parliament, which your fathers acknowledged.

Salem, June 18, 1774.

CAROLINE COUNTY (MARYLAND) RESOLUTIONS.

At a very full Meeting of respectable Inhabitants of Caroline County, at Melvill's Warehouse, on Saturday, the 18th day of June, 1774, by adjournment from Wednesday, the 8th of the same month.

CHARLES DICKINSON, Esq., in the Chair.

1st. Resolved, That the inhabitants of this county are by duty and inclination firmly attached to his most sacred Majesty King George the Third, to whom they owe all due obedience and allegiance.

2d. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that the Boston Port Act is principally grounded on the opposition made by the inhabitants of that town to the Tea Duty; that the said town of Boston is now suffering in the common cause of British America, and that it is the duty of every Colony thereof, to unite in the most effectual means to obtain a repeal of the late Act of Parliament for shutting up the port of Boston.

3d. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that if the Colonies come into a joint resolution to forbear all importations whatsoever from Great Britain, (except such articles as are absolutely necessary,) until the Acts of Parliament for shutting up the port of Boston, and for levying a duty on America, for the express purpose of raising a revenue, shall be repealed, it will be the means of preserving the liberties of North America.

Resolved, therefore, That the inhabitants of this county are disposed firmly to unite with the inhabitants of this Province and the other Colonies in North America, in an Association and agreement to forbear the importation of all manner of goods and merchandise from Great Britain, during the continuance of the said Acts of Parliament, (except such as may be judged proper to be excepted by a general Association,) and that all orders for importation (except for articles before excepted) ought to cease.

4th. That it is against the opinion of this meeting that the Colonies go into a general non-importation from, or non-exportation to Great Brtiain, but should both or either of these measures be adopted, they will acquiesce therein.

5th. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that the Courts of Justice be kept open; but should a non-exportation agreement be generally come into, in that case it is the opinion of this meeting that the Courts of Justice be shut up.

6th. That it is the opinion of the inhabitants of this county, that this Province ought to break off all trade and dealings with that Colony, Province, or town, which shall refuse or decline to come into similar resolutions with a majority of the Colonies.

7th. That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that delegates be appointed from this Province to attend a General Congress of Delegates from the other Colonies, at such time and place as shall be agreed on, in order to settle and establish a general plan of conduct for the important purpose aforementioned.

8th. That Thomas White, William Richardson, Isaac Bradly, Nathaniel Potter, Benson Stainton, and Thomas Goldsborough, be a Committee to attend a general meeting at Annapolis. And that the same gentlemen, together with Charles Dickinson, Richard Mason, Joshua Clark, Henry Dickinson, Dr. William Molleson, Charles Blair, William Haskins, Philip Fidernan, William Hopper, the Reverend Mr. Samuel Keene, the Reverend Mr. Philip Walker, Henry Casson, and Benedict Brice, be a Committee of Correspondence to receive and answer all letters, and, on any emergency, to call a general meeting, and that any seven of the number have power to act.

9th. That this paper be considered as an instruction to the Deputies nominated for this county to meet at the City of Annapolis for the purpose of forming a general Association, in which they are not to come into any engagement whatever, but upon condition that the Colonies in general shall come into a similar measure.

10th. That a copy of these proceedings be published in the Maryland Gazette, to evince to the world the sense they entertain of the invasion of their constitutional rights and liberties.

Signed per order,

HENRY DOWNS, Jun., Clerk.

CITY AND COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA (PA) RESOLUTIONS.

At a very large and respectable Meeting of the Freeholders and Freemen of the City and County of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, held on Saturday, June 18, 1774.

T. WILLING, and JOHN DICKINSON, Esqs., Chairmen.

Resolved, 1st. That the Act of Parliament for shutting up the port of Boston, is unconstitutional, oppressive to the inhabitants of that town, dangerous to the liberties of the British Colonies, and that, therefore, we consider our brethren at Boston as suffering in the common cause of America.

2d. That a Congress of Deputies from the several Colonies in North America, is the most probable and proper mode of procuring relief for our suffering brethren, obtaining redress of American grievances, securing our rights and liberties, and re-establishing peace and harmony between Great Britain and these Colonies, on a constitutional foundation.

3d. That a large and respectable Committee be immediately appointed for the City and County of Philadelphia, to correspond with the sister Colonies, and with the several counties in this Province, in order that all may unite in promoting and endeavouring to attain the great and valuable ends mentioned in the foregoing resolution.

4th. That the Committee nominated by this meeting shall consult together, and, on mature deliberation, determine, what is the most proper mode of collecting the sense of this Province, and appointing Deputies for the same to attend a general Congress; and having determined thereupon, shall take such measures, as by them shall be judged most expedient for procuring this Province to be represented at the said Congress, in the best manner that can be devised for promoting the public welfare.

5th. That the Committee be instructed immediately to set on foot a subscription for the relief of such poor inhabitants of the town of Boston, as may be deprived of the means of subsistence by the operation of the Act of Parliament, commonly styled the Boston Port Bill, the money