arising from such subscription to be laid out as the Committee shall think will best answer the ends proposed.

6th. That the Committee consist of forty-four persons, viz: John Dickinson, James Pemberton, Edward Pennington, John Nixon, Thomas Willing, George Chymer, Samuel Howell, Joseph Read, John Roberts, (miller,) Thomas Wharton, Jun., Charles Thomson, Jacob Barge, Thomas Barclay, William Rush, Robert Smith, (carpenter,) Thomas Fitzimons, George Roberts, Samuel Ervin, Thomas Mifflin, John Cox, George Gray, Robert Morris, Samuel Miles, John M. Nesbit, Peter Chevalier, William Moulder, Joseph Moulder, Anthony Morris, Jun., John Allen, Jeremiah Warder, Jun., Reverend Dr. William Smith, Paul Engle, Thomas Penrose, James Mease, Benjamin Marshall, Reuben Haines, John Bayard, Jonathan B. Smith, Thomas Wharton, Isaac Howell, Michael Hillegas, Adam Hubley, George Schloffer, and Christopher Ludwick, to whose approved integrity, abilities, and sincere affection for the interest of this immense Empire, their constituents look up for the most propitious events.

The Speech of the Reverend WILLIAM SMITH, D. D., Provost of the College at PHILADELPHIA, at the very numerous Meeting of the Freeholders and Freemen of that City and County, on the 18th of JUNE, previous to the election of the Committee of forty-four very respectable and truly patriotic citizens.

GENTLEMEN: The occasion of this meeting has been fully explained to you, and sundry propositions read, which are now to be offered separately for your approbation or disapprobation. But before you proceed to business, it has been thought proper to submit a few things to your good judgment with respect to the order and decorum necessary to be observed in the discussion of every question.

It need not be repeated to you, that matters of the highest consequence to the happiness of this Province, nay, of all British America, depends upon your deliberations this day—perhaps nothing less than whether the breach with the country from which we descended shall be irreparably widened, or whether ways and means, upon constitutional ground, may not yet be devised, for closing that breach, and restoring that harmony from which, in our better days, Great Britain and her Colonies derived mutual strength and glory, and were exalted into an importance that, both in peace and war, made them the envy and terror of the neighbouring nations.

While subjects such as these are agitated before us, every thing that may inflame and mislead the passions should be cast far behind us.

A cause of such importance and magnitude, as that now under our deliberation, is not to be conducted to its true issue by any heated or hasty resolves, nor by any bitterness nor animosities among ourselves, nor even perhaps by too severe a recapitulation of past grievances; but requires the temperate and enlightened zeal of the patriot, the prudence and experience of the aged; the strength of mind and vigour of those who are in their prime of life; and, in short, the united wisdom and efforts of all, both high and low, joining hand in hand, and setting foot to foot upon the firm ground of reason and the Constitution.

Whenever party distinctions begin to operate we shall give cause of triumph to those who may be watchful as well as powerful to abridge us of our native rights. There ought to be no party, no contention here, but who shall be firmest and foremost in the common cause of America. Every man's sentiments should be freely heard and without prejudice. While we contend for liberty with others, let us not refuse liberty to each other.

Whatever vote is known to be now passed upon full deliberation, and by the unanimous voice of this great city and county, will not only be respected through all America, but will have such a weight as the proudest Minister in England may have reason to respect; but if it is known to be a divided vote, or adopted hastily on some angry day, it will only be injurious to our own cause.

What I have in charge to request of you is this—that if, on any point, we should have a difference of sentiments, every person may be allowed to speak his mind freely, and to conclude what he has to offer, without any such outward marks of approbation or disapprobation, as clapping or hissing: and that if any division should be necessary, (which it is hoped may not be case this day,) such division may be made in a manner desired by the Chairmen, and with all possible order and decorum.

CHESTER COUNTY (PENNSYLVANIA) RESOLUTIONS.

At a Meeting of a respectable body of the Freeholders, inhabitants of the County of Chester, on Saturday, the 18th of June, 1774, the following Resolutions were deliberately and unanimously agreed on, viz:

1. That it is an absolute right, inherent in every English subject, to have the free use, enjoyment, and disposal of all his property either by himself or Representatives; and that no other power on earth can legally divest him of it.

2. That we apprehend the Act of Parliament for shutting up the port of Boston, (until his Majesty's duties be duly collected, &c.,) is highly arbitrary and oppressive to the inhabitants of that town, and in its consequences may endanger the liberties of all the British Colonies ire America.

3. That the two Bills mentioned in the last advices from London to be passing in Parliament, one changing the chartered Constitution of the Province of Massachusetts Bay into a military Government, and the other empowering the Governour, or Lieutenant Governour to send any person or persons to England to be tried for actions committed in that Colony, are subversive of every idea of liberty, and serve as a prelude to the fate of each chartered British Colony on this Continent.

4. That a Congress of Deputies from the said Colonies is the most probable and proper mode of procuring relief for our suffering brethren; obtaining redress, and preserving our natural rights and liberties, and the establishing peace and mutual confidence between the mother country and her Colonies on a constitutional foundation.

5. That we will concur and join with our brethren of the City and County of Philadelphia in desiring the Speaker of the honourable House of Representatives of this Province, to write to the several members of Assembly, requesting them to meet in the City of Philadelphia on any day not later than the first of August next, to take into their serious consideration our very alarming situation; to appoint Deputies to attend at a general Congress for the Colonies, at such time and place as shall be agreed on.

As the notice of this meeting was but short, it is agreed that a general meeting be fixed on Saturday, the 25th instant, at the dwelling house of Jacob James, at the sign of the Turk's Head, in Goshen, at one o'clock, P. M., in order to choose a Committee of Correspondence, and to resolve on such other modes or propositions as may be most likely to attain redress of those grievances that the Colonies now groan under; at which time and place all those who are entitled to vote for members of Assembly, and wish well to their posterity and American liberty, are requested to attend, and give their advice on this alarming crisis.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM GOVERNOUR FRANKLIND TO THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH

Burlington, June 18, 1774.

MY LORD: I have just received a copy of some resolves entered into at a meeting of a number of freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Essex, in this Province, on Saturday last, which I think it my duty to transmit to your Lordship. The meeting was occasioned it seems by an advertisement, requesting the attendance of the inhabitants on that day, and published in one of the New-York papers, and signed by two gentlemen of the law, who reside in that county. I have likewise had an application made to me by some of the members of the House of Representatives, to call a meeting of the General Assembly in August next, with which I have not, nor shall not comply, as there is no public business of the Province which can make such a meeting necessary. It seems now determined by several of the leading men, in most, if not all the counties in this Province, to endeavour to follow the example of the freeholders in Essex. Meetings of this nature, there are no means of preventing, where the chief part of the inhabitants incline to attend them. I as yet doubt, how-