Colonies upon this Continent, for preserving their common rights and liberties.

Resolved, That a copy of these Resolutions be transmitted to each of the Printers of both the Gazettes, with the earnest request of this county that the other counties and corporations within this Colony will appoint Deputies to meet at the time and place, and for the purposes aforesaid.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER RECEIVED IN BOSTON, DATED CHARLESTON, S. C., JULY 11, 1774.

In consequence of the advertisements lately published by the General Committee, and other proper means used to obtain the sense of the whole Colony on the present alarming state of American affairs, on Wednesday last, the 6th instant, the largest body of the most respectable inhabitants that has ever been seen together upon any publick occasion here, or perhaps any where in America, (for gentlemen of the greatest property and character, animated with an ardent zeal to relieve their suffering brethren, and to preserve their own freedom and the birth-rights of their posterity, notwithstanding the extreme inconvenience of the season, from even the remotest parts of the country attended) met at the Exchange, in this town, in order to "consider of the Papers, Letters, and Resolutions that had been transmitted to the said Committee from the Northern Colonies; and also of the steps necessary to be pursued in union with the inhabitants of our sister Colonies on this Continent, to avert the dangers impending over American liberties in general, by the late hostile Act of Parliament against Boston, and other arbitrary measures of the British Ministry," and, after choosing the Honourable Colonel Powell, (who had presided at all the former general meetings) for their Chairman, and the same Secretary as had hitherto served, continued in solemn deliberation upon these important matters, on that and the two succeeding days, during which the following Resolves were unanimously entered into.* [.See Folio 525.]

It was further unanimously resolved, that copies of all the foregoing Resolutions be transmitted to every Colony on this Continent, from Canada to West Florida, accompanied with a letter to each respectively, signed by the Chairman, inviting them to unite with us; and that as Captain Hunt had voluntarily detained his vessel for some days on purpose to carry an account of the transactions of the present meeting to New-York, copies of the whole should be delivered to him, together with the thanks of the meeting, which he received accordingly. The thanks of the meeting were also given to Colonel Powell, the Honourable Rawlins Lowndes, and the Secretary, after which the general meeting was dissolved.

Upon the ninth Resolve, (for naming the five Deputies) three several questions were put, viz: 1st. Whether the appointment of Deputies was a necessary measure? 2d. Whether they should be invested with the full powers therein expressed? 3d. Whether the number of Deputies should be five? All which passing unanimously in the affirmative, it was proposed and agreed to unanimously, that the Deputies should be chosen by ballot, and that every free white person residing in the Province should be entitled to vote. That the poll should be opened at two o'clock, and close at six. A balloting box was accordingly provided; the votes were received, and at midnight, in presence of several hundred spectators, the election was declared in favour of the gentlemen whose names are inserted in the Resolution.

And that Lord North may not be misinformed in the case, as he had been in most others, by being told that this was the meeting of a rabble, and the election of a mob, we shall take the liberty here to subjoin a list of the members of our present honourable Commons House of Assembly, all of whom voted except five, who were by sickness or accident prevented from attending. Besides these there were at least as many gentlemen who had been Representatives of the people in former Assemblies, who voted on this occasion.

In the course of the debates during these important

* The 6th day of July now arrived; and Charlestown was filled with people from the country. One hundred and four Deputies represented all parts of the Colony, except Grenville County, St. John's Colleton County, and Christ Church Parish. These districts sent no Deputies; and, in behalf of Charlestown, the General Committee joined the Deputies from the country. The meeting was held under the Exchange, on the 6th of July. 1774, and a crowded meeting it was. At nine o'clock in the morning, Colonel George Gabriel Powell took the Chair, and it was carried the votes should be given by each person present, and not by parishes. It was also further determined, that whoever came there might give his vote. The business of the day than opined, with reading the communications from the Northern Colonies. They then proceeded to consider certain resolutions touching American rights and grievances. These being agreed to, declared, That his Majesty's subjects in North America owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain, as is due from his subjects born within that Kingdom. Thai the King's subjects in America are entitled to all the inherent rights and liberties enjoyed by natural born subjects within the Kingdom of Great Britain. That taxes should not be imposed on the people, but by their own consent, given personally, or by their Representatives. That all trills, for any crime whatever, committed and done in the Colony, ought to be had and conducted within the Colony, according to the fixed and known course of proceeding. That the statute of thirty-fifth of Henry the Eighth, chapter 2d, entitled "An Act for the trial of treasons committed out of the King's Dominions," does not, and cannot, extend to any crimes committed in any of his Majesty's American Colonies, That the three late Acts of Parliament, relative to Boston, are of a most alarming nature to all his Majesty's subjects in America; and although levelled at the people of Boston, they glaringly show, if the inhabitant of that town are intimidated into a mean submission to those Acts, the like are designed for all the Colonies, when not even the shadow of liberty to his parson, or of security to his property, will be left to any of his Majesty's subjects residing on the American Continent. Wherefore, every justifiable means ought to be tried to procure a repeal of those Acts, immediately relative to Boston; and, also, of all others affecting the constitutional rights and liberties of America in general.

To effect these great points, two measures were proposed: to adopt the Boston vote of the 13th of May—and to sand Deputies to a general Congress, Upon these subjects, there was great dissimilarity of opinion. All parties agreed on the proposition of sending Deputies; but the Boston vote did not meet so universal a support. This last measure was, therefore, first taken up and considered.

In favour of the Boston vote it was urged, that American lives and property were exposed to be taken at the mandate of a British Minister; that the men would be exposed to shivery; their wives and daughters to the outrages of a soldiery. To avert these dangers something vigorous was to be done; something that might shake even Majesty itself. That a measure of non-exportation and non-importation seemed above all others best calculated to force a repeal of the late Acts. It was a constitutional measure, for what power had a right to compel the people to grow, export, and sell commodities of any kind; or to purchase, or import commodities from any state? That such a measure taking place in America would ruin the British trade to those Dominions; and thereby shake the firmness of Parliament.

That should the measure be not adopted, the Colonies, by their importations, would preserve to the British manufacturers that support which they had been accustomed to receive from the American trade, whereby they would be supine and not join the American demand for a repeal. In addition to this, the remittances from the Colonies would enable the people of England to employ those means to assist them in enslaving the Colonies; whereas, being withholden, the national credit of Great Britain would be shaken, and the measures of Administration be infinitely embarrassed.

To these arguments it was answered, that such a measure ought not to take place until all others had failed of success; for its operation would be violent, both among ourselves and the people of England. That thousands in this Colony would be ruined by it. That the people of the interiour were averse to so harsh a measure; neither was it certain whether united America would approve and support it. That nothing less than unanimity among all the Colonies, in executing one general plan of conduct could affect measures in Great Britain; and as the general opinion seemed to point to a general Congress, so only, in that Congress, could such a plan of conduct be formed and agreed upon.

By similar arguments the matter was warmly contested; when, without forming any determination, the subject was dropped, and the meeting turned their attention to consider the proposal of sending Deputies to the intended Congress. Here another cause of warm de-bate arose, as to the number of Deputies who should be appointed, and the powers with which they should be invested; and, without coming to any conclusion on these points, the meeting adjourned to an hour in the afternoon.

In the afternoon the meeting again convened to determine on the points they were considering, and by a majority of eleven, it was carried that there should be five Deputies, and that they should have unlimited power; but that these points should still be subject to the vote of the meeting.

On the 7th of July the meeting was again holden, and the measures of non-exportation and non-importation were again warmly debated. And it was urged, that before the measure should be adopted, the general Congress ought to send a deputation with a petition and remonstrance to the Throne; and if, after that, America remained unredressed, it would be time enough to break off all commerce with Great Britain. The vote was now taken on the subject, and the proposition of non-exportation and non-importation was rejected. It was then resolved, that five Deputies should, by ballot, be elected on the part and behalf of this Colony, to meet the Deputies of the other Colonies of North America in general Congress, the first Monday m September next, at Philadelphia, or at any other title or place that may be generally agreed on, with full power and authority in behalf of them, and their constituents, to concert, agree to, and effectually prosecute such legal measures as, in the opinion of those Deputies, and of the Deputies of the other Colonies, should be most likely to obtain a repeal of the late Acts of Parliament, and a redress of American grievances.

A poll was now opened to all persons, and at midnight it appeared that Henry Middleton, John Rutledge, Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsden, and Edward Rutledge, were chosen Deputies to represent this Colony in General Congress.