The Committee reported the Address to the Lieutenant-Governour, which having been amended, is as follows:

To the Honourable WILLIAM BULL, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governour and Commander-in-Chief in and over his Majesty's Colony of SOUTH CAROLINA.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR: We his Majesty's faithful and loyal subjects, the Representatives of all the good people in this Colony, now met in Provincial Congress, think ourselves indispensably obliged to address your Honour, for redress of a grievance, which threatens destruction to the Constitution, and ruin to the inhabitants of this country: we mean the long and still continued disuse of General Assemblies, contrary, not only to every principle of free Government, but directly against a law of this Province.

To enumerate all the unhappy consequences which must follow a denial of the right of the People, to appear, frequently, by their Representatives in General Assembly, must be unnecessary. Your Honour, who has as a private person enjoyed the blessing of freedom and good Government amongst us, can want no information on that head.

Taxes continuing to be raised and paid, and laws to be executed, against the sense of the people, are but a part of our grievances.

Mortifying as these considerations are, the causes are more so; being, according to our best information, no other than a refusal of the House of Assembly to obey Ministerial mandates, contrary to their consciences, and subversive of the rights of their constituents; and his Majesty's Council, composed chiefly of place-men, paying an implicit and servile obedience to unconstitutional instructions. Such acts tend immediately to a total abolition of Assemblies; for, if freedom of debate, and a constitutional independence be denied to them, they cannot possibly be useful; probably they will become dangerous.

We forbear to trouble your Honour with reasons in support of the request which we now as of right make, in behalf of all the good subjects of his Majesty in this Colony, that the holding and sitting of the General Assembly be no longer delayed, but that it be permitted to sit for the despatch of publick business as formerly.

We pray your Honour to be assured, that by this our humble Address, We do not intend to question his Majesty's prerogative of calling, proroguing, and dissolving the General Assembly, but only to request that this power be exercised for the good of the people.

By order of the Provincial Congress.

CHARLES PINCKNEY, President.

IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, Charlestown, January 17, 1775.

The Address haying been presented by the Congress, his Honour the Lieutenant-Governour was pleased to return the following Answer:

GENTLEMEN: I know no legal Representative of the good people of this Province, but the Commons House of Assembly, chosen according to the Election Act, and met in General Assembly. As gentlemen of respectable characters and property in this Province, I acquaint you, that the General Assembly stands prorogued to the 24th instant. I have always endeavoured to make the law of the land my rule of government in the administration of publick affairs, and I shall not omit observing it in meeting the General Assembly according to the prorogation; with whom I shall, under the guidance of my duty to the King, and zeal for the service of the Province, do every thing in my power, that can contribute to the publick welfare.

WILLIAM BULL.

Charlestown, January 17, 1775.

Resolved, That it be recommended by this Congress, to all the inhabitants of this Colony, that they be diligently attentive in learning the use of Arms; and that their officers be requested to train and exercise them at least once a fortnight.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the inhabitants of this Colony, to set apart Friday, the 17th February next, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, before Almighty God, devoutly to petition him to inspire the King with true wisdom, to defend the people of North America in their just title to freedom, and to avert from them the impending calamities of civil war.

Resolved, That the several Ministers of the Gospel throughout the Colony be requested to prepare and deliver suitable discourses upon this solemn occasion.

Resolved, That every Member of the present Congress who may be in Town, do meet at the Commons House of Assembly, and proceed from thence in a body, to attend divine service in St. Philip's Church: and the President do request of the Rev. Mr. Robert Smith, that he will prepare, and preach on that day, a Sermon suitable to the importance of the occasion.

Resolved, That the President do accept of the most hearty thanks of this Congress, for the unwearied attendance he has given on the service of it, and for the very satisfactory conduct which he has pursued during the course of its important transactions.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Congress be returned to the Member who performed the duty of Secretary, for his faithful and diligent attention to that service.

The Congress then adjourned until it shall be summoned to convene by the Charlestown General Committee.

COUNCIL OF NEW JERSEY.

Proceedings of his Majesty's Council for the Province of New-Jersey, at a Session of the General Assembly of the said Province, begun and holden at the City of Perth Amboy, on Wednesday, the eleventh day of January, in the fifteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King George the Third, Anno Domini 1775.

Friday, January 13, 1775.

The House met: Present, David Ogden, James Parker, Esquires, the Chief Justice, Daniel Coxe, John Lawrence, and Francis Hopkinson, Esquires.

His Excellency came into the Council Chamber, and having, by the Deputy Secretary, commanded the attendance of the House of Assembly, the Speaker with the House attended, when his Excellency was pleased to make a Speech to both Houses. After which the Speaker, with the House of Assembly, withdrew.

Wednesday, January 18, 1775.

The House met: Present, David Ogden, Esquire, the Earl of Stirling, John Stevens, James Parker, Esquires, the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Daniel Coxe, John Lawrence, and Francis Hopkinson, Esquires.

His Excellency's Speech to both Houses, at the opening of this session, being read,

Ordered, That Mr. Parker, Mr. Stockton, and Mr. Hopkinson, be a Committee to prepare and bring in a draught of an Address to his Excellency, in answer to the said Speech.

Tuesday, January 24, 1775

The House met: Present, David Ogden, John Stevens, James Parker, Esquires, the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Daniel Coxe, John Lawrence, and Francis Hopkinson, Esquires.

Mr. Parker, from the Committee to whom it was referred to prepare and bring in a draught of an Address to his Excellency, in answer to his Speech at the opening of the session, reported that the said Committee had prepared the draught of an Address, which he was ready to report when the House would be pleased to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made immediately.

Mr. Parker then read the said draught in Ms place, and delivered it in at the table.

And the said draught having been again read, and some amendments made thereto,

Ordered, That the said Address be engrossed.

Wednesday, January 25, 1775.

The House met: Present, Peter Kemble, David Ogden, Esquires, the Earl of Stirling, John Stevens, James Parker, Esquires, the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Daniel Coxe, John Lawrence, and Francis Hopkinson, Esquires.

The engrossed Address to his Excellency being read and compared, was approved by the House.