"Mr. Sheriff Tyng's company is desired at the Convention of the County, now sitting at Mrs. Greele's.

"SAMUEL FREEMAM, Clerk.

"Wednesday, September 21st, 1774, 11 o'clock, A. M."

Mr. Tyng accordingly attended, and after some interrogations, subscribed to the following Declaration, viz:

County of Cumberland, Falmouth, September 21, 1774.

"Whereas, great numbers of the inhabitants of this county are now assembled near my house, in consequence of the false representations of some evil-minded persons, who have reported that I have endeavoured all in my power to enforce the late Acts of Parliament, relating to this Province: I do hereby solemnly declare, that I have not in any way whatever acted or endeavoured to act in conformity to said Acts of Parliament; and in compliance with the commands of the inhabitants so assembled, and by the advice of a Committee from the several towns of this county now assembled in Congress, I further declare I will not as Sheriff of said county, or otherwise, act in conformity to, or by virtue of said Acts, unless by the general consent of the said county. I further declare, I have not received any commission inconsistent with the Charter of this Province, nor any commission whatever, since the first day of July last.

WILLIAM TYNG."

"County of CUMBERLAND:

"At the Convention of Committees from the several towns in the said county, held at the house of Mrs. Greek, in Falmouth, in said county, September 21, 1774, voted that the foregoing, by William Tyng, Esq., subscribed, is satisfactory to this Convention.

Attest,

SAMUEL FREEMAN."

The Convention then formed themselves into a Committee, to accompany Mr. Tyng to the body of the people, to present the above Declaration, and adjourned to the old Town House, at 3 o'clock, P. M.—the deliberation to be in publick.

The Committee accordingly went with Mr. Tyng, who read the Declaration to the people, which they voted to be satisfactory, and after refreshing themselves, returned peaceably to their several homes.

Three o'clock, P. M. Met according to adjournment.

Voted, That Mr. Samuel Freeman, Solomon Lombard, Esq., Stephen Longfellow, Esq., David Mitchell, Esq., John Lewis, Captain John Waite, Samuel Thompson, Captain Timothy Mc Daniel, Doctor Nathaniel Jones, Isaac Parsons, Enoch Freeman, Esq., David Barker, and Captain John Stover, be a Committee to draw up the sentiments of this Convention, and report the same at the adjournment.

Then adjourned to Thursday morning at eight o'clock.

September 22d. Met according to adjournment, when the Committee presented the following Report, which, after being read paragraph by paragraph, was unanimously accepted, viz:

The great concern with which the people of this county view the increasing differences which now subsist between the mother country and the Colonies, and the dark prospect which some late Acts of the British Parliament have in particular opened to them, has occasioned the several towns herein represented, to choose Committees for this "Convention, to consider what measures it would be thought expedient to adopt for the general interest of the county, in the present alarming situation of our publick affairs;" we, therefore, the said Committees, pursuant to the request of our respective towns, guided by a strong attachment to the interests of our oppressed country, think it proper, with respect and deference to our brethren in other counties, to make known our minds, as follows:

We think it the indispensable duty of every subject of the English Constitution, for our own sakes, as well as that of future generations, to use his utmost care and endeavour, according to the station he is in, to preserve the same in violate and unimpaired; for we regard it not only as the foundation of all our civil rights and liberties, but as a sys tem of Government the best calculated to promote the people's peace and happiness. And we lament, that in the present Administration there are men so lost to all the principles of honour, equity, and justice, as to attempt a violation of the rights which we have long enjoyed, and which while we profess ourselves, as we now declare we do, allegiant subjects to George the Third, our rightful Sovereign, we have a right still to enjoy entire and unmolested; and it is a melancholy consideration, that the acknowledged head of this respected State, should be induced to pass his sanction to such laws as tend to the subversion of that glorious freedom which preserves the greatness of the British Empire, and gives it reputation throughout all the Nations of the civil world. It is too apparent that the British Ministry have long been hatching monstrous Acts to break our Constitution, and some they have at length brought forth. We think the Colonies deserve a better treatment from this Majesty, than this which he assents to. We are his loyal subjects and merit his regard; and cannot help thinking that, if he would pursue his own unbiassed judgment, and lay aside the selfish counsel of wicked and designing men, he and his subjects would be mutually happy, and provocations on both sides cease. But since the Ministry have borne their tyranny to such a length as to endeavour to execute their wicked designs by military force in our Metropolis, we fear it is their aim to introduce despotick monarchy. But though their tyranny and oppression seems now with hasty strides to threaten all the Colonies with ruin and destruction, we hope no vengeance will afright, no wiles allure us, to give up our dear-bought liberty, that choisest boon of Heaven, which our fathers came into these regions to enjoy, and which we, therefore, will retain while life enables us to struggle for its blessings.

We believe our enemies supposed we must submit, and tamely give up all our rights. It is true a vigorous opposition will subject us to many inconveniences; but how much greater will our misery be if we relinquish all we now enjoy, and lay our future earnings at the mercy of despotick men? We cannot bear the thought; distant posterity would have cause to curse our folly, and the rising generation would justly execrate our memory. We therefore recommend a manly opposition to those cruel Acts, and every measure which despotism can invent to "abridge our English liberties;" and we hope that patience will possess our souls till Providence shall dissipate the gloomy cloud, and restore to us our former happy state.

The late Act for regulating the Government of this Province, we consider, in particular, as big with mischief and destruction; tending to the subversion of our Charter and our Province laws; and, in its dire example, alarming to all the Colonies. This, through the conduct of some enemies among ourselves, will soon bring us into difficulties, which will require some able council to remove. We there fore recommend to each town in this county to instruct their several Representatives to resolve themselves, with the other Members of the House, at their approaching session, into a Provincial Congress for this purpose.

To this Congress we shall submit the general interests of the Province; but for the particular benefit of this county, we do advise and recommend—

1. That the Justices of the Sessions and Court of Common Pleas, and every civil officer in this county, whom no authority can remove, but that which constituted them agreeable to Charter and our own Provincial laws, would religiously officiate in their several departments, as if the aforesaid Act had never been invented; and that every private person would pay a strict obedience to such officers; be always ready to protect and support them, and promote a due observance of our own established laws. And if any person whatsoever shall henceforth, in any manner, dare to aid the operation of the said tyrannick Act, they should be considered as malignant enemies to our Charter rights, unfit for civil society, and undeserving of the least regard or favour from their fellow-countrymen.

2. That every one would do his utmost to discourage law suits, and likewise compromise disputes as much as possible.

3. That it be recommended to the Honourable Jeremiah Powell, Esq., and Jedediah Preble, Esq. constitutional Counsellors of this Province, residing in this county, that they would take their places at the Board the ensuing session as usual.

4. We cannot but approve of the recommendation given by the Convention of Suffolk County, to the several Col-