Commons the twentieth of February last, relative to the unhappy differences subsisting between our Mother Country and her American Colonies. You will perceive by this Resolve not only a strong disposition manifested by that august body to remove the causes which have given rise to the discontents and complaints of His Majesty’s subjects in the Colonies, and the dreadful impending evils likely to ensue from them, but that they have pointed out the terms on which they think it just and reasonable a final accommodation should be grounded.

Let me earnestly entreat you, gentlemen, to weigh and consider this plan of reconciliation held forth and offered by the parent to her children, with that temper, calmness, and deliberation, that the importance of the subject and the present critical situation of affairs demand. Give me leave to observe, that the Colonies, amidst all those complaints which a jealousy of their liberties has occasioned, have never denied the justice or equity of their contributing towards the burdens of the Mother Country, to whose protection and care they owe not only their present opulence, but even their very existence. On the contrary, every state and representation of their supposed grievances that I have seen, avows the propriety of such a measure, and their willingness to comply with it.

The dispute, then, appears to me to be brought to this point: Whether the redress of any grievances the Colonists have reason to complain of, shall precede, or be postponed to the settlement of that just proportion which America should bear towards the common support and defence of the whole British Empire.

You have, in the Resolution of the House of Commons, which I have authority to tell you is entirely approved by His Majesty, a solemn declaration that an exemption from any duty, tax, or assessment, present or future, except such duties as may be expedient for the regulation of Commerce, shall be the immediate consequence of proposals on the part of any of the Colony Legislatures, accepted by His Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament, to make provision, according to their respective circumstances, for contributing their proportion to the common defence, and the support of the civil Government of each Colony.

I will not do you so much injustice, gentlemen, as to suppose you can desire a better security for the inviolable performance of this engagement, than the Resolve itself, and His Majesty’s approbation of it gives you.

As you are the first Assembly on the Continent to whom this Resolution has been communicated, much depends on the moderation and wisdom of your counsels; and you will be deservedly revered to the latest posterity, if, by any possible means, you can be instrumental in restoring the publick tranquillity, and rescuing both Countries from the dreadful calamities of a civil war.

JOHN PENN.

May 2, 1775.

A Remonstrance from a number of Farmers and Millers in the County of Bucks, respecting an alteration of the sizes of Flour-Barrels, was presented to the House and read.

Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Speaker laid before the House a Letter received in their recess from the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the Colony of New-York, with sundry Papers therein referred to, which were read by order, and the said Letter is as follows, viz:

“New-York, April 10, 1775.

“SIR: By an order of the General Assembly of this Colony, I am directed to transmit you the enclosed papers upon the subject of the unhappy situation of American affairs; they contain a List of Grievances, with the Resolutions of the House in consequence thereof, and also a Petition to the King, a Memorial to the House of Lords, and a Representation and Remonstrance to the Commons of Great Britain. I am also directed to request of you to lay the same before the House of Assembly of your Colony at their first meeting after the receipt hereof. I shall only add that our Assembly stands adjourned until the third day of May next, and that I am, respectfully, Sir, your most humble servant,

“JOHN CRUGER, Speaker

“To the Speaker of the General Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania.”

May 3, 1775.—The House met pursuant to adjournment, and taking into consideration the Governour’s Message of yesterday, with the Resolution of the House of Commons attending it, after some debate thereon.

Ordered, That Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Charles Thomson, Mr. Brown, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Webb, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Allen, Mr. Chreist, Mr. Edmonds, Mr. Dougherty, Mr. Hunter, and Mr. William Thompson, be a Committee to essay and bring in a draught of an Answer to the said Message.

May 4, 1775.—The House met pursuant to adjournment.

The Committee appointed to prepare and bring in a draught of an Answer to the Governour’s Message reported an Essay for that purpose, which being read by paragraphs, and after some alteration, agreed to by the House, was ordered to be transcribed.

The Answer of the House to the Governour’s Message being transcribed according to order, was again read, signed by the Speaker, and follows in these words, viz:

Answer to the Governour’s Message from the House.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR: We have taken into our serious consideration your Message of the second instant, and the Resolution of the British House of Commons therein referred to.

Having “weighed and considered this plan with the temper, calmness, and deliberation that the importance of the subject and the present critical situation of affairs demand,” we are sincerely sorry that we cannot “think the terms pointed out” afford “a just and reasonable ground for a final accommodation” between Great Britain and the Colonies.

Your Honour observes, “that the Colonies, amidst all those complaints which a jealousy of their liberties has occasioned, have never denied the justice or equity of contributing towards the burdens of the Mother Country;” but your Honour must know, that they have ever unanimously asserted it as their indisputable right, that all aids from them should be their own free and voluntary gifts, not taken by force nor extorted by fear.

Under which of these descriptions the “plan held forth and offered by the parent to her children” at this time, with its attendant circumstances, deserves to be classed, we choose rather to submit to the determination of your Honour’s good sense, than to attempt proving by the enumeration of notorious facts, or the repetition of obvious reasons.

If no other objection to “the plan” proposed occurred to us, we should esteem it a dishonourable desertion of sister Colonies, connected by an union founded on just motives and mutual faith, and conducted by General Councils, for a single Colony to adopt a measure so extensive in consequence, without the advice and consent of those Colonies engaged with us by solemn ties in the same common cause.

For we wish your Honour to be assured, that we can form no prospect appearing reasonable to us, of any lasting advantages for Pennsylvania, however agreeable they may be at the beginning, but what must arise from a communication of rights and prosperity with the other Colonies; and that if such a prospect should be opened to us, we have too sincere an affection for our brethren, and too strict a regard “for the inviolable performance of” our “engagements,” to receive any pleasure from benefits equally due to them, yet confined to ourselves, and which, by generously rejecting them at present, may at length be secured to all.

Your Honour is pleased to observe, that as we are “the first Assembly on the Continent to whom this Resolution has been communicated, much depends on the moderation and wisdom of our counsels, and we shall be deservedly revered to the latest posterity, if, by any possible means,” we “can be instrumental in restoring the publick tranquillity, and rescuing both Countries from the dreadful calamities of a civil war.”

Your Honour, from your long residence and conversation among us, must be persuaded that the people we represent are as peaceable and obedient to Government, as true and faithful to their Sovereign, and as affectionate and dutiful to their superiour State, as any in the world; and though we are not inattentive to the approbation of “posterity,” as

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