we joined in a petition for that purpose. Sir George Savile kindly undertook to present it; but, on previously opening the purport of it, as the order is, a debate arose on the propriety of receiving it, and on a division, it was rejected by a great majority.

“The following extract of a letter from General Gage to Lord Dartmouth, as laid before Parliament, we think it our duty to transmit, viz:

“‘December 15, 1774.—Your Lordship’s idea of disarming certain Provinces, would doubtless be consistent with prudence and safety, but it neither is, nor has been practicable, without having recourse to force, and being masters of the Country.’

“It was thrown out in debate by a principal member of Administration, that it would be proper to alter the Charters of Connecticut and Rhode-Island.

“Enclosed, we send you a copy of the Resolutions passed in a Committee of the whole House, on Thursday last, which are to be reported on Monday. It it said that these Resolutions are to be the foundation of several bills to be brought in, but the purport of those bills we have not yet learnt with sufficient certainty.

“We send you, likewise, a copy of Lord Chatham’s first motion in the House of Lords, and of his plan of a bill for settling the troubles between Great Britain and the Colonies; both of which were rejected on the first reading.

“With great respect, we are, Sir, your most obedient humble servants,

Mr. J. Hancock laid before the Congress a Letter from the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts-Bay, together with certain Resolutions formed by said Congress, and a copy of a Letter sent by said Congress to their Agent in England, and an Address to the Inhabitants of Great Britain on the late engagement between the Troops under Gen. Gage and the inhabitants of Massachusetts-Bay; also, a number of Depositions, duly attested, relative to the commencement of hostilities; all of which were read, and are as follow:

“In Provincial Congress, Watertown, May 3, 1775.

“To the Honourable AMERICAN Continental Congress, to be convened at PHILADELPHIA on the 10th of MAY instant.

“MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURS: The Congress of this Colony, impressed with the deepest concern for their Country, under the present critical and alarming state of its publick affairs, beg leave, with the utmost submission, whilst acting in support of the cause of America, to request the direction and assistance of your respectable Assembly.

“The enclosed packet, containing copies of the depositions which we have despatched for London,† also an address to the inhabitants of Great Britain,‡ and a letter to our Colony agent, Benjamin Franklin, Esq.,§ are humbly submitted to your consideration.

“The sanguinary zeal of the Ministerial Army to ruin and destroy the inhabitants of this Colony, in the opinion of this Congress hath rendered the establishment of an Army indispensably necessary; We have accordingly passed an unanimous resolve for thirteen thousand six hundred men

[* PAPERS ACCOMPANYING THE LETTER OF THE AGENTS, DATED LONDON FEBRUARY 5, 1775, SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS THIS DAY.]

Circular Letter front the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governours of the several BRITISH Colonies in AMERICA.

WHITEHALL, January 5, 1775.

SIR: Certain persons styling themselves Delegates of His Majesty’s Colonies in America, having presumed, without His Majesty’s authority or consent, to assemble together at Philadelphia, in the months of September and October last, and having thought fit, among other unwarrantable proceedings, to resolve that it will be necessary that another Congress should be held in the same place, on the 10tn of May next, unless redress for certain pretended grievances be obtained before that time, and to recommend that all the Colonies in North America should choose Deputies to attend such Congress; I am commanded by the King to signify to you His Majesty’s pleasure, that you do use your utmost endeavours to prevent any such appointment of Deputies within the Colony under your government; and that you do exhort all persons to desist from such unwarrantable proceedings, which cannot but be highly displeasing to the King.

I am, Sir, &c.

DARTMOUTH.

Lord CHATHAM’S Motion, January 20, 1775.

That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, most humbly to advice and beseech His Majesty, that in order to open the way towards a happy settlement of the dangerous troubles in America, by beginning to allay ferments and soften animosities there; and above all, for preventing in the meantime any sudden and fatal catastrophe at Boston, now suffering under daily irritation of an Army before their eyes, posted in their Town; it may graciously please His Majesty, that immediate orders may be despatched to General Gage, for removing His Majesty’s forces from the Town of Boston, as soon as the rigour of the season and other circumstances, indispensable to the safety and accommodation of the said Troops, may render the same practicable.

Resolution of a Committee of the Whole House (of Commons.)

February 2, 1775.—To be reported the Monday following:

That it is the opinion of this Committee, that an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, to return His Majesty our most humble thanks for having been graciously pleased to communicate to this House the several papers relating to the present state of the British Colonies in America, which, by His Majesty’s command, have been laid before this House; [and from which, after taking them into our most serious consideration, we find, that a part of His Majesty’s subjects in the Province of Massachusetts-bay have proceeded so far to resist the authority of the supreme Legislature, that a rebellion at this time actually exists within the said Province; and we see with the utmost concern that they have been countenanced and encouraged by unlawful combinations and engagements, entered into by His Majesty’s subjects in several of the other Colonies, to the injury and oppression of many of their innocent fellow subjects, resident within the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the rest of His Majesty’s dominions. This conduct on their part appears to us the more inexcusable, when we consider with how much temper His Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament have acted in support of the Laws and Constitution of Great Britain, to declare that we can never so far desert the trust reposed in us, as to relinquish any part of the sovereign authority over all His Majesty’s dominions, which by law is vested in His Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament; and that the conduct of many persons in several of the Colonies, during the late disturbances, is alone sufficient to convince us how necessary this power is, for the protection of the lives and fortunes of all His Majesty’s subjects; that we ever have been, and always shall be ready to pay attention and regard to any real grievances of any of His Majesty’s subjects which shall in a dutiful and constitutional manner be laid before us; and whenever any of the Colonies shall make a proper application to us, we shall be ready to afford them every just and reasonable indulgence. But that at the same time we consider it as our indispensable duty humbly to beseech His Majesty, that His Majesty will take the most effectual measures to enforce due obedience to the laws and authority of the supreme Legislature; and that we beg leave in the most solemn manner to assure His Majesty that it is our fixed resolution, at the hazard of our lives and properties, to stand by His Majesty against all rebellious attempts in the maintenance of the just rights of His Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament.] Ayes 296, noes 106.

Amendment proposed, to leave out from the first [and] to the end of the question, and insert, “to assure His Majesty, that in order to fix the true dignity of his Crown and the authority of Parliament on a sure foundation, we shall endeavour to recover the hearts of his subjects in America, too many of whom are unhappily alienated from their usual affection to their Mother Country, by endeavouring to remove all those causes of jealousy and apprehension which have arisen from an unfortunate management of His Majesty’s affairs, and from acts of the last Parliament made without sufficient information of the true state of America.”

Question put, that the words proposed to be left out, stand part of this question: ayes 304, noes 105.

Whereas, by an Act 6 George III, it is declared that parliament has full power and authority to make Laws and Statutes to bind the people of the Colonies in all cases whatsoever:

And whereas, reiterated complaints, and most dangerous disorders have grown, touching the right of Taxation, claimed and exercised over America, to the disturbance of peace and good order there, and to the actual interruption of the due intercourse from Great Britain and Ireland to the Colonies, deeply affecting the navigation, trade, and manufactures of this Kingdom and of Ireland, and announcing further an interruption of all exports from the said Colonies to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Islands in America:

Now, for the prevention of these ruinous mischiefs, and in order to an equitable, honourable and lasting settlement of claims not sufficiently ascertained and circumscribed, may it please your most excellent Majesty that it may be declared, and be it declared by the King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this present Parilament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the Colonies of America have been, are, and of right ought to be dependant upon the Imperial Crown of Great Britain, and subordinate unto the British Parliament; and that the King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in Parliament assembled, had, hath, and of right ought to have; full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the people of the British Colonies in America, in all matters touching the general weal of the whole dominion of the imperial Crown of Great Britain, and beyond the competency of the local representative of a distinct Colony; and most especially an indubitable and indispensable right to make and ordain laws for regulating Navigation and Trade throughout the complicated system of British Commerce; the deep policy of such prudent acts, upholding the guardian Navy of the whole British Empire; and that all subjects in the Colonies are bound in duty and allegiance, duly to recognise and obey (and they are hereby required so to do) the supreme legislative authority and superintending power of the Parliament of Great Britain as aforesaid.

And whereas, in a Petition from America to His Majesty it has been represented that the keeping a Standing Army within any of the Colonies, in time of peace, without the consent of the respective Provincial Assembly there, in against law: Be it declared by the King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, that the Declaration of Rights, at the ever-glorious Revolution, namely, “that the raising and keeping a Standing Army within the Kingdom; in time of pence, unless it be by consent of Parliament, is against law,” having reference only to the Consent of the Parliament of Great Britain, the legal, constitutional, and hitherto unquestioned prerogative of the Crown, to send any part of such Army, so lawfully kept, to any of the