The Report from the Committee being read, the Congress came into the follow Resolutions:

1. Unanimously Resolved, That His Majesty’s most faithful subjects in these Colonies, are reduced to a dangerous and critical situation, by the attempts of the British Ministry to carry into execution by force of arms, several unconstitutional and oppressive Acts of the British Parliament for laying Taxes in America; to enforce the collection of those Taxes, and for altering and changing the Constitution and Internal Police of some of these Colonies, in violation of the natural and civil rights of the Colonists.

2. Unanimously, Hostilities being actually commenced in the Massachusetts-Bay, by the British Troops under the command of General Gage, and the lives of a number of the inhabitants of that Colony destroyed, the Town of Boston having not only been long occupied as a garrisoned Town in an enemy’s country, but the inhabitants thereof treated with a severity and cruelty not to be justified even towards declared enemies; large re-enforcements, too, being ordered, and soon expected, for the declared purpose of compelling these Colonies to submit to the operation of the said Acts; therefore, Resolved, That for the purpose of securing and defending these Colonies, and preserving them in safety against all attempts to carry the said Acts into execution, by force of arms, these Colonies be immediately put into a state of defense.

3. Unanimously, But, as we most ardently wish for a restoration of the harmony formerly subsisting between our Mother Country and these Colonies, the interruption of which must, at all events, be exceedingly injurious to both Countries, Resolved, That with a sincere design of contributing by all the means in our power, not incompatible with a just regard for the undoubted rights and true interests of these Colonies, to the promotion of this most desirable reconciliation, an humble and dutiful Petition be presented to His Majesty.

4. Resolved, That measures be entered into for opening a negotiation, in order to accommodate the unhappy disputes subsisting between Great Britain and these Colonies, and that this be made a part of the Petition to the King.

The Congress agree that the Resolutions respecting New-York be entered unanimously, and inserted after the above.

The Congress then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the state of America; and after some time spent therein, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Ward reported from the Committee, that they had proceeded farther in the business, but not having come to a conclusion, desired him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Congress will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into farther consideration the state of America.

Adjourned till to-morrow, at nine o’clock.

Saturday, May 27, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

The President laid before the Congress a Letter from the Convention of New-Jersey, which was read, and referred to the Committee of the Whole.

Information being given, that there is a gentleman in Town who could give the Congress a full and just account of the stale of affairs in Canada,

Ordered, That he be introduced; and he was accordingly introduced. After he withdrew, the Congress, agreeable to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole and after some time spent therein,

The Committee appointed to draught a Letter to the Inhabitants of Canada, informed the Committee that they had performed that service, and as there was an opportunity of sending it by a safe conveyance in a few days, they desired to have an opportunity of reporting the Letter; whereupon the President resumed the chair, and the Committee reported their Letter, which was read. After some debate, recommitted.

Upon motion, Agreed, That Mr. Washington, Mr. Schuyler, Mr. Mifflin, Mr. Deane, Mr. Morris Mr. S. Adams, be a Committee to consider on ways and means to supply these Colonies with Ammunition and Military Stores, and to report immediately.

Upon motion, The Memorial of Robert Murray and John Murray, “desiring to be restored to their former situation with respect to their commercial privileges,” was taken into consideration, and after some time spent therein,

Resolved, That where any person hath been or shall be adjudged by a Committee to have violated the Continental Association, and such offender shall satisfy the Convention of the Colony, where the offence was or shall be committed, or the Committee of the Parish of St. John’s, in the Colony of Georgia, if the offence be committed there, of his contrition for his offence, and sincere resolution to conform to the Association for the future, the said Convention, or Committee of the Parish of St. John’s aforesaid, may settle the terms upon which he may be restored to the favour and forgiveness of the publick, and that the terms be published.

Ordered, That this be made publick.

Resolved, That the Order of the Day be postponed till Monday.

Adjourned till Monday, at nine o’clock.

Monday, May 29, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

The Committee to whom the Letter to the Inhabitants of Canada was recommitted, brought in a draught, which was read, and approved, and is as follows:

“To the Oppressed Inhabitants of CANADA.

“FRIENDS AND COUNTRYMEN: Alarmed by the designs of an arbitrary Ministry to extirpate the rights and liberties of all America, a sense of common danger conspired with the dictates of humanity in urging us to call your attention, by our late address, to this very important object.

“Since the conclusion of the late war, we have been happy in considering you as fellow-subjects; and from the commencement of the present plan for subjugating the Continent, we have viewed you as fellow-sufferers with us. As we were both entitled by the bounty of an indulgent Creator to freedom, and being both devoted by the cruel edicts of a despotick Administration, to common ruin, we perceived the fate of the Protestant and Catholick Colonies to be strongly linked together, and therefore invited you to join with us in resolving to be free, and in rejecting, with disdain, the fetters of slavery, however artfully polished.

“We most sincerely condole with you on the arrival of that day, in the course of which the sun could not shine on a single freeman in all your extensive dominion. Be assured, that your unmerited degradation has engaged the most unfeigned pity of your sister Colonies; and we flatter ourselves you will not, by tamely Bearing the yoke, suffer that pity to be supplanted by contempt.

“When hardy attempts are made to deprive men of lights bestowed by the Almighty, when avenues are cut through the most solemn compacts for the admission of despotism, when the plighted faith of Government ceases to give security to dutiful subjects, and when the insidious stratagems and man™uvres of peace become more terrible than the sanguinary operations of war, it is high time for them to assert those rights, and, with honest indignation, oppose the torrent of oppression rushing in upon them.

“By the introduction of your present form of Government, or rather present form of tyranny, you and your wives and your children are made slaves. You have nothing that you can call your own, and all the fruits of your labour and industry may be taken from you whenever an avaricious Governour and a rapacious Council may incline to demand them. You are liable by their edicts to be transported into foreign Countries to fight battles in which you have no interest, and to spill your blood in conflicts from which neither honour nor emolument can be derived: nay, the enjoyment of your very religion, on the present system, depends on a Legislature in which you have no share, and over which you have no control, and your priests are exposed to expulsion, banishment, and ruin, whenever their wealth and possessions furnish sufficient temptation. They cannot be sure that a virtuous Prince will always fill the throne; and should a wicked or careless King concur with a wicked Ministry in extracting the treasure and strength of your Country, it is impossible to conceive to what variety and to what extremes of wretchedness you may, under the present establishment, be reduced.