they had prepared a Test, which they begged leave to lay before the Congress for approbation.

Ordered, The same be read; which was accordingly read, approved of, and ordered to be entered on the Journals and signed.

We, the subscribers, professing our allegiance to the King, and acknowledging the constitutional executive power of Government, do solemnly profess, testify and declare, that we do absolutely believe that neither the Parliament of Great Britain, nor any member or constituent branch thereof, have a right to impose Taxes upon these Colonies to regulate the internal police thereof; and that all attempts by fraud or force to establish and exercise such claims and powers are violations of the peace and security of the people, and ought to be resisted to the utmost: And that the people of this Province, singly and collectively, are bound by the Acts and Resolutions of the Continental and the Provincial Congresses; because in both they are freely represented by persons chosen by themselves; and we do solemnly and sincerely promise and engage, under the sanction of virtue, honour, and the sacred love of liberty and our country, to maintain and support all and every the Acts, Resolutions and Regulations of the said Continental and Provincial Congresses, to the utmost of our power and abilities. In testimony whereof we have hereto set our hands, this 23d of August, 1775:

Resolved, That his Honour the President, Mr. Harnett, Mr. Caswell, Mr. Hewes, Mr. Nash, Mr. Willie Jones, and Mr. Young, be a Committee of Secrecy, for the purpose of procuring Arms and Ammunition, and to report to this Congress what sums of Money will be necessary for that purpose.

Resolved, That Mr. Maclaine, Mr. McAlister, Mr. Farquard Campbell, Mr. Rowan, Mr. Thomas Wade, Mr. Alexander McKay, Mr. John Ashe, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Kennon, and Mr. Hepburn, be a Committee to confer with the gentlemen who have lately arrived from the Highlands in Scotland to settle in this Province, and to explain to them the nature of our unhappy controversy with Great Britain, and to advise and urge them to unite with the other inhabitants of America in defence of those rights which they derive from God and the Constitution.

Resolved, That Mr. Maurice Moore, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Howe, Mr. Caswell, and Mr. Hewes, be a Committee to prepare an Address to the Inhabitants of the Province of North-Carolina, stating the present controversy in an easy familiar style and manner, obvious to the meanest capacity; calling upon them to unite in defence of American liberty, and vindicating from a necessity to which Administration has reduced us, the taking up arms, and assuming the control of the Militia; and ascribing the silence of the legislative powers of Government to his Excellency the Governour refusing to exercise the functions of his office, by leaving the Province and retiring on board a man-of-war, without any threats or violence to compel him to such a measure.

The Congress adjourned till tomorrow morning, nine o’clock.

Thursday, August 24, 1775.

The Congress met according to adjournment.

Resolved, That Doctor Burke be added to the Committee to prepare an Address to the Inhabitants of this Province, &c.

Resolved, That such gentlemen as have in their possession any Letters or other Papers respecting the common cause of American liberty lay the same before the Congress. And several Letters and other Papers were accordingly brought up to the table, read and filed.

Whereas, the Continental Congress hath thought it necessary for the preservation of American liberty, that an Army should be embodied, and the sum of Three Million of Dollars be emitted for the purpose of supporting such Army; and hath pledged the faith of the United Colonies for the redemption of the same:

Resolved unanimously, That the inhabitants of North-Carolina will pay their full proportion of the expense so incurred, and will make provision for the redemption of such part of the sum so emitted, as shall be allotted by the Continental Congress for this Province to redeem, in proportion to the number of its inhabitants.

Resolved, That his Honour the President, Messrs. William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, Richard Caswell, Samuel Spencer, Thomas Respess, Walter Gibson, William Gray, Robert Howe, Thomas Eaton, James Coor, John Easton, James White, Thomas Jones, Alexander McAlister, Richard Kennon, Thomas Gray, Henry Irwin, John Penn, Alexander Martin, Joseph Hancock, Matthias Brickie, John Webb, William Bryan, Thomas Polk, Whitmill Hill, Samuel Ashe, Allen Jones, Henry Rhodes, Thomas Burke, Benjamin Harvey, Dempsy Burgess, Robert Salter, Matthew Locke, Joseph Williams, Peter Wynne, William Kennon, Joel Lane, William Brown, James Davis, Archibald Maclaine, Maurice Moore, James Hepburn, Willie Jones, Hugh Montgomery, and Francis Nash, be a Committee for the purpose of preparing a plan for the regulation of the internal peace, order and safety of this Province, and making such an arrangement in the civil police of this Province as may tend to supply in some measure the defect of the executive powers of Government, arising from the absence of his Excellency Governour Martin; and that this Committee take into consideration the propriety of appointing a Committee of Safety; the members to compose it; the manner and time of choice; Qualification of Electors and Elected; the number of which these shall consist; the powers of these Committees; also the mode to be observed in calling Provincial Conventions; the time of Election; place where to be held; Qualifications of Electors and Elected; the number which every Town and County are to send as Delegates to represent them in such Conventions; the powers which this Convention are to exercise: and further, to report the necessity, if any there be, of forming other Committees than before mentioned, and every civil power necessary to be formed in order to