in the support of those important objects; when they are secured, we know, from the experience we have had of the mildness of your Majesty’s disposition, that you will restore peace to your misguided subjects in America, with as much pleasure as you have evidently had pain in entering upon hostile measures against them.

Given under our common seal, at our Guildhall, the 26th day of September, 1775.

ADDRESS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF TAUNTON.

Address of the Mayor, Justice, Aldermen, Capital and Inferiour Burgesses of the Borough and Town of Taunton, in Common Council assembled, presented to His Majesty by Colonel Roberts, the Mayor.

To the King’s Most Excellent Majesty.

SIRE:We, your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Mayor, Justice, Aldermen, Capital and Inferiour Burgesses of the Borough and Town of Taunton, in Common Council assembled, truly sensible of the many blessings we enjoy, under your Majesty’s mild and auspicious Government, beg leave most humbly to approach the throne with our unfeigned thanks for the happiness which, next under God, we owe to your Majesty’s paternal care and tenderness, and which, under Divine Providence, have brought this Country to its present height of glory and power.

The wisdom of your Majesty’s Councils, the benevolence and goodness of your heart, would have preserved a continuance of those blessings to the whole Empire, if unfortunately there did not exist, here as well as in America, men who, void of all principle, are hardened enough, at the expense of every duty they owe your Majesty and their Country, to become at once (under the mask of patriotism) disrespectful to your sacred person, and disturbers of the publick peace. Their machinations have driven headlong the Americans into a rebellion, which cowardice only prevents their joining in.

In this alarming crisis it is our duty, and we do most cheerfully offer your Majesty our lives and properties in support of your person, crown, and dignity; and we rely on your Majesty, that the indubitable rights of this Kingdom will be inviolably preserved, and the traitorous attempts to subvert its legislative authority in America will never be submitted to, nor a successful rebellion be suffered to sully the glory of your Majesty’s reign.

Given under our common seal, this twenty-second day of September, 1775.

JOHN ROBERTS, Mayor.

ADDRESS OF THE PRINCIPAL INHABITANTS OF THE BOROUGH OF TAUNTON.

Address of the principal Inhabitants and Manufacturers and Town of Taunton, in the County of Somerset, presented to His Majesty by John Cabbell, M. D., one of the Aldermen.

To the King’s Most Excellent Majesty.

The humble Address of the principal Inhabitants and Manufacturers of the Borough and Town of TAUNTON, in the County of SOMERSET.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

Truly sensible of the many blessings we enjoy under your Majesty’s mild and auspicious reign, permit us to approach your throne, and express our abhorrence of the deluded spirit which prevails in your Colonies of America, where most of the inhabitants are in arms and open rebellion against your crown and the laws of this Realm.

We beg leave to give your Majesty the most solemn assurances, that we shall be ready on all occasions to sacrifice whatsoever is dear and valuable to us, to enable your Majesty to bring your rebellious subjects in America to a just sense of their duty, to defend your royal person and illustrious family, and support our Constitution, both in Church and State.

PETITION FROM THE TOWN OF TAUNTON.

Petition from the Town of Taunton, signed by one hundred and fifty-four of the Inhabitants and principal Manufacturers, presented to His Majesty, at St. James’s, by Mr. Popham, one of their Representatives.

To the King’s Most Sacred Majesty.

May it please your Majesty:

We, your Majesty’s dutiful and loyal subjects, inhabitants and principal manufacturers of the Town of Taunton, in the County of Somerset, fully sensible of the blessings we enjoy under your Majesty’s Government, beg leave to approach your Majesty with our most humble address and supplications.

We conceive that the Act of Navigation, which has been recognised by our fellow-subjects in America, secures all the wealth of the Colonies to this Country.

We are apprehensive that your Majesty’s just prerogative may suffer some infringement by revenue laws being made in this Kingdom for the Colonies, which are not represented; because we conceive that your Majesty alone has the right of asking aids from the Colonies, in the same constitutional manner that your Majesty receives supplies from this Kingdom and from Ireland, and because your Majesty’s sole power to give the force of laws to the acts of the Provinces is one principal bond of union between them and the whole Empire.

As we trust that your Majesty has not any subjects more firmly attached to your royal person and this Constitution than ourselves, or more ready to risk their lives or fortunes in support of both, so we think it consistent with our duty to say, that the occasion of a victory on either side, over any part of your Majesty’s subjects, Is always to be lamented, as diminishing the number of your people, and consequently detrimental to your Majesty’s dignity, to the manufactories of this Town, and to the trade and navigation of this Kingdom.

And as we conceive that a happy reconciliation between Great Britain and the Colonies will save this Nation a great effusion of blood and expense of treasure, we therefore most humbly implore your Majesty’s gracious consideration for obtaining these valuable purposes.

And, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

Taunton, September 26, 1775.

SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

London Tavern, September 26, 1775.

Stephen Sayre, Esq., in the chair.

Resolved, unanimously, That it be recommended to those Members of this Society who have seats in Parliament to use their utmost endeavours in putting a stop to the ruinous and unnatural war against our fellow-subjects in America.

Resolved, unanimously, That it be recommended to those Members of this Society who have seats in Parliament to endeavour to heal the unhappy divisions between this Country and America, and to establish a connection between the two Countries upon the glorious principles of equal liberty.

Resolved, unanimously, That it be recommended to those Members of this Society who have seats in Parliament to oppose the imposition of any additional taxes for carrying on the war against America; the people of this Country being already overburdened with taxes, and greatly affected by the suspension of their most valuable commerce with our much injured and oppressed Colonies.

Resolved, That the next meeting of this Society be on Tuesday, the 24th of October next.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, September 26, 1775.

SIR: Upon considering your letter of the 4th August, the following points appeared so exceedingly important, that I am directed to desire you will consult such of your officers as you think proper, upon the most prudent and effectual methods of accomplishing them. These are, the continuation of the Army now under your command in the service of the Continent, after the terms of the enlistment shall have been completed; the reducing the several corps of Provincials which at present compose your Army into one body of Continental Forces; what number will be necessary for the winter campaign; what rations shall be allowed the men; and what farther regulations may be