I do hereby solemnly declare, promise, and grant, for me, my heirs and assigns, that the first article of this Charter, relating to liberty of conscience, and every part and clause therein, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, shall be kept and remain, without any alteration, inviolable forever. And lastly, I, the said William Penn, proprietor and Governour of the Province of Pennsylvania and Territories thereunto belonging, for myself, my heirs and assigns, have solemnly declared, granted, and confirmed, and do hereby solemnly declare, grant, and confirm, that neither I, my heirs or assigns, shall procure or do any thing or things whereby the liberties in this Charter contained and expressed, nor any part thereof, shall be infringed or broken; and if any thing shall be procured or done, by any person of persons, contrary to these presents, it shall be of no force or effect.’

“On these principles this Province was first settled, and the blessing of Divine Providence signally attending the pious care of those intrusted with the powers of Government, soon became populous, and truth, equity, and mercy, directing their councils, they gave proof of their desire that the blessings they enjoyed should be diffused to others, which encouraged great numbers to remove hither and settle among them. We cannot therefore but sorrowfully lament, that any should now forget the equity and justice of their laws and Government, and, by preferring their own schemes, overlook the importance of inviolably maintaining and supporting these principles.

“We have a just sense of the value of our religious and Civil Liberties, and have ever been and are desirous of preserving them by all such measures as are not inconsistent with our Christian profession and principles; and though we believe it to be our duty to submit (o the powers which, in the course of Divine Providence, are set over us, where there hath been, or is any oppression, or cause of suffering, we are engaged with Christian meekness and firmness to petition and remonstrate against them, and to endeavour by just reasoning and arguments to assert our rights and privileges, in order to obtain relief.

“We therefore earnestly entreat you carefully to guard against any proposal or attempt to deprive us and others of the full enjoyment of liberty of conscience, and that the solemn assurance given us in the Charter, that we shall not be obliged ‘to do or suffer any act or thing contrary to our religious persuasion,’ may not be infringed. The power of judging respecting our sincerity belongeth only to the Lord of our consciences; and we hope, in a Province heretofore remarkable for the preservation of religious and civil liberty, the Representatives of the people will still be conscientiously careful that it may remain inviolate.

“We fervently desire the most conciliatory measures for removing the impending calamities, and for restoring peace to the Colonies in general, may be pursued, and that all such may be avoided as are likely to widen or perpetuate the breach with our Parent State, or tend to introduce persecution and suffering among us.

“We are not insensible of the difficulties and trials which attend your station in this time of publick calamity, and are desirous that divine wisdom may influence your minds and guide your counsels, so that your determinations may tend to the honour of God, the promotion of peace, and the happiness of the people.

“Signed in and on behalf of a Meeting of the Representatives of the said people, held at Philadelphia, the 26th day of the tenth month, 1775, by

“JOHN PEMBEHTON, Clerk.”

Ordered, That the foregoing Address be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House.

The House adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

The House, pursuant to the Order of the forenoon, taking into consideration the report of their Committee on the Memorial of the Northumberland and Northampton Committee, together with certain Resolutions of former House of Assembly, passed on the 13th of January, 1774, concerning certain intruders from the Colony of Connecticut, “who, in a riotous and tumultuous manner, have taken possession of a tract of country within the known limits and boundaries of this Province, and retain their possession in an hostile manner, to the great disturbance of the peace of the same, confederating, in defiance of the laws and executive powers of this Government, with a number of ill-disposed persons, and affording protection to offenders of the most atrocious kind. Whereupon, the said House resolved, that they would concur with the Governour in every reasonable measure, to strengthen the hands of Government in preserving the peace and suppressing all riots, tumults, and illegal attempts to disturb the inhabitants of this Province in their peaceable possessions.” And whereas it appears that the said Connecticut intruders, in contempt of the authority of this Province, and to the great annoyance of its peaceable inhabitants, do still continue their intrusions and invasions of private property, and particularly in the latter end of September last, regardless of the publick union, and taking an ungenerous advantage of the calamities of the times, did attempt to extend their settlements to the west branch of Susquehannah, near fifty miles from Wyoming; wherefore,

Resolved, That the inhabitants of the County of Northumberland, settled under the jurisdiction of this Province, were justifiable, and did their duty in repelling the said intruders, and preventing the further extension of their settlements.

And whereas the jurisdiction of the Counties of Northampton and Northumberland is extended by acts of Assembly to the north bounds of this Province, and the matter in controversy between Connecticut and this Province is submitted to the determination of the King in Council; wherefore,

Resolved, That those Connecticut intruders having, in a forcible and hostile manner, obtained their possessions in this Province, ought, for the preservation of the peace thereof, to surrender up those possessions, and wait for a proper and legal decision of their claim.

Resolved, nevertheless, That this House will acquiesce in any plan that shall be recommended by the honourable Continental Congress, agreeable to the request of the late House, whereby those intruders may be permitted to enjoy their present settlement till a determination of the controversy by the King in Council; provided assurance be given that they will abide by that determination, and in the mean time introduce no more settlers upon the controverted lands, and submit to the laws of this Province.

Resolved, That if such an agreement cannot be obtained, this House will concur with the Governour in every reasonable measure for protecting and supporting the inhabitants of the said Counties of Northampton and Northumberland in the defence of their property and just rights.

A Memorial from the Officers of the Military Association within the County of Chester was presented to the House and read, setting forth, that the Memorialists have been induced, from motives of humanity as well as self-preservation, to enter into and form an Association for mutual defence; and, in their endeavours to carry the same into effect, they have found it indispensably necessary from time to time to advance money for the payment of Fuglemen, Adjutants, Drummers, and Fifers, as well as drums, colours, &c.; that these efforts of the Memorialists (notwithstanding numberless attempts to render them abortive) have been attended with very considerable effects, there being now within the said County five Battalions regularly formed, and so well disciplined, for the time they have been established, that they may be of singular service in support of the great and common cause of America, if put under proper regulations; that the Memorialists, being called to the station they now hold by the free suffrages of the people, they were induced to incur the expenses above mentioned by no other motive than a desire to promote, to the utmost of their power, the publick security and welfare; and as the honourable House, by their vote of the 30th of June last, was pleased to approve of their proceedings, they rely with a respectful confidence in the justice and impartiality of the present Assembly, that they