Remember that Heaven punishes but to save. The God of heaven hath repeatedly checked rebellion, and our own history confirms its defeats. Rebellion is so odious in the eyes of all rational beings, that it is for the universal good that it should be suppressed; it saps the foundation of moral virtue, and, therefore, it is for the general interest that all nature should rise in arms against it; and I have not the least doubt, that Providence will arrest it in its career. When that time comes, complain not that you were not forewarned, and bear your own punishment without murmuring.

That you may seriously reflect on your own impending fate, and the fate of your wives and innocent children, before you take the deadly plunge, and that you may immediately retire from the precipice of ruin, is the friendly wish of your fellow-citizen,

Z. Z.

TO MESHECK WEARE.

Portsmouth, January 11, 1776.

DEAR SIR: As the Committee chosen yesterday, by this town, are just going to Exeter, with a petition and remonstrance to the Congress, against their proceedings, I thought I would just inform you of it, for I think it gives a silly cast to all their doings. I hope they will not comply with their request. The objection was first started in the Committee, at the Work-House, the night before last, and the town-meeting called yesterday. The meeting was very thin, not above forty or fifty persons in it; every one in the meeting voted for it, though, I believe, they were actuated from different motives. They voted to send circular letters to all the town, that they may remonstrate likewise. It was proposed, I think, by designing men, on purpose to make a division in the Colony, and I believe will go near to effect it, unless the wisdom of the Congress prevent it.

I am, &c.,

VERITAS.

INSTRUCTIONS TO MARYLAND DELEGATES IN CONGRESS.

In Convention, held at ANNAPOLIS, in MARYLAND, JANUARY 11, 1776.

To the Honourable Matthew Tilghman, Esq., Thomas Johnson, Jun., Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, Samuel Chase, Thomas Stone, Robert Alexander, and John Rogers, Esquires.

The Convention, taking into their most serious consideration the present state of the unhappy dispute between Great Britain and the United Colonies, think it proper to deliver you their sentiments, and to instruct you in certain points, relative to your conduct in Congress, as Representatives of this Province.

The experience we and our ancestors have had, of the mildness and equity of the English Constitution, under which we have grown up to, and enjoyed a stale of felicity, not exceeded among any people we know of, until the grounds of the present controversy were laid by the Ministry and Parliament of Great Britain, has most strongly endeared to us that form of Government from whence these blessings have been derived, and makes us ardently wish for a reconciliation with the mother country, upon terms that may ensure to these Colonies an equal and permanent freedom.

To this Constitution we are attached, not merely by habit, but by principle, being in our judgments persuaded it is, of all known systems, best calculated to secure the liberty of the subject—to guard against despotism on the one hand, and licentiousness on the other.

Impressed with these sentiments, we warmly recommend to you, to keep constantly in your view the avowed end and purpose for which these Colonies originally associated—the redress of American grievances, and securing the rights of the Colonists.

As upon the attainment of these great objects, we shall think it our greatest happiness to be thus firmly united to Great Britain, we think proper to instruct you, that should any proposition be happily made by the Crown or Parliament, that may lead to or lay a rational and probable ground for reconciliation, you use your utmost endeavours to cultivate and improve it into a happy settlement and lasting amity, taking care to secure the Colonies against the exercise of the right assumed by Parliament, to tax them, and to alter and change their Charters, Constitutions, and internal polity, without their consent—powers incompatible with the essential securities of the lives, liberties, and properties of the Colonists.

We further instruct you, that you do not, without the previous knowledge and approbation of the Convention of this Province, assent to any proposition to declare these Colonies independent of the Crown of Great Britain, nor to any proposition for making or entering into alliance with any foreign Power, nor to any union or confederation of these Colonies, which may necessarily lead to a separation from the mother country, unless, in your judgments, or in the judgments of any four of you, or a majority of the whole of you, (if all shall be then attending in Congress,) it shall be thought absolutely necessary for the preservation of the liberties of the United Colonies; and should a majority of the Colonies in Congress, against such, your judgment, resolve to declare these Colonies independent of the Crown of Great Britain, or to make or enter into alliance with any foreign Power, or into any union or confederation of these Colonies, which may necessarily lead to a separation from the mother country; then we instruct you, immediately, to call the Convention of this Province, and repair thereto with such proposition and resolve, and lay the same before the said Convention, for their consideration; and this Convention will not hold this Province bound by such majority in Congress, until the representative body of the Province, in Convention, assent thereto.

Desirous as we are of peace with Great Britain, upon safe and honourable terms, we wish you, nevertheless, and instruct you to join with the other Colonies, in such military operations as may be judged proper and necessary for the common defence, until such a peace can be happily obtained.

At the same time that we assure you we have an entire confidence in your abilities and integrity, in the discharge of the great trust reposed in you, we must observe to you, as our opinion, that, in the relation of constituent and representative, one principal security of the former is the right he holds to be fully informed of the conduct of the latter. We can conceive no case to exist in which it would be of more importance to exercise this right than the present, nor any in which we can suppose the representative would more willingly acquiesce in the exercise of it. We, therefore, instruct you, that you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolve of Congress, that the votes given by the Colonies on every question agitated in Congress, shall appear upon the journals thereof; and if such resolve be obtained, that you, at the expense of this Province, pro cure copies of the said journals, except such parts thereof as relate to military operations and measures taken to procure arms and ammunition, and, from time to time, lay the same before the Conventions of this Province, showing the part you, as Representatives of this Province, take in such questions.

And we further instruct you to move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolve of Congress, that no person who holds any military command in the Continental, or any Provincial regular forces, or marine service, nor any person who holds or enjoys any office of profit under the Continental Congress, or any Government assumed since the present controversy with Great Britain began, or which shall here after be assumed, or who directly or indirectly receives the profits of such command or office, shall, during the time of his holding or receiving the same, be eligible to sit in Congress.

JOHN HANCOCK TO NEW-HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Philadelphia, January 12, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The repeated proofs which our enemies have given, of their rage and malice, leave no doubt that they will exert their utmost endeavours to effect our destruction. Through the favour of Providence, our success in Canada has prevented them from employing the Savages against our frontiers. But as there is reason to apprehend they will attempt, in the Spring, to recover possession of that country, the Congress have resolved to support nine battalions for its defence this year: One of Canadians, under Colonel James Livingston; two, to be composed of