| You are here: Home >> American Archives |
independent State, whenever the honourable Continental Congress shall judge best. LEVERETT, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. Leverett, June 18, 1776. Agreeable to a resolve of the late House of Representatives, passed May 10, 1776, this Town met, on due warning, for that purpose; and, taking into consideration the important resolve, viz: Whether, should the honourable Congress, for the safety of the said Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they (the said inhabitants) will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the measure?—being put to vote, unanimously voted in the affirmative. GAGEBOR0UGH, BRISTOL COUNTY. June 19, 1776. At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Gage-borough, agreeable to a resolve of the House of Representatives, of June 7, 1776, requesting the several Towns in this Colony to show their sentiments respecting the Independence of the Colonies: Mr. STEPHEN WARREN, Moderator. Resolved, nem. con., That, if the honourable Congress, agreeable to the earnest desire of this Town, for the safety of the Colonies, shall declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they (the inhabitants) will cheerfully, to the utmost of their power, support them in the measure. NATICK, MIDDLESEX COUNTY. At a meeting of the Town of Natick, June 20, 1776, legally warned, in consequence of a resolve of the late House of Representatives being laid before the Town, setting forth their sense of the obligations that lie upon every town in this Colony solemnly to engage to support with their lives and fortunes the honourable Continental Congress, should said Congress, for the safety of the Colonies, come into the measure of declaring themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, it was unanimously Voted, That, in consideration of the many acts of the British, Parliament, passed at divers sessions of the same, within about thirteen years past, relating to said Colonies, especially those within the two or three last years, by which every idea of moderation, justice, humanity, and Christianity are entirely laid aside, and those principles and measures adopted and pursued which would disgrace the most unenlightened and uncivilized tribe of aboriginal natives in the most interior parts of this extensive continent; and, also, in consequence of the glaring impropriety, incapacity, and fatal tendency, of any State whatever, at the distance of three thousand miles, to legislate for these Colonies, which at the same time are so numerous, so knowing, and capable of legislating; or to have a negative upon those laws which they, in their respective Assemblies, and by their united representation in General Congress, shall, from time to time, want and establish for themselves; and upon divers other considerations, which, for brevity’s sake, we omit to mention,—we, the inhabitants of Natick, in town-meeting assembled, do hereby declare, agreeable to the tenor of the aforementioned resolve, that, should the honourable Continental Congress declare these American Colonies independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, we will, with our lives and fortunes, join with the other inhabitants of this Colony, and with those of the other Colonies, in supporting them in such measure, which we look upon to be both important and necessary, and which, if we may be permitted to suggest our opinion, the sooner it is come into the fewer difficulties we shall have to contend with, and the grand objects of peace, liberty, and safety, will be more likely speedily to be restored and established in our once happy land. TOPSFIELD, ESSEX COUNTY. At a legal Town-meeting held in Topsfield, by adjournment, June 21, 1776, the Town voted the following Instructions: To Mr. JOHN GOULD, Representative of Topsfield. SIR: A resolution of the honourable House of Representatives, calling upon the several towns in this Colony to express their minds with respect to American independence of the Kingdom of Great Britain, is the occasion of our giving you instructions; this being the greatest and most important question that ever came before this town. A few years ago, sir, such a question would have put us into a surprise, and, we apprehend, would have been treated with the utmost contempt. We then looked on ourselves happy in being subjects of the King of Great Britain. It being our forefathers’ native country, we looked up unto them as our parent State; and we have always looked upon it as our duty, as well as our interest, to defend and support the honour of the Crown of Great Britain, and we have always freely done it, both with our lives and fortunes—counting ourselves happy when in the strictest union and connection with our parent State. But the scene is now changed; our sentiments are now altered. She who was called our mother country and parent State, has now, without any just cause, or injury done by these Colonies, become their greatest enemy. The unprovoked injuries these Colonies have received; the unjustifiable and unconstitutional claims that have been made on the Colonies by the Court of Great Britain, to force us, and take away our substance from us, and that at any time, or for any use, that they please, without our consent, and the prosecuting these their claims, have been cruel and unjust to the highest degree. The whole conduct of the Court of Great Britain, and the fallacious conduct of their Governours appointed and sent, into these Colonies, are so well known, and have been, by much abler hands, set forth in such a clear, plain, and true light, we think it needless to enumerate any further particulars. For these reasons, sir, as well as many others that may be mentioned, we are confirmed in the opinion that the United Colonies will be greatly wanting in their duty, both to the great Governour of the Universe, to them-selves, and posterity, if independence of the Kingdom of Great Britain is not declared, as soon as may be; these being our sentiments—but we would not be understood that we mean to dictate. Leaving that momentous affair to the well-known wisdom, prudence, justice, and integrity, of that honourable body the Continental Congress, under whose direction it more immediately belongs, and in respect to a form of government for the future, we take it that belongs to an after question; and we could wish that no Court nor Congress on this continent might spend their time in debating about forms and ceremonies, equal or unequal representation in Court, at present. As innovations are always dangerous, we heartily wish that the ancient rules in the Charter, which this Province has been so much contending for, might be strictly adhered to, until such time as the whole of the people of this Colony have liberty to express their sentiments in respect to that affair as fully as they have in the case of independence; for we are full in the opinion that the sentiments of the people in general are never fully collected by the vote or opinion of a few persons met together, appointed, when they descend into matters of great importance that are wholly new, especially when the whole of the people are concerned therein. Having thus freely spoken our sentiments in respect to independence, &c., we now instruct you, sir, to give the honourable the Continental Congress the strongest assurance that if, for the safety of the United Colonies, they shall declare America to be independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, your constituents will support and defend the measure with their lives and fortunes, to the utmost of their power. SOUTHAMPTON, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. At a full meeting of the inhabitants of Southampton, met at their Meeting-House, on Friday, June 21, 1776, respecting being independent of Great Britain, it was as follows unanimously Voted, That if the honourable Congress should, for the safety of the said Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, we (the inhabitants) will engage with our lives and fortunes to support them in the measure. NORTHBRIDGE, WORCESTER COUNTY. At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of Northbridge, held
|