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of the people only, do, in this public manner, infand whose aim is to trample upon all the rights of behalf of ourselves, and with the approbation, con-humanity, would be sufficient to give the coward sent, and authority of our constitutenis, unanimously courage, and animate to the greatest feats in arms declare our willingness to concur in a vote of the the most supine and indolent.-Surely then, while congress, declaring the United Colonies free and America, the asylum of happiness and freedom, is independent states; provided, the forming the go-infested with a for, whose sole aim is to rifle her vernment and the regulation of the internal police sons of every enjoyment that can render life desiraof this colony, be always reserved to the people of ble, you will be ready in arms to defend your counthe said colony. And we do further call upon the try, your liberty, your wives, your children and nations of Europe, and appeal to the Great Arbiter possessions, from rapine, abuse and destruction. and governor of the empires of the world, to witFrom this grand and noble purpose, so worthy ness for us, that this declaration did not originate of the virtuous and brave, and we humbly trust, so in ambition, or in an impatience of lawful authority, pleasing to Almighty God, you have had your delegates assembled in council for several years past. For this, in April 1775, you arrayed your. selves in arms, defeated and put to flight that band of Britons, who, uninjured and unoffended, like robbers and murderers, dared to assault your peace. ful mansions; and for this, we trust, you will be at all times ready to spend your blood and treasure. In addressing you upon the important subject of your own defence, should we attempt a narration

but that we were driven to it in obedience to the first principles of nature, by the oppressions and cruelties of the aforesaid king and parliament of Great Britain, as the only possible measure that was left us to preserve and establish our liberties, and to transmit them inviolate to posterity.

Signed, by order of the conference,

THOMAS M'KEAN, president.

STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

you have presented, praying but for peace, liberty and safety, and to avoid the necessity of shedding the blood of your fellow men, and the unexampled indignity and contempt with which those petitions were treated, it would be undeservedly to impeach you of inattention to your own safety.

In the house of representatives, January 26, 1777. of the causes of your danger; the many petitions Ordered, That the following address be printed, and a copy thereof sent to each minister of the gospel within this state, to whom it is recommend. ed to read the same the next Lord's day after he shall receive it, to his people, immediately after the religious exercises of the day are over. And also that a copy thereof be sent to the commar.d. ing officer of each company of the militia while they are under arms, for the purpose of recruiting the army.

TO THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

Friends and countrymen-When a people, within reach of the highest temporal happiness human nature is capable of, are in danger of having it wrested from them by an enemy whose paths are marked with blood, and an insupportable load of misery, which succeeding generations must bear through painful centuries of time, is offered instead of it, to rouse the brave, invite the generous, quicken the slow, and awaken all to a sense of their danger, is a measure as friendly as it is important.

Let it suffice then to say, That when every other method taken by you was productive of nothing but insults; and that flames in your houses, murders on your persons, and robberies upon your property, were returned in answer to your peaceable, humble and dutiful petitions.

When the force of Britain, with that of her allies, was collected and drawn into exertion, to reduce

you from ease and affluence to slavery and vassalage, the congress of the United States, despairing other. wise to establish your safety upon principles which would render it durable, made that declaration by which you became independent of Great Britain, and in which character alone you can be secure and happy.

But as the increasing power and opulence of the The danger of having your towns, your families, United States are now the dread and envy of those your fruitful fields, and all the riches and blessings whose avaricious and ambitious minds had laid a derived from the industry and wisdom of your plan for the monopoly and enjoyment of them, a venerable ancestors, who may justly be ranked large army is necessary for your defence; and the among the most virtuous and brave men that the congress have therefore determined upon eightyworld ever produced, ravished from you, and eight battalions, of which fifteen are to be raised possessed by a banditti whom no laws can controul, by this state.-The militia who have been marched

to aid the sray under the conduct of that man determined as to the justice of those acts, and whose fortitude, virtue and patience, is perhaps must have seen them founded on despotism, and without example (and who hourly, without any replete with slavery; but they do not tell you that reward but the approbation of his own mind) is their sovereign has the least intention to repeal any risquing his all in your cause, will soon be on their one of those acis; surely then a revision of them return; the enemy, angry at the chastisement justly can never restore your freedom, or in the least given them for their unprovoked cruelties to our alleviate your burdens. brethren in the Jersies, are watching an opportunity to return the blow.

But those commissioners, although they offer themselves as the ambassadors of peace, and invite

A farther draft from the militia would so much you to what they call the mild and gentle govern. burthen the people of this state, that this court ment of Britain, mark their footsteps with blood, cannot think of it without pain and anxiety. We rapine, and the most unexampled barbarities, dishave therefore, being sensible that you need no other tributing their dreadful and savage severity as well stimulous to your duty than having the line of it drawn to the submissive as the obstinate, while neither for you, directed that a number of men, amount-rank, sex or age, exempts any from the effects of ing to one seventh part of all the male persons, of their brutal passions.

six een and upwards, should be immediately engaged

in the continental army, upon the encouragement Should America be overcome by, or submit to given by government-this encouragement we con- Britain, the needy and almost perishing tenant in ceive to be greater than any ever yet given, even Ireland, disarmed and having but little property in to the greatest mercenaries-surely then a people the production of his toil and labor, selling the called to fight, not to support crowns and princi- bread for which his tender infants are suffering, palities, but for their own freedom and happiness, to pay the haughty landlord's rent or insulting col will readily engage. lector's tax, would be but a faint resemblance of your calamity.

That the encouragement given might fully answer the designs of government and the expectation of Society, where no man is bound by other laws the soldiery, this court have settled the price of than those to which he gives his own consent, is every necessary and convenient article of life prothe greatest ornament, and tends most of all things duced in this country, and also the price of foreign to the felicity of human nature, and is a privilege gools in a just proportion to their prices in the which can never be given up by a people without place from which they are imported, considering their being exceedingly guilty before Him, who is the risque of importation. And nothing is now the bestower of every good and perfect gift. wanting to give value to the soldier's wages, and stability to our currency, but the vigorous and We, therefore, for the sake of that religion, for punctual execution and observance of that act, the enjoyment whereof your ancestors filed to this which we hope to see speedily effected by the pub-country, for the sake of your laws and future lic virtue and zeal of this people in the cause of felicity, entreat and urge you to act vigorously and firmly in this critical situation of your country.— And we doubt not but that your noble exertions,

their country.

But lest some of you should be deceived by the under the smiles of Heaven, will ensure you that misrepresentations of designing men, we must re-success and freedom due to the wise man and the mind you that all the pretensions to peace and re patriot. conciliation, so pompously dealt out in the insidious proclamations of the commissioners of the king of Above all, we earnestly exhort you to contribute Great Britain, amount to nothing more than an in all within your power to the encouragement of vitation to give up your country, and submit un. those virtues, for which the Supreme Being has conditionally to the government of the British par declared that he will bestow his blessings upon a liament. They tell you that their king is graciously nation, and to the discouragement of those vices disposed to revise all acts which he shall deem in- for which he overturns kingdoms in his wrath; and compatible with your safety. But your good sense that at all proper times and seasons you seek to will lead you to determine, that if he is a prince Hin, by prayer and supplication, for deliverance worthy to reign over a free people, and a friend to from the calamities of war, duly considering that the rights of mankind, he would long ago bave without his powerful aid, and gracious interposi

tion, all your endeavors must prove abortive and out the unanimous consent of which jury, he can

vain.

Sent up for concurrence,

SAMUEL FREEMAN, speaker. P. T.
In council, January 28, 1777. —Read and concurred.
JOHN AVERY, D Sec❜ry.

not be found guilty.-Nor can he be compled to give evidence against himself; nor can any man be justly deprived of his liberty, except by the laws of the land, or the judgment of his peers."

X. "That the people have a right to hold them. TO THE PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL OF PENNSYLVANIA. selves, their houses, papers and possessions, free The remonstrance of the subscribers, freemen, a d from search or seizure, and therefore warrants inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, now confined in the Free Mason's Lodge.

without oaths or affirmations first made, affording a sufficient foundation for them, and whereby any officer or messenger may be commanded or requir ed to search suspected places, or to seize any person or persons, his or their property not particularly described, are contrary to that right, and ought not to be granted."

SHEWETH-That the subscribers have been, by virtue of a warrant, signed in council by George Bryan, vice presiden', arrested in our houses, and on our lawful occasions, and conducted to this place, where we have been kept in close confinement, under a strong military guard, two or more How far these principles have been adhered to, days-that although divers of us demanded of the in the course of this business, we shall go on to messengers, who arrested us, and insisted on hav. shew.

ing copies of the said warrant, yet we were not Upon the examination of the said warrant, we find able to procure the same, till this present time, it is, in all respects, inadequate to these descripbut have remained here unaccused and unheardtions, altogether unprecedented in this or any free We now take the earliest opportunity of laying country, both in its substance, and the latitude given our grievances before your body, from whom we to the messengers who were to execute it, and apprehend they proceed, and of claiming to our wholly subversive of the very constitution you proselves the liberties and privileges to which we are fess to support.-The only charge on which it is entitled by the fundamental ruls of justice, by founded, is a recommendation of congress to apour birthright and inheritance, the laws of the land; prehend and secure all persons who, in their geneand by the express provision of the present con- ral conduct and conversation, have evidenced a stitution, under which your board derive their disposition inimical to the cause of America, and particularly naming some of us-but not suggestWe apprehend, that no man can lawfully be de-ing the least offence to have been committed by us. prived of his liberty, without a warrant from some persons having competent authority, specifying an offence against the laws of the land, supported by oath or affirmation of the accuser, and limiting the time of his imprisonment, until he is heard, or legally discharged, unless the party be found in the actual perpetration of a crime. Natural justice, equally with law, declares that the party accused

power.

should know what he is to answer to, and have an

It authorises the messengers to search all papers belonging to us, upon a bare possibility, that something political may be found, but without the least ground for a suspicion of the kind.

It requires papers, relative to the sufferings of the people called Quakers, to be seized, without limiting the search to any house, or number of houses; under color of which, every house in this

opportunity of shewing his innocence. These princity, might be broke open.
ciples are strongly enforced in the ninth and tenth
sections of the declaration of rights, which form a
fundamental and inviolable part of the constitution,
from which you derive your power, wherein it is
declared:

IX. "That, in all prosecutions for criminal of fences, a man hath a right to be heard by himself and his council, to demand the cause and nature of his accusa ion, to be conf onted with the witnesses, to call for evidence in his favor, and a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the county; with

To the persons whom the congress have thought proper to select, the warrant adds a number of the inhabitants of the city, of whom some of us are part; without the least insinuation, that they are within the description given by the congress, in their recommendation.

It directs all these matters to be executed (tho' of the highest importance to the liberties of the people) at the discretion of a set of men, who are under no qualification for the due execution of the office, and are unaccustomed to the forms of execut

ing civil process; from whence, probably, have pro- with your THEN professions, or your repeated deceeded the excesses and irregularities committed clarations in favor of general liberty.

by some of them, in divers instances, by refusing to give copies of the process to the parties arrested, by denying to some of us, a reasonable time to consider of answers, and prepare for confinement. In the absence of others, by breaking our desks, and other private repositories—and by ransacking and carrying off domestic papers, printed books, and other matters not within the terms of the

warrant.

In the name, therefore, of the whole body of the freemen of Pennsylvania, whose liberties are radically struck at in this arbitrary imprisonment of us, their unoffending fellow-citizens-we demand an audience, that so our innocence may appear, and persecution give place to justice.--But if, regardless of every sacred obligation by which men are bound to each other in society, and of that constitution by which you profess to govern, which

It limits no time for the duration of our im-you have so loudly magnified for the free spirit it prisonment, nor points at any hearing, which is an breathes, you are still determined to proceed, be absolute requisite to make a legal warrant; but the appeal to the Righteous Judge of all the earth confounds in one warrant, the power to apprehend, for the integrity of our hearts, and the unparalleled and the authority to commit, without interposing tyranny of your measures.

a judicial officer between the parties and the messenger.

Upon the whole, we conceive this warrant, and the proceedings thereupon, to be far more danger. ous in its tendency, and a more flagrant violation of every right which is dear to freemen, than any that can be found in the records of the English constitution.

But when we consider the use to which this general warrant has been applied, and the persons upon whom it has been executed, (who challenge the world to charge them with offence) it becomes of too great magnitude to be considered as the cause of a few.—It is the cause of every inhabitant, and may, if permitted to pass into a precedent, establish a system of arbitrary power unknown but in the inquisition, or the despotic courts of the East.

James Pemberton,

Thomas Wharton,
Thomas Coombe,
Edward Pennington,

Henry Drinker,
Phineas Bond,
Thomas Gilpin,
John Pemberton,
Thomas Pike,
Owen Jones, jun.
Thomas Affleck,
Charles Jervis,

William Smith, broker,
William Drewet Smith,
Thomas Fisher,
Miers Fisher,
Charles Eddy,
Israel Pemberton,

John Hunt,
Samuel Pleasants.

What adds further to this alarming stretch of power is, that we are informed the vice president Mason's Lodge, Philadelphia, Sept. 4th, 1777.

of the council, has declared to one of the magistrates of the city, who called on him to enquire into the cause of our confinement, that we were to be sent to Virginia UNHeard.

N. B The three last subscribers, were first attended by some of those, who executed the general warrant; but after their remonstrance to the president and council, were arrested by LEWIS NICOLA, and conducted to the Lodge, by a special order to him.

Scarcely could we believe such a declaration could have been made by a person who fills the second place in the government, till we were this day confirmed in the melancholy truth by three of the subscribers, whom you absolutely refused to hear in person, or by council.—We would remind you of the complaints urged by numbers of your selves against the parliament of Great Britain, for condemning the town of Boston UNHEARD, and we call upon you to reconcile your PRESENT conduct] September 5th half past two o'clock, P. M.

The foregoing remonstrance was delivered to Thomas Wharton, jun. president, &c. last evening, who promised to lay it before council, and send an answer to one of the gentlemen, who delivered it to him this morning; but no answer has yet been

received.

Delaware Papers.

To the honorable the representatives of the counties of
Newcastle, Kent and Sussex, in general assembly

met, 14th March, 1775.

The petition of the inhabitants, freemen of Kent
County, most humbly sheweth:

hinder you from heading a light infantry company. That I may give you some evidence of my zeal for the good of my country, I must inform you that I am first lieut, of a light infantry company—and that the hon. committee of safety at their late meeting in Dover, honored me with the appointment of surgeon to the first battalion in our county. I am pleased with the public transactions of your province. Does the conduct of the people at large,

That we conceive a well regulated militia, composed of the gentlemen freeholders and other free men, to be not only a constitutional right, but the natural strength and most stable security of a free correspond with the transactions of your public asgovernment, from the exercise of which a wise semblies? Our militia is now completely formed people will not excuse themselves even in time of throughout the government, and it completely disgraces a man not to enrol.—Of the company I belong to, above sixty are in genteel regimentals, with

peace. That happily secure in the affectionate protec-light infantry caps, and will soon be fully accou tion of our mother country, we have for some time tered. In short, I was never so completely new past been carelessly negligent of military art and modelled in so short a time; instead of the careless discipline, and are therefore the more exposed to and secure appearance we made six months ago, the insult and ravages of our natural enemies at you will now find most of us in a regimental dress this unhappy time, when we have lost our inte- with swords upon our thighs. rest in the esteem and affection of our parent state.

We, therefore pray your honors to take our case into your most serious consideration, and, by passing an act of assembly establishing a militia throughout this government, grant us relief in the premises, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever

pray.

But I must conclude with wishing to hear from you, and assuring you that I remain, Your affectionate humble servant,

JAS. TILTON.

Seventh month 27th, 1775.

To the committee now sitting at Dover. Whereas I understand you have been pleased to Letter from Dr. Tilton to Dr. Elmer, 1775. advertise without any distinction of age or religion, I have little more than time to enquire of you all those who refuse to take up arms to appear at whether you ever received the answer I sent to Dover this day, in order to give reasons why they your letter, received soon after I saw you at Phila- don't enrol, and I expect I am one of these transdelphia. I am unwilling to think you either negli-gressors, and I not being willing to give any offence, gent or forgetful of me, but I am much disposed but to follow after peace with all men-for with. to abuse our intermediate friend, Mr. D.-He kept out which, no man shall see the Lord. And lookyour letter from me I don't know how long, and I ing on it as a duty on all Christians to be subtake it for granted has lost mine altogether-thus|ject to every law and ordinance of man, for conyou have been deceived and I have been abused science sake, where such laws and ordinances and injured. are not repugnant to the law of God and their It would be impertinent to trouble you with me.ceived favor from God, and one under the oblireligious principles, so I, as one who hath redical nonsense now. The important concerns of Our country engage every mind. It will be unnecessary for me to comment or enlarge upon the arguments offered on either or both sides. I will only mention the conclusion which I have drawn from them, and the principle upon which I act. I consider the imposition offered us by Great Britain as unreasonable, unjust and affrontive; I am, there. fore, determined to resist to the uttermost, trusting

the event to Providence.

gation of keeping his law, will let you know my several reasons why I am thus delinquent-the chief of which is as follows: Whereas the Lord my God hath been pleased by his Almighty power, to deliver my soul from the bondage of sin and death, and hath set uhis law in my heart, with his strict command to obey the same at the risk of the loss all the transitory things of this world, and even my of his oy favor, which is of more value to me than life, which, if required, I am ready to offer up a sacrifice for his sake-now, this I do not refuse to do out of any obstinacy or opposition to my

I am informed by the reverend father who brings you this, that you have taken an active part In this time of trouble; that physic itself, does not countrymen, but because I verily believe God to

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